After my battle with sys defender, I realize I need better protection. Please tell me what you recommend for both spyware and antivirus protection.

After years of using Norton/Symantec products, I've switched to AVG FREE version. It does not overwhelm my system resources like many other AV products do and provides a reasonable level of protection.

I back AVG up with MalwareBytes Anti-Malware, CCleaner, and BeClean to keep any nasties AVG might miss off the hard drive and out of memory.

Altogether, they have kept me virus free for months now.

Martin

As a Mac user, I have no trouble with the virus freaks who target that other OS!

And our local user group has never been hit by anything either.

duke

BTW I started 9 April 1999, so have a decade plus now. Hope to see something in next ten years!

I use the free version of Avira Anti-virus. It's rated as one of the best of the free ones. It has a nag screen that pops up everyday trying to get you to buy the premium version. Just Google on how to turn it off.

For spyware, I have been using 2 programs.......both free........

Malwarebytes and Spybot have done a really good job on removing the bad stuff.

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I don't see how bragging about how another platform "doesn't suffer from viruses" is intended to help the OP. Of course, the idea is to entice them to switch, but alas, the question wasn't "How do I get rid of Windows?", so I would think that it may not be an option.


Personally, I've been using eSet NOD32 for a few years now and I rather enjoy its low CPU utilization for its active background scanner because its written in Assembly, and it seems to have the best scanning protection around. They were voted number one in virus protection and scanning speeds for a couple years running.

For malware/spyware, I like to use a dual combination of Ad-Aware and Seek & Destroy (love the Metallica song by the same name too!). I have no problems on any of the machines I manage with this combination plus the AV scanner mentioned above.

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The best anti-virus/anti-trojan/anti-spyware tool available is your basic Mark I mod 0 brain.

Read messages critically. Ask yourself "does this 'sound' like it was actually written by the alleged author?" Ask "is it too generic?"

Look at the link before you click on it. Does it have an embedded "@"?

If it claims to be from your bank, does the actual link really go to your bank?

If you aren't sure, write to the person who allegedly sent the message. Don't "reply" but write a new message -- or give them a call.

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Agreed, and regarding those other OS'es, just because your host may not be susceptible to the infection doesn't mean you can't be a 'Typhoid Mary' carrier. Personally I think that's worse than a clueless newbie in the MS playpen.

Also, as Ned mentioned, if you know what you are doing malware isn't much of a problem, even on Winboxes.

I've used MS systems since DOS came out, and I can count the number of 'infections' I've had on my personal machines on no hands. ;-)

In any event, my personal favorite right at the moment is Avast!. It generally gets good reviews for detection performance, and is one of the few remaining that you can use on older systems without bringing them to their knees with a lot of unneeded background overhead and a sluggish UI.

Alinator

Agreed, and regarding those other OS'es, just because your host may not be susceptible to the infection doesn't mean you can't be a 'Typhoid Mary' carrier. Personally I think that's worse than a clueless newbie in the MS playpen.

Also, as Ned mentioned, if you know what you are doing malware isn't much of a problem, even on Winboxes.

I've used MS systems since DOS came out, and I can count the number of 'infections' I've had on my personal machines on no hands. ;-)

In any event, my personal favorite right at the moment is Avast!. It generally gets good reviews for detection performance, and is one of the few remaining that you can use on older systems without bringing them to their knees with a lot of unneeded background overhead and a sluggish UI.

Alinator

I concur. Just cause an OS isn't infectious or isn't popular, Doesn't mean It can't be a carrier.

Oh and I use AVG 8.5 for XP x64.

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The T1 Trust, PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, 1 of America's First HST's

I use the free version of Avira Anti-virus. It's rated as one of the best of the free ones. It has a nag screen that pops up everyday trying to get you to buy the premium version. Just Google on how to turn it off.

For spyware, I have been using 2 programs.......both free........

Malwarebytes and Spybot have done a really good job on removing the bad stuff.

I'll second Avira. I was using AVG for about a year and a half and a friend of mine said they use Avira at work, so I gave the free version a shot. It found 15 things AVG missed. That sold me.

Regarding the popup screen..

Navigate to Program Files\Avira\AntiVir Desktop, find 'avnotify.exe', right-click > properties > security

Select SYSTEM and put a checkbox in DENY for 'Read & Execute'. Problem solved.

Note: In Vista, you will likely have to click the button below the users/groups in the security tab to allow UAC to modify the security settings.

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Linux laptop:
record uptime: 1511d 20h 19m (ended due to the power brick giving-up)

I´m running Avast home and spybot search and destroy.
Both free for private use.

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With each crime and every kindness we birth our future.

I have AVG on my quad core and CA on my Dell.

CA comes as part of my internet package.

