Do you feel safer on the internet today than 5 years ago?

[sweater]

Yap, experience is the best teacher.

But I felt no difference 5 yrs ago than today, it's still the same...or maybe just depends where you go and who your friends are and what you do.

[Page42]

Feeling safer on the internet today is a direct result of purchasing and installing Sandboxie 2 years ago.

[bo elam]

Originally Posted by Page42

Feeling safer on the internet today is a direct result of purchasing and installing Sandboxie 2 years ago.

I know the feeling...

Bo

[arsenaloyal]

yes, all thanks to sandboxie,5 years ago i was seriously contemplating moving to ubuntu,sandboxie made me stay LOL

[Page42]

Originally Posted by bo elam

I know the feeling...

Bo knows!

So I was unsure how to vote in the poll, given my 2-year association with Sandboxie. I opted for, "Yes. I feel more safe today than 5 years ago", but it's true also to say I feel safer than 4 years ago, and 3 years ago.

Also, I don't know whether or not the quantity and sophistication of malware has increased (I'm guessing it has on both counts), but my membership here at Wilders has been a wonderful antidote to all the internet poison!

[chrisretusn]

I took the 3rd option. I've never felt unsafe on the Internet.

[roger_m]

I definately feel less safe today than 5 years ago due to recent experiences.

The reason is quite simple. I've been infected twice recently on two different computers (both running different AV software) with the ZeroAccess trojan, just from regular web browsing. Also I got another infection a few months back, which as far as I can tell came from regular web browsing.

In the past, when I have become infected it has been due to me running an infected program. If I'd been a little more careful about what program I run, I would not have been infected. However, in the recent cases I didn't launch anything, I just browsed the web.

It's common to hear of compramised websites, but until now I've never had an issue arising from visiting any website. I visit many potentially unsafe websites and don't get infected. I visit websites Google warns me not to visit when I click on the link in Google's search results - and don't get infected.

My systems are more protected now than five years ago because I'm guessing I didn't have any antivirus software installed back then, as even today I rarely have antivirus software installed.

EDIT:

To clarify things, I'm not at all paranoid about being infected. In the recent cases of infections I removed the infections and then continued using my computer. I was not at all worried about having been infected - I just consider it a minor inconvenience.

[Page42]

Originally Posted by roger_m

I definately feel less safe today than 5 years ago due to recent experiences.

The reason is quite simple. I've been infected twice recently on two different computers (both running different AV software) with the ZeroAccess trojan, just from regular web browsing. Also I got another infection a few months back, which as far as I can tell came from regular web browsing.

In the past, when I have become infected it has been due to me running an infected program. If I'd been a little more careful about what program I run, I would not have been infected. However, in the recent cases I didn't launch anything, I just browsed the web.

It's common to hear of compramised websites, but until now I've never had an issue arising from visiting any website. I visit many potentially unsafe websites and don't get infected. I visit websites Google warns me not to visit when I click on the link in Google's search results - and don't get infected.

My systems are more protected now than five years ago because I'm guessing I didn't have any antivirus software installed back then, as even today I rarely have antivirus software installed.

You said you were infected twice recently on 2 machines running AV software, but then you said you rarely have an AV installed.

And as for the ZeroAccess trojan, I cleaned a friend's PC that had it on board. The ZA trojan and bootkit and other nasties were cleaned by HMP. NIS was present but unaccounted for, i.e. it was crippled by the infection.

[roger_m]

Originally Posted by Page42

You said you were infected twice recently on 2 machines running AV software, but then you said you rarely have an AV installed.

I tend not to use antivirus software. Every now and then I'll install a new antivirus product or an updated release which looks interesting, but usually it doesn't take long for me to uninstall them. However, recently I have been running Roboscan as it very light on resources (as well using Kingsoft 2012 for a while) .

And as for the ZeroAccess trojan, I cleaned a friend's PC that had it on board. The ZA trojan and bootkit and other nasties were cleaned by HMP. NIS was present but unaccounted for, i.e. it was crippled by the infection.

I removed ZeroAccess easily with MBAM on one computer, and a RegRun Warrior bootable USB on the other.

[ComputerSaysNo]

After Stuxnet & Flame I don't feel very safe, people will say that it's targeted but what they don't understand the code that runs those super viruses will be copied into everyday malware sooner or later.

[Dark Shadow]

Originally Posted by Page42

Feeling safer on the internet today is a direct result of purchasing and installing Sandboxie 2 years ago.

