What to replace Norton Antivirus with?

[Hpnotiq]

Think it's necessary? If so what should i replace it with?
also here's my setup what do u think:
Ewido Security Suite (need to update it now)
Process Guard
Qwik-Fix Pro (trial)
Norton Antivirus
and scan with spyware doctor,adware and hijackthis every like 2-3 days

[bigc73542]

As far as another antivirus is concerned, Is resource usage a major concern or do you have a newer computer that can handle a little heavier av. Oh and by the way you might want to hold off on the Hijackthis scans as a regular scan. It is a very powerful tool that if used incorrectaly you can totally disable your computer, It should be held in reserve in case of an emergency situation and then under the guidance of a HJT expert. This is just a suggestion but it is good advice. Now about that antivirus, what are your requirments for one.

bigc

[Slovak]

Anything ;D

[rdsu]

Hi Hpnotiq,

I personally hate Norton AV!
I can't conceive that an AV eat all of my computer resources...

I think that NOD32 and new coming version of avast! could be perfectly replace your correct AV.
They are very good and have a great support.

Did you have the plus version of ewido? It's a very good program ;)

Also use the Spybot-Search & Destroy (http://spybot.eon.net.au/en/), SpywareBlaster (http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html) and a registry checker like WinPatrol (http://www.winpatrol.com/) (all free :)) to improve your spyware detection and immunization ;)

Also take look to Host File Manager (http://www.mvps.org/PracticallyNerded/SoftMain.htm) and IE-SPYAD (http://www.spywarewarrior.com/uiuc/resource.htm#IESPYAD).

Regards

[webmedic]

thats good because almost any av is better than norton. I run a small computer store by a university and i get allot of students in here with virii all over there systems and I think I can say all but maybe 5 at the most have been running norton. I think there have been a couple running avg and maybe a few running mcafee all the rest have been running norton.

[gud4u]

I've been clean for months with:
- Micro Trend IS2005 AV+Firewall combo.
- Trojan Hunter.
- Spyware Doctor.
- IE with customized privacy and security settings.
- SpywareBlaster immunization.

No conflicts or problems.

I use the usual battery of scanners such as AdAware, Spbot, etc., but all scans are clean.

Hope this helps!

[Blackcat]

{QUOTE-> I run a small computer store by a university and i get allot of students in here with virii all over there systems and I think I can say all but maybe 5 at the most have been running norton. I think there have been a couple running avg and maybe a few running mcafee all the rest have been running norton. <-QUOTE}
I work at a University and most of the student laptops I see ( hundreds in a year) all have Norton/McAfee Installed (or no AV at all !!!).

The only other AV's I have seen on some machines are Panda or one of the free ones.

This is simply because either this is the AV that came pre-installed with the laptop or Norton/McAfee are the only retail products available here.

If you talk to them about security, none have heard about, or interested in alternative AV's, such as KAV. They are much more interested in obtaining music/films via P2P or playing the latest games than securing their computers.
The only comment I have heard from them concerning Norton is that it can slow down their game-playing.

So most infected Student machines would probably have Norton/McAfee as the only installed AV rather than say Dr Web which none of them have ever heard of! Therefore, most infected machines would be Norton protected.

Further with students file-sharing over a University network, even KAV and a good commercial AT would find their hands full, never mind just Norton!!!!
{QUOTE-> thats good because almost any av is better than norton. <-QUOTE}
A little harsh I think, as it has improved in both virus and trojan detection of late.

Hpnotiq, if you like Norton, it runs well on your computer and it has protected you so far, stay with it ;)

[Ianb]

There are a lot worse AVs than Norton (2005) out there. Norman, Clam & EZ to name a few.

[Hpnotiq]

Well I have a HP Pavilion 540n 256mbRAM, 40gb HD, 1.6ghz
What do you recommend I get, and do you recommend me taking anything off the list? i dont want anything unnecessary on there.

[Ianb]

{QUOTE->
Also use the Spybot-Search & Destroy (http://spybot.eon.net.au/en/), SpywareBlaster (http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html) and a registry checker like WinPatrol (http://www.winpatrol.com/) (all free :)) to improve your spyware detection and immunization ;)

Also take look to Host File Manager (http://www.mvps.org/PracticallyNerded/SoftMain.htm) and IE-SPYAD (http://www.spywarewarrior.com/uiuc/resource.htm#IESPYAD).

Regards <-QUOTE}

Well I think VC summed up that part well. The AV you need will depend on your surfing habits. If you are a risk user (P2P, Porn, dodgy software) then KAV is a must (personally for me a must regardless) if you are a safe hexer then maybe Bitdefender or Nod.

