Computer users with no virus/malware protection

[SneakerNet]

When I read some of the post and read one message said:

"Originally Posted by darkage
I do not spend $$$ any Anti-Virus or any protection softwares. They are not really 100 percent protect and too slow running. I never install any anti-virus or stupid junk stuffs. Nothing happen to our laptops and desktop computers."

Yes, I can understand that sometime anti-virus can cause to run slower on your system especially when it start to scan entire hard drive or it cost money to keep it up to date or not 100 percent protected. The only message when I see this: "Nothing happen to our laptops and desktop computers". It give me a little cring.

You may see that there's nothing happen or don't see anything unusual on your systems. Which is fine, but there are many hackers can get into what called "intrusion attempt" and once he find the hole on your system, he can plant a rogue software (which is very very tiny software that you can't tell the speed differences on your system) that will allow to send a small information to the hackers, like looking for banking account info, credit card numbers or your SS number or your naked photo.

Now, what I explained above, that happen for the users who don't have virus/malware protections, that is fine but there also you don't have good firewall protection with intrusion prevention. You know, with good firewall protection, If there's intrusion attempt going on, the firewall automatically blocked certain ports.

So, if you say "nothing happen to my laptops or computers", this is fine but there is something happen to your computers without knowing any differences on your system. There's a super-sleuth going on on your hard drive without any of your knowlege.

Let me give you a statisical analysis, on my machine (I have Watchguard hardware), I get average of 500 hit (pinged to my ip address) per day and I get about 3 to 4 intrusion attempts per month. Now, 3 or 4 intrusion attempts per month is what I'll say "that is a lot!" Most of the pinged come from either China, Tawian, Germany and other countries.

So, it's a good idea to buy anti virus with good firewall protection software. Not only you won't get virus but you will get more secure of having good firewall/intrusion protection.

 

[SimonJ]

So, it's a good idea to buy anti virus with good firewall protection software. Not only you won't get virus but you will get more secure of having good firewall/intrusion protection.

It's even better to use the free for home use versions, Avast, AntiVir, AVG and others all do free software for non-commercial use.

Why waste money on paid for software that repeatedly gets out performed by the free offerings?

 

[Smithtr]

I have Esent is very powerful is very free because i have easy automatic,my client told me reason I have issues on picture! that is why! waste of time because cause you waste of time spend time!! That is reason!

 

[darkage]

Sound like you are panic to speak!! Calm down your self.

You do not know what we have something at our personal users.

I use 5 years old laptop. Last years, I bought for her new laptop with duo 2 core. She complained me why too slow!! She always blame me for give her lousy one.

I do not trust her to click all emails from friends, strangers, prizes or junk. That's why, I installed "free" AVG on her laptop. Many times, I am tired of her complain that computer is running slow!! My reason, I am tired of many many many times to re-format/re-install her laptop and desktop computers. Also, she got virus on her AT&T's HTC Tilt Mobile Windows, too.

Important not save any personal's files inside my computers. I used USB Memory or Ext Hard Drive.

My adult sons and I have common sense to protect and avoid re-format/re-install. My sons help to repair their computers, too. Our sons won't let their mom to touch his computers, too.

I helped some of my friend to re-building computers and install important softwares. He/she asked me please install anti-virus. I used to download free anti-virus from their comcast's account (Free McAfee or other apps). I noticed that more often pop-up want to buy full verison Anti-Virus.

"Do not pay for security software"
Do not pay for security software | CNET to the Rescue - CNET Blogs

 

[Smithtr]

Sound like you are panic to speak!! Calm down your self.

You do not know what we have something at our personal users.

I use 5 years old laptop. Last years, I bought for her new laptop with duo 2 core. She complained me why too slow!! She always blame me for give her lousy one.

I do not trust her to click all emails from friends, strangers, prizes or junk. That's why, I installed "free" AVG on her laptop. Many times, I am tired of her complain that computer is running slow!! My reason, I am tired of many many many times to re-format/re-install her laptop and desktop computers. Also, she got virus on her AT&T's HTC Tilt Mobile Windows, too.

