Virus discovered in file

[bonerre]

I hate to burst your bubble, but McAfee doesn't update their virus definitions every four hours. We used them on our network for two years, and watched the packets. There weren't any virus definitions coming from them but once a week. They can put anything on their website they want. Doing it is another thing.

[bonerre]

Pete,
    Don't just take my word for it, check it out yourself.
Norton's website at
http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/sh ... ec_web_nam
tells how they do updates on Wednesdays. I have researched this, you evidently haven't.
  Also, the free AVG comes with NO support whatsoever. It says that on their site. Thus, if your computer crashes after installation, you get a virus, or anything else, YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN. They will not offer ANY assistance to you. So, unless you can fix your system, or are willing to pay someone like me to fix your system, you better think twice before using their products.
 The "four hour" updates you refer to only update their virus engines, GUI, etc, not the definitions themselves. They do that to make you think you're getting a good service out ot them. They lie to you. Norton and McAfee aren't half as good as people think. I will not advise anyone to do something I wouldn't be willing to do myself. I will not entrust my systems to once a week updates. I will not tell anyone else they should either.
  Michaelb 15, once again I ask, DO YOU FEEL LUCKY? If not, you'd better get the best you can find. But don't assume just because you THINK it MIGHT be good just because it's popular that it is good. You can be safe, or you can be foolish. Take your pick.    

[michaelb15]

My PC cillin, it looks for updates every 10 minutes


Hmmmm   is that good, or bad?

[bonerre]

It depends. Is it updating the virus definitions, or just the engine and interface like Norton and McAfee does? A good rule of thumb, don't expect to get something good for nothing. It's like the free firewall Zonealarm has. It's free, but there are know holes they will not patch unless you buy the pro version.  

[Hagar]

I've been following this topic with interest. I checked out Panda that Bonerre recommends & it looks very interesting. If it's as good as you say it seems extremely good value.

I don't know much about anti-virus software. I have always trusted NAV & it's never let me down in 4 years. It's true that it might not update the virus definitions every day. I doubt that many programs of this type do that. I think this refers to the auto-update feature that regularly searches the home site for updates - not necessarily downloading anything or updating the GUI.

I would not recommend any free anti-virus applications. All the options I've checked out offer a commercial update for the product. This means to me that something is missing from the free version. I also notice that most free applications offer no regular updated virus definitions at all. Anti-virus protection is too important to cut costs on. IMHO

Going back to the original topic, apparently the virus was hidden in a self-extracting executable (within a zipfile) which is the reason the anti-virus software did not detect it. I'm wondering if Panda would have detected it before the executable was run?

[bonerre]

Hi Hagar,
 In answer to your question, Panda found the virus as soon as I opened the zip file. I hadn't begun running the exe.
 I am currently attending college, majoring in Computer Information Systems. My A+ and N+ instructor is also one of the network administrators at the university. He has switched the college to Panda and dropped Norton. He is the one who told me about Panda when we were studying viruses.
 I hope you don't have any trouble with NAV, but per their website, be prepared to pay out some money if you somehow do get a virus. $39.95 to talk with their tech about it, or $69.95 if you have them help you step-by-step.  Or you have the option of calling their 900 number for $4.95 per minute. Panda does it all for FREE, just like Norton USED to.
That's something else to think about. Why would they want to update their definitions daily? That would mean fewer customers having viruses, meaning fewer calls to their tech support, so they make less money. They can make more by NOT updating regularly. Find details at
http://www.symantec.com/techsupp/contac ... virus.html
 

[Hagar]

Hi Bonerre. I hear what you say. Both you & your instructor obviously know far more on this subject than me. NAV has intercepted viruses in the past, one only a few days ago, & dealt with them successfully. With a new virus it doesn't recognise it quarantines them until the definitions that can deal with it have been updated. I never had any reason to ring their support line or pay extra, apart from the annual update fee. When this runs out it might be worth giving Panda a try.

[LANDMYN]

Just downloaded AVG. Wicked!  ;D Was using loads of program in the first place though. You might like these although can't remember where I got them. LOL

Adaware
Spybot : Search & Distroy
BH Blaster
Hijack this

and another one I cant remember the name of. Although before my...experiance I had none of these. My...experiance was the (has anyone heard of this?) LOP virus. VERY dangerous. Although like you are saying I didnt get it through a file I downloaded.