Though i am not currently using sandbox I have for years. IMO finding sandbox was like finding gold,well almost.

[Critter2]

You will never be safe on the Internet PERIOD

anyone who thinks they are, well they are just fooling themselves

but you can believe what you want

[Mman79]

Originally Posted by Critter2

You will never be safe on the Internet PERIOD

anyone who thinks they are, well they are just fooling themselves

but you can believe what you want

Why? Knowing there is risk and feeling safe are two different things. I know if I walk outside my door after I type this, there is a risk something may happen. But, I feel safe. Every time I open my browser, I know there is a risk I might come across an infection, but, again, I feel safe. The same statistics that can be used to show I'm not safe can be used to show I am. My surfing habits could be considered careful, yet "free". I don't go looking for trouble every day, yet I don't run every link on the web through a "safety site" before I go either.

I would truly love to poll the Wilders community on how often they come across malware and infected sites through normal use. I'm not talking about researching the newest craze in "pwning" or the home basement AV-C testers. I would want to find out how they fare in normal activities such as email, checking their favorite website updates, watching or listening to streaming media and so on. If their experience is anything like mine, maybe every week or two their malware blockers will sound off on a website or a funky file and then they won't hear a peep again.

That's what the internet is to me, a place of hazardous roads if you go "off the beaten path" and the occasional road raged driver determined to screw with your day through some silly script malware or an infected ad or temporarily hacked website. More akin to New York City than Somalia I'd say. Of course, your usage may vary and your opinion is as valid as mine.

[bo elam]

Hi Mman79, regarding "how often I come across malware and infected sites through normal use" and " the internet is to me, a place of hazardous roads". In my case, using NoScript and a restricted sandbox makes it seem like it doesn't happen at all. In the last four years, I haven't seem anything that looks like malware, it just doesn't happen anymore. If it only was 6 months or a year, it might be luck but four years, those programs are making the bumpy road of the internet very smooth for me.

Bo

[encus]

Nowadays, malwares are more sophisticated! I feel this paranoia every time I'm on the net

I feel about the same.

[moontan]

i don't know where people go to find such malware.

i think a lot of the insecurity is due to paranoia and inexperience.

i just don't see what the fuss is about.
the internet these days is a lot more safe than it was 5 years ago.

[roger_m]

Originally Posted by moontan

i don't know where people go to find such malware.

I visit unsafe sites (and use no nothing to block bad sites) and install lots of software, and it is very rare for me to get infected.

i think a lot of the insecurity is due to paranoia and inexperience.

Definately. I have nothing to be paranoid about. I rarely get infected, and in the odd occasion that I do, I remove the infecton, and then keep using my computer as if nothing happened. Sure, I'd rather not get infected, but infections are nothing more than a minor inconvenience to me.

i just don't see what the fuss is about.
the internet these days is a lot more safe than it was 5 years ago.

I voted for less safe, but in any case I do feel safe on the internet, even when I'm running no security software.

[Hungry Man]

The internet itself is less safe than it was 5 years ago. That much is obvious - attacks are more sophisticated, and there are more attacks than ever. Read annual Sophos reports for each year, it's clear.

I feel safer in some ways. I know more, I know that there are ongoing attacks out there. But I also know how to stay safe.

I suppose I feel less safe, overall.

[J_L]

Malware isn't the only thing evolving, operating systems, security software, popular software, etc. are all becoming more complex and secure. The problem is, black hats usually strike first, claiming victims until the exploit is patched.
On the other hand, there are technologies (like virtualization, whitelisting, access control, file verification, and secure overwrite) that are (virtually) invincible under the right user, and realistically impossible to infect (when combined). Therefore, I feel about the same.

[SweX]

Originally Posted by moontan

i don't know where people go to find such malware.

A little while ago, all you had to do was to go to NBC.com and under the right conditions, no protection, not up to date.... it could happen

As for the topic...I feel a little less safe now than I did just 6 months ago, mostly due to the hacking spree that's going on. But I do what I can to stay safe (not that someone would hack into my PC, but that I could visit a hacked website.)

[STONEMAN]

I personally feel a lot safer due to frequently visiting this forum and learning new things,plus having sandboxie helps greatly even though theres probably more diferent ways to get infected now days.

[Solarlynx]

I feel less safe as I know more about threats and use the Internet much more intensively.