Important not save any personal's files inside my computers. I used USB Memory or Ext Hard Drive.

My adult sons and I have common sense to protect and avoid re-format/re-install. My sons help to repair their computers, too. Our sons won't let their mom to touch his computers, too.

I helped some of my friend to re-building computers and install important softwares. He/she asked me please install anti-virus. I used to download free anti-virus from their comcast's account (Free McAfee or other apps). I noticed that more often pop-up want to buy full verison Anti-Virus.

"Do not pay for security software"
Do not pay for security software | CNET to the Rescue - CNET Blogs

That is true I agree you!!! pretty sound panic!

 

[Evo Dragon]

I quited McAfee. It got me crashed 4 or 5 times.

I used my Microsoft Security Essentials. I have no plm and no crash yet

 

[Foxrac]

I quited McAfee. It got me crashed 4 or 5 times.

I used my Microsoft Security Essentials. I have no plm and no crash yet

Second here.

McAfee/Norton sucks.

 

[Foxrac]

Sound like you are panic to speak!! Calm down your self.

You do not know what we have something at our personal users.

I use 5 years old laptop. Last years, I bought for her new laptop with duo 2 core. She complained me why too slow!! She always blame me for give her lousy one.

I do not trust her to click all emails from friends, strangers, prizes or junk. That's why, I installed "free" AVG on her laptop. Many times, I am tired of her complain that computer is running slow!! My reason, I am tired of many many many times to re-format/re-install her laptop and desktop computers. Also, she got virus on her AT&T's HTC Tilt Mobile Windows, too.

Important not save any personal's files inside my computers. I used USB Memory or Ext Hard Drive.

My adult sons and I have common sense to protect and avoid re-format/re-install. My sons help to repair their computers, too. Our sons won't let their mom to touch his computers, too.

I helped some of my friend to re-building computers and install important softwares. He/she asked me please install anti-virus. I used to download free anti-virus from their comcast's account (Free McAfee or other apps). I noticed that more often pop-up want to buy full verison Anti-Virus.

"Do not pay for security software"
Do not pay for security software | CNET to the Rescue - CNET Blogs

Good luck and it doesn't protect you from getting viruses.

 

[Beowulf]

My brother's computer went into the shop. Again. It is his third time this year. He just won't listen to me and get my system's Esset NOD32 Antivirus 4 program, and although it costs $60 a year, I think it well worth it. *shrugs*

 

[snallga]

Second here.

McAfee/Norton sucks.

same here. I knew that Norton always cause very slow on my new laptop. I noticed the videos was frozen and slow and I found that why It was Norton can mess up on the videos. So, I threw Norton out and put MSE on my computer. No plm with MSE.

 

[Chevy57]

same here. I knew that Norton always cause very slow on my new laptop. I noticed the videos was frozen and slow and I found that why It was Norton can mess up on the videos. So, I threw Norton out and put MSE on my computer. No plm with MSE.

Yes, AOL Games online won't work to open under free trial Norton on my cousin's new laptop because reason of security virus. Uninstalled it then install MSE. Worked fine with AOL Games online.

 

[SneakerNet]

Sound like you are panic to speak!! Calm down your self.

You do not know what we have something at our personal users.

I use 5 years old laptop. Last years, I bought for her new laptop with duo 2 core. She complained me why too slow!! She always blame me for give her lousy one.

I do not trust her to click all emails from friends, strangers, prizes or junk. That's why, I installed "free" AVG on her laptop. Many times, I am tired of her complain that computer is running slow!! My reason, I am tired of many many many times to re-format/re-install her laptop and desktop computers. Also, she got virus on her AT&T's HTC Tilt Mobile Windows, too.

Important not save any personal's files inside my computers. I used USB Memory or Ext Hard Drive.

My adult sons and I have common sense to protect and avoid re-format/re-install. My sons help to repair their computers, too. Our sons won't let their mom to touch his computers, too.

