best anti virus software?....

[pies1981]

Got hit by a virus this morning, it managed to get past my avg, can the ph massive recommend me a good package i can use?,..

[Greedy Banker]

canestan?

[pies1981]

Tried that, its made a right mess of my keyboard!!

[stuart-b]

http://www.eset.co.uk

Use this or sometimes Guard, for both personal and business users. Works well, unintrusive and small foot print.

A cheaper alternative is to run Linux http://www.ubuntu.com

Edited by stuart-b on Wednesday 22 October 21:00

[Greedy Banker]

avast

[Percy Flage]

Avira free works for me. Avoid IE - use a browser such as Opera.

[neil_bolton]

Ignore Brett if he pipes up about Norton.

To be honest with you, if its got past AVG, I'd have a good look at your browsing habits and your use of the machine - viruses should only be able to be executed no and get through AV defences if given explicit permission to do so:

• Make sure you don't run your day to day login to Windows under administrator priviliges
• If you're using Vista, don't, for fks sake, turn of User Access Control, its there for a reason, let it tell you when something is trying to run
• Don't click on or open ANYTHING you did not explicitly request, ask for or intentionally download, anything else is usually dodgy
• Always make sure your machine is fully patched and AV always up to date
• Have a good read on how social engineering is now the No. 1 way to infect etc now - most exploits look to take control of your machine and turn it into a bot - used for Spam relay or any manner of untraceable illegal stuff.

Seriously: AVG is one of the best free tools out there - any others just have several layers of additional tools, reporting or more up to date engine/DATs - they still fail at the same things: 99% of the time users are where the problems occur.

In order to 'clean' your machine, I would suggest reloading your OS - trying to clean or repair the infection is usually fruitless unless you are very experience in such 'repairs'...

[grim_d]

stuart-b said:

http://www.eset.co.uk

A cheaper alternative is to run Linux http://www.ubuntu.com

Edited by stuart-b on Wednesday 22 October 21:00

fantastic OS, beats everything hands down in terms of everything but compatability, unfortunatly, all my software likes windows.

[dickkark]

Greedy Banker said:

avast

been using it for about 6 years now.
Been excellent,but then I don`t look at anything that is reknowned for viruses,e.g. porn or p2p.
free too.

[Rupert Da Fridge]

neil_bolton said:

Ignore Brett if he pipes up about Norton.

To be honest with you, if its got past AVG, I'd have a good look at your browsing habits and your use of the machine - viruses should only be able to be executed no and get through AV defences if given explicit permission to do so:

• Make sure you don't run your day to day login to Windows under administrator priviliges
• If you're using Vista, don't, for fks sake, turn of User Access Control, its there for a reason, let it tell you when something is trying to run
• Don't click on or open ANYTHING you did not explicitly request, ask for or intentionally download, anything else is usually dodgy
• Always make sure your machine is fully patched and AV always up to date
• Have a good read on how social engineering is now the No. 1 way to infect etc now - most exploits look to take control of your machine and turn it into a bot - used for Spam relay or any manner of untraceable illegal stuff.

Seriously: AVG is one of the best free tools out there - any others just have several layers of additional tools, reporting or more up to date engine/DATs - they still fail at the same things: 99% of the time users are where the problems occur.

In order to 'clean' your machine, I would suggest reloading your OS - trying to clean or repair the infection is usually fruitless unless you are very experience in such 'repairs'...

I can't recommend Norton 360 strong enough, it's the dogs!!!

Plus you can always get the Norton techies to do it on-line for you from the USA if the virus is already deep routed (for a nominal fee)......

Edited by Rupert Da Fridge on Thursday 23 October 00:05

[pies1981]

neil_bolton said:

Ignore Brett if he pipes up about Norton.

To be honest with you, if its got past AVG, I'd have a good look at your browsing habits and your use of the machine - viruses should only be able to be executed no and get through AV defences if given explicit permission to do so:

• Make sure you don't run your day to day login to Windows under administrator priviliges
• If you're using Vista, don't, for fks sake, turn of User Access Control, its there for a reason, let it tell you when something is trying to run
• Don't click on or open ANYTHING you did not explicitly request, ask for or intentionally download, anything else is usually dodgy
• Always make sure your machine is fully patched and AV always up to date
• Have a good read on how social engineering is now the No. 1 way to infect etc now - most exploits look to take control of your machine and turn it into a bot - used for Spam relay or any manner of untraceable illegal stuff.

