Anti-Virus Software

[Kid Dynamite]

At the lack of a better place to post it, im putting this thread here. Can any of the computer savvy among you recommend a decent anti-virus or anti-spyware program? I'd normally ask my brother for this sort of thing as he loves computers, but he's away.

thanks


:stoned:

[D.Boone]

http://free.grisoft.com/doc/1

try this one 100% free automatically updates, stays open in background you dont even notice it because it hardly uses any memory to do so. very good anti-virus program i personally think its better then norton and mcaffe combined. and you could try avast! which is similar its also free.

[EmoRebellion]

AVG will no longer be free after january.

[zephyrinne]

I use Norton 2005. There's some people out there who don't like Norton at all, but for me it has worked perfectly. Detects everything it's supposed to. Just bought a renewal subscription for 2 years for $34. Not really a bad price for how well it works on my comp.

[justinsane]

Avast!

[D.Boone]

AVG will no longer be free after january.

AVG Free 7.1 version will be discontinued on 15th of Jan 2007.

they old version 7.1 will be discontinued that doesnt mean there will no longer be free avg it just means that they came out with a new version.

[Cheery Cherry]

I use AVG.

[EmoRebellion]

They sent out an email saying that they would no longer be offering a free edition of the anti-virus and anti-spyware software.

Unless I misread it..

[b0Ng h!tz 4 mE]

three words fool




























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AVG :thumbsup:

























fool

[D.Boone]

They sent out an email saying that they would no longer be offering a free edition of the anti-virus and anti-spyware software.

Unless I misread it..

GRISOFT is announcing a new version of the AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition. This new 7.5 version with improved performance and full compatibility with the latest Windows Vista version is available. Users that are using AVG Free 7.1 will be provided with a specific dialog, within the next few weeks, with the opportunity to choose the right option fulfilling their needs. AVG Free 7.1 version will be discontinued on 15th of Jan 2007.

like i said b4 they came out with a new version and they are no longer making updates for version 7.1 so if you want to still be able to protect yourself from viruses you need to download version 7.5.

[afghooey]

For anti-virus: AVG

For anti-spyware: Lavasoft Ad-aware, and Spybot Search and Destroy

I also use Sygate Personal Firewall, 'cuz the firewall built into windows sucks.

[EmoRebellion]

get a hardware firewall.

[Skink]

Yup AVG is still free... I Use AVG and everyone I turn on to it loves it,especially if they were using Norton before...

5 things I recomend...

1... Already explained...

AVG Free (http://free.grisoft.com/doc/avg-anti-virus-free/lng/us/tpl/v5)

2... SpyBot search and destroy... When updatiing the definition rules "and you should every time U use it" use the drop down and choose another location to download from,,,if U don't it will prob fail cause it is the default location and prob a overloaded sevver... Most people don't know there is a choice because they don't read the manual...


SpyBot "Search and Destroy" (http://www.safer-networking.org/en/mirrors/index.html)

3... Ad-Aware... Again always update definitions before you use it...

Ad-Aware personal (http://www.lavasoftusa.com/products/ad-aware_se_personal.php)

4... Hijack This... basically this reads startup stuff and finds browser hijackers... there are boards out there were you can post the result of the hjack list it creates... the first time U use it HijackThis have it checked for potentiol threats,,, then you can use it often to see changes and know what to do...


Hijack This (http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/programs.php#hijackthis)

5... Start up Monitor... This program alerts U with a popup everytime something is added to the startup list in windows... when you are installing a program and Startup Monitor alerts you ,,,select yes but,,,if you are surfing and it alerts you,,, you know that "a Virus" is trying to get on your startup list to actuate,,,in this case always select NO and then scan with AVG Free...

Startup Monitor (http://www.mlin.net/StartupMonitor.shtml)

[zephyrinne]

Seems as if everyone is yelling AVG. I might just have to check it out.. heard of it before, but never tried it. Hope y'all are right. lol :)

But yeah..Skink explained the necessary anti-spyware programs you should have. In addition to Spybot and AdAware, I also use Bazooka.. but that prog only helped me out once when I got this spyware shit (CWS, I think) that none of the others would get rid of. So I keep it around just in case.

[Skink]

Seems as if everyone is yelling AVG. I might just have to check it out.. heard of it before, but never tried it. Hope y'all are right. lol :)

But yeah..Skink explained the necessary anti-spyware programs you should have. In addition to Spybot and AdAware, I also use Bazooka.. but that prog only helped me out once when I got this spyware shit (CWS, I think) that none of the others would get rid of. So I keep it around just in case.

