We need better free malware protection?

drew · 11 Mar 2007, 06:23 AM

I use a free firewall and several free anti-adware and similar to protect me and a free AV too. Antivir by Avira.

But they are not to be trusted a text I found tells us. Ok the guy writing is rep of a firm competing but he seems to have good arguments.

Read here. http://www.secureit-online.com/resou...?Resourceid=54

Quote:

People fail to comprehend the scale of this problem, and the ease in which Cybercriminals can disseminate malware that does so much damage - a new piece of malware emerges every 3 minutes, and this is because it only takes about 15 minutes to write a piece of malware code, and potentially 4 weeks for a new signature to be available from AV vendors to combat this threat via a patch-update.

So what alternatives do we have?

David · 11 Mar 2007, 06:35 AM

You could try using a secure O/S.

kinetic · 11 Mar 2007, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David

You could try using a secure O/S.

I agree. Why do all this circus with antivirus, firewall, and what not. Try ubuntu or Mac OSX. You can easily play with an ubuntu livecd first to see if it suits your needs. You dont even have to install anything for this.

Adrian Bell · 11 Mar 2007, 10:53 PM

You could use Vista as IE7 runs in a sandbox and can't affect the rest of the computer. I suppose that as more people use Vista (if it really is more secure) that the incentive for virus writers will diminish and they possibly won't bother so much. Also, I believe that most people who get viruses are either looking at sites that they know they shouldn't, or have children/teenagers in the house. I've run XP for years with no AV and just the standard XP firewall with no problems.

drew · 21 Mar 2007, 09:07 PM

Thanks for suggestions that circumvent the problems. Handling sure is one of them. Sound usage policies. But kids are curious on things their mates tell them about.

My neighbour gave up on one of their computers. His eldest son had used DC++ and particpated in online games and downloaded a lot of crap.

Norton AV failed to clean it up. I know almost nothing about computers and barely manage to keep my own safe but he dumped it on me and told me I could keep it if I managed to clean it.

I tried using Spybot Search and Destroy and A2 program helpted a lot too. some 300 malewares and tracking cookies and adwares and such was cleaned. I updated it to SP2 and installed Comodo Firewall and CCleaner too and Hijackthis and RegCleaner and that helped a lot. RegCleaner seems to be a superprogram.

One big problem is one have to be knowledgeable enough to understand what is going on.

I totally fail to get what the firewall asks me about and sometimes stop things that was ok to allow.

No wonder he gave up, I feel the same. Too much to learn about processes that windows wants to launch.

Linux and Vista to rescue? Nah Vista comes for free on new computers but old ones don't have memory and power enough to use Vista and it is expensive too.

Linux is almost free. I do have a live CD Ubuntu so sure me could use that one as you suggest. I even have an old Knoppix which is even easier to set up maybe.

But best would be to have them on a memory stick. I bought a 1Gig such Transcend VF30 they are cheap here.

But it all comes down to having knowledge to use such. Linux use words like "mount".

I have no idea what it means. Too high learning curve.

We are all different in our capacity to learn new things. My neighbor think me a kind of IT guru cause me knows much more than him but me know almost nothing compared to the users who knows their hardware and software.

I barely manage to surf and send emails. Took me years to learn to set up popmail in Opera. I never learned how to use IMAP, I had to give up on using IMAP. Too much to learn.

So it is always easy for bright people cause they just decide to learn and then they knows how to.

For me it takes years of constant questioning and trial and error and after a year I know just enough to barely get it going but not enough to retell my thin knowledge and suddenly it just disappears too.

So my thread is relevant for a portion of the users who are not into it. They need the features but don't have the means to know how to use them.

So we need to programmers to write more consumer friendly software.

As in firewalls. When the firewall is in learning mode and ask me if I want to allow a process, they should give more info on what that process is supposed to be for. Now it is too cryptic and a lot of google to find out and those answers one don't get either. My neighbor says he don't want to google, it should protect him without asking he tells me.

Adrian Bell · 22 Mar 2007, 04:09 AM

I've found SpywareBlaster to be an effective preventative measure and couldn't be simpler to set up. I've also found that once a PC is really infested with spyware that it can be just about impossible to clean up.

Terry · 23 Mar 2007, 06:01 PM

try spyware doctor.com

drew · 24 Mar 2007, 12:29 AM

We all have our own preferences when it comes to such programs.

