Malware Protection

[EssOne]

I recently fell prey to the Godzilla of all malware infections - the one that eats Windows 7 Home Premium programs like peanuts. I had to replace a lot of expensive stuff in order to get the computer back from Zombieland, including the entire Windows program. Luckily I didn't lose any files, but I was out about $300 to get everything corrected. So this set me to thinking about some malware protection, which I had obviously been ignorant of in the past. 

 

From what the computer guy tells me, the ordinary security programs like McAfee, AVG, Norton, etc. etc. aren't always effective against malware, and a little malware protection plugs a big hole in computer security.

 

So if any of you nice folks would be interested in getting some protection from malware, my computer guy recommends the premium protection offered by this company. It costs $24.95 per year for three computers. I'm currently on their free 14 day plan that he installed and I intend to buy the premium plan for our computers when it expires. I have no personal experience with this program, but my computer guy knows his stuff so, in view of having gotten my butt kicked by malware, I'll take his advice on this one for now. BTW - This supplements your present security program, it doesn't replace it. The free 14 day plan is available here as well as the annual plan.

 

https://www.malwarebytes.org/lp/sem/5/?gclid=COeW3uvJkMcCFdccgQodZ-oEtA

 

 

[Ted S.]

Just keep in mind that any protection software developer has to become aware of a threat in order for them to be able to prevent it. Of course, unless they are the ones secretly manufacturing the threats to keep people buying their products. :tinfoil:

 

Good luck with your venture. I hope you don't get screwed by malware again.

[Jonnin]

I use kapersky.   But the above is only about 85% correct.  Certain activities can be stopped by the better suites... if a program starts modifying windows files, deleting files,  or performing other "unusual" activities they will suspend the program and ask the user.   So they *can* stop threats that have never been seen before... ive had them stop programs that I wrote myself (opened an awful lot of network connections for parallel transfers) and other legit software (kapersky stopped diablo 3 cold on an update.. ) .

 

Nothing catches everything, and everything catches most.

 

Also proactive computing is a big deal... knowing what not to do, what sites not to visit,  what files not to open, etc....  (not saying its your fault, but there are risky behaviors just like real world diseases, like if you go to Africa, you might get ebola... if you go to mexico, you might get the runs, etc). 

 

Symantec (Norton) will catch most, but it will bring a hot PC to its knees with slowness from all the bloat.   My strategy is to use whatever you can get for free and hope it gets most of them with minimal performance impact.   I also just found a flaw in our Symantec security at work... nothing major but goes to show that even corporate full bore stuff isn't bullet proof, and neither a hacker nor a security guy, so if *I* can find a flaw....

Edited August 5, 2015 by Jonnin

[ironsniper1]

Microsoft security essentials is all I use and have not had a virus in 5 years


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Jonnin]

Microsoft security essentials is all I use and have not had a virus in 5 years


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

Indeed, the *early* M$ stuff was very poor (one of the very old ones wrote billions of files on your disk lol... a file for every folder with a checksum of every executable..)  but since win XP or thereabouts its been rock solid and as good as, or better, than many of the freebies and some of the bought ones.  

[Raoul]

Malwarebytes is pretty good. Nothing is perfect.

Browse intelligently and it will reduce your risk somewhat

[Ski]

Also proactive computing is a big deal... knowing what not to do, what sites not to visit,  what files not to open, etc....  (not saying its your fault, but there are risky behaviors just like real world diseases, like if you go to Africa, you might get ebola... if you go to mexico, you might get the runs, etc). 
 
Symantec (Norton) will catch most, but it will bring a hot PC to its knees with slowness from all the bloat.   My strategy is to use whatever you can get for free and hope it gets most of them with minimal performance impact.

I'll echo this. I was able to use commercial antivirus software through work, but when I help others with their computers I generally go with AVG Free. It's good enough. Discernment is definitely key.

I've had similar experiences with Symantec's home software. I've heard it's better now, but I stay away from it.

If I think supplemental malware protection is needed, I use Spybot Search&Destroy.

[jbrownch]

Malwarebytes is pretty good. Nothing is perfect.

Browse intelligently and it will reduce your risk somewhat

 

+1 for Malwarebytes. I worked in an IT Department for a major university for 15 years, and this was one of our "go to" programs when a computer got infected. FWIW... we just used the free version, and it worked great.

[runco]

Norton here, not 1 issue in 5 years, and I have house of full of people surfing who knows what 24/7.  I also don't allow anyone to use the admin side, so no one can download or can respond to any admin credentials.  Even I don't use the admin site, until absolutely necessary. 

[peejman]

MS Security Essentials here... upgraded from Norton (ugh). 

 

I've also read that it can be worthwhile to create multiple accounts on your computer, but only 1 with full admin rights that's only used when necessary.  Supposedly, if a virus or malware is downloaded (intentionally or not), it only has the level of authority as the user that downloaded it.  Not sure how true that is though.  Most PC's are simply internet terminals these days, so having full rights isn't really necessary for much of anything. 

[ou812]

MS Security Essentials plus Malwarebytes is a good combo..install linux and you dont have to worry about viruses  and such!

[Ropin4gold]

I use eset