Seriously: AVG is one of the best free tools out there - any others just have several layers of additional tools, reporting or more up to date engine/DATs - they still fail at the same things: 99% of the time users are where the problems occur.

In order to 'clean' your machine, I would suggest reloading your OS - trying to clean or repair the infection is usually fruitless unless you are very experience in such 'repairs'...

Thank you mate, thats been really helpfull. I have downloaded spybot search and destroy, i will try that in the morning. I actually think now it was me, becuse i remember a "windows" update flashing up, i had just finished a long night shift and was not concentrating so just accepted it, then the virus took hold, so it must of been that.
If i fail tom can i ask you a few more questions as you obviously know a great deal about such things?

Edited by pies1981 on Thursday 23 October 02:13

[Funk]

pies1981 said:

neil_bolton said:

Ignore Brett if he pipes up about Norton.

To be honest with you, if its got past AVG, I'd have a good look at your browsing habits and your use of the machine - viruses should only be able to be executed no and get through AV defences if given explicit permission to do so:

• Make sure you don't run your day to day login to Windows under administrator priviliges
• If you're using Vista, don't, for fks sake, turn of User Access Control, its there for a reason, let it tell you when something is trying to run
• Don't click on or open ANYTHING you did not explicitly request, ask for or intentionally download, anything else is usually dodgy
• Always make sure your machine is fully patched and AV always up to date
• Have a good read on how social engineering is now the No. 1 way to infect etc now - most exploits look to take control of your machine and turn it into a bot - used for Spam relay or any manner of untraceable illegal stuff.

Seriously: AVG is one of the best free tools out there - any others just have several layers of additional tools, reporting or more up to date engine/DATs - they still fail at the same things: 99% of the time users are where the problems occur.

In order to 'clean' your machine, I would suggest reloading your OS - trying to clean or repair the infection is usually fruitless unless you are very experience in such 'repairs'...

Thank you mate, thats been really helpfull. I have downloaded spybot search and destroy, i will try that in the morning. I actually think now it was me, becuse i remember a "windows" update flashing up, i had just finished a long night shift and was not concentrating so just accepted it, then the virus took hold, so it must of been that.
If i fail tom can i ask you a few more questions as you obviously know a great deal about such things?

Edited by pies1981 on Thursday 23 October 02:13

Another vote here in the Avast camp.

Get Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware as well - http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php

It's free but you can pay to activate certain features if you want them. It's the best anti-malware I've found so far. I use it in conjunction with Spybot, Winpatrol, BOClean and Spywareblaster.

Edited by Funk on Thursday 23 October 03:37

[stuart-b]

grim_d said:

stuart-b said:

http://www.eset.co.uk

A cheaper alternative is to run Linux http://www.ubuntu.com

Edited by stuart-b on Wednesday 22 October 21:00

fantastic OS, beats everything hands down in terms of everything but compatability, unfortunatly, all my software likes windows.

Have you tried Wine? Windows Emulation. It's very good now, can even display Microsoft fonts, libraries etc.

In the command line - apt-get install wine winetools, then just type: wine program.exe, or double click exe file.

I run photoshop CS2, and all other windows apps through it.

Then run a free AV scanner, which never picks anything up.

Edited by stuart-b on Thursday 23 October 08:32

stuart-b said:

grim_d said:

stuart-b said:

http://www.eset.co.uk

A cheaper alternative is to run Linux http://www.ubuntu.com

Edited by stuart-b on Wednesday 22 October 21:00

fantastic OS, beats everything hands down in terms of everything but compatability, unfortunatly, all my software likes windows.

Have you tried Wine? Windows Emulation. It's very good now, can even display Microsoft fonts, libraries etc.

In the command line - apt-get install wine winetools, then just type: wine program.exe, or double click exe file.

I run photoshop CS2, and all other windows apps through it.

Then run a free AV scanner, which never picks anything up.

