Sweet WitchBe the flame, not the moth. MVM join:2003-07-15 Gallifrey |
Geez!!After all these years of being warned, so many still don't think they're at risk?? That's it, you now need a license to use a computer!! | |
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| packetscan Premium Member join:2004-10-19 Bridgeport, CT |
Re: Geez!!We as computer enthusiasts know this..
But the Average Joe could care less. This should be something that is mentioned on the news daily. As a public service announcement even.
Not enough is done to get the word out. (However alot of people don't listen either) | |
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| | POBRes Firma Mitescere Nescit Premium Member join:2003-02-13 Stepford, CA |
POB
Premium Member
2005-Dec-10 9:05 pm
Re: Geez!!said by packetscan:This should be something that is mentioned on the news daily. As a public service announcement even. This country collectively doesn't give a rip about the lies that got us into a bankrupting/billions per day war and the intentional disregard for an entire city in the Gulf during a Cat 5 hurricane and you want public service announcements to remind people to secure their pcs? I'm laughing so hard I'm about to fall off my chair. | |
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| VikingBobGo Jets Go! Premium Member join:2004-06-05 MB Canada |
to Sweet Witch
A licence? I've had that thought now and then. Some people never learn until they have to pay to get their PC fixed, or buy a new one, and then get that one infected.
User training is a fine idea, but who will do it, who will regulate it, and who has to pay for it?
Perhaps it's the "it will never happen to me" syndrome. Some folks still don't wear seatbelts...
Kind of like the big 4x4's that drive too fast in icy conditions. They think they're invulnerable. You see them a bit later, in the ditch... | |
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| | Scilicet (banned)Spaced Out join:2005-04-11 Aurora, CO |
Scilicet (banned)
Member
2005-Dec-8 6:52 pm
Re: Geez!!People are well aware of the risks, they either just don't care or would rather not spend the money. Many ISP's offer protection for free, though. Perhaps they should sign up for AOL. A license isn't necessary when there are plenty of competent techs out there willing to reload their hard drive for a price well in excess of the cost for Virus Scan, Firewall, and Spyware. I'm sure that such an OS crash would then happen only once. | |
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| | | VikingBobGo Jets Go! Premium Member join:2004-06-05 MB Canada |
Re: Geez!!Some are aware of the risks and refuse to act. Others, well, there are still people out there who aren't aware of the risks. I've talked with a few...
There are those out there who know next to nothing about computers. Some don't have the aptitude, others have a "mental block." Computers are complex and scary, and they simply refuse to learn anything more than how to surf and get email.
Computers are tools, not appliances. But they are marketed as such. When was the last time you heard of a blender joining in on a Denial of Service attack against microsoft.com? Never. But a compromised computer can. | |
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to Sweet Witch
but people drive without liscences don't they | |
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| | Sweet WitchBe the flame, not the moth. MVM join:2003-07-15 Gallifrey |
Re: Geez!!Yes they do unfortunately. I just don't understand how people with negative common sense function in the world! | |
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| a @qwest.net |
to Sweet Witch
lol, i want to thank all of the 81% for their continued support & keeping us employeed! | |
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to Sweet Witch
After all these years of being warned, so many still don't think they're at risk?? That's it, you now need a license to use a computer!!
lol, so much for job security... | |
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NATDoes NAT count?
I have been running 7 PC's in my house for 4 years with no AV and no Firewall and I have not had a single problem other that Spyware my daughter occasionally fallsinto with her laptop.....Is all the other really needed if one knows what they are doing ?
thoughts???? | |
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| amungus Premium Member join:2004-11-26 America |
amungus
Premium Member
2005-Dec-8 9:12 am
Re: NATmaybe, maybe not. have you tried an av scan in say, the past month or two? Should at least scan with some regularity, even if one does know what they're doing. having an antispy scanner (or 3) might do some good, but you just never know, that's all. | |
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to sweepy4
nat will protect you against someone hacking into your box from outside. it won't help with trojans and viruses that you bring in yourself via emails or infected documents. you need some kind of AV software... | |
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Re: NATNo, but a firewall that only listens to you if you are from a "recognized terminal" sure will. Since I am the only person I allow to remote access into my network, there are only three terminals in the world outside of my house that can get past my firewall. For everyone else, it's as though there isn't anything there. (yes, I tweaked the configuration so that it doesn't just "black hole" you, belying a firewall, it just indicates there is no route to the host)
On the outbound side, I can see a need for controls - but some of the latest scumware is able to operate at such a low level that it could probably skirt most software firewalls running on the system system.
