Thinking of going naked

Scan "more"?

More of what, exactly? One of the two you mentioned as examples certainly isn't finding more than most of its faster counterparts, at any rate.

 

Yes but you have a classical hardware and software setup and you probably have only ONE harddisk/partition with everything on it. It's not only about restoring images, it's a combination of many things.

 

Yeah, that's exactly how my Windows is set up. Old habits die hard I guess

 

Symantec has one of the most advanced engines. People like Peter Szor and Peter Ferrie are renowned experts on Win32 malware and PE infectors. Symantec seems to have good unpacking abilities, an emulator, behaviour-based heuristics and so on and it's fast.

Slower scanners tend to unpack more stuff and/or lack certain optimizations/tricks. However, this doesn't seem to improve their detection rates by much.
Being able to unwrap one or two more layers of obfuscation doesn't seem to add much.

If anyone can prove me than scanning 5x slower will bring sensible improvements in detection rates of both inactive or active malware, slower scanners could have an argument. Judging by recent threads, even Dr.Web users try to avoid full system scans unchecking archives and so on.

 

Agreed
Pure personal experience with Kaspersky, in my case.

 

Really? why you bother on trying every AV out there? don't you trust on your 'own' security setup? afraid of the dark?

 

So when you get reinfected a few days later are you supposed to "wipe and rebuild" again?

 

Re4mat would be the last option for me, installing hrs of updates and replacing software re establise internet and setting up user setting back to prior is a pain in the A** however I usual re4mat once a yr by choice.

 

I'm sorry but I'm skeptical about Prevx CSI, specifically this: "(*Please note malware removal requires a cleanup license)." It does point to a possible ulterior motive for finding malware. But from experience too I speak. With Prevx2.0 on my computer sometime ago, the policy was something about using it for free for 30 days after it discovered its first detection. During the initial scan it flagged four files (all false positives) and said they were malware. One or two were archived ZoneAlarm set-up files. The 30 day period started ticking at that point. Prevx tech support said the files were good, but never addressed my concern that the 30 day counter had been triggered. This causes me to suspect their "Detection Only, Purchase License" policy with the free Prevx CSI.

 

Around that point I would seriously re-evaluate my computing habits.

 

Of course I don't trust my own setup and certainly not with my poor knowledge.
The only way to find out is running as many scanners as I can get, because I don't see the difference between a good and a bad object.
I'm not an expert like you who smells a malware miles away, I have to use scanners to get a professional opinion.
It's not about being afraid in the dark, that is for kids, it's just a one-time verification of my setup.

 

Could always just restore a clean system image made with Acronis, Shadow Protect or any one of a number of programs. Takes very little time and you would then be as certain as you can be that the infection was gone. Although I have never been infected If it ever happened I would certainly not be happy with some clean up program - restoring a clean image would make me feel a lot safer.

 

That's bad. Prevx tech support said here that they would reset the trial period if Prevx found FPs.

The free Prevx CSI only offers detection, not cleanup. I'm fine with that. Rootkit scanning and free access to the Prevx database isn't too shabby.

 

Isn't it the case that you only pay for Prevx CSI if you use it to clean ? so if you
run a clean system there is nothing to pay.
I use these free programs by installing when Returnil/deepfeeze are in protected mode so when they are finished they are gone. I don't mind that a full scan with cureit takes a while. I just go and do something else. Even though I have never found anything bad I like to check every month or so just to be safe.

 

If I was you I'd pay for Kaspersky. They're really dedicated into their job. The best alternative to it would be Avira Personal Edition Classic.

 

Obviously you didn't get a thing about 'being in the dark'..
I'm not that surprised at all, taking your own words, "i knew it in advance": i just took a look at your sig
Besides, it's too paranoid for my taste

Expert? you seem like you forgot to give credits to my one and only security app!
I don't have a good nose for the malware

Geschützt
Geschützter
G DATA

 

I am not exactly sure what the motivation for going "naked" is. Perhaps the OP has an old PC that runs slow with curent AV software.

All I can say is if your banking password gets stolen by a trojan you can expect your bank to tell you it was your fault for not following accepted best practices. If your machine becomes infected and causes damage to someone else, what is your explanation?

 

You may be pleasantly surprised with Malwarebytes Anti-Malware. I know I was. Lots of updates, a nice GUI, good detection rate and used by folks who clean hosed computers.

 

Paranoid is a mental disease and paranoid people, don't think in the right proportions anymore. I'm not even a fan of anything, why should I be paranoid.

I just know that scanners aren't the right way to keep your computer malware-free and that has been proven over and over again, facts are facts.
But lots of users seem to feel comfortable with the message "0 threats found", I don't because I know it isn't necessarily true.
The most easy solution to fix a problem is denying the problem, that's not my way to solve problems.

If you think that my setup is a handicap, forget it, I can do everything like in the past, but without having the garbage or removing the garbage. Too much work and inconventient and above all a waste of time.

 

A boot to a clean system is probably the most straightforward approach to get rid of any changes but for many to do so is after some time a bit boring,don't forget many like to play always with new or different setups,for them its the ultimate joy of computing. How many beg here for virus samples to play with or asking for dodgy sites to download these stuff,so in a way many are not looking for best protection but actually looking for toys to play with.

 

I got cold being naked. Had to add some socks back on.

 

You forgot excellent support.
http://www.malwarebytes.org/forums/

 

You? I damn near caught pneumonia.

 

If one decides to go naked I suggest a dedicated partition where a very simple reinstall of the OS and service packs and browser would allow for a fast reinstall.

My XP with SP2, (on a CD) drivers, and browser (Firefox) takes only about 34 minutes (no prep time included). Not a bad "time price" if one wants to go naked. ( I decided to time it for accuracy purposes).

Of course an image restore of this same partition is under 4 minutes with TI10 (restore only not including prep time and "incidentals"--total 10 minutes tops).

A few minutes to go naked might make it a hobby of sorts.

 

Fully agree Cortez - this is the conclusion I reached in Jan 07. See my sig for my
security. If an infection gets thru then I will restore with an image assuming that
deepfreeze has failed.