Anti-virus, spyware suggestions, please

[ranchmom5]

Hi,

I really need some input on how to protect my new r50 and old desktop. It seems that everything l choose ends up having some conflict with something else. I found a website that has the 46 top freeware protection programs and downloaded Avast for an antivirus and Sunbelt for a firewall. Sunbelt is working ok on my desktop although it took me quite awhile to figure out how to let my gmail open. I have loaded it on the r50 3 times now and it says it is loaded but the icon doesn't show up in the toolbar and when I click on it in programs it doesn't open....BUT it is doing it's blocking cuz I can't go to my gmail or several other sites.

I also know I should have a spyware/adware cleaner running. I have heard that the free Spybot and Adaware aren't really worth it.

Thanks.....some days I think it would be easier to just go with a Mac!

[mattbiernat]

here is a website that i used to secure my XP: http://mywebpages.comcast.net/SupportCD/SecureXP.html
the guy has a lot of helpful tips, i suggest you read through it.
JDhurst also has useful tips and he made a sticky out of it:
http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?t=28660

Windows can be very secure and stable OS. I switched to Mac for the same reasons you mentioned; I was just frustrated with the constant spyware, viruses, etc.. I didn't have any of this on a Mac, however after a year I figured out that I miss Windows. Mac simply wasn't as natural and as mature desktop OS for me. Another thing i had a really bad experiance with was the low quality of apple notebooks and their poor warranty. This made this switch back to Windows much easier and thinkpad quality is a bliss.

[RealBlackStuff]

I run the free AVG ( http://free.grisoft.com ) together with Sunbelt Kerio.
If you install Kerio in "automatic" mode (i.e. with no announcements), you should have absolutely no problems, other than that after 30 days, a warning shows up that the trial period is over, and Kerio will continue to work in a reduced mode (which is still perfectly OK). I use version 4.5.916.

I run the above combination on all my PCs and laptops without any problems (and all of them can access GMail).

[GomJabbar]

Here are a couple of links to help you make your decision. I am using Kaspersky Internet Security version 7 myself. I like the Antivirus portion of the software, but the firewall portion could use some improvements in the user interface.

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

http://www.matousec.com/projects/window ... esults.php

Here is a PC Magazine review of Kaspersky Internet Security version 7: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,2162416,00.asp

[andrewb]

I have aways found Panda (latest version Internet Security 2007) to be reliable and to work well with XP.

[dsigma6]

I used to recommend AVG, but I've had two crappy experiences in the past month on two seperate computers.

I now recommend the complete and free Comodo solution:

Firewall- http://www.personalfirewall.comodo.com/

Anti-Virus- http://www.antivirus.comodo.com/

Anti-Malware- http://www.comodo.com/boclean/boclean.html

[ryengineer]

AV: Eset NOD32.

Also, Eset has been beta testing all-in-1 (firewall, antivirus, spyware) v3.0 Smart Security since April. Final version will be available soon.

Speaking of free AV, this will help you.

[Temetka]

This seems to be a common request.

Can it be stickified?

[ryengineer]

This seems to be a common request. Can it be stickified?

It is already a part of FAQs.

[ashleys]

It seems that everything l choose ends up having some conflict with something else.

That does seem very common. Furthermore, if you look at the vendor forum they never admit it's their product. The advice always seems to be uninstall your existing product

I am running the following with NO conflicts,

Desktop:
Zone Alarm Pro Firewall
Kasperksy 7 Anti Virus
Ad-Aware
Windows Defender

T30:
Zone Alarm Pro Firewall
AVG Pro 7.5 Anti Virus
Ad-Aware
Windows Defender

Of course, always ensure you're running Common Sense 1.0 between your ears

[arni]

+1 for NOD32 currently on 5 PCs at my home network (Win2K3 Server, Win XP and Vista 32bit).

And it's fast and reliable.

[XCoalMiner]

Take a look at the list here, the one at the top named Security Software Updates - DD-MMM-YYYY , it is updated daily (the reason you can't link to it directly).

http://www.dslreports.com/forum/security

AV, Anti-malware and anti-spyware are three different things, and so pick one of each from the list. Alternatively, if it's not on the list, it's probably not one of the best choices to use.

[mattbiernat]

+1 for NOD32 currently on 5 PCs at my home network (Win2K3 Server, Win XP and Vista 32bit).

And it's fast and reliable.

i switched to NOD32 as well...

[Johan]

I don't know if this topic is still "alive" (although I guess it is!), so this short post just to say that I remember (because my brain only remember things now and then!) discussing the same issue a year back in the thread Recommended *free* firewall & anti-spyware programs for. In that thread, the "Sunbelt Personal Firewall" was suggested; I see that the full version is on "sale" (software on sale?? - isn't it always?) for "only" $10 (incl. one year of upgrades, updates, new definitions, support) --> here. The free version is also there, but that one is not on sale, I mean today...

I know nothing about how well it works - in e.g. ThinkPad's. Search this forum or Google?

By the way, there is also a thread in the FAQ section on this question --> What Anti-Virus software do you use?

OK, that's it - over and out!

Kind regards,

Johan

[Techgurl]

Here is what I use

Avast antivirus
Commodo Firewall
Spyware Terminator for HIPS and runtime spyware
Super AntispyFree and AVG Antispyware on demand
And Spyware blaster.
Linkscannerlite for web browser link checking

[ryengineer]

Here is what I use

Avast antivirus
Commodo Firewall
Spyware Terminator for HIPS and runtime spyware
Super AntispyFree and AVG Antispyware on demand
And Spyware blaster.
Linkscannerlite for web browser link checking

That's a lot, obviously you seem like a security conscious person concerned about protecting your data and privacy; which is a good thing. But you might consider using an all-in-one Internet Security Suite unless the above mentioned security softwares are required or imposed by your work environment on you.