I can, and do, block unnecessary outbound ports - so unless the attacker is using port 80 (which, sadly, is likely) or another "Windows" port that I actually need to have open, they aren't getting off of my network either.
A properly configured firewall / NAT router can create a good, but not perfect, security perimeter for both inbound and outbound traffic. It may not help with cleaning up a mess on a PC, but it will minimize the potential damage. | |
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to sweepy4
I completely agree. I've never run a virus scanner, and have never gotten a virus (other than some shared files written on a lan from my friends computer). Spyware happens though, due to vunerabilities and things beyond the users control, so I do run Microsoft Antispyware. You can even make the tray icon invisible and then you don't even realize it's running. | |
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| | TechyDad Premium Member join:2001-07-13 USA |
TechyDad
Premium Member
2005-Dec-8 10:26 am
Re: NATHow do you know you've never gotten a virus if you don't run a virus scanner? How about a worm or a trojan? Modern day virus/worms/trojans don't just crash and format your system. They'll often turn your system into a spambot or (at the very least) an "infection-bot" (attempting to infect as many other computers as possible). The only signs to you that something might be wrong could be a slightly slower Internet connection and Windows crashing from time to time. (Two things that could easily be blamed on other factors.) | |
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Re: NATsaid by TechyDad:How do you know you've never gotten a virus if you don't run a virus scanner? How about a worm or a trojan? Maybe this person knows his/her computer intimately and is very familiar with the regular sounds and performance levels. It could be that this person knows their computer the same way a race car driver knows his car and would be immediately tipped off to any abnormalities. You cannot rely on software to tell you how your computer is doing. Virii, spyware and trojans are very capable of telling you that nothing is wrong and new versions of malware are emerging hourly. Not all people rely on tools/toys to tell them when something is wrong. If you know what you are doing and know how to be careful you can have a safe and enjoyable time in our technology based world. There are those who will be infected no matter what and if I had my way they would not own computers. Others need the feeling of security that software offers. On the other hand some people don't need a babysitter. If you've read this far here are some suggestions: Use a router with a firewall/NAT. Turn off java! Learn how to use trusted sites in your browser. Only view email from trusted sources and only open attachments after a virus scan. Know your regularly running processes and services( Sysinternals Process Explorer or Task Manager). Know your regular startup entries( Sysinternals AutoRuns). Keep an eye out for rootkits( Sysinternals Rootkit Revealer).) nobody is safe from rootkits. Listen to your machine. You can usually hear fan and drive failures coming. You may also be able to detect unusual disk access. Sysinternals.com is an invaluable resource. I suggest you visit their site and check out all of their free goodies. If there's anything I missed I'm sure someone will help fill in the gaps. | |
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Tech-2005 to gukid
Anon
2005-Dec-8 6:01 pm
to gukid
With no antivirus protection all it takes is for you to visit the wrong web site and click on the wrong link or install any file from a CD or from the web with a hidden unknown virus and you are S.O.L.. !!! You will be or may have an infected computer right now. At the very least run a free online virus scan like TrendMicro's Housecall once or twice a week. | |
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| NightfallMy Goal Is To Deny Yours MVM join:2001-08-03 Grand Rapids, MI |
to sweepy4
said by sweepy4:Does NAT count? I have been running 7 PC's in my house for 4 years with no AV and no Firewall and I have not had a single problem other that Spyware my daughter occasionally fallsinto with her laptop.....Is all the other really needed if one knows what they are doing ? thoughts???? Security is a piece of mind. There is a 16+ page discussion going on about security in our security forum right now about what is right and what is wrong to do. I don't run AV or Firewall either, but I consider myself and my wife to be very computer literate. We do have a lot of spyware protection for the occassional issue. Is that wrong of me to not run AV or Firewall software? Nope. If you know computers and know not to open attachments or maybe you have a email provider that scans for viruses....then you can skip the AV. If you have a nice NAT firewall and keep it updated enough that you don't need a software firewall, then go for it. You have to do what works for you. There is no wrong answer here. Some people will push and push and push software, but when it comes to a true sense of security, they don't know a lot about it. Which is why I have always said security is a piece of mind. If it takes AV, software and hardware firewall, and other security programs to make you feel secure, then that is fine by me. Just don't point at me and say I am not secure because I don't run 15 programs you run. | |
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| | amungus Premium Member join:2004-11-26 America |
amungus
Premium Member
2005-Dec-8 9:58 am
Re: NATyou may be computer literate, but "piece" of mind means telling somebody something, not "peace" as in a state of security. sorry, had to dog on the english literacy... mean no offence.
