Any point in getting an AV?

Hey all!

Since the early days of Windows 7 I have depended solely on Security Essentials/Windows Defender and the integrated firewall to protect my laptops.

This because I must have tried every single antivirus suite there is and haven't found one that fits the bill. I work in IT and have SQL Server and a bunch of other stuff that already slow down my laptop so the last thing I need is an antivirus that's going to kill my system.
I did deploy Kaspersky Endpoint Security on my company's 3 servers and some of the users' workstations who insisted on having a 3rd party AV but I am not entirely satisfied with it, which is why I didn't install it on my personal laptops.

I can't remember when is the last time I got infected with an antivirus. What I DO remember is that it was on Windows XP and ironically, on a desktop "protected" by Kaspersky...

Going through reviews of all popular antivirus suites (user reviews mostly which I think are the ones that matter), there isn't one that people are truly happy with. It just look like people make do with what they have and stick with what they're used to/familiar with.

Is there any point at all today, to switch from a basic solution like Windows Defender to a paid antivirus? I can't understand why people are getting so easily infected with viruses today... I typically follow 6 steps on all my systems:
1- Use firefox as my web browser. Disable completely history on it. Get Adblock for it. Most malware comes from all these ads that pollute the net
2- Keep all add-ons (flash etc...) fully updated
3- Run all Windows Updates as soon as they're available
4- Keep firewall on. There's no reason at all to deactivate it. Learn how to open ports, it's easy...
5- Most importantly, GET CCleaner and run it MANY times daily. It gets rid of cookies and temporary internet files. I am also certain that I am virus free for so many years thanks to that little program.
6- Be smart in general... When you get emails, before clicking on anything, check who's the sender. Move your mouse cursor on the hyperlink you're dying to click on and check what is the REAL URL it's linking to.

I follow these 6 simple steps above, and despite often browsing "risky" websites I have yet to be infected with any form of malware. Am I missing something, can someone honestly tell me that I've just been "lucky" all that time?

I am posting all this because I ironically REALLY do want to get an antivirus, mostly for the laptop in my sig which I just acquired. I paid quite a bit for it and I don't want to take any risks...

 

ATI 880M GTX

 

Eset smart security 7 is known to be very light on the system compared to others and is at the top in terms of protection, as confirmed by user tests at malwaretips forums. Probably the best combination of lightness and protection on the market today

If you don't do anything that would warrant the very best protection its not really needed. Even the best antivirus obviously doesn't guarantee anything, but I'm willing to pay the 30 or so bucks (always a deal online somewhere) for whatever small percentage of safety that a paid AV offers me over free per year. Partly because sometimes I am on questionable areas of the internet, haha.

I just switched over to eset from using Norton myself, and so far no problems or system slowdowns. It only uses 100mb of memory on average in the background

 

I recently ran into this fairly current thread that may be of some interest. Upgrade AV from MSE for Win 7 - AnandTech Forums I went with the suggestion in the fourth post since all my email is web based.

 

Yes, and I list those reasons here.

If you never connect to the web or any external device you don't need an antivirus. However, if you do, you can't be vigilant all the time. And its that moment when you lower your guard that your machines becomes infected.

I was once working so fast that I clicked on a suspicious website at the same instant I recognized what it was. Fortunately, my AV caught it and blocked it. Its that one occasion when your anti virus will more than pay for itself.

 

IMO, if you don't go to the dark corners of the Internet, and you don't use IE or alpha/beta versions of other browsers, the free anti-virus solutions are more than adequate. Your own online behavior has a huge impact on the risk of catching viruses.

Although I may be biased because (a) I haven't had a virus in years, (b) I have the status bar visible in my browser so I know where links go and am highly suspicious of shortened URLs, and (c) I'm still haunted by memories of bloated paid anti-virus.

 

I am completely biased but to me, clean image + secure erase beats any AV hands down. Yeah I get this is very "passive" rather than "active" protection, but the way I look at it is exploits will always come out faster than AV can catch them, so instead of trying to protect everything and agonizing over whether I'm "fully protected", I'll just use my computer until I detect a trace of problem. Then I'll simply nuke my SSD and load in a clean image and I'm good to go in about 30 minutes.

So for me, MSE + MalwareBytes Pro is good enough, as MalwareBytes Pro does an outstanding job of stopping drive-by downloads and the like. Plus I don't visit the darker corners of the internet.

 

The battle against malware is never ending. Harmful sight are forever disguising their sites to look harmless and pull in unsuspecting victims in ever increasing new ways few people can avoid.

The paid AV share databases that gather information on these sites and warn unsuspecting users of their treachery. Of course, that still leaves the initial users what are the first to get caught.
How may people have bee lured in by add such as YOUR SYSTEM MAY BE INFECTED....? Its a never ending battle.

 

That's good you tried every A/V out there and FYI there isn't one A/V that fits the bill that is something everyone knows already. A/V don't kill your system Virus/Malware/adbots do the killing how you can equate a A/V as a Virus don't seem to show one IT credentials.

