Free vs Paid Anti-Virus

[DoubleF]

To add regarding ad block plus, I don't understand why anyone wouldn't use it. Having a vastly advertisement reduced experience and less risk of embedded script ads is so much more enjoyable. Works on Chrome, Mozilla and Opera. Edge and explorer I'm not sure if it has an equivalent.

+1 Don't download weird sketchy stuff, but be aware of the websites you travel to.
+1 Keep your computer updated with the latest security patches and whatnot.

[UKflames]

AV = Panda Free, use this on both my computers at home and seems to work really well for me.

I also use MalwareBytes and Spybot S&D, both of which check and clear out other nasties, plus Adblock and a few other extensions on Mozilla.

So far so good for me. Sometimes the real problem is ensuring the kids don't go clicking on dodgy links and scams.

[SuperMatt18]

TELUS actually offers free Norton for their subscribers now, think it just launched recently.

http://www.telus.com/en/ab/internet/...-and-security/

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

TELUS actually offers free Norton for their subscribers now, think it just launched recently.

http://www.telus.com/en/ab/internet/...-and-security/

Norton? Wow, they are even more evil than I thought...

I use Adblock and MS free at home, and NOD32 at work, which is fantastic. Love the management console for deploying and configuring.

[Hack&Lube]

If you come across any malware or virus files, uploading to the following website will show you which products can catch it or not. You soon notice that almost all the products have holes but some more than others.

https://www.virustotal.com/

[Huntingwhale]

Originally Posted by psicodude

Anti-virus is a waste of time, money, and resources. It has been proven time and time again. At best, it will catch 1+ year old viruses, which isn't going to help anything. All of the new malware, like ransomware, just march straight through AV software.

http://www.theguardian.com/technolog...xpert-symantec

The best defence is to stop downloading free crap as it is typically loaded with malware. That, and don't accept attachments via email. Ever.

Sorry, but you're never going to convince me that anti-virus is as useless as you say. Maybe it doesn't catch all the new whatever-ware, but better to catch 50% then none. A condom or flu vaccine is no guarantee of being 100% safe. But it sure as hell is better then nothing. I see a direct relation between people who's computers seem to corrupt all the time and those that don't use some kind of anti-virus. Oddly enough, it seems to happen mostly to people who don't run some kind of protection.

I agree with not opening random attachments and downloading free programs. But let's be realistic: tons of people in fact do these things everyday. Obviously, it's a huge problem for IT groups in any company.

Another point that is missed is that most people browse porn. Porn sites are flooded with that kind of stuff. If you browse porn, you NEED anti-virus. Otherwise you're PC will become infested faster then a hooker's box on the Vegas strip.

[Vulcan]

Another tip is don't download free files from sites such as Cnet because they add crap onto the files. Go straight to the proper site instead.

[CroFlames]

How the hell can you function at all without accepting email attachments? Seriously?

[Huntingwhale]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

How the hell can you function at all without accepting email attachments? Seriously?

At work it's not an issue. But at home, if I ever got an attachment on my personal G/Hotmail from an unknown person? Definitely not going to open that.

[Inglewood Jack]

the best is when someone sends you a link with no damn explanation. especially when it's one of those cryptic shortened ones.

hey just click on http://bit.ly/1O9p5hF, I'm not gonna tell you what it is or why I'm sending it, but please indulge my game of online Russian roulette.

[something]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

How the hell can you function at all without accepting email attachments? Seriously?

This!

I don't understand how you couldn't. I work at a distance from some people, recently accepted a contract for work for halfway around the world. Contract was attached to the email... I can't just not open it.

[DownInFlames]

Originally Posted by Inglewood Jack

the best is when someone sends you a link with no damn explanation. especially when it's one of those cryptic shortened ones.

hey just click on http://bit.ly/1O9p5hF, I'm not gonna tell you what it is or why I'm sending it, but please indulge my game of online Russian roulette.

Enter the bit.ly link here http://unshorten.it/ and it gives you the full URL.

[psicodude]

Originally Posted by Huntingwhale

Sorry, but you're never going to convince me that anti-virus is as useless as you say. Maybe it doesn't catch all the new whatever-ware, but better to catch 50% then none. A condom or flu vaccine is no guarantee of being 100% safe. But it sure as hell is better then nothing. I see a direct relation between people who's computers seem to corrupt all the time and those that don't use some kind of anti-virus. Oddly enough, it seems to happen mostly to people who don't run some kind of protection.

I agree with not opening random attachments and downloading free programs. But let's be realistic: tons of people in fact do these things everyday. Obviously, it's a huge problem for IT groups in any company.

Another point that is missed is that most people browse porn. Porn sites are flooded with that kind of stuff. If you browse porn, you NEED anti-virus. Otherwise you're PC will become infested faster then a hooker's box on the Vegas strip.

No offense, but you are wrong. The issue is that people rely on their mostly useless AV software and buy into a false sense of security. They figure this software is going to protect them from anything so they feel safe clicking on any stupid thing that crosses their path. Then they are completely shocked when they get malware.