I still say it is worth the occasional scan, even if monthly. I've seen a few types of virus slip through a system without ever opening an attachment. While I do agree that you're mostly safe, and being knowledgeable helps, there is no substitute for giving your own machine a check up every so often. You may not feel the need to scan every day, with all the latest updates, but having an AV program to manually scan with (or a monthly schedule..) simply cannot hurt. It's not pushing to make you "feel" secure, it's a kind suggestion to simply 'take the temperature' and be sure. | |
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| | | NightfallMy Goal Is To Deny Yours MVM join:2001-08-03 Grand Rapids, MI |
Re: NATsaid by amungus:you may be computer literate, but "piece" of mind means telling somebody something, not "peace" as in a state of security. sorry, had to dog on the english literacy... mean no offence. I still say it is worth the occasional scan, even if monthly. I've seen a few types of virus slip through a system without ever opening an attachment. While I do agree that you're mostly safe, and being knowledgeable helps, there is no substitute for giving your own machine a check up every so often. You may not feel the need to scan every day, with all the latest updates, but having an AV program to manually scan with (or a monthly schedule..) simply cannot hurt. It's not pushing to make you "feel" secure, it's a kind suggestion to simply 'take the temperature' and be sure. Oh, I agree. If that manual scan makes you feel more secure and better, then you should do it. I agree that even I do the occassional scan just to make sure. There is no push here to make me feel more secure because I am comfortable with my security and my knowlege with it. It is kinda like going to the mechanic and getting told that you need to have your front end aligned. The mechanic may decide to put a little doubt or fear into you to sell the product. If you know car mechanics, there is nothing to worry if you know what you are doing. Same with me. Having worked in the computer industry for years, I know computers very well. There is no doubt or fear when it comes to security on my network. | |
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all of us to sweepy4
Anon
2005-Dec-8 12:58 pm
to sweepy4
How do you know you have no problems if yoou have no tools to scan with? | |
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Tech-2005 to sweepy4
Anon
2005-Dec-8 5:56 pm
to sweepy4
Much of the risk depends on what sites you go to, who else uses your computer, and whether you use POP or web based email. The NAT router is a good start and maybe the best protection from external threats. Antivirus and antispyware protect you from email or web browser threats. If you added a good software firewall like Zone Alarm Pro or at least enable SP2 in Windows XP then you gain a further a level of protection against incoming and outgoing threats (ZoneAlarm would be best for outgoing) that may get past your AV or AS protection and try to spread, phone home, or connect to outside computers.
The thing I really like about a software firewall in addition to NAT is that it warns you of all activity even on your own network. Suppose someone with a notebook plugs into your NAT based LAN. Now all your security defenses that the protect you from the WAN (internet) site do not help much on your LAN (local network) and your computer could get infected from that computer. Also in a wireless era someone could hack your wireless LAN and try to gain access to your computer and your personal information. For most small businesses and companies the internal threat on the LAN side is far greater than the threat from the WAN (internet) side. One last thing to consider is that if one of your computers on your NAT router's LAN side gets infected a software firewall like ZoneAlarm Pro could stop the spread of infection to the rest of the computers on your network or at least tell you that the infected computer is trying to connect with other computers. So having a good software firewall on every computer on your LAN side is really a good idea. | |
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| damox Premium Member join:2002-01-07 Olympia, WA |
to sweepy4
I believe that the two most important security measures that a broadband user can take is to have a good Anti-virus program, and a hardware firewall/router, or at least a router in place. IMO, a hardware router/firewall is much more important than a software firewall. I personally don't use a software firewall as I feel it is unnecessary, but I certainly don't knock those who do. | |
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OEM AVI love how the big computer dealers load a 90 day free trial of norton or mcafee on their machines and expect Patricia Housewife to figure out how to renew their subscription. I repair alot of pc's and every new dell I get in doesn't have updated AV databases. | |
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| B04 Premium Member join:2000-10-28 |
B04
Premium Member
2005-Dec-8 9:22 am
Re: OEM AV AVG Free. It's the only one, as far as I know, that will update itself hands-off and nearly perpetually, with no intervention required by Patricia.