I miss your legs up in the air,,,way sexy...

[orangeman]

The best anti-virus I've come across is Nod32. Look around (if you know where) for the latest version. It's a really good a/v, just sometimes it gets annoying when it gets outdated and you're too lazy to update virus db lol! And don't use AVG, I don't care how widely it's used. When it comes to my computers security I don't use freeware. I didn't even like the registered version of AVG. Trust me..I've been through alot of a/v's and Nod32 is by far the best I've used.

[EmoRebellion]

nod32 is only good for really tech-savvy people. Alot of the terms would be hard to understand if you werent a techy.

[orangeman]

Well lucky me then lolz..But like I said it's really good to use and more professional than the rest imo.

[Skink]

nod32 is only good for really tech-savvy people. Alot of the terms would be hard to understand if you werent a techy.

Yes for the average user AVG is the Best... The best is actually staying away from Porn and Warez...

[EmoRebellion]

But NOD32 is the best overall. If you know the differance between AMON, IMON, and NMS you should be okay.

[orangeman]

Lol those are just abbreviations for what operation of Nod32 is wanted and it's just AMON (Anti-Virus Monitor), DMON (Document Monitor), EMON (E-mail Monitor), IMON (Internet Monitor). All except Document should be obvious but, Document monitor scans shit like Microsoft office files. And And we all have to learn something one day, why not start now with advanced anti-virus protection :D.

[Skink]

Lol those are just abbreviations for what operation of Nod32 is wanted and it's just AMON (Anti-Virus Monitor), DMON (Document Monitor), EMON (E-mail Monitor), IMON (Internet Monitor). All except Document should be obvious but, Document monitor scans shit like Microsoft office files. And And we all have to learn something one day, why not start now with advanced anti-virus protection :D.

We all don't have to learn this stuff someday...

[Cheery Cherry]

2... SpyBot search and destroy... When updatiing the definition rules "and you should every time U use it" use the drop down and choose another location to download from,,,if U don't it will prob fail cause it is the default location and prob a overloaded sevver... Most people don't know there is a choice because they don't read the manual...


SpyBot "Search and Destroy" (http://www.safer-networking.org/en/mirrors/index.html)



Thank you for that information, Skink :thumbsup: . I uninstalled SpyBot last year because I couldn't update. I used to get really frustrated. I also liked the program as well and I couldn't understand why it failed to update all of a sudden.

[Kid Dynamite]

hey thanks to all you guys, i downloaded AVG and it has seemed to do the trick.


cheers! :stoned:

[D.Boone]

Yup AVG is still free... I Use AVG and everyone I turn on to it loves it,especially if they were using Norton before...

5 things I recomend...

1... Already explained...

AVG Free (http://free.grisoft.com/doc/avg-anti-virus-free/lng/us/tpl/v5)

2... SpyBot search and destroy... When updatiing the definition rules "and you should every time U use it" use the drop down and choose another location to download from,,,if U don't it will prob fail cause it is the default location and prob a overloaded sevver... Most people don't know there is a choice because they don't read the manual...


SpyBot "Search and Destroy" (http://www.safer-networking.org/en/mirrors/index.html)

3... Ad-Aware... Again always update definitions before you use it...

Ad-Aware personal (http://www.lavasoftusa.com/products/ad-aware_se_personal.php)

4... Hijack This... basically this reads startup stuff and finds browser hijackers... there are boards out there were you can post the result of the hjack list it creates... the first time U use it HijackThis have it checked for potentiol threats,,, then you can use it often to see changes and know what to do...


Hijack This (http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/programs.php#hijackthis)

5... Start up Monitor... This program alerts U with a popup everytime something is added to the startup list in windows... when you are installing a program and Startup Monitor alerts you ,,,select yes but,,,if you are surfing and it alerts you,,, you know that "a Virus" is trying to get on your startup list to actuate,,,in this case always select NO and then scan with AVG Free...

Startup Monitor (http://www.mlin.net/StartupMonitor.shtml)

nice post skink got some good stuff there i spybot search and destroy and startup monitor are nice i just downloaded them both. thanks man.:thumbsup:

[Skink]

hey thanks to all you guys, i downloaded AVG and it has seemed to do the trick.


cheers! :stoned:

at default install AVG sets a daily time to update definitions,if you are not online at that time it will update the next time U go online,,,basically runs by it self... AVG also default scans daily but,,does not redu if you were shut down,so you want to manually scan or reset that scan time...

