Do You Use Anti-Virus?

Do You Use Anti-Virus?

  • Anti-Virus Only

    Votes: 66 19.5%

  • Firewall Only

    Votes: 37 10.9%

  • Anti-Virus & Firewall

    Votes: 179 53.0%

  • None

    Votes: 56 16.6%
  • Total voters
    338
not really... i don't remember the last time I had a virus..


ooh wait.. I do! it was like the blaster or something like that. I never did any updates on my PCs then one day bam! I couldn't access the internet... turns out one of my friends had it came over to my place and infected all my PCs...I think I never got it before then because of my firewall... I don't think that bastard ever said sorry.. that whore... I lost a night of playing EQ.. but i think we ended up drinking a ton and having a great time.. so I guess viruses aren't that bad..
 
I run a SmoothWall box (www.smoothwall.org) that is a stripped down version of linux (2.4kernel) installed on an older computer (p3 500mhz w/198megs sdram and 4gb hdd) it is my firewall and runs urlfilter and content filtering ala Dansguardian and virus scans content thru DG as well using ClamAV ..if its a windows box behind one of my smoothies , then I will have avg free or avast! running on that box as well as spyware proggies


[F]old|[H]ard
 
I have a hardware firewall on my network. I havn't used any anti-virus software since the late 90's. Funny enough, I havn't had a virus or even basic malware since the 90's either.
 
I only have my desktop allowed to access the internet. It is running linux. I have a hardware firewall installed with a virus scanner that scanns email and internet traffic.
 
For firewalls I use IPCop on my perimeter, the built in firewall for XP and Firestarter for Ubuntu. For AV I use ClamAV on the Linux machines and Nod32 for the Windows machines. I keep AV on the Linux machines because they host files for the Windows machines.
 
I knew there'd be people saying they don't need AV software. How scary is that, that we share an internet with these people?
 
All my boxes are behind a hardware firewall (router). All windows boxes run AVG, all linux boxes run...well...linux. :p
 
Both for me.. Running a win box without av and fire wall of one sort or another is begging for trouble..
 
djnes said:
I knew there'd be people saying they don't need AV software. How scary is that, that we share an internet with these people?
Click to expand...

Don't you know that computer experts can somehow detect and avoid rootkits, viruses, etc by their great cunning and a cheap consumer grade router? :D
 
Oddly enough, I haven't had a virus or anythign else since I stopped using Zone Alarm and Norton. All I use is Windows firewall warning me everytime sokmething wants to access the internet, and Microsoft Anti-Spyware. I haven't had a problem yet. They also use WAY less resources. My router also has a firewall, so maybe that helps. I just know I am not paying diddly and have had no problems whatsoever. :D

 
djnes said:
I knew there'd be people saying they don't need AV software. How scary is that, that we share an internet with these people?
Click to expand...
Some operating systems don't need it... ;)

Disclaimer: At this time. Yes, there is a possibility for viruses to be an issue in the future, but at this time it simply isn't an issue.
 
jpmkm said:
Some operating systems don't need it... ;)

Disclaimer: At this time. Yes, there is a possibility for viruses to be an issue in the future, but at this time it simply isn't an issue.
Click to expand...
They exist for other OSes, just no where near the numbers "available" to windows users. I always laugh when people say they haven't had a virus, and they don't need AV software. I'd love to know how many viruses such PCs actual have. I have a friend who used to argue this with me, saying he didn't need AV software, and this guy was fairly technical. I ran the TrendMicro Housecall online on his machine, and he had 37 viruses. Nice. He didn't think he had any viruses, because he didn't ever scan for them.
 
I wouldn't leave home without it ;)

I have NOD32, ZoneAlarm Pro, PestPatrol, Windows Defender, Windows Live One Care, SpyWareBlaster, Spybot, HiJackThis, AdAware SE and several other apps.....it may sound extreme, but I have no problems going on any site on the net. Boring actually :D
 
djnes said:
They exist for other OSes, just no where near the numbers "available" to windows users. I always laugh when people say they haven't had a virus, and they don't need AV software. I'd love to know how many viruses such PCs actual have. I have a friend who used to argue this with me, saying he didn't need AV software, and this guy was fairly technical. I ran the TrendMicro Housecall online on his machine, and he had 37 viruses. Nice. He didn't think he had any viruses, because he didn't ever scan for them.
Click to expand...
Housecall isn't cooperating with me right now, but I'm confident that none of my systems have any viruses. Sure there are linux viruses, but their methods of propogation are such that I'm really not vulnerable. They pretty much either exploit older versions of software or they rely on the good old user-stupidity propogation technique. Like I said, I'm really not vulnerable to either of those.