IMO, anti-virus software is dangerous unless it catches 99% of malware. Ask any security expert and they will tell you most are lucky to catch 50%. Speak to a tech at Memory Express or the Geek Squad and ask them how many malware infected computers had AV software installed. Yeah, almost all of them.

The best defense anyone can have is knowledge, diligence, and extreme skepticism. I taught my father (who has been hit numerous times) to basically distrust everything and everyone until proven otherwise. I didn't suggest to never open an attachment again, of course, but always ask yourself if this seems weird. Does this person often send me .pdf files named "This is super hilarious!"?

I would suggest reading this article as the author sums things up really well: http://www.cnet.com/how-to/i-dont-us...are-am-i-nuts/

Stop using AV software. It does nothing but make things worse.

[psicodude]

Originally Posted by something

This!

I don't understand how you couldn't. I work at a distance from some people, recently accepted a contract for work for halfway around the world. Contract was attached to the email... I can't just not open it.

But you were EXPECTING an email from this company with an attachment. What I am referring to is either the completely random stranger email or the email you get from someone you haven't spoken to in 6 months. Better yet is the email from a company that you are aware of, but don't really do business with. Like Bank of America or something.

[Igster]

Originally Posted by psicodude

Stop using AV software. It does nothing but make things worse.

No offense, but YOU are wrong. Yes, people need to be more diligent in what they do and click on, but real world testing PROVES that having good AV protection CAN and DOES protect people from many things on the Internet.

http://chart.av-comparatives.org/chart1.php

http://www.av-comparatives.org/wp-co...t_2015b_en.pdf

The URL to the page if you don't want to directly download a PDF:

http://www.av-comparatives.org/dynamic-tests/

AV Comparatives has done some awesome testing with real world protection, performance tests, zero day malware tests, etc. Many, many AV apps perform above a 95% level, including FREE AV software like Panda.

[AcGold]

Ad-block plus
privacy badger
ghostery

AVG free
windows firewall

periodically run
malware bytes anti-malware
lavasoft ad-aware

I've never once had a virus, my parents had Mcafee and getting that #### off of their computer was like trying to remove a virus. I click fairly liberally on a lot of crap and I'm certain I've been places that are dangerous but with enough security have not had a single issue, the only issue is sometimes websites don't fully load so I'll have to whitelist those sites with the web blockers.

[psicodude]

Originally Posted by Igster

No offense, but YOU are wrong. Yes, people need to be more diligent in what they do and click on, but real world testing PROVES that having good AV protection CAN and DOES protect people from many things on the Internet.

Snip from the website you linked:

Test Procedure

We install each antivirus program on its own physical PC, and update the signatures. The malware sample files are then scanned using the program’s standard scanning procedure, and the number of detections is recorded. The PCs remain connected to the Internet during the test, meaning that the security programs can use any cloud features provided by their manufacturers.

Typically, more than 100,000 malware samples are used for the test. These are prevalent malicious files of all types that have been recently collected, i.e. within a period of a few weeks or months before the test is performed.

So basically, this website goes out and downloads 100,000 samples of KNOWN, PREVALENT viruses over several months and then runs AV software against it. This software people are paying for to protect them are only catching ~98% of KNOWN viruses that are already a few months old and have most likely been abandoned by the creator? This makes sense to you? The best part is that the majority of these programs are only slightly better than the stuff just built into Windows 8!

The point I was making is that being skeptical and very careful is just as effective. It may be going a little far to say that AV companies are committing fraud, but the truth is that current AV technology is always several steps behind malware coders. There is absolutely no way for these programs to stop something that they aren't already aware of. Like I said in my original post, it is a cat and mouse game.

The average computer user would be better served by investing in a really good backup solution and some detection/cleaning software.

[Looch City]

Malwarebytes seems like bloatware to me. I hate the constant Upgrade Now! ads and popups.

If it's free, show the free vs. paid version comparison once at the start and then #### off with the annoying banners. That's a gear grinder for me haha

[EldrickOnIce]

None was not an option

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by psicodude

Snip from the website you linked:



So basically, this website goes out and downloads 100,000 samples of KNOWN, PREVALENT viruses over several months and then runs AV software against it. This software people are paying for to protect them are only catching ~98% of KNOWN viruses that are already a few months old and have most likely been abandoned by the creator? This makes sense to you? The best part is that the majority of these programs are only slightly better than the stuff just built into Windows 8!

The point I was making is that being skeptical and very careful is just as effective. It may be going a little far to say that AV companies are committing fraud, but the truth is that current AV technology is always several steps behind malware coders. There is absolutely no way for these programs to stop something that they aren't already aware of. Like I said in my original post, it is a cat and mouse game.

The average computer user would be better served by investing in a really good backup solution and some detection/cleaning software.

Here you are arguing that AV is not effective at catching new viruses, fair enough.

Earlier though, you were arguing that an AV "makes it worse". Explain how using an AV is WORSE than not using one at all, if you please?