Norton

[oldtrig]

I have people all the time ask me how do I keep getting infected with trojans, Rootkits and viruses on their computers.
On Windows machines, some malware comes from drive-by downloads. You visit a website, you get infected by a piece of script that triggers a buffer overflow that allows the malware to install. All done in a few seconds. Most of these drive by downloads could all be avoided if people would listen and install Open DNS. It would never let you get to that bad website to start with. Most people pay me no attention and of course I keep on taking their money repairing those infected computers. I only tell them where I will have time to play more golf .lol

If you keep your system fully patched, you are almost assured you will not be that victim. Meaning update all your software like Java, Adobe and flash players.

If you make a mistake and type the incorrect web address you can be had quick. Also when searching using a search engine like google pay close attention on how long this site has been uploaded. I have seen some that my webroot tells me is a safe site and then I look closer and it shows that site was uploaded 10 minutes ago. Thats the one you have to watch out for.


The number of drive-by installations is small. So how does the majority of malware get on a PC. Most attacks today succeed by convincing the victim to do the actual work meaning the person using the PC thinks the warning is legit. Tip of the day

 

[Lsbcal]

...(snip)...
If you keep your system fully patched, you are almost assured you will not be that victim. Meaning update all your software like Java, Adobe and flash players.
...

I run Secunia PSI at least once every 2 weeks to check that all programs are up to date. It's free and will do auto-updating.

 

[Koolau]

Koolau, I only give advice from past experience. Like I said I have been doing computer work for 16 years so I know a little about what goes on. Save your money and download one of the free programs. I have tried them all. One year one seems better and the next the other one. My personal vote goes to Avira first and Microsoft second right now. I've just found both to be more consistent in my own experience. I would highly suggest buying the pro version of malwarebytes. I bought a person this software from newegg this week for $19.95 (lifetime version)
Newegg.com - Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Lifetime
I can tell you it will block a bad website as it runs in the background. It updates automatically and runs a scan at certain times during the day. You can change that to run when you want it to. With Avira or Microsoft free and malwarebytes pro you should be well protected. Do not run more than one antivirus on a computer though.
Avira Antivirus for private users | Antivirus Software Comparison
scroll down to you see the green box that says download now. Just make sure you get the free. If you do not want to try this then Microsoft's version will work but again I urge you to buy the malwarebytes lifetime version. I have worked on computers with Norton that had many infections just like any other paid version. Why pay for something when these companies supply it free and it is just as good as long as you run the malwarebytes along with it. If you want to try the Microsoft software the go here
Microsoft Security Essentials - Microsoft Windows

I am only trying to save you money. Go to some of these malware forums and read if you do not believe me.
Am I infected? What do I do? - BleepingComputer.com is one of many I belong to and have for years.

Save that $50 and put some gas in your car. oldtrig

oldtrig, thanks for the advice. I will definitely look into it - not so much for the $50 but to get what works for others. As mentioned, I have Mac, so not sure what all translates. I'm assuming the websites will say what/where/when/who, etc.

Thanks for your patience with us dinosaurs, luddites and flat-earth folks.

 

[oldtrig]

Koolau, you are welcome. I only try to help people keep their PC's safe. I am always testing things. I use spare hard drives sometimes to try and get infected so I know how to remove the bad things. If I use OpenDns and set the security setting to the highest it will not even go to a bad site. I have the DNS setting set in my router. You will love it and no, I do not work for opendns.

I challenge anyone here to try it and come back and tell me what you think? If you have small ones at home that surf the internet then by all means install it. Read more here. Buy it if that what it takes. $19.95 is a steal to protect those children.
OpenDNS - Parental Controls

The internet is full of many bad sites that young minds have no business viewing.


Good call Lsbcal. I have also used that and installed it on many PC's. It also free and we all like things that cost nothing.

 

[target2019]

oldtrig, thanks for the advice. I will definitely look into it - not so much for the $50 but to get what works for others. As mentioned, I have Mac, so not sure what all translates. I'm assuming the websites will say what/where/when/who, etc.

Thanks for your patience with us dinosaurs, luddites and flat-earth folks.