-- B
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| | Robert Premium Member join:2001-08-25 Miami, FL |
Robert
Premium Member
2005-Dec-8 9:23 am
Re: OEM AVsaid by B04:AVG Free. It's the only one, as far as I know, that will update itself hands-off and nearly perpetually, with no intervention required by Patricia. -- B But when Patricia buys a new Dell that comes loaded with an AV Program, she thinks she's all set and all protected. She doesn't know that in 90 days it'll expire. | |
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| | | B04 Premium Member join:2000-10-28 |
B04
Premium Member
2005-Dec-8 9:28 am
Re: OEM AVOf course; I'm just making a recommendation for us FAFOPs (Friends and Family of Pat) to deal with this eternal issue.
Often Patty will call on a friendly geek either before she gets the machine or after the first time she fills it with crap.
-- B | |
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Re: OEM AVI hate being FAFOP! Every coworker, friend, family member I have seems to have spyware issues. I have taken up the practice of asking for a case of beer any time they bring in a machine. At least that way I can clean up their computer and if I down enough beer I don't have to remember I did it. | |
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| | TechyDad Premium Member join:2001-07-13 USA |
to B04
I believe Avast will update itself also. | |
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| | | B04 Premium Member join:2000-10-28 |
B04
Premium Member
2005-Dec-8 10:40 am
Re: OEM AV No, it won't. It stops working entirely, every year, until the user figures out how to re-register (for free). It seems like a small thing, but it DOES make a big difference in practice. We recently had an Avast user posting about failures stemming directly from this Avast policy.
AVG, by contrast, doesn't require any registration at all and will continue automatic free updates at least until the next MAJOR revision of the product. (The last version ran for 5 years or so.)
-- B
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| | maartenaElmo Premium Member join:2002-05-10 Orange, CA |
to B04
said by B04:AVG Free. It's the only one, as far as I know, that will update itself hands-off and nearly perpetually, with no intervention required by Patricia. The problem is not that there are free AV software suites out there, the problem is that when a person buys a new PC they are told by the salesmen that it comes with AV software, which in most cases is Norton or McAfee AV which you have to renew after so many days. The problem comes when you have to renew. My mother in-law has McAfee antivirus which came with her PC, and it told her after a while to go to a website and renew her anti-virus definitions. And the sales jerks at McAfee pushed her through 5 or 6 pages with.... "Are you sure you don't want to purchase Anti-Spyware too?" or "What about our excellent firewall?" If she had said yes to all of that the bill would have been almost a $100 or so, while all she wanted was te renew her AV for $20. Eventually, she got fed up with the procedure, closed the website and wasn't at all sure what it was that she needed. So I came over, and purchased the renewal for her anti-virus only. Its like companies are trying to confuse people on purpose! As for AVG, the installation of AVG is less then 15 megs and I carry it around on my USB stick in case people need it, as well as defintions I update every once in a while so at least I can start out with installing some sort of protection. | |
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Re: OEM AVI blame it on Windows 98 Plus! If those bastards at microsoft hadn't put the idea in these peoples heads that new cursors are cool then half of them wouldn't have spyware.
