Technology antivirus programs
- Thread starter daisygirl
- Start date
daisygirl said:
Look at this comparison chart and decide for yourself! 🙂
http://anti-virus-software-review.toptenreviews.com/
I am using none of the top ten now (..oops!). Coz I am using the Zone Alarm Internet Security Suite, which comes with an excellent firewall, and so-so built-in antivirus program! But so far so good, no virus in my computer! 🙂
If you want a free-edition antivirus, looks like most people would recommend AVG. Check this out: http://www.grisoft.com/doc/289/lng/us/tpl/tpl01
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Most antivirus are not very helpful for serious hacking programs, but I still use Symantec.
The best thing is to download and use Spybot and AdAware often to clean off bugs.
The best thing is to download and use Spybot and AdAware often to clean off bugs.
D
deleted87716
What's a virus? 😎
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Must be a Mac user! 🙂KentW said:
D
deleted87716
southerndoc said:
😀 👍
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beside all these suggestions to stay even safer browse the web with the free web browser Firefox.
To download: http://www.mozilla.com/firefox/
To download: http://www.mozilla.com/firefox/
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Too much of a resource hog ( dunno if that matters in the age of 1 gig plus memory). It does'nt properly uninstall, that is, lots of registry changes don't get uninstalled ..thus causing conflicts with other av softwares installed later( in fact they were so notorious for it, that symantec actually released a separate cleanup utility to be used after unistallation)e_phn said:
And for those looking for a free browser replacement to IE...its OPERA 9 (imho beats the crap out of firefox)
http://www.opera.com/download/
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Why don't you folks try this one: http://free-av.com/ ? I've been using this in the last two years, completely free (unless you don't go premium), no ad- or spyware, good support, lots of updates. It's beyond all praise. 😉 👍
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OFF
And for an alternative browser, instead of IE, use Seamonkey, formerly known as Mozilla. http://www.mozilla.org/projects/seamonkey/
Imho it's a lot more cleverer than Firefox. 😉
And for an alternative browser, instead of IE, use Seamonkey, formerly known as Mozilla. http://www.mozilla.org/projects/seamonkey/
Imho it's a lot more cleverer than Firefox. 😉
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How adequately can our computer security programs protect us against the latest generation of security threats?
It's a question that I first raised in the Editorial in the May issue of this newsletter. I'm not going to cover the same ground again but if you missed that issue, you can read it online here:
http://www.techsupportalert.com/issues/issue133.htm#Section_0
Since then I've been carefully testing a wide range of computer security products to see how well they address modern blended computer security threats.
The security tests I've been conducting are very different from the usual signature scanning tests. I wasn't interested in how many malware programs were being detected in a test sample and the like. My interest was in some specific technical characteristics of the programs being tested. The
characteristics that determine how well the program can cope with the latest generation of threats.
Let me explain.
Many security products detect malware using signature files. It's an important technique for protecting your computer. That's why dozens of tests have been conducted and reported showing how well different security products detect malware signatures
However, many modern security threats can attack and attempt to terminate or disable your security programs. It doesn't matter how well a security product detects malware signatures if that product can be easily terminated by a malware program.
This is not a theoretical point; security product attacks are common. Worse still, most security programs can be easily terminated.
Just how easily can be seen in the following termination test results for the major signature based scanners:
Application Termination Agent
Windows Task Manager Diamond Advanced Program Termination DarkSpy
Ad-Aware Pro V1.6 Fail Fail Fail
Avast! Home V4.7 Fail Fail Fail
AVG Anti-Virus Free V7.1 Fail Fail Fail
BitDefender Pro V9.095 Fail Fail Fail
CounterSpy V1.5 Fail Fail Fail
CounterSpy V2.0.122 beta Fail Fail Fail
Ewido v3.5 Resistant Resistant Fail
Ewido V4 beta Resistant Resistant Fail
Kaspersky AV V6.0.0 Resistant Resistant Fail
NOD32 V2.51 Resistant Resistant Resistant
Norton Antivirus 2006 Resistant Resistant Fail
SpyBot S&D V1.4 Fail Fail Fail
Spyware Doctor V3.6 Fail Fail Fail
Trojan Hunter V4.5 Fail Fail Fail
WebRoot SpySweeper V4.5 Fail Fail Fail
Windows Defender V1.1.1051 Fail Fail Fail
As you can see, many of the products could be terminated by the simplest possible method using Windows Task Manager. The same applies to termination using Diamond Computer System's Advanced Termination Program. Only one security program, NOD32, could resist termination by DarkSpy though NOD32 too could be easily brought down by deleting some of its key files using a forced reboot.
