If we're talking about someone running only some all-in-one security suite with an AV & FW, then sure. Or someone that that's the extent of their security know-how, downloading a ton of stuff, running P2P, etc... then yeah. I'm not the kind of user. What are the odds of this malware breaking out of my sandbox? Or eluding all 40 of the engines VT Hash Check employs before recovering it from my sandbox? Or executing despite it being untrusted by both my HIPS and default deny SRP? Me ignoring dozens of prompts from both telling me something shady is happening. And then surviving a reboot when I'd just run this entire session in a VM? And then if it manages to do all that... I'm a clean image away from rendering it all moot anyhow. My strict outbound FW preventing it from sending any info. out in the time being before I can reboot. Or any of that malicious stuff being able to run in the first place with NoScript blocking all scripts & elements from loading on the page to begin with. Or my Group Policy measure in place to block certain file types (namely executables) from making it onto my real system even if I'm lax and look past all that in the first place. And I'm sure I'm leaving a few things out. Add all that up and it just isn't worth it to me. My odds of being struck by lightning are slightly better. All the Web Guard does is add bloat and attack surface, actually lessening my overall security in the process. And sometimes blowing holes with their local proxies just go get them to function properly, like Avast's Web Shield. And so many were oblivious to this for so long until Comodo released 5.12... which I said no thanks to. I don't even wanna know what concessions they had to make to the FW to get it to play nicely with that web shield. But I'm guessing there's a reason they didn't push the update to everyone via the programs internal updater, and instead made only the people it applied to hunt it down at their site manually. These people have lessened their protection of their FW overall just to get this unneeded component to function. No thanks... I'd rather keep my attack surface low/non existent in the first place. And those sentiments are echoed with EMET & .NET Framework. I don't want some known buggy, bloated, vulnerable attack surface just to prevent against exploits I'll never come across anyway given my habits and other measures. I will however eagerly await Larry Peppers Open EMET, so I can get the good without the bad.
Exactly. For sure. From the description above, it's obvious that you are a security freak. That's good or bad? No comments.
Avira is such a weird company. I downloaded the offline installer from FileHippo's mirror. Installed it, and I didn't see the toolbar offer. The web protection is unavailable, though the toolbar installers still exist in the Avira's program folder. Not complaining though, maybe they only offer the toolbar on the online installer version? Weird...
I've read on here where others have said they didn't receive the toolbar offer, either. So that must be the way they have it set up. And yes, that is weird...
OS? ------------------------------------- How do I install the toolbar? http://www.avira.com/en/support-for-home-knowledgebase-detail/kbid/1038 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ No. Both installers are the same.
Windows 7 Ultimate SP1 x86. Could it be because I'm using Chrome as the default browser. My homepage isn't changed at all though.
"Change installation" http://www.avira.com/en/support-for-home-knowledgebase-detail/kbid/1038 and you will see if the toolbar and the Web Protection offered or not:
Yes, but probably it's just not offered on the offline installer. The most extreme case I can imagine now is that FileHippo violate the TOS and hacked the installer. Highly unlikely though. I thought you hate those toolbars, why are you providing links about how to enable them?
No way. For the latest version, you can download the offline installer directly from the Avira: http://www.avira.com/en/download/product/avira-antivirus-premium Exactly. Because information and personal preferences are different matters.
I've never managed to download it from the main website. It's always stopped in the middle, causing a corrupt installer. Well, I guess I have to thank you. . . . . Wait, you aren't thinking that I want those toolbars, are you? You're lucky, Avira 9 (and probably 10 as well) gave a gigantic popup everytime you update the virus definition, almost fullscreen IIRC. The recent ad we have now is the Ask toolbar installers in Avira's program folder, even if you opted-out them during initial installation.
Okay I installed Avira. No toolbar, no nagging screens, nothing. Avira didn't even ask me If I want a toolbar... Am I the only one?
Yes the ask toolbar is there but I was never offered option to install it. Also, my web protection is disabled.
Have a look at this link for information on enabling it without installation of the toolbar. http://www.raymond.cc/blog/disable-avira-searchfree-ask-com-toolbar-popup-nag-alert/
Didn't work. And again I wasn't given option to even install Ask toolbar... What would you guys use for web protection?
Have you tried 7anon's suggestion as well? For web filtering, I just use Norton DNS. That, and Chrome's malware and phishing protection.
