Is anti virus software worth it?

[Steve]

I scanned a file once - said it was virus free, until I ran it and it started doing "it's thing."

Still, at least I know what I'm doing!

I think they're worth it, but shouldn't be the only line of defense.

[joshwa]

google toolbar is excellent - not only do you get to use google no matter what page you're on (Without having to go to google.com) but it's also got a built in pop-up blocker!

with the firewall - after you've installed it, and allowed the things you want to access the internet eg internet explorer, outlook express etc quake 3 - then it just quitens down and just sits there and protects you from all the other vulnerabilities in windows...

alternatively you can setup a smoothwall pc and once you've got that setup you're pretty much protected.

me being behind a smoothwall box, and having zonealarm on one of my pcs doesn't seem to stop me from doing anything

[nichomach]

Personally, I tend to rely on a combination of AV software and a hardware SPI firewall, plus innate caution...

[Moby-Dick]

Yeah thats something I don't like about broadband, it's "always-on" nature. So when I get BB, one simple thing you can do is, just unplug the connection (from the wall) after use, easy

Best security there is - I've seen people use timer switches on routers for just the same thing.

[quote]Also I've never used the address book feature in outlook, in fact I deleted the folder where they are keep ages ago (tho I think it came back), and I don't allow outlook to remember any e-mail address sent/received/deleted etc. Yet another simple step you can take aswell to help prevent infecting others [quote]

I like this - fancy posting a how-to ?

Those are very good suggestions josh, but with bb beating a path to my comp, ill have to decide what the "protection setup" eg firewall, av, spybusters etc is gonna be for my system. However I think deciding this has become more complicated than trying to understand that blasted small print on credit card flyers..

You've got the all in one option, someting like norton net security which has av and firewall all bundled in it, But it costs, not only for the original purchase but for idiotic subsciption fees aswell, also it's apparantly "bloatware" which is the iceing on the cake.

Then you've got your mixed setup, eg you might have ZA as your firewall then avg as the antivirus prog. Then a diff popup buster then a diff spyware buster, then a diff e-mail spam busting prog.... It just gose on and on, so you end up spending all your time just updateing all this stuff, and trying to deal with all the conflicts between each progy.
As you can see trying to decide how to protect yourself on the net nowerdays is extreemly complicated & fustrating.
You in-effect just end up going with the lesser of the evil's, so to speack. That is that im not knocking any of the above mentioned software in their abillatiy to protect you, nore am I knocking all the choice available. A variety of different programs to chose from is good.

And finaly when is a good time to "turn on" (eg have it running in the background) your firewall, as it seems that most websites won't even run properly when a fw is employed, you can't play online with a fw on, can't even really download stuff without some box poping up and cutting up the download when a fw is on, can't insatll anything with one on.. again it just goes on and on, lol Your either just switching the fw on and off all the time, or you can just sit there at the comp, on the net, doing nothing, not even viewing any web pages, just there.. stearing at the screen. I exaggerate it like this because it seems like the above mentioned silly situation is the only instance where a fw will work without probs, and not cause probs.

I think you've been grabbing the mucky end of the stick here and only looked at the negative points of any of the solutions you've suggested.

If well set-up most of the anti spyware/virus software utils will auto update, its a passive process that involves you doing nothing , just letting the software do its job. As for getting a firewall tweaked right, there is a bit of an art to it. I personally dont like zonealarm, it is far too alarmist and restrictive. Once I've set up all my applications with a firewall , such as agnitum Outpost or Kerio , I lock the config and forget abuot it, I've not had a problem with it at all. It just takes a little bit of planning when you install the firewall. Write down a list of all of the applications you want to use the web and allow them. I've never had a download cut off because of firewall settings. Of course you can not have any form of firewll at all and just use the XP built in firewall, which is better than nothing , but not much better. Dont rely on sites like grc.com to be a good indication if you are "safe" or not - the site is aload of tosh. check http://grcsucks.com for a more detailed explanation of why.

Sorry if this has become abit of a rant, didn't mean it to, I just feel that we are becoming abit like slaves to our machines, instead of it being the other way around.

Still tho.. Always look on the bright side of life eh..

Cheers Dave.

I dont think its being a slave as such, its a matter of understanding the implications of being connected to the rest of the world and being aware of the risks. You dont have to sit in a cave with a tin hat on, but a little bit of paranoia goes a long way

[Dave_07]

Cheers Moby
I guess any av or fw has it's up-sides aswell as it's down-sides.
I've not tried Kerio, I looks quite comprehensive, might give it a go. Is it freeware, subscription costs ?
A how-2 sounds good, maybe make it into a sticky or something.

Cheers, Dave

[Blub2k]

If you know how to secure a pc correctly you do not really need AV software.
Add Outlook express to the internet restricted zone.
Dont open emails from strangers, although this is not as dangerous if you have followed step one.
Dont open cracks/warez without scanning them they are a major source of problems.
Use a personal firewall.
Always update windows.
Dont open binary attachments in newsgroups unless you have scanned them.
These are my rules which kept me virus free for five years or so.
Even workin in AV now my advice would be the same, if you run a gaming system it is an intrinsically insecure pc so use the basic rules and you will get by.