Koolau,
Since you have Mac OS X, the PC advice has limited application. I actually run no AV software on Mac OS X. If you have $50 to spare each year, I'd say continue with your approach for piece of mind.

There are several free AV apps for Mac. But of course you might have to watch some popup ads every once in a while.

On my client's PC's I use paid AVG. On my own PC's I use free Avast. Over the years I've found that the larger paid suites (Norton, McAfee, AVG) have larger footprint, and significantly affect performance. And they are not 100% effective.

 

[CoolChange]

...
OpenDNS for Homes and Families
The free version works fine.
...

While I do use AVG, OpenDNS looks like a much more effective, and additional, layer of protection. Thank you for the link and all of the information you have provided in this thread. I have been working in IT for over 25 years yet was not aware of these folks.

 

[target2019]

You can create an account at OpenDNS, and in that way you can access statistics they maintain for you, and allow blocking of additional stuff. Or you can just enter their DNS into your router, or perhaps just one device to see what it's about.

OpenDNS nameservers from OpenDNS.com are:

• 208.67.222.222
• 208.67.220.220

 

[MBAustin]

Koolau,
Since you have Mac OS X, the PC advice has limited application. I actually run no AV software on Mac OS X. If you have $50 to spare each year, I'd say continue with your approach for piece of mind.

There are several free AV apps for Mac. But of course you might have to watch some popup ads every once in a while.

On my client's PC's I use paid AVG. On my own PC's I use free Avast. Over the years I've found that the larger paid suites (Norton, McAfee, AVG) have larger footprint, and significantly affect performance. And they are not 100% effective.

On my Mac, I don't use anything. As an IT consultant, I suggest AVG or Windows Security Essentials for most cases, plus Malwarebytes in all cases.

 

[oldtrig]

You welcome Coolchange. We can all learn from one another. Thats the great part of this forum. I know this is off topic a little but I got to tell what happened to me yesterday.

Like I had mentioned I have been working on computers for many years but sometimes we all get stumped. Well yesterday I had an older HP running windows XP home. It would freeze when booting and never get past the windows logo. I remember this happening a few other times so I removed the CMOS battery and tested it with my meter. It showed 2.1 volts.

I headed to walmart to get a battery and was back in no time with the new one installed. Of course as long a time as I had the battery out I lost the date and time so I just reset that all in the system BIOS. No problem now, the computer booted fine and runs like new money.

One problem, when I would use internet explorer 8 and go to most any website I would get a security error ( the yellow bar at the top of the webpage) I could click the bar and it would continue on but I knew something was not right. I also tried to get windows updates and would get an error.

I know this computer was working last month perfect because I removed several trojan from it. Everything I read and tried failed. I would still get this on a yellow bar at top of page ( to help protect your security, internet explorer has blocked this website from displaying content with security errors. Click here for options) I reset IE several times, same error. Now, I got to thinking. If it was working before then it had to be something I did.


It was. I set the date and time to 2-2-2012 instead of 2-2 2013. That little mistake cost me several hours of work. I even posted in a forum I belong to and nobody could figure out the problem. I tried just about everything. I was just about ready to reformat. I am sure glad I waited. Who would ever thought that little year change would have caused this but yep, it will. I should have known something like that was the problem when I could not get windows updates but I just plain overlooked it. When the time is incorrect your browser will see most security certificates as outdated, thus the warning. Live and learn. oldtrig

 

[Dawg52]

oldtrig, do you recommend any particular browser over another for safety and speed? I realize you need virus and malware protection with any system, but just wondered if one is better than the other as a starting point. Google Chrome seems to run a little faster for me.

Sorry if you have already addressed this.

 

[oldtrig]

Dawg52, I have tried them all. You are correct about Chrome being faster. As far as the one that is the safest. I do not think any one is better than the other. I main thing is make sure you have the updated version of which ever one you are running. Myself, I like internet explorer. I have been using is so long and its hard to change. I did try internet explorer 10 when I installed the beta version of windows 8. I think it will be much better. I switch between Chrome and IE 9 now but mostly IE9. Just follow safe browsing and you should be good. Also I would use OpenDns for extra security. oldtrig

 

[tryan]

My ISP (Comcast) provides Norton for "free" ... just pay the internet bill (obviously).