Anti-virus required?

Hi,

My computer is protected by Spybot S&D, Adaware, SpywareBlaster, SpywareGuard and a ZoneAlarm firewall.

ZoneAlarm tells me that "there is no antivirus running on your computer that Zone Labs can detect. Make sure you are running antivirus software."

Is this necessary even though I have all of the above installed and running?

Thanks in advance,
Graham.

 

It is almost imperative to have an antivirus running and up to date. There are a lot of different types of malware that the apps you have listed don't detect as where an antivirus would protect you from file viruses some types of trojans. Macro viruses and some worms. Personally I would not even connect to the internet without an antivirus running that was up to date. Most antivirus will even detect some new types of malware with hueristics before definations are released to detect them from the av vendors. If cost is a factor there are several good free antivirus available. here or here or here

 

It's quite difficult to pickup PC bugs as long as you practice good PC housekeeping. Don't visit trash websites. Don't click on unfamiliar links. Manually scan all downloaded data, including removable media. I only set my AV to scan incoming e-mails. Not a single bug since 2000.

 

Thanks bigc73542, I've looked at the options you suggested and would prefer to use freeware but how would the level of protection of these programs compare to, say, Norton AntiVirus which I could buy in the shops?

And nod32_9, what do you mean by "manually scan all downloaded data."
All the programs I listed have been downloaded from the internet. Should I have scanned this data before running the programs and using what?

Graham.

 

It's not really freeware but Panda are doing a free year long trial for their antivirus http://www.pandasecurity.com/survey/ It's by far the best free solution and is much better than many paid AVs.

Yes practicing safe computing goes a long way towards preventing an infection, but it’s only a matter of time before something nasty makes its way onto your computer. Especially with un-patched MS vulnerabilities and reputable websites being compromised, you don’t have to be downloading cracks from illegal sites to get infected

 

We consider the following as a absolute minimum for any PC:


1. Make sure “Windows” is kept FULLY UP TO DATE.

While on the Internet, Click on Internet Explorer (the Blue “e”), Click on Tools (on the bar at the top of your screen in Internet Explorer), Click on Windows Update. This will take you to the Microsoft Windows Update page where you need to follow the on screen prompts, starting with “Scan for Updates”. Install ALL “Critical Updates” and “Service Packs”.

WEEKLY – check this is “Up to Date”.


2. Make sure if you use “Microsoft Office” it is kept FULLY UP TO DATE.

While on the Internet, Click on Internet Explorer (the Blue “e”), Click on Tools, Click on Windows Update, Click on the tab at the top that says “Office Update”, follow the on screen prompts, starting with “Check for Updates”. Install ALL “Critical Updates” and “Service Packs”.

WEEKLY – check this is “Up to Date”.


3. Make sure you have Virus Protection on EVERY computer – NO EXCUSES.

We use and recommend Nod32, available from www.nod32.com (I am a Nod32 Reseller, so some would say biased ) though there are many anti-virus programs to choose from…


4. Make sure your anti-virus is FULLY UP TO DATE.

While on the internet, PRESS “Update Now”.

DAILY – check this program is “Up to Date”.

WEEKLY - RUN A SCAN


5. Do NOT share the main “C” drive of ANY computer on a network.

Prior to Opaserv it was (and no doubt will continue to be) standard networking practice, by the great majority of technicians world-over to share each computers main “C” drive. With the advent of Opaserv this practice must be altered to address a security flaw found within Windows.

Share ONLY a necessary folder(s) within your “C” drive for networking.


6. Install a Firewall.

ZoneAlarm - FREE for personal use, available from www.zonelabs.com ZoneAlarm has continually tested exceedingly well at a world renown security testing company www.grc.com As well, ZoneAlarm is “Visual”, you can see what is going on, what is accessing the internet, and also trying to access your computer from the internet.

IMPORTANT! – KNOW all the programs listed within ZoneAlarm that you are allowing access to the internet.

Do NOT say yes to everything, do NOT be “Click Happy”, if you do, you are TOTALLY compromising your security.


MONTHLY – check this program is “Up to Date”.
(ZoneAlarm> Overview> Preferences> Check for Updates)


Even better than the above Firewall for Broadband internet, is a “Hardware” Firewall, most can protect virtually an unlimited number of computers from internet attacks, while allowing you to safely browse and/or share the internet with other computers within your premises.


