25% of PC Users Disable Antivirus Software

GoldenTiger said:
Yup, and automated worms just attacking through windows exploits, too... it's moronic. I hope none of you guys saying you don't use antivirus work anywhere... you're like a doctor who thinks he cannot get sick because he works in the medical field :rolleyes:.
Click to expand...

In the places I've worked there have been numerous viruses and worms that have infected machines over the years. All the machines infected are running AV software. It is next to worthless. In all those years, I've never gotten a single virus, and it isn't because of the AV software. It is because I don't do stupid things like click on attachments that are obviously malicious!
 
With FireFox equipped with Script Blocker I think you are safer then say.... having any browser with antivirus software equipped. Since using ScriptBlocker I have never had an alert on my machine. Shit even google scans websites for viruses now..... you know that big red window that pops telling you that its a bad idea to continue
Click to expand...

yes that's right
 
Lets see...in the last 8 or 9 years I haven't used a 24/7 AV program, and have been infection free. This is across XP, Vista, and now W7.
I practice smart browsing techniques, and over the last few years have been running Script blocker and Adblock +. I use various free web scanners every now and then just to check up on things...they never detect anything. I also occasionally scan with various anti-spywaye/malware programs (including windows defender), and they never detect anything.

I've been to some pretty shady sites....and firmly believe in script blocker. When FPS banana had their infected banner ad fiasco a few months back, the only users who seemed to be 100% secure were those using the Script blocker/Adblock combo. I visited the site numerous times over the "bad" period, and never once had any issues.


Do I think AV programs are completely useless? For the less savvy among us, I think they serve a purpose. However it is completely possible to live without a 24/7 AV program. So while I won't call AV users crazy, I don't think THEY should call people like me crazy either. To each his own, in the end it appears we can all accomplish the same thing, and remain virus free.
 
My NOD32 updates 2, sometimes 3 times a day...so I feel pretty secure.

I don't notice any slowing of my computer with it and the ONLY time I see it is when it updates it pops up in the corner for about 3 seconds saying "I updated, bitch" and goes away and leaves me alone.
 
I don't use protection. What's the point? It majorly sucks down resources and time. I have had a serious infection maybe one time in my life and the worst case scenario is it required a reinstall. Big freaking deal. The majority of the viruses out there are no longer malicious and are purely designed to turn your system into a zombie drone. Occasionally glancing at resource usage or noticing a slowdown on your internet connection are dead simple ways to spot that immediately. Anyone using a virus scanner now is just ridiculously paranoid.

Avoiding IE's security flawed ActiveX and not installing stupid crap is the easiest way to avoid 99.999% of infections.
 
Oh and for the record, my dad's system has been infected and corrupted while running Norton's uber annoying nag software. AV software is beyond pointless.
 
MrGuvernment said:
lol

just gets old people claiming common sense will save the day or safe browsing habits work for not getting viruses when as already mentioned more and more legit sites get infected or become the source for infection, the creators of this evil crap are always one step ahead of the AV world so it is only a matter of time that things hit the fan for those with no AV.
Click to expand...
You just invalidated your whole argument with that last comment, smart guy. :D
 
aaronspink said:
Also notice that AV software was basically useless with only 2 out of 42 AV programs even detecting it. Which is part of the problem with AV software in the first place in that it is primarily a reactive system and not a proactive system. This doesn't even get into the issues of false positives, whitelisting, whitelist masquerading, etc.

The best strategy is to be proactive in protecting your system from coming into contact with a virus/malware in the first place by closing off the infection vectors.
Click to expand...

There have been attempts to make AV software proactive, but this usually leads to so many false positives that it is unusable. Even with the current use of patterns false positives are pretty common. Far too common to make it one's only line of defense.

The only thing better than AV software I can think of is to explicitly limit which processes can run and where, like a kind of advanced white list. Of course, there will be bugs in that system as well... :)
 
I have the free avast and it's very minimal in design and it's free! Works well too.
 
Elledan said:
There have been attempts to make AV software proactive, but this usually leads to so many false positives that it is unusable. Even with the current use of patterns false positives are pretty common. Far too common to make it one's only line of defense.
Click to expand...

That's not being proactive. There is no AV software that is proactive, they are all reactive. Being proactive is preventing the infection in the first place. It is equivalent to wearing a mask when doing surgery. Using containment rooms when dealing with dangerous pathogens. etc.

AV software is like culturing a possible infection after it has already wiped out a town to determine what it is. The damage has already been done.
 
MSE and Malwarebytes and no slow down for me. Hell about every hour Im on my PC and manually check for updates along with 2-3 times a week scanning. People who deny that they will never get a virus or never had a virus, their day will come. Flat out poor planning on their part.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top