Bourvi Posted February 15, 2009 Share Posted February 15, 2009 I had Mcafee but we switched to norton, is it a good choice or is there better security? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Webhostbudd Posted February 15, 2009 Share Posted February 15, 2009 I am strongly against all in one products. I would recommend something along the lines of kaspersky or nod as they are industry leading antiviruses. I would then recommend using comodo firewall, if you do not feel secure enough using the built in windows one. Throw in adaware or superantispyware and you should be set. Personally, I feel Symantec has come a long way and internet security 2009 isn't horrible, but it isn't the best possible decision. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaser48 Posted February 15, 2009 Share Posted February 15, 2009 I use avast Antivirus on all my computer. Just because its free. Tried Avira, but got annoyed with the nag/advert screen every time it decided to update definitions. I have also tried AVG but hated the link scanner. When I disabled it the tray icon showed an error. annoying when software tells you something is bad and there isn't. How do you know when there is something really wrong? For firewall i use the built-in windows firewall. I'm behind a router firewall most of the time. I use spybot and adware to scan when i remember Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Webhostbudd Posted February 15, 2009 Share Posted February 15, 2009 I use avast Antivirus on all my computer. Just because its free. Tried Avira, but got annoyed with the nag/advert screen every time it decided to update definitions. I couldn't agree less. Avast has one of the most cryptic interfaces i have ever seen and detection rates are poor. Avira may have that annoying popup once a day, but it has the better detection rates than most antiviruses and consumes minimal resources. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bakb0ne Posted February 15, 2009 Share Posted February 15, 2009 I personally don't agree with all-in-one products either. If you have the option, I highly suggest a UNIX(/Like) environment, ClamAV, and a custom firewall [iptables works nicely]. However, if you can't get into that, the best tools are not necessarily ones that look for everything, but analyze everything. One of my favorites, now discontinued, is the Sygate Person Firewall. Spyware Search&Destroy was good for my windows days as well. AVG is not so good for real time analyzations, it does an alright job scanning, but not my choice for catching something in real time. Make sure your software is up to date, delete what you don't need, manage your ports properly, and keep everything tight, and you should be fine. The percentage of desktop hacks are getting lower, aiming at more wireless based, and company based hacks. So keeping it tidy, and everything compact, should keep you out of the radar. Nod32 is great if you want to pay, but I personally don't feel like paying for software... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DingleBerries Posted February 15, 2009 Share Posted February 15, 2009 NOD32 + firewall - Warez/"hacking tools" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparda Posted February 15, 2009 Share Posted February 15, 2009 I don't use any active antivirus. I only use the Windows firewall. As far as I can tell I'v never been caught out by any thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingwray Posted February 15, 2009 Share Posted February 15, 2009 I don't use any active antivirus. I only use the Windows firewall. As far as I can tell I'v never been caught out by any thing. I'm with Spardal, I have avast installed to stop windows bitching me but it never runs. Best defense is not to be stupid about were you go on the internet and what you do. For instance, your worried about being shot when you go out, but you live in a nice enough area so thats ok, you don't go and put a bullet proof jacket on and go to the wrong side of town do you? Because something will get through, you simple don't go to the wrong side of town. Or if you need to, you take more than just a jacket. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digip Posted February 15, 2009 Share Posted February 15, 2009 Firewalls and Antivurs alone are not enough these days. Self education and best practices are needed as well. No amount of protection will work when it comes to user error or ignorance. Still, I wouldn't run a windows machine without any kind of firewall or anti-virus. I just don't trust the windows firewall by itself, but if thats all you have, by all means, make sure its on and set it up properly. As for Norton and McAfee, I would stay away from both of them and use one of the other suggested ones, like Kaspersky or Avast, NOD32, etc. I find a lot of people who bring me their machines to get fixed were using either Norton or McAfee, and the virus or malware they had disabled them all together. Plus, try removing them from your system after installing one of them. They just make a mess of the system and what they hook into. I have even seen them disable a system in an effort to stop the spread of a virus, only making it difficult for normal users to figure out what to do to fix their system, short of a format and reinstall because they don't know what to do afterwards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VaKo Posted February 15, 2009 Share Posted February 15, 2009 I still have an antiv-virus program installed, but I've not caught anything since the Chernobyl virus back in 99 so a: its to stop Windows bitching and b: on-demand scanning of the odd file is useful. Other than that, everything dodgey is done in a VM with undo