Trial a few and see how you get on.

[Acadia]

If most of the students at an university were using KAV or NOD, then all the pcs that you would see being affected by viruses would be pcs running KAV or NOD. (And if these young-uns are as stupid as I was when I was that age ... "Nothing can hurt me!")

Acadia

[RejZoR]

Main problem of Norton is that they use separate detection for normal malware and separate for spyware. So until you use On-Demand scan every shit will pass by Norton like there is no protection. And this is very very bad. Even avast! is better in this area since it doesn't make any difference between On-Demand and On-Access. Detection is the same for both. And because this is Norton you'll have to wait until NAV2006 to get such feature (sux real bad and it's not even guaranteed).
I have an original 1 year copy of NAV2005 and it's just sitting on my desk just because of this stupid separate detection. I liked almost all other aspects of NAV2005,but such thing is unacceptable for me.

[Hpnotiq]

what is KAV?

[Acadia]

Kaspersky Anti Virus

http://www.kaspersky.com/

Acadia

[Blackcat]

RejZoR,

Can you expand on this? Are you saying that the Norton Monitor is far behind the on-demand scanner for detection of all malware?

Or that there is a difference between virus/trojan detection and spyware detection between the RTM and the scanner?

[rdsu]

{QUOTE-> Well I have a HP Pavilion 540n 256mbRAM, 40gb HD, 1.6ghz
What do you recommend I get, and do you recommend me taking anything off the list? i dont want anything unnecessary on there. <-QUOTE}
With these settings you will not be overheaded...
In my opinion is a must have for all the users because the problems with the security and privacy that now, and in the future, the Internet offer to us...

On-Access scanner:
Process Guard + Firewall + NOD32 or avast! + ewido security suite plus (if you have the plus version) + WinPatrol

On-Demand scanner:
NOD32 or/and avast! + ewido + Spybot-SD + Ad-Aware + Spyware Doctor + HijackThis

Immunization (Don't use any resources):
Host File Manager + Spybot-SB (immunization feature) + SpywareBlaster + IE-SPYAD

[Beefcarver]

Im using black Ice. As for spyware I use Pest Patrol, Spybot,spysweeper, adaware Se. I also use netscape its more secure for a browser.

This Spystopper program from Info Works stops alot of stuff.

also have spyware blaster and spyware guard. clean machine.

[webmedic]

{QUOTE-> If most of the students at an university were using KAV or NOD, then all the pcs that you would see being affected by viruses would be pcs running KAV or NOD. (And if these young-uns are as stupid as I was when I was that age ... "Nothing can hurt me!")

Acadia <-QUOTE}


Actually in my case the systems that go with nod dont come back to my shop. The ones with norton continue to be exploited and I get to visit them again unless they change the computing habits. Not to mention the load that norton puts on the system that alone is enough to get rid of it.

For further reference I also have a service contract with the local wilcox farms plant and they use mcaffee and I dont see anywere near as many problems. Most of their issues is because they use exchange server rather than the av they use.

[Hpnotiq]

What should i remove from my setup?

[Hpnotiq]

the antivirus to have is either KAV or NOD(whats the whole name)?

[rdsu]

{QUOTE-> What should i remove from my setup? <-QUOTE}
Only Norton! ;D

If you don't have the plus version of ewido, use the on-access scan of Spyware Doctor... ;)

[Hpnotiq]

on-access meaning leave it in the system tray all the time?

[RejZoR]

{QUOTE-> RejZoR,

Can you expand on this? Are you saying that the Norton Monitor is far behind the on-demand scanner for detection of all malware?

Or that there is a difference between virus/trojan detection and spyware detection between the RTM and the scanner? <-QUOTE}

Norton missed lots of stuff with Real-Time protection while the same malware was detected with On-Demand scan.
So basically you get only virus/worm/trojan protection while spyware is well, when it's detected On-Demand it's usually too late and Norton won't be able to clean it(it won't give you any warning for RT checking). I don't see the point of such difference between RT and OD scan but thats what i first noticed when i tried NAV2005... Big minus since lots of stuff cannot be strictly classed as normal malware or spyware (Trojan Downloaders,Browser hiJackers itd).

[BlueZannetti]

{QUOTE-> Actually in my case the systems that go with nod dont come back to my shop. The ones with norton continue to be exploited and I get to visit them again unless they change the computing habits. Not to mention the load that norton puts on the system that alone is enough to get rid of it. <-QUOTE}My personal impression, having Norton up to 2003/start of 2004 on my home machines and still having Symantec corporate at work, is that a number of problems are tied to the general instability of the LiveUpdate module. At times the update functionality is lost, while at other times it seems to compromise the basic program. Either way, vulnerability follows. Basic detection seems fine when things are up to date, although there is that system drag issue... It also doesn't help that being market leader paints a nice red target on it's back - it will be the prime target to defeat.