[Skink]

Thank you for that information, Skink :thumbsup: . I uninstalled SpyBot last year because I couldn't update. I used to get really frustrated. I also liked the program as well and I couldn't understand why it failed to update all of a sudden.
:rasta: :rasta: :rasta:

[mrdevious]

Give This a read:



AVG (from Gisoft) is decent enough, though it's not ideal for catching a lot of spyware, adware, and only a portion of viruses and trojans.

Antivir - www.free-av.com is excellent for catching trojans and especially malicious viruses, but useless for (the more common) spyware and adware. The guard takes up a somewhat hefty amount of system resources though.

Norton Anti-Virus isn't really worth the money you pay for it. There are free programs out there that can do as much and more. It's excellent for catching trojans and most really nasty stuff, but 100% useless for spyware, adware, worms, and traces. If you do get it however (I have it because I got it years ago) you can continuously reinstall it and the subscription will start over. SHHHHHH don't tell tell them though:thumbsup:

Ewido Anti-Spyware (www.ewido.net) is probably the best free anti-spyware program out there. Takes up almost no resources; everybody should get this.

www.trendmicro.com has a free online Virus Scan, and Spyware Scan, both of which are absolutely excellent. It's especially nice since you don't have to install the program, just an activeX control and a couple cookies.

Norton Anti-Spyware comes with the latest edition of the free yahoo toolbar. Unlike it's SystemWorks counterpart, this is a very good anti-spyware application, just good to have installed in your toolbar.

A-Squared Anti-Malware (http://www.emsisoft.com/en/software/free/) is undoubtedly the best all-around general anti-malware program out there, free or not. It won't pick up some Trojans (though gets a decent amoung), but it's awsome for spyware, adware, worms, viruses, greyware, and traces. GET THIS ONE.

Spybot Search & Destroy (http://www.download.com/3120-20_4-0.html?tg=dl-20&qt=spybot&tag=srch) is a good little program to have. It doesn't catch a lot, but when it does catch the odd thing it's often something that nothing else gets. The scan is quick and there's no strain on resources when not running. Lately it's expanded to pucking up malicious cookies, adware, and trojans as well.

Spyware Blaster (http://www.download.com/3120-20_4-0.html?tg=dl-20&qt=spyware%20blaster&tag=srch) is a small program with minimal resource use that blocks spyware silently; definately good to have. Does not utilize a scan.

Adaware SE ( http://www.download.com/Ad-Aware-SE-Personal-Edition/3000-8022_4-10045910.html?part=dl-ad-aware&subj=dl&tag=top5 ) is really only good for getting adware, occasionally spyware, but in regard to adware alone it's the best. Takes no resources when not running, relatively quick scantime, definately a must.

Hijack This (http://www.merijn.org/programs.php#hijackthis) is for more advanced users. It lists active processes in your registry that you can manually remove. Don't try to use this if you're not an experienced user, just do a scan, save the log, and post it here or somewhere with people who know what they're doing. You could really mess up your registry otherwise.

EDIT: Chery Chery, when you had trouble updating spybot, did it say "bad checksum"? If so, the server you're trying to get the download from is having troubles. In the update page, you can change which server to download it from right beside the "search for updates" tab.

[TallulahGreen]

My college supplied we with one...It seems to be working pretty fine, no virus' yet and I download stuff all the time.

It's by Symantec Antivirus. I have never heard of it before...but maybe it's out there on the internet.

I sure hope it works good...I can't really afford to fuck my laptop up!

[Skink]

if anyone gets a prob just post it here and someone will post a solution,,,im sure...

[mrdevious]

My college supplied we with one...It seems to be working pretty fine, no virus' yet and I download stuff all the time.

It's by Symantec Antivirus. I have never heard of it before...but maybe it's out there on the internet.

I sure hope it works good...I can't really afford to fuck my laptop up!

Symantec Antivirus is the same thing as Norton Anti-virus, a symantec product. The thing about most malware is that it's not obvious. Just because symantec isnt' finding something doesn't mean there's nothing. There's a good likelyhood that you have spyware recording activities, keyloggers recording what you type, Adware controlling the advertising you recieve on websites, or any type of spyware-based application generally using up system resources and slowing your performance. Believe me, Just go to www.ewido.net and at least grab that one. Some Dialers may install themselves on your system just to use it as a server to export malware into other's systems and have the activity traced back to your system to mask their own actions. Trojan's can install themselves just to wait there, so when you go to a website with a Virus the trojan can used to disable your security or manually take control of your computer to instal whatever it wants at a later date (from that site).

Don't believe the assholes at symantec who say they can offer you real protection. I've seen SO many types of malware that Norton/Symantec simply has no ability whatsoever to deal with.