/sarcasm
In all seriousness, I have seen these free smilies/cursors causing alot of the problems I see (although porn is probably the #1 culprit). I tell people not to download any free anything, and to call me if they are interested in some software. At least that way I can direct them to a safe site to download what they need. | |
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| | | | a @qwest.net |
a
Anon
2005-Dec-9 9:57 pm
Re: OEM AVI blame it on Windows 98 Plus! If those bastards at microsoft hadn't put the idea in these peoples heads that new cursors are cool then half of them wouldn't have spyware.
atta boy, blame it on microsoft & not the customers that think they are literate but CRINGE & turn red due to embarrasement in restaurants when someone starts talking about computer's... | |
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| David Premium Member join:2002-05-30 Granite City, IL |
to kywirelessgu
The industry trend is going that way. It's been going that way for a while now. You don't even get full copies of Microsoft office any more, you get evaluation copies you have to buy after 90 or so days.
I still do some freeware loading, reason being is say on a Windows machine in particular I will load a copy of Open Office and such freebies such as that. Register a free antivirus suite, and register a spyware program. All pretty much, free.
On one machine I sold I loaded it with this
->Win98SE (licensed for $90 at the time ->Open office (donation) ->Microsoft Plus! (free compression utility, cd player and such) ->Antivir (free av) ->a2 free (donation) ->Spybot (donation) ->Loaded some games that were free, and websites to other games that were free were links in the games folder. Some were donationware (about 4 of them)
That was pretty much it. Sold the machine for about $400 at the time. So besides the $90 for microsoft, and $20 per freeware donation (if accepted) left me about $200 left. Believe it or not that machine still is doing better than most machines that come from the big guys. | |
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Lone WolfRetired Premium Member join:2001-12-30 USA |
LinuxMaybe 81% of Home PCs are using Linux and they have nothing to fear. | |
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jmycknshk...bring your green hat join:2004-07-02 West Chester, PA |
are you sure?it's like crime statistics. they can only confirm what is reported, therefore if there is no virus notification, there is no virus. | |
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woody7 Premium Member join:2000-10-13 Torrance, CA |
woody7
Premium Member
2005-Dec-8 9:59 am
hmmmmmmmm............Most users are clueless to when it comes to security....They don't think it's their responsibility, its too hard, it takes too long etc....They put Norton or McAfee, and they think they are safe....they have bad surfing habits etc...some is their fault, and some is not.....I think the ISP's could/should do more....Thank god for BBR...When I first got DSL the Covad installer suggested I visit this site because it was a place to get good honest information from users..I referr all my friends here....but as the old saying goes you can lead a horse to water, but......I think that all broadband connections should be behind a router...and I don't think a computer should be sold or made without some sort of antivirus/spyware program of some kind...and also a quick user guide to securing your computer....JMT | |
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I cannot believe that people are so dumb.I run NAV, lavasoft Adaware and Adwatch and update NAV daily.
I get 5 to 10 emails containing viruses every day. I started using Adwatch after my wife went to a so called "legit" soap opera site and I spent 3 hours removing some wicked pop up sofware that was installed.
Recently I went to a friends house to help he with her web site. Her computer was totally unusable. I was sitting there with her and her 16 year old daughter trying to work and every 10 seconds the raunchiest of porno pop up adds kept jumping onto the screen. They were completely un phased by it because they had seen it all so many times. After an hour of messing around I burned her important files to a cd and ran the set up cd's from Dell.
Although I do all of the safe things myself, I really must start using a non admin account. I have no accounts set up other than admin. | |
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| a @qwest.net |
a
Anon
2005-Dec-9 9:57 pm
Re: I cannot believe that people are so dumb.I cannot believe that people are so dumb.
i know you are kidding! The only thing people know what to do is drive a vehicle but then again, NOT. | |
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RJW1678 join:2003-01-15 Wilmington, DE |
Linux users don't have to worry about spyware yetI use Mandriva Linux 2006. I use iptables packet filter, Clam-AV anti-virus, and AIDE. AIDE verifies my files are not altered and if any files are added to my system without my knowledge. Linux does not need spyware protection for now, as all current spyware is written for Windows. So I must be one of the 4 in 10 without spyware protection.