This is not good news. But it gets worse.
Ease of termination was only one of many technical characteristics I tested. I also looked at such things as whether the programs could detect polymorphic encrypted malware, process injection, changes in critical registry values, rootkits detection and much more.
The results were bleak. Most products failed most tests.
And as a final real world test, I looked at the protection provided by each program when I surfed on an unpatched PC to three drive-by web sites.
Again, most products flunked miserably.
Next month I'll have the full results up on my web site and will discuss them at length in the newsletter. I know it's not happy reading but don't get depressed, something quite positive will come out of this.
By the time this series is completed, I'll have some specific recommendations for you on the best way to protect your computer against the latest generation of threats. These recommendations will be based on facts rather than vendor hype or commercial affiliation.
Even now, two things are already clear to me.
First, it's almost impossible to defend your PC from a modern malware program that is allowed to run on your PC with full admin privileges. The problem here is not with the security programs. The problem is with Windows.
Second, it looks like virtualization techniques such as those used by VMWare, Sandboxie and the newcomer GreenBorder (see section 2.1 below) offer the best option for preventing infection.
Here's my interim recommendation: If you are using Windows 2000 and later I strongly recommend you always surf using one of these virtualization products. It needn't cost you a cent either; SandBoxie is free and GreenBorder is free for the next 12 months.
The situation for Windows 9x and ME users is tough. My current feeling is that the best option is either to upgrade to XP or switch to Linux. Check out item 3.6 in the newsletter for more details.
http://www.vmware.com/
http://www.sandboxie.com/
http://www.greenborder.com/earlyaccess/
See you next month.
Gizmo
[email protected]
PS This month I'm giving away six free copies of the the top rated Anti virus NOD32 plus lots of Google GMail invites. For details, see below.
Support Alert relies on paid subscriptions to survive. If you feel that you've benefited from reading this newsletter perhaps you would like to consider donating by subscribing to the premium "Supporters' Edition" of this newsletter.
The Premium SE Edition contains almost twice the number of great tech sites, free utilities, tips and other content as the free edition. It's also ad-free.
You'll also get immediate access to the archive of all past issues of the Premium Supporters' Edition of the newsletter where you can catch up on the hundreds of great utilities you missed in the free edition. The SE Edition is a great deal and at $10 per year it's a bargain.
This month I'm giving away to new subscribers, six free copies of the the top rated Anti virus NOD32.
NOD32 is a brilliant program for protecting your PC yet it only consumes a modest amount of your computing resources. That's why I use it on my key work computers. At $39 it's good value but it's even better value when you can get it for free.
The six copies I'm giving away will be allocated at random but your chances of scoring one are actually quite good. So if you have been thinking of subscribing, now's the time.
I'm also giving away invites to Google Gmail to new SE subscribers. Last month everyone who wanted one got one and I expect the same to happen this month. Just email me at [email protected] after subscribing to the Premium SE Edition and I'll send your invitation.
Even if you don't win anything you'll still get my special report "Gizmo's Desert Island Utilities" which outlines the software I use myself, including many free product
How to Subscribe to the Premium SE Edition
12 months subscription to the Supporters' Edition costs $10 which can be made by check or credit card using either ClickBank or PayPal or simply send cash.
Use the link below to subscribe now:
http://www.techsupportalert.com/se-edition.htm
It's a question that I first raised in the Editorial in the May issue of this newsletter. I'm not going to cover the same ground again but if you missed that issue, you can read it online here:
http://www.techsupportalert.com/issues/issue133.htm#Section_0
Since then I've been carefully testing a wide range of computer security products to see how well they address modern blended computer security threats.
The security tests I've been conducting are very different from the usual signature scanning tests. I wasn't interested in how many malware programs were being detected in a test sample and the like. My interest was in some specific technical characteristics of the programs being tested. The
characteristics that determine how well the program can cope with the latest generation of threats.
Let me explain.
Many security products detect malware using signature files. It's an important technique for protecting your computer. That's why dozens of tests have been conducted and reported showing how well different security products detect malware signatures
However, many modern security threats can attack and attempt to terminate or disable your security programs. It doesn't matter how well a security product detects malware signatures if that product can be easily terminated by a malware program.
This is not a theoretical point; security product attacks are common. Worse still, most security programs can be easily terminated.
