My experience with Zone Alarm is very similar to this. I was a "pro" user for several years, but ...

Similarly so for myself.

In the past, I spent quite a few hours tweaking up and fine tuning the various firewall settings and various other 'security' enhancements on Windows. Black Viper was and is a good help.

And it is all such a horrible utter waste of time.

I've since learnt that such nonsense is completely unnecessary. There's far better things to do with your time and life.


Happy crunchin',
Martin

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See new freedom: Mageia Linux
Take a look for yourself: Linux Format
The Future is what We all make IT (GPLv3)

last year firefox had three times the number of security flaws than ie, so it is not safer by any means.

and i haven´t spent ages twisting and tuning anything else than guitar, and i haven´t learn automatically click ok in vista and i haven´t have single virus on my computer, and just yesterday read major hole in pidgin for all of you linux users, don´t be put on false security.

Linux, Firefox and its addons like NoScript do not cost anything, so I am taking all risks with them. But, if a product is sold, it MUST be safe.
Tullio

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last year firefox had three times the number of security flaws than ie, so it is not safer by any means...

Openly published security/bug fixes that is.

Now... How many in the Microsoft stuff that are not published? Microsoft is known to be very secretive and very fond of obfuscation...

How many zero day or days-old exploits live and 'out in the wild'?


Microsoft Marketing is Very Good at playing the obfuscation and numbers game.


Now for much more useful numbers:

How many zombied Linux systems are polluting the internet compared to Microsoft systems? How does that compare in proportion to their utilisation?


You should find that the current Open Source code gets fixed quickly and usually preemptively before you could even get any possibility of world-wide virus silliness as has happened a few times now with Windows systems.

Agreed, there's no room for complacency. Hence why there is the continuous bug fixes and updates for all current Open Source code. There are no viruses 'out in the wild'... yet. I'm sure that you can bet that each and every one example will cause a frenzied world-wide stir. Seen any such examples? (It is likely to happen sometime, be very public, and the stir will lead to an immediate fix in just hours.)


Happy (virus-free) crunchin',
Martin

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See new freedom: Mageia Linux
Take a look for yourself: Linux Format
The Future is what We all make IT (GPLv3)

In this big browser debate, I think we must mention Opera. Safe, fast, small, free. For lots of OS and systems (desktop, palm, mobile...) And very good in the web standards.

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last year firefox had three times the number of security flaws than ie, so it is not safer by any means.

Internet Explorer has something called Active-X.

Active-X is a native windows DLL. Browsing a web site with an Active-X control in IE installs that Active-X control on your machine, just like any other piece of software can be installed.

There was an Active-X "security" demo a few years back that sent the "windows shutdown" message to the system. Browse a web page and watch your computer power off.

For "safety" Microsoft came up with signed controls. All you need to do to be able to sign a control is have a credit card that takes a charge. The control stays signed even if the charge is reversed -- and even if the card you use is stolen.

This is a little bit like comparing "shoplifting" to "murder" -- yeah, security issues, but Active-X is pretty easy to exploit.

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For Microsoft OS's, I have been using Viper from www.sunbeltsoftware.com along with the Sunbelt Personal Firewall. They have reasonable licensing for updates/upgrades and deals for multiple computers if you have a farm of crunchers. I used their Counterspy app for a few years before they came out with Viper. They have versions for XP and Vista, 32 or 64 bit. They claim that it's not a resource hog.

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Linux, Firefox and its addons like NoScript do not cost anything, so I am taking all risks with them. But, if a product is sold, it MUST be safe.
Tullio

nothing is never safe

last year firefox had three times the number of security flaws than ie, so it is not safer by any means.

Internet Explorer has something called Active-X.

Active-X is a native windows DLL. Browsing a web site with an Active-X control in IE installs that Active-X control on your machine, just like any other piece of software can be installed.

There was an Active-X "security" demo a few years back that sent the "windows shutdown" message to the system. Browse a web page and watch your computer power off.

For "safety" Microsoft came up with signed controls. All you need to do to be able to sign a control is have a credit card that takes a charge. The control stays signed even if the charge is reversed -- and even if the card you use is stolen.

This is a little bit like comparing "shoplifting" to "murder" -- yeah, security issues, but Active-X is pretty easy to exploit.

and it is even easier to stop ie to use active-x, wait, oh it was alrady set like that, no active-x will do nothing in this ie.

Firefox in its downloadable state needs add-ons to become usable, the first installed add-on makes any security of firefox - if it exists - useless, as there's no control over the security of add-ons namely not even signing

I have installed in Firefox ForecastFox, NoScript and Moonlight. No problem.
Tullio

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I have installed in Firefox ForecastFox, NoScript and Moonlight. No problem.
Tullio

don't forget to put adblock plus on firefox

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

Firefox in its downloadable state needs add-ons to become usable, the first installed add-on makes any security of firefox - if it exists - useless, as there's no control over the security of add-ons namely not even signing

"Signing" only helps if you can trust the signers -- and their procedures.

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... and it is even easier to stop ie to use active-x, wait, oh it was alrady set like that, no active-x will do nothing in this ie.

Ahhhh... But what about that darn all powerful DirectShow dll thingie?

Get Must-Have Fix for New Microsoft DirectShow Flaw

A critical new zero-day flaw involving Microsoft DirectShow's processing of QuickTime content is under attack, Microsoft reported today ... affects Windows XP, 2000, and Server 2003. Windows Vista, Server 2008, and Windows 7 are not affected.

[...]

"a browser-based vector is potentially accessible through any browser..."

Fresh in the news 28th May.

Good luck,
Martin

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See new freedom: Mageia Linux
Take a look for yourself: Linux Format
The Future is what We all make IT (GPLv3)

i run vista, and why i would use quicktime, this is not mac.

i run vista, and why i would use quicktime, this is not mac.

Why would Microsoft support Quicktime in DirectShow if Quicktime was not important?

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pity?

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.

this is what i used for a longtime.. eset/nod32 is not the best.. but good enough and as u get it with firewall now, it does a darn good work stopping attacks. and does not bother you to much. It has saved me at least 3 times.. and yes in combo with ad-aware you will be protected.. only problem is protection from root kits. well that was a problem when i used it.. it has prolly changed in latest version. Low footprint as mentioned above + a long history of making a-virus program (the original creators, as i remember, was active way back when amiga was active :) )

overall high score by me :)


Brgds Dagar

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This morning my online bank did not allow me to make a payment. I telephoned them to ask why and they told me there had been a phishing attack. I had warned them of this attack and immediately changed my password. This morning they told me to change again the password via telephone and not via Internet because they were afraid I might have a virus on my PC. I told them I was using Linux but had to obey and change again the password via telephone. Then I phoned again the bank and they unblocked my account,so I made the payment.
But a Linux user is a kind of white elephant for most banking accounts.
Tullio

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I'm willing to be that the folks you talked to at the bank didnt understand what a linux OS is let alone that it can't be infected by a windows virus.

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