Later Bob W. | |
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Over-Hyped B.S.All of this Norton,Mcaffe and other "security" software is just a bunch of B.S. Just one more thing you "need" to make you safer! | |
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vic102482 Premium Member join:2002-04-30 Upper Marlboro, MD |
NAT onlyNo AV no spyware (only on one machine) and no problems! | |
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Re: NAT onlyMaybe the answer to no AV, no fire wall and no anti spyware is no internet.... I use firefox only. At least that is somewhat safe for browsing. | |
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| | vic102482 Premium Member join:2002-04-30 Upper Marlboro, MD |
Re: NAT onlysaid by bgraham2:Maybe the answer to no AV, no fire wall and no anti spyware is no internetIE.... I use firefox only. At least that is somewhat safe for browsing. :) | |
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TechieZeroTools Are Using Me Premium Member join:2002-01-25 Lithia, FL |
AV software is a mustYou need decent AV software.
Firewall protection is mostly lame IMHO the only thing a FW is good for is to not let anything *out* from an infected machine. | |
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1 recommendation |
Im gonna get flammed for this :PI dont think its THAT big of a problem at the moment. It keeps us paid and it keeps them reliant on us. People should have to take a test or a class before using or buying a pc. If they dont take the time to learn wtf they are doing its there fault. Thats not to say its there fault when a browser is exploited or something, for that, I feel bad. I also dont run an av on my work machines. We have NAT and we run an online panda scan about once a month to be sure all the machines are clean. 3 non-technotards and 10+ machines is not an issue, but at home I run kasperski with ms antispyware. There are things I do that warrent the use, but the average user should have av and spyware at all times. Have you guys tried this combo? It works SOOOOOOO well for me. I have aunts, parents, grandparents and friends that used to once every couple of months have me format due to virus and spyware issues. Try putting » www.kaspersky.com/ » www.microsoft.com/athome ··· ult.mspx and » www.everythingisnt.com/h ··· sts.htmlI swear, its been atleast 6 months to a year with NO spyware virus or anything. I caught one of them using Kazza, and pointed them to another p2p and they STILL are virus and spyware free. Try it | |
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Re: Im gonna get flammed for this :PI won't flame you.
But I prefer avast! over kapersky. For home user, its free. And for work, its cheap license. It uses less overhead versus Symantec and catches more web-site trojans than anything I've seen.
As for work insulation against viral infections, we have one person that tends to download (he's co-owner so canning him is not an option) files that have introduced isolated problems to his machine only. Thanks to XP for making user privs worse then they were under 2000. (some apps need admin access...)
Other than that, keep them off Kazaa, p2p and use a proxy for browsing and you are ok.
Cheers!:p | |
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kalphearionIn nomine Patri Premium Member join:2003-11-08 Broomfield, CO |
partly the users faultA majority of infections occur with beginner users, people who are stupidly courious, or people who are blandtly stupid.
Email: "Sir, your IP has been logged visiting illegal websites, open the attachment and fill out the form" User: Okay, the email is from admin@fbi.gov, I better comply
Email: "New Paris Hilton Sex video! Look Now User: /drool, okay
It is all social engineering. Most virues and spyware that are sent out is directed to people that the creators know will open the files.
Before you are allowed to touch a computer that is connected to the internet, you should have to pass a very basic common sence test, even with that, I think people would still fail. | |
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lavoy1 join:2002-09-05 Sunbury, PA 1 edit |
lavoy1
Member
2005-Dec-8 1:23 pm
AV choicesI recommend bitdefender or gdata for your AV protection. let me explain why. on my home network i have 5 machines. i often test out any new AV or updated AV on them and evaluate. i have found that i can take most any detected infected file or virus. and by using just very simple editing techniques can render that file undetected to almost any AV. now i have found that by far bitdefender was and is the hardest to fool. i can fool avast , ZA , Kaspersky , NIS , NOD 32 , and McAfee with little effort. bitdefender takes allot of effort to fool. Gdata is sorta new and combines the Kaspersky engine and bitdefender engine into one easy to use GUI. it uses both company's def files to double scan any file. it can be configured to run with little or no performance hit. or u can crank it up to max and get max protection but notice some slow down on slower machines. any way try bitdefender 9 or gdata antivirus kit 2006 . u wont regret it.. by the way bitdefender also hit all my PC's with the least performance hit in speed. | |
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VigThread-safe since 1997 Premium Member join:2004-03-23 La Jolla, CA |
Vig
Premium Member
2005-Dec-8 2:06 pm
protection from spyware higher than expectedMore than half of users have no anti-virus protection or have not updated it in the last week, half didn't have a properly configured firewall, and four in ten did not have any form of spyware protection.
