Very important information regarding mcafee products

camforuman

Hi folks,

last year I installed mcafee firewall that came on a computer mag disk. It is a perfectly good firewall but I am continually getting reminders from Mcafee to verify my subscription, which I do. If I don't verify my subscription then the firewall is disabled until such times as I verify or contact Mcafee to reactivate it.

I have just rang Mcafee uk support on 02079490107 and spoke to a rep who has confirmed that it is an anti-piracy measure applying to all its paying users and also including Mcafee antivirus. I put forward the view to the rep that I feel that this is an unethical and dangerous business practice because if for some reason a user was not to verify when asked to do so, then if they were to access an online banking site or to use ther credit card online they would have no protection whatsoever from the point of view of having no firewall or antivirus (if Mcafee was indeed the products that they used)

What do you think of Mcafee standpoint?

gunneradt

your 12 months of updates are up.

all software works in this way.

wolfman

Oh, I thought most still work after the 12 months, you just can't update them anymore. That is quite forceful of McAfee. All the more reason to switch.

Go for Kerio Personal Firewall, Sygate Firewall or ZoneAlarm. I personally like Kerio of the three. It's no longer developed so will probably become less leak proof over time, but for now it's still very good.

gunneradt

it's not surprising re mcafee as they don't use serial numbers with their software - they rely on registration at the server end.

I suspect that this is only the case with this piece of software as it came on a computer mag - you are of course right that most software will just stop updating, not working completely. I was being a little simplistic.

if you really like mcafee and have an old version i suggest that google can be your friend

camforuman

When I rang mcafee support they did say that it applies to all products. The point I'm trying to make is after the year is up, I don't expect to get no more updates, but I don;t expect the product to stop working if for some reason I dont verify the registration, thereby leaving the computer open to attack. Doesn't seem like a very sound business or security model to me and after all that is the game they are in. I know I got it free but at the same time a strong principle at stake here. I dont mind having to register at insallation of software but to get continual unexpected requests to verify it once you have registered it seems to me to be too much

regards

gunneradt

i doubt that it does apply to fully paid for versions - i have seen mcafee in action many times before and have never noticed it disabling after the 12 months are up.

payless

I have a fully paid legit retail boxed version, purchased a year ago and over the last 12m I seem to remember being asked at least once to verify my details to allow update

intel

wolfman wrote:

Oh, I thought most still work after the 12 months, you just can't update them anymore. That is quite forceful of McAfee. All the more reason to switch.

Go for Kerio Personal Firewall, Sygate Firewall or ZoneAlarm. I personally like Kerio of the three. It's no longer developed so will probably become less leak proof over time, but for now it's still very good.

Hey wolfman does this mean its not available free

As I have this http://www.sunbelt-software.com/Kerio.cfm am I missing summet

:beer:

lightstorm_2

I still find Mcafee ISS8 a better product than Norton.Norton missed viruses & slowed done my PC considerably.

wheeze

I am with McAfee but have now reached the end of the first 12 months and need to pay another £30+ to re-register and receive further updates.

Is it worth carrying on with them or can I get a better deal by buying a new product - there are loads of antivirus products on ebay but I'm guessing some may be copies??

lightstorm_2

I personally would stay with Mcafee.You my be able to buy the retailed boxed version cheaper than £30.00 online