[Techgurl]

Here is what I use

Avast antivirus
Commodo Firewall
Spyware Terminator for HIPS and runtime spyware
Super AntispyFree and AVG Antispyware on demand
And Spyware blaster.
Linkscannerlite for web browser link checking

That's a lot, obviously you seem like a security conscious person concerned about protecting your data and privacy; which is a good thing. But you might consider using an all-in-one Internet Security Suite unless the above mentioned security softwares are required or imposed by your work environment on you.

Well they are all free and the problem with a security suite is that one product might be good and the other three there might be better products but your forced to use the whole suite.

[dr_st]

I don't like installing too many of these apps. I used to run with no AV, antispyware or firewall at all for a while, but recently I found out that due to lack of time (and consequently, concentration) I can no longer trust myself to avoid the various threats manually (I let a few things slip), nor have the patience to clean after them properly if they do get in.

So right now I'm still looking for a good solution. I do have a strong preference for all-in-one suites (simplicity), so I might give Comodo a try.

Just yesterday I tried the Symantec Endpoint Protection (Corporate version, combines AV, AS and FW). I really like the idea that it's a single client managing everything, but it gave me some annoyances (it really wouldn't let me move its [censored] startup menu folder - every time I tried it recreated it!). It's also a fairly new product, so bugs and glitches are to be expected.

I used to use Kerio (Sunbelt) as a firewall, till I discovered that it doesn't support UPnP properly.

[Techgurl]

I used Commodo antivirus on one computer here and the thing I didn't like about it was if it made a false positive there was no way to tell it to ignore.

So it would quarantine legitimate files and programs.

[iminj]

Here's my security setup with WinXP behind a SPI firewalled Linksys router - no conflicts:

Avira AntiVir Personal Edition
Online Armor Free (Firewall + Process execution control)
LinkScanner Lite (web search verification)
KeyScrambler (browser anti-keylogger)

On Demand:

SuperAntiSpyware
HotSpot Shield (encrypts wireless when I am using public routers)

The best security tool of all is to use common sense when surfing the 'net.

[davidspalding]

I pulled Norton off my TP the first thing when configuring out of the box was done. I installed a McAfee Home Wireless Network suite and used it without complaint for a year. Pretty fast, painless, infallible (tested with test virus and a couple real ones that penetrated my domain maze). Instead of renewing, I switched to BitDefender Plus which Consumer Reports gave good marks to.

Several months into using BD, I started having serious lockups on boot and login, with a BD component the culprit. I also noted my Web throughput stalled regularly (while other ports -- FTP, SMTP, VNC, SSH, etc -- worked fine), but I blamed Time-Warner for that. A free upgrade to the 2007 version of BD resolved this.

In a few days, I'll be switching back to McAfee VirusScan Plus, which is $6.99 after an instant rebate at BJ's for the next 3 days.

[Marin85]

Hi,
I would join davidspalding and go for McAfee suite. I tested it a fwe months ago and it was really fast for the whole protection package it offers. Especially, the firewall protection of that suite is a very good one.
However, if you´re rather about to go for a free AV, I would recommend AVG. I use it instead of McAfee. To my experience, it´s the best free AV, if not one of the best AV at all! I "tested" it with various non-test viruses and trojans and it has always saved my a... It´s fast, reliable, pretty stable (if I´m not wrong it doesn´t even mess with a second AV), especially under XP. What is more, you could obtain AVG Anti Spyware and AVG AntiRootkit also for free from the homepage of Grisoft. Unfortunately, I can´t tell you how reliable they are as I have almost no experience with them, but from what I hear, AVG AntiSPyware is also a very valuable program.
As for Kaspersky ´07, I was a bit disappointed by it. It simply couldn´t handle self-copying trojans properly.

Cheers

Marin

[ryengineer]

I am sure most AntiVirus provides solid protection but if anyone likes robotic interface then check out Eset's NOD32 Smart Security v3.0, reminds me of Sonny from I, Robot.

[flashstar]

I've used no firewall and just a basic Symantec virus scanner for 2 years now and I get no viruses or spyware. I haven't had anything at all , not even mild spyware. Smoothwall ftw!

[mattbiernat]

I've used no firewall and just a basic Symantec virus scanner for 2 years now and I get no viruses or spyware. I haven't had anything at all , not even mild spyware. Smoothwall ftw!

it all depends on what sites you open.

[RealBlackStuff]

Why pay year-in year-out, if you can get it for free?
I go on all sorts of web sites, incl. some less savory ones, but my free AVG and free Comodo Firewall have protected me well for years!

[ryengineer]

I fully agree with you RBS however when one pays premiums he/she receives on time faster updates from paid servers, technical assistance (if one ever needs it ofcourse) and depending on the product, special offers for next purchase as well.

[RealBlackStuff]

Sorry, they are lame excuses.
AVG for instance has at least one signature-update per day.
If you need help, you get it faster on certain web-forums, rather than from the manufacturer.
And special offers are irrelevant if you don't pay anything in the first place!

[ryengineer]

How about signature update per hour?

[Marin85]

Well, as for AVG, I used to run the commercial version for a while and as far as I can remember it never updated more than twice a day, which happened all in all only two or three times for 2 weeks or so. However, the download speed was significantly higher than with the free version, which is anyway not that essential since it´s a matter of sparing 1-2 sec depending on the update.

Cheers

Marin

EDIT: I forgot to mention that today my free version of AVG updated three times (1 automatic + 2 manual). Sometimes it´s worth paying the efforts to manually run the update function