Edited by stuart-b on Thursday 23 October 08:32

So if Linux is so bleeding fantastic, why would you run an AV application

At the end of the day, both OS's (and I speak loosely) suffer if put into the the same condition sets - if you allow root access to an executable in *unix then it will run itself.

However, like I said, if you run Windows NOT using an account with Administrator rights, and you keep the protection on that is there (certainly in Vista), then it will prevent 99% of exploits from running.

The big difference is, Windows, unfortuantly, has always been designed to give the average joe admin rights by default, whereas *unix does not, you have to elevate the user to root (i.e. by running sudo or whatever).

You do know that there are viruses and malware written for *unix OS's and OSX don't you...its just that the market for AV is smaller, and thus less of a fuss is made as there are like 0.00001% of *unix home users compared to windows... (I know Cyberface, lets not go that way again )

Edited by neil_bolton on Thursday 23 October 09:20

[Strangely Brown]

Best Ant-Virus software?

Mac OS X


... sorry ... had to be said.

[neil_bolton]

Strangely Brown said:

Best Ant-Virus software?

Mac OS X


... sorry ... had to be said.

Read this, for gods sake, before you sit there one day looking at a broken Mac: http://www.securemac.com/

[Zumbruk]

said:

if you allow root access to an executable in *unix then it will run itself.

Huh? Can we have that in English?

[neil_bolton]

Zumbruk said:

said:

if you allow root access to an executable in *unix then it will run itself.

Huh? Can we have that in English?

You know what I mean, unless you really don't... Allow a process rights to run under elevate privilages (i.e. root) in *nix, it will execute. If we're going to get pedantic, then you'll win I'm sure (IIRC) knowing your experience with Unix...

I'm not looking to get into a bun fight on the finer points of *nix system architecture, I'm just trying to point out to the smug Mac/Linux users (and there are many out there) who seem to live in this bubble of thinking that they are immune some how to virus/malware/exploits etc. that its not quite all roses out there...

[Strangely Brown]

neil_bolton said:

Strangely Brown said:

Best Ant-Virus software?

Mac OS X


... sorry ... had to be said.

Read this, for gods sake, before you sit there one day looking at a broken Mac: http://www.securemac.com/

Amazing... lots of Mac security product vendors telling you how much you need their products backed up by lots of FUD.

Fact: There are no viruses for the Macintosh in the wild. There are a couple of proof of concept trojans, a couple of root kits and some "exploits" that are not really exploits at all but simple social engineering and reliance on a stupid user.

PICNIC.

The last time there was a serious fk up related to viruses on the Mac was when a particular ant-virus product started throwing false positives and deleting system files. Nice!

I'm quite happy as I am thank you. I do not need any anti-virus software.

[neil_bolton]

Strangely Brown said:

neil_bolton said:

Strangely Brown said:

Best Ant-Virus software?

Mac OS X


... sorry ... had to be said.

Read this, for gods sake, before you sit there one day looking at a broken Mac: http://www.securemac.com/

Amazing... lots of Mac security product vendors telling you how much you need their products backed up by lots of FUD.

Fact: There are no viruses for the Macintosh in the wild. There are a couple of proof of concept trojans, a couple of root kits and some "exploits" that are not really exploits at all but simple social engineering and reliance on a stupid user.

PICNIC.

The last time there was a serious fk up related to viruses on the Mac was when a particular ant-virus product started throwing false positives and deleting system files. Nice!

I'm quite happy as I am thank you. I do not need any anti-virus software.

Have you never considered the fact that the bulk of Windows exploits/viruses etc etc all require 'a stupid user'?

It doesn't particularly matter what is out in the wild or not, however the fact remains that any *nix system is exploitable, stupid user or not. The fact that most Mac users choose to go "la la la la" whenever someone with some knowledge points this out in order to stay holier than thou Windows user is immaterial eh

Besides, I never said that any Mac user or *nix user should run AV software.

It may surprise you to know that my Vista box runs no AV software and is running very happily thank you very much. I don't allow anything admin access and UAC is turned on when I do. As a result, I know that because I know exactly what I am opening/running/clicking on, I can run my OS safely without it.

Much like you Mac boys really.