I'll post my housecall results if it ever gets going.
 
Anytime I had some trouble geting housecall to work, I would clean out the internet cache, and run it again.
 
I use the Windows firewall and Windows Defender. No anti-virus though. I have no use for it and i've never been infected with a virus.
 
I only run AV on my laptop but not on my desktop. I only use the desktop for gaming, and anything that goes to my desktop is usually scanned through the laptop first.

As far as software firewalls running on my systems, I don't use them. I really don't trust them anyways, and I'd leave it up to a hardware router or a Linux box to do all that. Although I do spend some time checking the logs and use a netstat utility on the PC's to see whats going on.

Another thing about software firewalls, they always popup when an application makes a connection, I just wonder what the average joe schmoe PC user reacts to this? First of all they probably don't have any concept of networking, and it probably makes them more paranoid.
 
Hardware Firewall, Windows Firewall (I know overkill :D ), and Symantec Corporate Antirus.
 
Hardware firewall, no third party software security whatsoever. Haven't had a virus in years.
 
Its senseless / imprudent / stupid / etc. to run a windows based computer connected to internet without FW/AV simple as that, these days its minimal the performance hit taken by running a secured operating system :eek:

oldmx
 
OldMX said:
Its senseless / imprudent / stupid / etc. to run a windows based computer connected to internet without FW/AV simple as that, these days its minimal the performance hit taken by running a secured operating system :eek:

oldmx
Click to expand...
Add to that, the fact that several good free versions exist, and there's no excuse at all.
 
I run a windows box with a cheap consumer router w/ firewall and avast! antivirus in active protection mode. I scan everything every month before the monthly LAN that goes on and I never have anything spyware or virus wise.
 
djnes said:
I always laugh when people say they haven't had a virus, and they don't need AV software. I'd love to know how many viruses such PCs actual have. I have a friend who used to argue this with me, saying he didn't need AV software, and this guy was fairly technical. I ran the TrendMicro Housecall online on his machine, and he had 37 viruses. Nice. He didn't think he had any viruses, because he didn't ever scan for them.
Click to expand...

All my viruses. Right. I have not had a virus in years and do not use AV Software. That's actually the first time I have scanned my personal machine in a couple years. Putting a blanket statement on people who don't use AV Software is a little annoying, at least to me.

Anyway. Being an aware user goes a long way. Disabling ActiveX or using alternate browsers (Firefox for example) eliminates a large chunk of malware. Not opening random email attachments or using 'preview' panes takes it a step further. Keeping your operating system up-to-date helps quite a bit too. Not downloading random untrusted software is a key aware user mindset as well.

Not everyone is an aware user. I have fixed many machines from mom and pop types, loaded with crap most likely aquired through email attachments or pop getting a little frisky at night alone. There is also the classic warez box, loaded with every backdoor in town from all the crack sites Junior heard about on IRC *shudder*. These types of people may indeed need AV software and sometimes (though certainly not all the time) it will help.
 
Lol, wow. Never expected so many results....

Very intresting results to say the least though.

I personally recomend a software firewall for any type of banking you're going to do. And, I always recomend an anti-virus program. *shrugs*
 
djnes said:
I always laugh when people say they haven't had a virus, and they don't need AV software. I'd love to know how many viruses such PCs actual have.
Click to expand...
And in the exact same way, i laugh at people who are so careless and/or clueless to get viruses in the first place.

I've never had one going on 17 years now with no AV program.
 
Tweakin said:
Putting a blanket statement on people who don't use AV Software is a little annoying, at least to me.
Click to expand...
What's annoying is being in IT, especially in the corporate world, and hearing people claim that simple knowledge is a better anti-virus solution than software. Your points about awareness are correct, but you need to read up on how many of the more recent virii propogate. Then you'll discover the fatal flaw in your argument. Just because you haven't gotten a virus, doesn't mean you won't tomorrow, the next day, or sometime in the future.

What you're saying is, since you've never been in a car accident, you don't need seatbelts, air bags, or any other safety measures in your car. Logical? Hell no, but yet people still, for some unknown reason, apply the same thinking to AV protection.

Thinking you have the knowledge to avoid a virus is a fallacy. If someone truly had the knowledge about virii, they'd have a good AV package installed.
 
pxc said:
And in the exact same way, i laugh at people who are so careless and/or clueless to get viruses in the first place.