I helped some of my friend to re-building computers and install important softwares. He/she asked me please install anti-virus. I used to download free anti-virus from their comcast's account (Free McAfee or other apps). I noticed that more often pop-up want to buy full verison Anti-Virus.

"Do not pay for security software"
Do not pay for security software | CNET to the Rescue - CNET Blogs

Sound like you are panic to speak!! Calm down your self.

You do not know what we have something at our personal users.

I use 5 years old laptop. Last years, I bought for her new laptop with duo 2 core. She complained me why too slow!! She always blame me for give her lousy one.

I do not trust her to click all emails from friends, strangers, prizes or junk. That's why, I installed "free" AVG on her laptop. Many times, I am tired of her complain that computer is running slow!! My reason, I am tired of many many many times to re-format/re-install her laptop and desktop computers. Also, she got virus on her AT&T's HTC Tilt Mobile Windows, too.

Important not save any personal's files inside my computers. I used USB Memory or Ext Hard Drive.

My adult sons and I have common sense to protect and avoid re-format/re-install. My sons help to repair their computers, too. Our sons won't let their mom to touch his computers, too.

I helped some of my friend to re-building computers and install important softwares. He/she asked me please install anti-virus. I used to download free anti-virus from their comcast's account (Free McAfee or other apps). I noticed that more often pop-up want to buy full verison Anti-Virus.

"Do not pay for security software"
Do not pay for security software | CNET to the Rescue - CNET Blogs

First of all, define "Cringe" and "panic" for me. Secondly, yes I'm aware that I don't know what is going on in your personal computer or "pesonal users" as stated above, but when I read it sometime when you think it's the virus software that causing to slow down, but it's not. Sometime there are other applications that may cause to slow down because of conflicting with the anti virus software, or sometime the application itself that causing it. I have Norton Security, I have McAfee Security, I have AVG and Trend Micro, all on 5 different desktops. Now, let me give you little update of recent what happen to AVG software. During in the process of upgrading free AVG from 2010 to 2011 update, and the AVG 2011 causing the "processing performance" up to 50% constantly. 3 days later the AVG got a fix and been automatically updated. and now went back down to average from zero to 4%. That is understandable bugs.
Now, if your wife or friends complained of why speed are so slow. Maybe you haven't thought about it, it's depending on how you set it up her systems, like if she have her own login account and you have other accounts and kid's account and such. Now if her account performance are so slow, why not try back up all her stuff then delete her profile and recreate her profile. Lot of time after recreating her profile work beautiful even when having same anti-virus protection. Some people thought that anti-virus causing all that. Not neccessary, her profile maybe corrupted.

So, I'm not going to explain all the different possibilities but just to let you know that with my knowlege and history of using various anti-virus applications, I have no problem with it. The system I'm using it here is P-4, 3.20 Ghz, 2 gig memory running with Norton Security, I don't have any problem at all. I do find the system got real slow from time to time, it's not because of the anti virus update, it's because of other applications update that causing it. So, there's a fix around it.

Now, at my work, we do lot of developements with cyber security, we work with Homeland Security, we work with military developements and such and I do get lot of reports of how bad the cyber attack involved including home base systems. You know, I'm actually watching the real world of network traffics and the real world of attacks they are trying to do. I mean with today environments, my lower jaws dropped of watching how bad it is, just looking at the real map of traffic of this world today. It's appalling. I just simply shrugged, feeling of uncomprehensible image. Panic? no... just as long as you get a good protections.

Let me give you one good example. You said that you don't save any personal information on your computer. Ok, do you recieved any e-mails that give you a "notification" saying that your Bank of America have new update paper free statement with your account number *******2344? This just an example, now the hacker got your e-mail address, got your banking name and your last 4 digits of your bank account. Of course today, hacker will failed trying to break into your account but what about one year from now? Hacker do keep all the personal account information from years ago until hacker find a way to sneak into one of the banking industry and use your existing account from years ago. Hackers love to keep everything that steal personal information dated back in year 2000. THe more info hacker collected, not only just one day, but years he collected, the easier for him to break in.

