Anti-Virus & Security Software!

[Websync]

Anti-Virus & Security Software

Hi guys,
This is a continuation of our thread about various kinds of Anti-Virus and Security software. The good, the bad, and the downright ugly.

To recap:
Zone Alarm Security suite was keeping me from being able to login to the GlowHost help desk and other websites that require login. I just bought BitDefender and will be testing it out over the next few weeks.

Please feel free to let us know what you are using for defense and how it is working out for you.

[Websync]

I used to use spyware doctor for just the spyware and loved it as it was totally on demand - now you actually have to restart your system if you disable or enable it. I am not happy about that and will be shopping for a new solution as well.

I have no clue how I am going to like BitDefender at this point (supposedly takes care of spyware as well as viruses), so can't comment on it yet, but I love Pest Patrol for spyware scanning and removal. It's interface reminds me of an FTP client which is familiar and easy to work with. Plus, you can set it to update before your "manual" scan which is nice. It does list anything nasty it finds, but gives you the choice of what to do. You do not have to remove each item individually. You can select them all and simply click on delete. I have used this program for years as added security and have nothing bad to say about it.

[rlhanson]

Thanks websync - I will have to try the Pest Patrol out as an alternative.
Let us know about your BitDefender!

[Matt]

I think the best anti-virus is your fingers, and keeping your private network and personal computers, just that.

I don't let people use my wifi and I don't let them touch my computers. I also have not run AV since windows 98. I do run windows firewall now, but that's only because it came in one of the windows updates, and I have been too lazy to turn it off

Primarily because it has not affected my day to day workflow. I doubt it works anyways. Careless? I don't think so. I think it just makes me even more careful in my clicking patterns.

I will say that the last virus I got was not from clicking though. It was from connecting to someone's unsecured wireless network so I could get my laptop online for a few minutes. I think it was mytomb or mydoom or something like that that was somehow to infect every computer on a specific network, it was very noticable and reletively easy fix.

I use trend micro's online virus scanner if I suspect infection and typically all it finds are attachments in my email box that have never been executed.

[Websync]

Thanks websync - I will have to try the Pest Patrol out as an alternative.
Let us know about your BitDefender!

Ok, thanks. So far it is pretty quiet, but the initial scan froze on my computer.

Let us know how you like PestPatrol.

[Websync]

Hi Matt,
You are very lucky! I am not sure that it is wise to use no anti-virus protection, but that is up to you. I guess if you only go to select websites and never play games or receive email through Outlook you are probably fine. And those online scanners are great. I think I have tried Panda and Trend Micro. The scans were much faster then the resident software, which usually freezes my geriatric system.

The last virus I got was a couple of years ago. I was in an online class for learning Flash. Part of the class was to participate in the discussion boards. One of the weekly board assignments was to list a few links to Flash sites that you liked. It was also part of the assignment to visit the other student’s links and critique those sites. You only had to pick a couple to actually critique, but you had to visit them all. Well, I got a virus by visiting a site that a student had posted, that had a Flash game embedded into an HTML page. Very simple game, didn’t like it and when I tried to quit the game by closing the game (.swf) window – poof - infected. Needless to say, I was not a happy camper. I was able to warn the class and the link was removed before anyone else got infected.

Those sneaky little ba*dos can be anywhere attached to anything and you can bet there are hundreds if not thousands of teens with no life, thinking of nothing better then how to get off by messing someone up. Maybe it is a hormonal thing. I would imagine that the serious inventors of such nastiness are more interested in bigger targets.

Does this sound paranoid?

[Websync]

PS At the time of infection I was running the free versions of AVG and Zone Alarm. Neither of them stopped it.

[jmarcv]

Hi Matt,
You are very lucky!

I tend to agree with Matt. I have had years running bare-nekkid myself. I put Avast on about a year ago because it is on my wifes computer, and she keeps asking me questions about it, so it was easier to have it installed to know how it works. Before that I was without for a long time.
The 2 times I got infected in the last 10-20 years has been due to bad 'fingers' - and once I had McAffee installed, the other I had Norton. Some adware did a real # one othertime, but again, I think I may have had something on there that let it blow through the gates.

I hardly remember any of these products popup and warn me about anything. Most times when they did they were bogus anyway, nag-popups to sell you on their efficacy, IMO.

[cornnfedd]

zonealarm sux, biggest waste of resources for your computer, unless you are an internet newbie then you dont need it. I just use AVG and be sensible and have never had a problem.