[HarryOatcake]

I am sure that I read somewhere recently,
that if you add something like,
aaaaaaantivirus as an address, a virus trying to spread through to your contacts continues in a loop because it cannot post to the rest until it can post to aaa as it is the first letter in the alphebet ?
Harry.

[Agent]

I am sure that I read somewhere recently,
that if you add something like,
aaaaaaantivirus as an address, a virus trying to spread through to your contacts continues in a loop because it cannot post to the rest until it can post to aaa as it is the first letter in the alphebet ?
Harry.

[directhex]

anyone using Internet Explorer who uses the words "I just take simple precautions" is asking for it. click a link in IE which looks liek a shiny happy JPEG (i.e. a valid url ending in .jpg), a picture appears on the screen, but bam - the JS/Psyme worm has been used to infect your PC with... well... anything at all really, using holes in the Windows Media Player 7 ActiveX component found in all versions of Windows since ME.

Simple, effective, potentially deadly. Are you gonna stop clicking links to show how may "precautions" you take? do you think pulling out really fast counts as contraception? it's simple enough - if you value the security, stability & privacy of your machine & every machine you ever have dealings with across the internet, AV software and virus-resistant apps are a MUST.

"Just be careful" is what unknowing HIV+ people say

[HarryOatcake]

Agent,
you appear to be a man of few words ?.

I only mentioned that I recall a statement made in one of the articles of
Internet Advisor magazine a short time back.

Whether this suggested fix works or not I have'nt a clue,
it was just a mention to the forum.

Myself personaly I would never be without my Grisoft AVG or ZoneAlarm.
May I finaly say that in view of the number of posts that appears with your Username
I just don't understand how you managed them ?.

If I was to send Ugh to the forum do you think it would gain me another post.
Harry

[Jiff Lemon]

I am sure that I read somewhere recently,
that if you add something like,
aaaaaaantivirus as an address, a virus trying to spread through to your contacts continues in a loop because it cannot post to the rest until it can post to aaa as it is the first letter in the alphebet ?
Harry.

No.
However, in most corporate enviroments, the First adress in the Global address list is usually ".DONT MAIL THIS" or something similar - Usually a distribution list that serves to trigger alarm bells in all the places it needs to.

In a home enviroment, you'd simply get an NDR from the first email address whilst the worm happily mailed itself out to the rest of your contacts.

[Agent]

Agent,
you appear to be a man of few words ?.

I only mentioned that I recall a statement made in one of the articles of
Internet Advisor magazine a short time back.

Whether this suggested fix works or not I have'nt a clue,
it was just a mention to the forum.

Myself personaly I would never be without my Grisoft AVG or ZoneAlarm.
May I finaly say that in view of the number of posts that appears with your Username
I just don't understand how you managed them ?.

If I was to send Ugh to the forum do you think it would gain me another post.
Harry

Sorry, couldnt make out what you were trying to say !, there's no need to be so uptight about my post count. If a smilie can say exactly the same thing, why not use it ?
I do understand what you mean now, although i dont think its right !

Jiff has the right idea though !

[Matt1eD]

For AV and Firewall (use 4 other apps for other Malware e.g. Spyware) I use Avast (used to use AVG then mucked everything up and I don't like AVG 7) and for a firewall Sygate (used to use ZoneAlarm until it blocked everything, then McAffee -until it kept on losing my settings, like Sygate did to me yesterday-).I won't start bitching to those who don't touch AV stuff.

I am however planning to build a Mini-ITX system as a smoothwall box. I am in two minds as whether or not to uninstall my personal firewalls on our five computers. They do annoy me when parents say 'Do I say allow this time, not allow this time, allow permamently, do not allow permamently?' - but I also like to know what is accessing the net, what address and its port (and Windows Firewall rarely shows a program accessing the net -I've looked in the settings-). It's particularly with some programs (ahem 'which a friend gave me!') if you know what I mean.

I use Avast with real-time protection enabled and their screensaver (or did for a couple of days until I decided that it wasn't fair on my HDD, wanted to give it a bit of a break instead of a workout searching for viruses, trojans e.t.c.).

Also always do backups at least once a month on all my machines and have auto-update on applications (including OS) on and non-auto updaters, I look for an update once every week or so. Also just don't go blatently asking for rubbish through email and on the web.

I scanned a file once - said it was virus free, until I ran it and it started doing "it's thing."

If it was compressed Avast un-compresses them with real time protection.

google toolbar is excellent - not only do you get to use google no matter what page you're on (Without having to go to google.com) but it's also got a built in pop-up blocker!

Google toolbar - I know this post was back in 2003 so I hope you use FF now.

Someone here (not this post from you Joshwa) also almost made me start a browser argument !

P.S. Thread resurrection; what thread resurrection !

[Moby-Dick]

I ought to change your username to Tony Robinson...this thread was tagged by Time team !

[iranu]

Those that don't use AV are most likely already infected - they just don't know about it.

AV progs are not resource intensive and simply sit in the background and will update automatically - ditto most firewalls so why NOT use them. A bit like seatbelts. They are a preventative measure - prevention is better than cure (my friendly STD clinic tells me!)

Also occasionally sweep with Spybot S&D, HijackThis and Adaware SE.

[Matt1eD]

I ought to change your username to Tony Robinson...this thread was tagged by Time team !

lol

Agree with you 100% there Iranu.