Well neither do we....this is a great story but then again...there is nothing of substance to begin to verify it.

This is such a simplistic view that makes one wonder if one is really a IT person.

Wait...your IT and you don't know why?

Adblock does very little to help and does more to hinder browser usage...use a PC "hosts" edit and that will do more to improve your browsing experiences and that will also kills those pop ads faster then your adblock will ever do.

Or readup on your computer and know what your running on it.

huh...more like turn on your Windows Update to auto update...that isn't hard to do and isn't rocket science...

By default Windows 7 the O/S I use Firewall is one by default if one is off then most likely they are infected already....and firewall and A/V isn't going to help them. You don't need to open ports to us a firewall or browse the internet.

No, that just cleans it doesn't protect your computer how you can equate a CCleaner as a A/V programs is beyond logical reasoning.

Not smart if you don't know that email block it and send it to the graveyard don't even go looking at it.

Your steps do need more refining here...and no you either been lucky or we don't have the full story...as anything posted on here can be subjective or be missing information that one doesn't want to say otherwise.

Well if that is the cause just visits some RU sites and turn off your firewall and A/V and have fun there....

 

@Stormjumper

Wow, someone's in a good mood. What time was it when you wrote that post, so eloquently if I might add? Did you just need to troll someone before going to sleep?

People like you are hilarious. You actually might have a point but because you choose to be arrogant and borderline aggressive, it's just easier to dismiss all your childish rambling and move on.

For the others who made NORMAL contributions to this topic, I gave Norton 360 a shot. Didn't notice any slowdown but got quite a bit of false positives on my first scan. Will wait till the end of the trial before I decide if I buy it or not.

 

lmao...good one...no telling it black/white...arrogant....troll aggressive....no. Your posting would be condescending of savvy computer users and for someone in IT to make claims as your doing shows your lack of IT knowledge should've know those problems already and your reply would show you don't have the IT experience - that IT should be trained for already knowing the changing field aggressive Virus/Malware are not the old days of computing they are more and more stealthy and a IT should tech their users what to do and not do as well as keep themselves up to date as the latest Do's and Don't Do's so their clients understand what they are doing. That's what true IT people are suppose to do protect the Network but also Teach their users Best Practice.

 

Sorry my posting wasn't worthy of your infinite wisdom and knowledge, my dear professor. I'll do my best to earn your respect in the future.

Now to get back on topic, do you have any constructive input to give or are you just going to stick to trolling? What AV solution do you use to start with? Any particular recommendation?

 

I bow to you tech sensei

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

Yes, everyone should have anti-malware.
Nothing you can know or do protects you from zero-day exploits or certain (often automated) attacks except a memory-resident program.
I usually have a standard lightweight antimalware program running at all times with a second-opinion program on a write-protected USB drive.
This comes from a veteran of IT of 20 years.

Most individuals can get very good free anti-malware for nothing... there is no need for the heavy expensive stuff for home use.
Avira, Avast!, ESET, Malwarebytes, and Kaspersky make some of the best for what you pay for. (in some cases no money required for personal use)
Microsoft's Security essentials is a serviceable "service engine soon" indicator. (if MSE is installed and disabled and you didn't do it, you are most likely infected.)

 

You already have an antivirus. Instead of upgrading to a product that won't see large returns, try installing EMET on top of your antivirus, and address a separate area of defense.

I'm too lazy to read this thread but I'm willing to bet that the above is the best advice you'll get.

 

Holy run-on sentence, Batman! That made my brain hurt trying to decode your drivel.

Try this:

1. Count to 20. Slowly.
2. Wipe the foam off your mouth.
3. Try to remember your basic grammar skills.
4. Breathe.
5. Then post.

Have a nice day.

 

With regards to the thread title and OP's question:

Yes, you should be running anti-virus software. I personally use BitDefender free on my laptops. My clients run Symantec Endpoint Protection / ESET depending on the client site.

It really bothers me that you claim to have installed ESET on some servers and workstations, but not all of them. So now you have holes.

Anti-virus in and of itself is only one piece of the security puzzle. You should be really practicing Defense in Depth:

Just google search this: Defense in Depth.

Part of me wants to come audit your network and do some penetration testing. Part of me is very afraid of what I would find.

EDIT: Sweet black baby Jesus on a stick. I can't even put a link in for "Let me google that for you." So that's 2 times today:

1. I can't type in the word d u m b a s s because of your filters
2. You block let me google that for you.
3. Any other fun of mine you wish to kill?

 

Giggity Giggity!!!

 

If you know what you're doing you don't need any AV software. I haven't run one in over 15 years. As long as your network is secure and you don't blindly run executables without knowing what they are, there is no need for a resource-hogging AV program, which if anything could make you more prone to attack by giving a false sense of security. Not to mention all the false-positives they generate.

 

Yes. Type in the acronym for Public Relations and you get:

Spoiler

PR

 

If you are careful, I don't see why