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1. Common sense ;) means

• Be paranoid, they are really out there, hunting for you
  
• "I don't know what is it" --> Kill it
  
• "I did not ask this" --> Kill it
  
• "Looks suspicius" --> Kill it
  

2. Firewall: COMODO (can work as AV, but i did not test it yet)
3. Antivirus: NOD32
4. using about every quater years just to be sure: Ad-aware & Spy-Bot

Local IT urban legend: One guy tried to install a Win XP, while he had his computer directly connected to the dormitory's LAN. 15 minutes later he had an infected comp. :D So, unplug unless you had firewall.

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As a Mac user, I have no trouble with the virus freaks who target that other OS!

In which case your Mac may be an iBot without you knowing it. Or did you not follow the recent news?

I run Spybot: Search and Destroy and Spywareblaster (both fully up-to-date) plus Avira Antivir Personal (latest version). Furthermore running Adblock and Noscript in updated Firefox 3. Not allowing all pages through, certainly not Google Analytics.

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Hello!

you have multiple solutions at hand depending on OS and version and youre budget.

my first choice for windows x86 would be avira antivir premium + comodo firewall pro + ad muncher + the paid version of malwarebytes antimalware and superantispyware free + firefox or opera + all os updates and servicepacks + latest updates to java and flash.

as another solution there would be kaspersky antivirus combined with agnitum outpost firewall, sunbelt counterspy, firefox with noscript adblock and woot! + malwarebytes antimalware free and threatfire.

I suggest using ESET Smart Security. I use ESET for many years without problems and of course without virus.

Of course the best AV doesn't free one from using brain. There's no 100% solution out there even all together wouldn't be 100%. AV is always a step behind as it only can do when the virus already exists.

Don't click "free", "earn ####$", "get a larger, thicker xxx", "crack" and a few others!!! This should prevent you from ~99% of malware.

Here's a good article why to use ESET Smart Security

The first step is to not use Internet explorer for anything but M$ updates. The activeX controls are so easily mimiced on hacked websites that you won't even know you've been hit with a trojan until the next time you run your AV.

Using AVG 8.X free, Superantispyware, Spybot, Malwarebytes. I've avoided adaware for some time now. I don't like the idea that it runs a process even when its turned off.

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In a rich man's house there is no place to spit but his face.
Diogenes Of Sinope

Local IT urban legend: One guy tried to install a Win XP, while he had his computer directly connected to the dormitory's LAN. 15 minutes later he had an infected comp. :D So, unplug unless you had firewall.

Its not urban legend, I had seen it with my eyes maybe 3-4 years ago. Forgot to unplug the LAN, installed Win XP (from the Dell provided installation disk), and while installing win updates, found that it is already infected with a strange process. OK, since my pc is on a new hdd, just boil some water, drink a cup of tea, then unplug the lan cable, reboot into DOS (yeah, still had a floppy then) and killed the whole partition. And run antivirus on my trusty bootdisk on another pc before attempting another install.

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The best anti-virus/anti-trojan/anti-spyware tool available is your basic Mark I mod 0 brain.

Read messages critically. Ask yourself "does this 'sound' like it was actually written by the alleged author?" Ask "is it too generic?"

Look at the link before you click on it. Does it have an embedded "@"?

If it claims to be from your bank, does the actual link really go to your bank?

If you aren't sure, write to the person who allegedly sent the message. Don't "reply" but write a new message -- or give them a call.

Aye, capitain....
I have not run any AV software since day 1 on the internet.
I caught a virus once in the first year I was learning the ropes....none since.
I rely on my router hardware firewall and my untrusting nature of anything that enters my email box from anybody I don't explicitly know....and sometimes I will not follow a few links that they send.

There is an inherent risk in having a computer connected to a live venue such as the internet is.....just as there is a risk in physically venturing out into society to interact with real people. There are always gonna be a few people of low moral character that are going to try to take advantage of you.
Even the best AV programs will fail to catch a cunning criminal at times.....especially if you inadvertently leave the back door wide open for them, or click on their calling card.

Lori insists on having AV running on her computer...have had good luck with Spy Sweeper....
Originally just a spy software scanner, it now includes full AV protection as well......and they just added a new feature...1GB of offline data storage in case your rig loses it's hard drive.
LOL....THAT feature we have not used. Although it may seem attractive, having your data stored in another offline site does not seem too secure to me.

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"Freedom is just Chaos, with better lighting." Alan Dean Foster

On my old P4 and the wifes laptop i use Zone alarm Internet security suite. It has both spy ware and anti virus. Ive used it for 5 years with no problems. I run both programs every morning before i get home from work. I used to have Norton but had to many viruses get by.

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[/quote]

Old James

Norton on my laptop (came with it so, meh.)

AVG on Q-Baby. Both get swept with SpyBot S&D weekly and MalwareBytes when I am feeling particularly paranoid.

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Pure mathematics is, in its way, the poetry of logical ideas.

Albert Einstein