discs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bourvi Posted February 15, 2009 Author Share Posted February 15, 2009 Well with Norton, I've caught about 10 viruses yet and I had it since septmeber so it's maybe not a lot but still less viruses in my computer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digip Posted February 15, 2009 Share Posted February 15, 2009 I still have an antiv-virus program installed, but I've not caught anything since the Chernobyl virus back in 99 so a: its to stop Windows bitching and b: on-demand scanning of the odd file is useful. Other than that, everything dodgey is done in a VM with undo discs. I also rely on VirusTotal for second opinions when the file is small enough to upload to them. Other than that, I won't run anything dodgy I don't trust or can't verify in some way. For stuff I don't trust I run it in Sandboxie, but only if I need some out put from the program, then I delete the sandbox when done. VM's are also nice for that same reason and something I used to do all the time, but whats nice about Sandboxie is you get to see everything it creates without having to sort normal system files from the rest of the OS and installed programs. It all just sits in the sandbox and you can then zip up the install folder and send it to virus total without it effecting the rest of your system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digip Posted February 15, 2009 Share Posted February 15, 2009 Well with Norton, I've caught about 10 viruses yet and I had it since septmeber so it's maybe not a lot but still less viruses in my computer I have never caught a virus infection on my system itself. I have however found that certain downloads were infected, but never had my system itself infected. (knock on wood). Thats 15 years of home computer use with no infection, so I consider myself pretty lucky. On the other hand, other family members have had their fair share of infections and I hate getting that phone call "Hey, can you take a look at my computer? Somethings wrong with Internet Explorer. It keeps taking me to the wrong sites." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Webhostbudd Posted February 15, 2009 Share Posted February 15, 2009 The reason I use an antivirus is not protection for myself but for protection of the other people around me. Sure, I probably don't need an antivirus but what if one of my family members decides to do something dumb on my computer? What if they compromise the security of the network from their own machines? It doesn't matter how much you teach them, something is bound to happen. I would rather see a free antivirus like Avira take 8 megs of my 8 gigs of ram, to ensure I am protected from the mishaps of others. Most antiviruses can prevent most infections to date. They usually run into trouble when they are freshly installed on a virus riddled machine though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
decepticon_eazy_e Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 Network security is like Ogres. It should have many layers. Have a firewall running one definition, your spam filter running another. Your servers being inspected by a third, and your desktops a fourth. That would be the most ideal way. Granted, nobody is going to sign off on that budget. Four anti-virus subscriptions a year is very wasteful to the outside observer. The more layers you can get the better off you'll be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silentknight329 Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 i have been using kaspersky internet security 2009, it is an awesome all-in-one. but for my scanning i use malwaryebytes and kaspersky scanner... i havent cought anything though.. i think limewire is a pain for viruses, so like some people saying you have to be smart about the sights/programs/downloads you use and should always scan a file if your worried about it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Webhostbudd Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 If you are getting viruses from limewire then most likely you aren't doing something legal and it doesn't warrant a reason for virus protection. Even then, just by looking at the attributes of different files you can tell which ones are viruses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingwray Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 i have been using kaspersky internet security 2009, it is an awesome all-in-one. but for my scanning i use malwaryebytes and kaspersky scanner... i havent cought anything though.. i think limewire is a pain for viruses, so like some people saying you have to be smart about the sights/programs/downloads you use and should always scan a file if your worried about it... It might be an awesome all-in-one, but kaspersky has just given all your personal data away if you bought it through them or registered it with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silentknight329 Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 It might be an awesome all-in-one, but kaspersky has just given all your personal data away if you bought it through them or registered it with them. there is an option so they dont do that on the install.. i disabled it.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingwray Posted February 16, 2009 Share Posted February 16, 2009 there is an option so they dont do that on the install.. i disabled it.. I was refering to the fact they got hacked: Kaspersky Hacked I don't think they give you an option on the install to stop them getting hacked. Admittedly it is more of a problem for corporate users than personal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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