I've never had one going on 17 years now with no AV program.
Click to expand...
I've never had one either, but I wouldn't dare be without one. This is basically the gambler's fallacy, transformed into the computing world.
 
djnes said:
What's annoying is being in IT, especially in the corporate world, and hearing people claim that simple knowledge is a better anti-virus solution than software. Your points about awareness are correct, but you need to read up on how many of the more recent virii propogate. Then you'll discover the fatal flaw in your argument. Just because you haven't gotten a virus, doesn't mean you won't tomorrow, the next day, or sometime in the future.

What you're saying is, since you've never been in a car accident, you don't need seatbelts, air bags, or any other safety measures in your car. Logical? Hell no, but yet people still, for some unknown reason, apply the same thinking to AV protection.

Thinking you have the knowledge to avoid a virus is a fallacy. If someone truly had the knowledge about virii, they'd have a good AV package installed.
Click to expand...

Recent virri have propogated by means that a lot of AV Software were not able to detect until days to weeks after they hit. Not to mention the people with out of date definitions. What is your point? In my earlier post, I did say I run a firewall (a linux machine at the head of my home network). Your view on Av Software is my view on good hardware firewalls and smart computing.
 
AV (currently Avast!) and my DGL-4300. I don't remember the last time a virus/spyware scan came up with anything, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. And, really, as long as it's not Norton or McAfee bloatware you'll never see the performance difference between having AV and not having AV.
 
KevinO said:
Hardware Firewall, Windows Firewall (I know overkill :D ), and Symantec Corporate Antirus.
Click to expand...
No, it's not over kill. It is part of a multi-layered defense strategy.
 
djnes said:
What's annoying is being in IT, especially in the corporate world, and hearing people claim that simple knowledge is a better anti-virus solution than software.
Click to expand...
This is why I still run AV on Linux machines. Sure there isn't really anything than can hit a Linux machine now. But, it's my ass if one does at a later time because I had a false sense of security. When you are responsible for security of a billion dollar network, you don't take these things lightly.

Not to perpetuate the argument, but I'm with djnes on this one.
 
NOD32 + Windows Firewall so I voted AntiVirus only coz I don't use any specialized firewwalla other than the windows firewall.
 
Eva_Unit_0 said:
All my boxes are behind a hardware firewall (router). All windows boxes run AVG, all linux boxes run...well...linux. :p
Click to expand...


Same at my house, I just don't have any 'nix boxes.....but 4 windows machines, all XP Pro, no virii in years.....
 
For the ones who don't use AV or a firewall, do yourself a favor and download ZoneAlarm and leave the notifications on. It will soon become apparent why you really need protection. I get pinged at a very high rate and the number of programs attempting to connect to the internet without your permission is alarming. Just try it for fun. ;)
 
I use windows firewall (looking for something else, not zonealarm), nod32, and processguard.. those are my main programs that I use.
 
I also find it extremely scary that people do not run antivirus or firewalls. I've been running both for years. Have I had a virus in years? Not to the knowledge of the virus scanners I've used. That's the trick. I'm running a virus scanner and have been since before my internet time. There is always something out there and at least I will have a way of knowing whether I have one or not. The simple fact is that the people who do not run virus scanners do not know if they have a virus or not. There is no way to say you have had no viruses in years because you haven't had a way to detect them. This is the reason viruses are so prevalent. People think they don't need any type of protection and so they do get infected. Most times they don't even know they are infected. btw, I use AVG Free for my virus scanner although I have used Norton and McAfee in the past.

Currently and for several years now I have been running Kerio for my firewall. Even when on dial up I was running it. There is just too much stuff out there to chance it. Before I was pointed to Kerio I used Zonealarm. At thet ime, it worked rather well. Way too bloated for my taste anymore and I prefer Kerio anyway. This is also a line of defense behind a NAT router. Sure, those things can stop a lot of the problems before they happen, but there is a lot that can still get through. Just ask Kerio's logs about that one.

Just for shits and grins, a couple months ago I put the IP of my system in the DMZ to see what would happen. The number of hits Kerio was getting was scary. I don't know why anyone would run without a good software firewall. I guess the SP2 firewall is decent, but it doeosn't compare to Kerio 2.15.

For those of you on Windows machines that aren't running antivirus, I feel sorry for you. You obviously have no clue on what you are in and will be getting yourself into in the future.

It's actually somewhat scary I'm in 100% agreement with djnes. It's not often that something like this happens.

 
ChingChang said:
I use windows firewall (looking for something else, not zonealarm), nod32, and processguard.. those are my main programs that I use.
Click to expand...

Do a search for Kerio Personal Firewall 2.15. It's a free download although getting a bit tougher to find nowadays. Many in here use it and it seems to work really well. It's also very light on resources and you'll never know it's running until it alerts you to something it doesn't like.

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top