7. Install SpyBot Search and Destroy.

This is FREE for personal use and available from http://beam.to/spybotsd and http://www.download.com We have had hundreds of new clients come in with computer problems relating to programs downloaded/ing in the background (without the client’s knowledge). One computer had slowed to a complete crawl and the client was quite distressed as to why.

DAILY – check this program is “Up to Date”.

WEEKLY - RUN A SCAN.
(Spybot Search and Destroy> Check for Problems)


8. Install AdAware.

This is FREE for personal use and available from http://www.lavasoftusa.com What Spybot Search and Destroy doesn’t pick up, this will.

DAILY – check this program is “Up to Date”.

WEEKLY - RUN A SCAN.
(AdAware> Scan now)


9. Install Spyware Guard.

This is FREE for personal use and available from http://www.javacoolsoftware.com

DAILY – check this program is “Up to Date”.


10. Install Spyware Blaster.

This is FREE for personal use and available from http://www.javacoolsoftware.com

DAILY – check this program is “Up to Date”.



Together these “Essential Security Software” programs will give you a “Layered Defense”, learn to use them, keep them updated, run/scan/check all of them, they are there to PROTECT your computer. Let them do their job, by keeping them up to date and most importantly by actually USING them...



With ALL software, and especially Windows, make sure it is ALWAYS KEPT FULLY UP TO DATE.


If there are NEW VERSIONS of these security programs, download them, or have someone do it for you. Most importantly, it just needs to be done.


You may want to take a look here for further discussion on security and how to make your system that much stronger

and here for more:

Hope this helps…

Let us know how you go…

Cheers

 

In my opinion the AVG beta trial antivirus looks as if it is going to be a pretty good av. the detection rates are close to the paid for av's. A lot of people use these three free av's and stay out of trouble with them with a little web surfing common sense thrown in. A manual scan is when "you" have your antivirus scan a certain file or folder or the whole computer. on access scanning is what your antivirus does when you surf the web or open e-mail or download something. This is done automatically.

I hope this helped, don't hesitate to ask again if you have anyother questions or another pertaining to this subject.

bigc

 

Thanks for the link ronjor. I meant to include it and just got in a hurry.

 

since this is an antivirus question I am going to move it to the other antivirus forum, It should get more antivirus responses from there.

bigc

 

Don't mean to be picky, but who is "we"?

 

is the form that the link above takes you to the free year long trial? i only ask because it doesnt make it very clear what the form is for. thanks

 

That is the form for the panda 7 download

 

thanks, Bigc. i already have 3 anti-virus programs installed, but im tempted to give it a go.
since i decided im going to upgrade my computer, then reinstall, ive been downloading about 50 programs aday so it could be useful i suppose as another on demand. can you have too many on demand scanners? including anti-trojan too?

 

gmt1:

I know lot of people who use internet (DSL connection, too) and don't have any virus. If the user is smart, that I think that even an antivirus isn't needed.

But if you look for an antivirus you've probably noticed that here you'll get lot of recommendations about programs (in just few posts you got recommendation for Panda, AVG, NOD32 and just wait few hours for Rejzor, who'll recommend you Avast or AntiVir) Test programs and decide which is the best for you. I've got F-secure for my use and it is perfect for me.

But as I said before ... I think if you know just basic rules of safe surfing, an antivirus is not needed.

Regards

 

We, are my companies and staff

Cheers

 

If you'll click on anything that you'll see or use P2P applications, then you should stick with a low-cost AV with high detection rate, like McAfee. I don't do those things, therefore, I only monitor my incoming emails. Make it a habit to scan downloaded files/applications. The same with unknown removable media like floppies, CD-Rs, etc.... I use free Avast Home. McAfee or Command would be my picks for paid AV solutions.

 

I don't know what is such a problem with emails? OK, you get infected file and so what? You can manualy delete it. Simple.

 

Thanks everyone, this has all been really helpful. I'm going to give Avast home edition a try.

Cheers,
Graham.

 

Let us know how you go...

Cheers

 

Well, Avast is set-up and running and seems to be ok but my ZoneAlarm firewall still doesn't detect that an antivirus is running.

Its clear that not all antivirus products are supported by the Antivirus Monitoring feature in ZoneAlarm, is Avast Home edition one of these?

 

That's normal. Please see e.g. http://forum.avast.com/index.php?board=9;action=display;threadid=6941

 

Thanks vlk, that cleared that up!