Now, this is what I'm talking about, people who don't have protection on their systems, even anyone don't noticed anything that happen on their systems, hacker already got your informaton from let say..2 years ago on this very same machine. THen today, if you install anti-virus, firewall and such..at that moment, you wil noticed that you will get lot of firewall notification saying "intrusion attempt" many times.... you know what that means?? it means that Hacker already using your machine for years. Scary thought... it happened few people around here.

Let me tell you, it's soo much fun watching it when people are not aware of it.
Panic? Nothing at all.

With my 30 years experience...it's amazing how people don't pay attention how important you need to have that kind of protection. You maybe lucky enough that hacker did not get into your machine out of million people already got break in.

You don't need to brag saying "That doesn't happen to me"....You will get one some day. For a parting shot, someone already stole $4000 out of my account it's because of someone stole top official of RIT's laptop have all my critial information in it. It pissed me off big time. So, I quickly get help with my empolyee and found where it come from and got my $4000 back. it's a long story but get the idea.

 

[JClarke]

Sound like you are panic to speak!! Calm down your self.

You do not know what we have something at our personal users.

I use 5 years old laptop. Last years, I bought for her new laptop with duo 2 core. She complained me why too slow!! She always blame me for give her lousy one.

I do not trust her to click all emails from friends, strangers, prizes or junk. That's why, I installed "free" AVG on her laptop. Many times, I am tired of her complain that computer is running slow!! My reason, I am tired of many many many times to re-format/re-install her laptop and desktop computers. Also, she got virus on her AT&T's HTC Tilt Mobile Windows, too.

Important not save any personal's files inside my computers. I used USB Memory or Ext Hard Drive.

My adult sons and I have common sense to protect and avoid re-format/re-install. My sons help to repair their computers, too. Our sons won't let their mom to touch his computers, too.

I helped some of my friend to re-building computers and install important softwares. He/she asked me please install anti-virus. I used to download free anti-virus from their comcast's account (Free McAfee or other apps). I noticed that more often pop-up want to buy full verison Anti-Virus.

"Do not pay for security software"
Do not pay for security software | CNET to the Rescue - CNET Blogs

I am with you, my laptop has none, only the Windows firewall on, that's it. Still good, so far.

Yes, AOL Games online won't work to open under free trial Norton on my cousin's new laptop because reason of security virus. Uninstalled it then install MSE. Worked fine with AOL Games online.

That is, Norton has blocked the AOL games, thats why it won't let you play it.

 

[Smithtr]

I quited McAfee. It got me crashed 4 or 5 times.

I used my Microsoft Security Essentials. I have no plm and no crash yet

really my opinion how do you know best Microsoft Security essentials free??

 

[JClarke]

really my opinion how do you know best Microsoft Security essentials free??

Look up on the internet, travis.

 

[Smithtr]

Look up on the internet, travis.

HEY Jake I already research find Internet free Microsoft!!! before I already touch download conflict to my ESET is very best! that is great

 

[SneakerNet]

really my opinion how do you know best Microsoft Security essentials free??

it is free and it's very good security.

 

[Smithtr]

it is free and it's very good security.

Yes is it free Microsoft security!

 

[darkage]

I looked at user name "sneakernet". It sound like you are hacker (sneaker into their network).

I use computer since early 1970's at Gally's Main computer. In 1975-1977, my first homebrew computer (Poly 88 - Computer kit for my brother & Sol-20 for my brother's friend). In 1981 at RIT, I did some Clone Apple II (bare circuit board and many pieces of chips & resistors)Kits for few people. They knew, I have skill on soldering gun/assemble.

At my workplace, they have network computers. We use security at workplace.

That's shame, someone steals NTID's laptop. I do not approve NTID staff had data of alumni in laptop which is not safe!!! More like student did steal laptop and delete all data. Anyway, they did send mail to all former NTID/RIT students.

 

[Chevy57]

I am with you, my laptop has none, only the Windows firewall on, that's it. Still good, so far.



That is, Norton has blocked the AOL games, thats why it won't let you play it.

Can't install AOL Games.com software under Norton.