Just how easily can be seen in the following termination test results for the major signature based scanners:
Application Termination Agent
Windows Task Manager Diamond Advanced Program Termination DarkSpy
Ad-Aware Pro V1.6 Fail Fail Fail
Avast! Home V4.7 Fail Fail Fail
AVG Anti-Virus Free V7.1 Fail Fail Fail
BitDefender Pro V9.095 Fail Fail Fail
CounterSpy V1.5 Fail Fail Fail
CounterSpy V2.0.122 beta Fail Fail Fail
Ewido v3.5 Resistant Resistant Fail
Ewido V4 beta Resistant Resistant Fail
Kaspersky AV V6.0.0 Resistant Resistant Fail
NOD32 V2.51 Resistant Resistant Resistant
Norton Antivirus 2006 Resistant Resistant Fail
SpyBot S&D V1.4 Fail Fail Fail
Spyware Doctor V3.6 Fail Fail Fail
Trojan Hunter V4.5 Fail Fail Fail
WebRoot SpySweeper V4.5 Fail Fail Fail
Windows Defender V1.1.1051 Fail Fail Fail
As you can see, many of the products could be terminated by the simplest possible method using Windows Task Manager. The same applies to termination using Diamond Computer System's Advanced Termination Program. Only one security program, NOD32, could resist termination by DarkSpy though NOD32 too could be easily brought down by deleting some of its key files using a forced reboot.
This is not good news. But it gets worse.
Ease of termination was only one of many technical characteristics I tested. I also looked at such things as whether the programs could detect polymorphic encrypted malware, process injection, changes in critical registry values, rootkits detection and much more.
The results were bleak. Most products failed most tests.
And as a final real world test, I looked at the protection provided by each program when I surfed on an unpatched PC to three drive-by web sites.
Again, most products flunked miserably.
Next month I'll have the full results up on my web site and will discuss them at length in the newsletter. I know it's not happy reading but don't get depressed, something quite positive will come out of this.
By the time this series is completed, I'll have some specific recommendations for you on the best way to protect your computer against the latest generation of threats. These recommendations will be based on facts rather than vendor hype or commercial affiliation.
Even now, two things are already clear to me.
First, it's almost impossible to defend your PC from a modern malware program that is allowed to run on your PC with full admin privileges. The problem here is not with the security programs. The problem is with Windows.
Second, it looks like virtualization techniques such as those used by VMWare, Sandboxie and the newcomer GreenBorder (see section 2.1 below) offer the best option for preventing infection.
Here's my interim recommendation: If you are using Windows 2000 and later I strongly recommend you always surf using one of these virtualization products. It needn't cost you a cent either; SandBoxie is free and GreenBorder is free for the next 12 months.
The situation for Windows 9x and ME users is tough. My current feeling is that the best option is either to upgrade to XP or switch to Linux. Check out item 3.6 in the newsletter for more details.
http://www.vmware.com/
http://www.sandboxie.com/
http://www.greenborder.com/earlyaccess/
See you next month.
Gizmo
[email protected]
PS This month I'm giving away six free copies of the the top rated Anti virus NOD32 plus lots of Google GMail invites. For details, see below.
Support Alert relies on paid subscriptions to survive. If you feel that you've benefited from reading this newsletter perhaps you would like to consider donating by subscribing to the premium "Supporters' Edition" of this newsletter.
The Premium SE Edition contains almost twice the number of great tech sites, free utilities, tips and other content as the free edition. It's also ad-free.
You'll also get immediate access to the archive of all past issues of the Premium Supporters' Edition of the newsletter where you can catch up on the hundreds of great utilities you missed in the free edition. The SE Edition is a great deal and at $10 per year it's a bargain.
This month I'm giving away to new subscribers, six free copies of the the top rated Anti virus NOD32.
NOD32 is a brilliant program for protecting your PC yet it only consumes a modest amount of your computing resources. That's why I use it on my key work computers. At $39 it's good value but it's even better value when you can get it for free.
The six copies I'm giving away will be allocated at random but your chances of scoring one are actually quite good. So if you have been thinking of subscribing, now's the time.
I'm also giving away invites to Google Gmail to new SE subscribers. Last month everyone who wanted one got one and I expect the same to happen this month. Just email me at [email protected] after subscribing to the Premium SE Edition and I'll send your invitation.
Even if you don't win anything you'll still get my special report "Gizmo's Desert Island Utilities" which outlines the software I use myself, including many free product
How to Subscribe to the Premium SE Edition
12 months subscription to the Supporters' Edition costs $10 which can be made by check or credit card using either ClickBank or PayPal or simply send cash.
Use the link below to subscribe now:
http://www.techsupportalert.com/se-edition.htm