Blue

[rdsu]

{QUOTE-> on-access meaning leave it in the system tray all the time? <-QUOTE}
Yes, to ensure the access protection.

[Blackcat]

{QUOTE-> the antivirus to have is either KAV or NOD(whats the whole name)? <-QUOTE}
"We decided to name the newly created antivirus program “Nemocnica na Okraji Disku” ... which in English would read “Hospital at the Edge of the Disk”.

Have a look here; http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=25585
{QUOTE-> on-access meaning leave it in the system tray all the time? <-QUOTE}
Simply, yes. Your AV Monitor will check files when they are executed, copied, created, downloaded, moved, etc.

[Hpnotiq]

so its between kapersky and NOD? which would u choose?

[webmedic]

{QUOTE-> My personal impression, having Norton up to 2003/start of 2004 on my home machines and still having Symantec corporate at work, is that a number of problems are tied to the general instability of the LiveUpdate module. At times the update functionality is lost, while at other times it seems to compromise the basic program. Either way, vulnerability follows. Basic detection seems fine when things are up to date, although there is that system drag issue... It also doesn't help that being market leader paints a nice red target on it's back - it will be the prime target to defeat.

Blue <-QUOTE}


Well here is the real thing behind that. There are quite a few that target norton specificly. They flat out delete protions of norton or disable it in other ways. Then you see the results that you are seeing above. Other than that norton may fail on it's own but most of the time I have seen this it is because norton has been disabled by a trojan or virus itself.

The really bad part of this is that some of them do it in such a way that the tray icon still looks like it is running but if you move your mouse over the try icon it will then disapear. To be fair this is really a bug with windows and not norton but there are lots of people that think they have it running when it is not.

oh and there is still the really bad drag it puts on the system. There has been a few people that thought their system was infected when it was jsut norton making everything slow. We took off norton and repalced it with something else and the customer was so happy to have thier computer back. I'm seeing this on newer (faster than 2ghz) systems so it can only gets worse for the older systems.

[webmedic]

{QUOTE-> so its between kapersky and NOD? which would u choose? <-QUOTE}


Myself here I use nod for everything for on access scanning. I use kasperski but only for ondemand. It works great this way for cleaning up systems that already have virii on them but nod is better at keeping it off to beign with. I would advise using ewido with nod also to help with trojan detection. Ewido has a free version witch compliments nod very well.

[webmedic]

oh and before I forget e-scan has a nice free verion that uses the kasperski engine that works very well for on demand scanning.

http://www.mwti.net/antivirus/free_utilities.asp

this is what I sue to clean systems along with nod. Then I install nod on them and forget about them.

[Hpnotiq]

I now have Kapersky and NOD installed, I should disable Kapersky's protection and only leave NOD in the system tray and use Kapersky when i need to scan right?

[Hpnotiq]

This is what i have running:
NOD32
Ewido Security Suite (i think its trial version)
Qwik-Fix Pro (trial)
ProcessGuard

and i might add Spyware Doctor to the list of active programs

I have FreeRAM XP Pro and it shows that my cpu is low on memory, it's around the 40-50 #'s.

What do you guys think? also look at post above this one. Thx

[RejZoR]

Why do people gather so many programs? Final effect is usually even worse than when you get actual worm/trojan. If you use Firefox/Opera you don't need any antispyware crap. The only way to get spyware is through installed programs (*cough*MSN+*cough*). Using resident scanner and 10 backup scanners is also stupid for me. I can live only with antivirus and a firewall. Thats all you need.

[webmedic]

exactly at the most go with ewido and nod. The link I showed is an on demand scanner that you use only when you think you may have an infection but honestly the systems I work on with jsut nod installed usually never have to come back again unless it is a different issue alltogether.

as for spuware use firefox or opera as your browser and you most likely will have much fewer issues.

This stuff is really hard to predict whithout having seen your system and knowing how you do things. As such it is easiest to tell you to do this and that when it may be overkill but in the ned it will be way better protection for you and anybody else out there.

[Notok]

I have to disagree, I think that you have a good combo of software, Hpnotiq.

That said, as far as NOD32 + KAV goes, you would probably be better off just using the eScan toolkit (free), which is based on KAV and runs only on demand (hint: extract the toolkit to 'C:\Bases" and use "kavupd.exe" to update it.) NOD32 plus Ewido should give you plenty of protection, making buying KAV somewhat redundant.