This really surprised me that 60% of average users do have some spyware protection. I would have guess this number to be significantly lower. I guess all the press about spyware has raised awareness. | |
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mythology Premium Member join:2002-10-16 Seneca, SC |
Heres a question.lets say you live in a really expensive and insecure "bad" neighborhood. Do you get a extra large deadbolt and bars on your windows and hope no one has a crowbar or do you move too a free, secure, open housing project? *flame on* | |
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| Rogue WolfAn Easy Draw of a Sad Few join:2003-08-12 Troy, NY |
Re: Heres a question.That depends.
- Will I have to buy a new bicycle because the one I have now for some reason won't work in this new neighborhood? - Will flushing the toilet involve manually pouring fresh water into the tank, adjusting the valves, and then wondering why it still won't flush half the time? - Will the repairman, plumber or technician I call for help berate or belittle me and tell me to "RTFM"?
No flaming, I'm just reciting some of the common conceptions about OSS. | |
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It's the AV companies faultEver since they made it so you have to rebuy a subscription every year, they screwed consumers. No one is going to pay a yearly fee for av. It used to be you buy the software and update it for life. Now it expires and then people get virii. I downloaded a corporate version of norton 5 years ago that will still update for free. In today's world illegal is the only way to go. Illegal games don't need cds in the drive. Illegal antivirus updates forever. Illegal music can be used freely. | |
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Industry Not Meeting Customer's NeedsJoe Average wants a computer that he can just plug in and use, without worrying about this stuff. This is not an unreasonable request. There is no technological reason why this request cannot be granted (although it might not be possible to do it with Windows).
Joe Average's needs are limited: Web browsing, email, music, pictures, video, maybe some word processing and graphics. All with minimum fuss and no security problems.
Industry has chosen not to meet Joe's needs. Instead, industry has designed products for Fortune 500 companies and government agencies, and then pushed those complicated products into every home. Stop blaming Joe, it's not his fault. | |
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Re: Industry Not Meeting Customer's NeedsJoe User Needs a Mac. Fits all those bills, doesn't really need AV software, has no practical spyware, viruses, etc. It even prompts you for a UID/Pass when something wants to to things to your system files, etc.
Problem is Joe User still has this idea he needs Windows. | |
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AnnaS8 join:2005-05-26 Annapolis, MD |
AnnaS8
Member
2005-Dec-8 4:25 pm
As they say...No one backs up until their hard drive crashes. No one will get protection til they see the need. I fight with my family all the time about running AV, firewalls and anti-spyware. They give me the old..."I don't go anywhere that I would get infected" line. Like all you have to do is avoid the "bad neighborhoods" on the net. I had to flat out tell them that I would not work on their PCs if they didn't have protection on it and it was up to date. They also had to keep windows up to date as well. Now when ever I visit I check. I am sure most of the time they update everything before I get there but at least it is getting done. As a result...The time I spend fixing their PCs has dropped to almost zero. Go figure. | |
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Back up, Back up, Back up,I Back-up My Documents Partition every week and I do a complete back-up once a month. I back-up to to my external HDD and DVD's. I keep the external HDD and one set of DVD's at my desk and one set of DVD's in my lock box at the bank. I'm gettin another 200 Gig to put in the bank along with my dvd's just incase they deteriorate at the same time my house burns down (That would suck). I run Antivirus, Antispyware, Sygate Firewall, and a NAT router. I have been doing that since last year and haven't had a single problem that I know of. When i got my first usable computer in 1997 I learned the hard way when 98SE screwed up on me and I sent the comp out to be fixed and computer store wiped my HDD and re-installed windows without backing up my shit so I lost it all. THat was back when I didnt know much about comps, I usually fix my friends and neighbors comps now and when I do, I back up everything in their my documents folder and take a quick look at their settings so when they get it back from my they dont have to go thru all the qrap i had to when i sent my 98se out to comp store.
BTW I have always ran an AV but last year was when this puppy when all out with uber protection. I dont like the whole Idea of someone putting THEIR shit on MY COMPUTER that I PAID for. | |
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