Computer Security

[Matty_Richo]

Apparently as of late the amount of infected websites and viruses being spread has more than doubled. I myself have been using Trend Micro internet Security Pro for a while now and haven't had many issues.
Just wondering what everyone else is using and what they think.

Trend Micro I like because it works well in the background and doesn't slow stuff down etc... however, one thing I dislike is that there isn't a 'gaming mode' that sorts things out when I'm playing games online and whatnot.

What are you guys using?

[tehrozzy]

I have a 2 month out of date ESET NOD32 and havent had troubles. Before i formatted my computer to change my OS i had an 8month out of date ESET NOD32 and still no troubles so...
i guess windows defender/firewall? xD

[ARTgames]

I'm using nothing for the most part other than installing updates.

But AVG and Malwarebytes are the normal recommendations. They can be pc recourse lite.

Microsoft's security essentials is free and from what I heard not bad. Iv never used it so I dont know if it will slow down your PC.

[Lucifer]

I lack an anti-virus and generally keep my firewall off. I dunno what you're talkin 'bout.

[Scotty]

I lack an anti-virus and generally keep my firewall off. I dunno what you're talkin 'bout.

Do you do Online banking?  If so, what's your IP address.  In case you don't know, go to http://www.whatismyip.com/ and paste here the big bold letters.  Thanks!

[igufed]

I lack an anti-virus and generally keep my firewall off. I dunno what you're talkin 'bout.

Do you do Online banking?  If so, what's your IP address.  In case you don't know, go to http://www.whatismyip.com/ and paste here the big bold letters.  Thanks!

He also forgot to mention that his administrator account's password is blank.  ;)

[Lucifer]

I lack an anti-virus and generally keep my firewall off. I dunno what you're talkin 'bout.

Do you do Online banking?  If so, what's your IP address.  In case you don't know, go to http://www.whatismyip.com/ and paste here the big bold letters.  Thanks!

I'm aware that I'm highly susceptible to viruses, my point is that I don't know what increase in viruses he's talking about. In my experience, and I haven't owned a computer with an antivirus/firewall in well over 4 years, you don't get a virus unless you're looking for trouble in the first place. (IE, downloading suspicious content and/or illegal downloading, or giving Scotty your IP address and/or any personal information whatsoever) That being said, no I don't use this computer for online banking, and probably shouldn't trust it to do so, even though my occasional virus scans pop up nothing.

And you're correct Igu, I don't have a password on my admin account.

[Scotty]

I lack an anti-virus and generally keep my firewall off. I dunno what you're talkin 'bout.

Do you do Online banking?  If so, what's your IP address.  In case you don't know, go to http://www.whatismyip.com/ and paste here the big bold letters.  Thanks!

I'm aware that I'm highly susceptible to viruses, my point is that I don't know what increase in viruses he's talking about. In my experience, and I haven't owned a computer with an antivirus/firewall in well over 4 years, you don't get a virus unless you're looking for trouble in the first place. (IE, downloading suspicious content and/or illegal downloading, or giving Scotty your IP address and/or any personal information whatsoever) That being said, no I don't use this computer for online banking, and probably shouldn't trust it to do so, even though my occasional virus scans pop up nothing.

And you're correct Igu, I don't have a password on my admin account.

Ignorance is bliss.

We are humans, we make mistakes.  I know for a fact that you've had your pee-pee smacked by Cox Communications twice (or more) because you were caught downloading stuff.  There is ALWAYS an inherent risk with downloading stuff.  It's like how everyone complains that software cracks spike up on their anti-virus as trojans or any other form of a virus.  The norm is to believe that they are false positives because they are making registry edits, so they are desensitized to the fact that it wouldn't take much for a crack team to throw in a little extra malicious code, knowing that many users will shrug it off as a false positive.  Let's not even get into the whole "safe browsing" argument, as there truly is no such thing.  Even if you place the utmost trust in a web service, knowing that they won't stab you in the back, who's to say an intruder who has that service within his crosshairs is to be trusted?  I recently took on a volunteer web master position for a group that had their web server attacked, and re-routed all of its users to a site which embedded malicious javascript in its pages, and caused many headaches.  In no way was there any ill intent from the owners of the service, and no one suspected anything from them until it hit them.  There is no such thing as "As long as I don't search pr0n, download haxxors, don't go to anything that looks suspicious, I'm safe and don't need any antivirus", as even the most unsuspecting web servers may inadvertently eff your day up, completely unintentionally.

Get an antivirus.  Go download Avast.

[ARTgames]

Having AV and thinking your bullet proof is also just as foolish. I'm just throwing that out there for everyone.

I will say I have been using the two av software that I recommended in my first post in this topic so I can have perspective of having it on my system. To be true I'm having no performance issues while using them so I no longer see a reason for not having them other than your not on the net or your pc and network is not doing anything you don't want other people to see.

In the past I did not like AV software because it IMO was more of a system hog than it helped. But today it seems ok with the software I tried. But I do still feel today you can use a pc without it and be ok if you know what your doing.

Windows firewall off is ok if your on a network all by your self. If other people use your lan you may want it on but sometimes it does not do much. :/ Having no fire wall to the net is a lot more risky. But if you have a modem/router that does that for you your ok.

@scotty
You dont use AV software do you. :P I'm only saying that because I know you use Linux.

[Seifer]

I'm with Luci here. While at the moment I do run AVG, I've gone long periods of time in the past without an Anti-Virus, without issue. It's not hard to know where to go, and where not to go, what to download and what not to download.

[sly 3 4 me]

I've been running Eset Smart Security for around the last two years. Before that I had Norton 360 and Norton Internet Security. The Internet Security was hijacked by using one of the built-in features of the software the third month I had it. The 360/full computer protect was alright in terms of detection and prevention, but I did like it. I haven't noticed many more than the current amount of blocked viruses, rootkits, spyware, ect than when I first had the software. I've also tried Trend Micro and it worked well.

[Scotty]

@scotty
You dont use AV software do you. :P I'm only saying that because I know you use Linux.

I have clamAV installed, and run freshclam at 2AM and clamav -r / at 3AM via crontab.  Granted, it will only scan for viruses, and not fix them, but at least I'll know, and then I can go to the oh so biblical Ubuntu community forums for infinite wisdom on how to remove the infected files properly.

I'll say it again for the ignorantly oblivious, just because you trust a website doesn't mean it can't be attacked, and have malicious code embedded by the attacker, throwing you to a page where they'll have a hay-day on your computer.  I bet these are the same folks that can't spell "Safe sex" and wind up paying child support to 14 different women.

[ARTgames]

I still question how well virus can be removed from a windows PC. IDK about Linux.

[Scotty]

I still question how well virus can be removed from a windows PC. IDK about Linux.

I honestly don't know either, as I've had this running pretty much nonstop, and it never once picked up a virus, so I honestly don't know how easy it would be to remove it.  Hopefully nothing more than an rm.  Then again, to get to any of the internal guts and manipulate any of the core files, I'd have to give it express permission via sudo or going root.  As I've said, I just don't know, never had to deal with a virus on Linux thankfully.

[venuse]

i use comodo internet security which seems to be pretty good and has a good number of features. i usually dont run it while gaming or surfing reg sites like GameFAQs or manga reader. but turn it on high settings on pervy sites. so far i havent had any problems.