Qwik-Fix and PG are also good to have around and will block many unknowns if used properly.. however I do think you should add a firewall to that list.

[Acadia]

{QUOTE-> If you use Firefox/Opera you don't need any antispyware crap. <-QUOTE}
You're kidding, right? If this is REALLY what you believe you need to hang around Wilders for a while.

Acadia

[webmedic]

{QUOTE-> I have to disagree, I think that you have a good combo of software, Hpnotiq.
<-QUOTE}
Which part do you disagree with your whole post was saying the same thing I told him.

[Hpnotiq]

I already use Firefox. So I'm going to uninstall KAV right now, and leave NOD32 active and keep the e-scan in case i feel i have a virus. Sounds kool?

[webmedic]

that should work well and wont cost allot for you.

[Notok]

{QUOTE->
Which part do you disagree with your whole post was saying the same thing I told him. <-QUOTE}I should have quoted, you and I were posting at the same time.. I was actually disagreeing with RejZor. Great minds... ;D

[webmedic]

no problem i was just curious.

[Hpnotiq]

thanks guys

[rdsu]

{QUOTE-> Why do people gather so many programs? Final effect is usually even worse than when you get actual worm/trojan. If you use Firefox/Opera you don't need any antispyware crap. The only way to get spyware is through installed programs (*cough*MSN+*cough*). Using resident scanner and 10 backup scanners is also stupid for me. I can live only with antivirus and a firewall. Thats all you need. <-QUOTE}
It's your opinion, but definitely not mine...

Now that Firefox and Opera are more used, they have founded a lot of security issues... It isn't only IE!
However, you can use IE or IE based and only installed safety ActiveX...

About the rest, Prevention is always better than a cure...

[RejZoR]

Vulnerabilities are not the same. FF/Opera are still immune to spyware nomatter what. Exceptions are spywares that you get via program installers (MSN+) and if they intercept connections at LSP level.

[Blackspear]

As you can see from my and other setups here (http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=62972), I for one tend to disagree with you, and I would have to say that 100% of customers bringing their infected machines into my shop also disagree, especially when they leave with a minimal layered defense as well as their wallet being lighter, though it is because of this that 50% learn how to use security, 40% need a second time around, and 10% will never learn and will blame everything under the sun other than themselves...

Cheers ;D

[FastGame]

{QUOTE-> As you can see from my and other setupsI would have to say that 100% of customers bringing their infected machines into my shop also disagree <-QUOTE}
With all due respect, this statement ? I highly doubt that 100% of your customers were using Firefox with a good Firewall and updated AV. If they were you wouldn't be seeing many problems other than those caused by downloading stupid things they don't understand.
{QUOTE-> Why do people gather so many programs? Final effect is usually even worse than when you get actual worm/trojan. If you use Firefox/Opera you don't need any antispyware crap. <-QUOTE}
I agree with rejZoR, a search though the many Tech sites will bear this out.

Firefox, Router/Firewall, and good updated AV goes along way in security, for anything else Acronis True Image, Drive Image/Ghost are the best investments IMO.

[webmedic]

I think blackspear was agreeing with me and rejzor and disagreeing with vampire cow who was advocating to continue to use ie.

If you read the link he posted he advocates the use of mozilla also.

[rdsu]

{QUOTE-> ...vampire cow who was advocating to continue to use ie. <-QUOTE}
I don't defend the use of IE! Read my post better...

[FastGame]

{QUOTE-> I think blackspear was agreeing with me and rejzor and disagreeing with vampire cow who was advocating to continue to use ie.

If you read the link he posted he advocates the use of mozilla also. <-QUOTE}
Ok, sorry. guess I got confused on the 100% thing...my bad :-[

I used RejZoR quote as another point and not tied to Blackspear, I think both are pretty sharp ;)

I know VaMPiRiC_CRoW from other places than here, never seen him advocate the use of IE over other options.

[Ianb]

{QUOTE-> Vulnerabilities are not the same. FF/Opera are still immune to spyware nomatter what. Exceptions are spywares that you get via program installers (MSN+) and if they intercept connections at LSP level. <-QUOTE}

I think the use of Spywareblaster with Firefox is still a good precaution and has no effect on your system.

{QUOTE->
Firefox, Router/Firewall, and good updated AV goes along way in security, for anything else Acronis True Image, Drive Image/Ghost are the best investments IMO. <-QUOTE}

DRIVE IMAGE (my personal choice) or other clone software is a must. No software disaster (virus etc) that can't be rectified in 15 minutes.

[Hpnotiq]

Well since i switched to FireFox/Mozilla I havent had nearly as much spyware/malware.