Virus Threats?

[Scorpiоn]

I have installed:

• Microsoft Antispyware
• Ad-Aware
• Search & Destroy

to counter spyware, but have only one program for viruses: CA's eTrust EZ Armor.  The question: Are virus threats that serious if you don't visit high risk sites (Rammstein webpage as opposed to a WaReZ site), get practically no e-mails and don't really download anything?  Or should one look into programs such as those provided by Norton and Symantec?

[jordonj]

Well, the thing to understand about threats is that there are different types.  A Virus, Worm, and Trojan are all different types of threats.  However, most threats these days exhibit qualities of all the above.  The recent Sasser worm didn't need the victim to open an e-mail or run a program mistakenly...it spread itself to vulnerable computers automatically.

Spyware is not the same as a virus...you always need Antivirus software, and a firewall as well.

I recommend Norton's for it's ease of use.

[legoalex2000]

use mcafee plus, i get protection to everything, including a program called privacy service, which lets be know every time my name
address
zip code
phone number
ip address
social security
& credit card number

are incoming and outgoing of my computer. this lets you know what's actually being sent to a remote website

[Scottler]

None of which should be stored in your computer to begin with...if it's telling you that that information is being sent, it's too late.

[legoalex2000]

no, it asks you if you want to send the information, it doesn't do it automatically. what would be the point of it if it just told you it sent formation without your consent?

a lot more pop-ups have been blocked with this.

[Scottler]

I haven't had a popup since I migrated to Mozilla.  lol

[ATI_7500]

- Spybot
- Bitdefender
...and an optimized and secured system.
That's all I need.

[Gixer]

Nod32 anti-virus
Ad-Aware SE

I haven't had anything for over 6months now and everynow and then when I do scan with Ad-Aware it never finds anything.  The main thing you must do is ensure you get the hotfixes for IE.  If you dont keep getting these then the holes found in IE will be exploited and you will end up getting some kinda spyware/adware.

I have a router which has a few open ports and thats it, no firewall software etc just the router.

Did I hear you ask about Norton? if you like wasting money go for it!!  If you wanna pay for anti-virus and you want somthing that uses minimum resources get NOD32.  If you want free anti-virus get AVG anti-virus.

As for you need a firewall, if you got a router you dont, you just gotta set things up right and keep your IE updated.

[the_autopilot]

Nortan isn't bad at all. Neither is macafee. They do their job quite well.

As for a software firewall, I just the windows one. Why, because I'm behind a cisco PIX 535 hardware firewall.

Seriously, software firewalls are like fire extinguishers. They fix small problems, but real problems need the fire department .

Get a router even if you only have one computer. They're so cheap now anyway.