I looked up them on the net and some like them and some say they are not among the best. PCmag didn't like Spy Doctor according to this review.
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,1645384,00.asp

SpywareBlaster seems to prevent those spy they have in their database to download but doesn't scan to take away spy. So a bit different.

A2 has gotten good reviews and former Ewido got good reviews too but are now bought up and maybe not available from that site anymore.

btn · 24 Mar 2007, 02:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drew

We all have our own preferences when it comes to such programs.

I agree with David and kinetic on using a more secure operating system.

It's Friday!

24 Mar 2007, 12:29 AM	#8
drew The "e" in e-mail Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 2,626	We all have our own preferences when it comes to such programs. I looked up them on the net and some like them and some say they are not among the best. PCmag didn't like Spy Doctor according to this review. http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,1645384,00.asp SpywareBlaster seems to prevent those spy they have in their database to download but doesn't scan to take away spy. So a bit different. A2 has gotten good reviews and former Ewido got good reviews too but are now bought up and maybe not available from that site anymore. Last edited by drew : 24 Mar 2007 at 12:48 AM.

11 Mar 2007, 06:35 AM	#2
David Ultimate Contributor Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Canada. Posts: 10,355	You could try using a secure O/S.

11 Mar 2007, 10:53 PM	#4
Adrian Bell Cornerstone of the Community Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Darlington, UK Posts: 938	You could use Vista as IE7 runs in a sandbox and can't affect the rest of the computer. I suppose that as more people use Vista (if it really is more secure) that the incentive for virus writers will diminish and they possibly won't bother so much. Also, I believe that most people who get viruses are either looking at sites that they know they shouldn't, or have children/teenagers in the house. I've run XP for years with no AV and just the standard XP firewall with no problems.

21 Mar 2007, 09:07 PM	#5
drew The "e" in e-mail Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 2,626	Thanks for suggestions that circumvent the problems. Handling sure is one of them. Sound usage policies. But kids are curious on things their mates tell them about. My neighbour gave up on one of their computers. His eldest son had used DC++ and particpated in online games and downloaded a lot of crap. Norton AV failed to clean it up. I know almost nothing about computers and barely manage to keep my own safe but he dumped it on me and told me I could keep it if I managed to clean it. I tried using Spybot Search and Destroy and A2 program helpted a lot too. some 300 malewares and tracking cookies and adwares and such was cleaned. I updated it to SP2 and installed Comodo Firewall and CCleaner too and Hijackthis and RegCleaner and that helped a lot. RegCleaner seems to be a superprogram. One big problem is one have to be knowledgeable enough to understand what is going on. I totally fail to get what the firewall asks me about and sometimes stop things that was ok to allow. No wonder he gave up, I feel the same. Too much to learn about processes that windows wants to launch. Linux and Vista to rescue? Nah Vista comes for free on new computers but old ones don't have memory and power enough to use Vista and it is expensive too. Linux is almost free. I do have a live CD Ubuntu so sure me could use that one as you suggest. I even have an old Knoppix which is even easier to set up maybe. But best would be to have them on a memory stick. I bought a 1Gig such Transcend VF30 they are cheap here. But it all comes down to having knowledge to use such. Linux use words like "mount". I have no idea what it means. Too high learning curve. We are all different in our capacity to learn new things. My neighbor think me a kind of IT guru cause me knows much more than him but me know almost nothing compared to the users who knows their hardware and software. I barely manage to surf and send emails. Took me years to learn to set up popmail in Opera. I never learned how to use IMAP, I had to give up on using IMAP. Too much to learn. So it is always easy for bright people cause they just decide to learn and then they knows how to. For me it takes years of constant questioning and trial and error and after a year I know just enough to barely get it going but not enough to retell my thin knowledge and suddenly it just disappears too. So my thread is relevant for a portion of the users who are not into it. They need the features but don't have the means to know how to use them. So we need to programmers to write more consumer friendly software. As in firewalls. When the firewall is in learning mode and ask me if I want to allow a process, they should give more info on what that process is supposed to be for. Now it is too cryptic and a lot of google to find out and those answers one don't get either. My neighbor says he don't want to google, it should protect him without asking he tells me.

22 Mar 2007, 04:09 AM	#6
Adrian Bell Cornerstone of the Community Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Darlington, UK Posts: 938	I've found SpywareBlaster to be an effective preventative measure and couldn't be simpler to set up. I've also found that once a PC is really infested with spyware that it can be just about impossible to clean up.

23 Mar 2007, 06:01 PM	#7
Terry The "e" in e-mail Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: VK4 Posts: 3,029	try spyware doctor.com