Anti virus software and firwall advice

esuhl

I use Avira AntiVir, Comodo Firewall, Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware, Spybot - Search & Destroy, SpywareBlaster, Secunia PSI, Sandboxie, and the NoScript, AdBlock Plus, Privacy+ and TACO add-ons for Firefox.

paddywak wrote: »

Thanks for advice. Where should I buy and where should I search for each of these?

All are free. I'd start by searching the web - there's a search engine called Google that seems to be quite popular these days

moonbeep

Microsoft Security Essentials,Commodo Firewall,Malwarebytes

Opera 11

m00nie

remeber to keep any programs updated and once set up you need to look at your usage also..

watch what links your clicking, programs your downloading, emails and attachments your openig etc..

paddywak

Thanks guys. What is sandboxie or noscript plugin for firefox?
The free anti virus on the internet - does it have to be updated reguularly?
How often should I malwarebyte?
Is Opera 11 a new search engine? Thought firefox was good?

moonbeep

paddywak wrote: »

Thanks guys. What is sandboxie or noscript plugin for firefox?
The free anti virus on the internet - does it have to be updated reguularly?
How often should I malwarebyte?
Is Opera 11 a new search engine? Thought firefox was good?

Opera 11 is a browser,im finding it very good!

WhiteChristmas

Avast will update itself automatically and tell you if it wants anything extra (very rare).

Opera was the first serious "alternative" browser of the modern age, but was overtaken by Firefox. Version 11 is new and very "fashionable" this week! If you're familiar with Firefox, stay with that.

My advice; whenever you download anything (especially if you torrent or use P2P, ALWAYS right-click and scan with Avast before you open the file; it's trivially easy to disguise a nasty virus as an mp3 or video.

PhylPho

OP: if you are the novice that you appear to be -- and hey, there's nowt wrong with that -- then I'd follow up on moonbeep's advice and go with Microsoft Security Essentials.

This software has improved out of all recognition in its latest version, and it's as good as it gets in comparison tests run against similar apps (free and paid-for.)

Unusually for Microsoft, and especially after the Nanny-state disaster of Vista, it's fairly light and relatively unobtrusive. Compare it to Comodo, for example, which though good (even if its EULA is questionable, or used to be) definitely needs "taming" and using by people who know what they're doing.

Normally I'd be the last person, or amongst the last, on the planet to recommend Microsoft. But fair's fair: the development team responsible for the latest SE version really have done an outstanding job.

So, to recap:

1) Microsoft Security Essentials. It's free. Just Google for the download link.

2) It's by Microsoft, the people who made your computer's Operating System.

3) It complements your existing Windows Firewall.

4) It has good online support and it doesn't need much in the way of tech knowledge to get used to it and run it.

5) In tests, its detection rate is good and the number of false positives flagged up, low.

Finally. . . I'm surprised no-one else has mentioned it here (unless I've missed it, so apologies if that's the case) but the timeles classic, WinPatrol, really ought to be on your computer right now. It's small, light, fast, reliable, and its developer Bill Pytlovany is one of the nicest guys in the worldwide software business.

As before, just Google for the freeware edition of this app from BillP Studios, and make friends with Bill's little Scottie dog sooner rather than later.

* PS: And when you're Googling, make sure you're doing so via a browser that *isn't* Internet Explorer. My favourite is Mozilla's Firefox, but vast numbers of people are equally happy with other free alternatives.

Andrew1472

paddywak wrote: »

Thanks guys. What is sandboxie or noscript plugin for firefox?
The free anti virus on the internet - does it have to be updated reguularly?
How often should I malwarebyte?
Is Opera 11 a new search engine? Thought firefox was good?

I really like sandboxie. Easy to use and understand.
http://www.sandboxie.com/
Noscript, on the other hand, I have trouble understanding, so I don't use it. I have no doubt that it is very effective though.
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/722/

I run a Malwarebytes scan every 2 weeks or so, or whenever I have any doubt in my mind.

free4440273

I agree NoScript can take a little bit of getting used to, but it's worth the install//

esuhl

I find NoScript very easy to use - it's just a case of enabling scripts on domains the first time you visit them. I don't think it's possible to inadverntently download or install any malicious software if you visit a web page with scripting disabled, so NoScript effectively makes you bullet-proof by default. I wouldn't be without it!