Security for netbook?

debitcardmayhem

knightstyle wrote: »

Vipre costs the same as Avast so what is the advantage? Plus if I buy the for life version do I have to pay for upgrades, it doesn't make that clear?

Doh, Avast is free if you want to buy

Seen Avast, $80 for two years, any good or is there better?

If you wanna buy, buy NIS about $15 one user , get real avast is free, if not NIS is probably about one of the best. However since the AA+ rating on the USA debt it will be a lot cheaper , ps don't buy it from Swiss websites because it will be 20% dearer per day until S and P change your rating

knightstyle

Sorry but the free avast is stated on their site as only antispyware! It does not cover secure banking, shopping or spam, which is what I think I need?????
So back to my question which is best or recommend an alternative which gives full protection. Plus are the upgrades free or do I pay for them?

debitcardmayhem

knightstyle wrote: »

Sorry but the free avast is stated on their site as only antispyware! It does not cover secure banking, shopping or spam, which is what I think I need?????
So back to my question which is best or recommend an alternative which gives full protection. Plus are the upgrades free or do I pay for them?

No it's not..where are you quoting that from?

bob_a_builder

probably looking at this chart

debitcardmayhem

If you want a paid for Antivirus solution for 3 PCs get Norton Internet Security from amazon about £25 , but I use Avast on my spare netbook, it is Antivirus not anti-spyware, as posted by the somerset hill billy above

As well as Avast, how about also using Sandboxie
http://www.sandboxie.com/

MVPS Hosts
http://winhelp2002.mvps.org/hosts.htm

And Norton DNS
http://nortondns.com/

With MBAM as a scanner
http://www.malwarebytes.org/products/malwarebytes_free

Minimal resource usage and all play well together with Avast, just a suggestion, others may advise differently, but suits me.

Oh, and of course CCleaner (Slim), not really security, but a "must have" nonetheless.
http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner/builds

works too

closed

avast is a virus scanner too.

avast free + malwarebytes free is all you need

don't fall for the hype, the extra's are marketing.

debitcardmayhem

bob_a_builder wrote: »

probably looking at this chart

Yes but it says Antivirus too

somersethillbilly

knightstyle wrote: »

Sorry but the free avast is stated on their site as only antispyware! It does not cover secure banking, shopping or spam, which is what I think I need?????
So back to my question which is best or recommend an alternative which gives full protection. Plus are the upgrades free or do I pay for them?

The link I posted above to a thread on this forum will get you a free licence valid until April 2012 on the full Avast Internet Security, on the right hand side of the chart posted by Bob.

bob_a_builder

yes - I just was suggesting that it was that chart which would lead him to think he needed to buy the paid for version due to lack of green ticks - as you say mainly marketing
However the free one which I use too seems to also have the sandbox, the web rep stuff etc etc under Additional protection, and mail an IM checking under "Real Time Shlelds" section

RussJK

knightstyle wrote: »

OK, what I understand is that the basic Avast anti virus is free but for shopping and banking online I need something like the $80 internet security version??? See here http://www.avast.com/en-au/free-antivirus-download

It's just the way they've worded it, to make you think you need it.

The free Avast is almost the same as the paid suite, except the paid suite has some additional 'identity protection' and 'online banking' additions (and an unnecessary firewall).

As long as you don't get infected, you never need this kind of stuff. Avast free will give you just as much protection against infection as the full suite IMO.

If you do get infected, most paid suites' (including Avast's) banking protection isn't worth much anyway.

The 'Malware Research Group' just published their report which demonstrates this in fact:
http://malwareresearchgroup.com/
(http://malwareresearchgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/Banking-Report-2011-Final-WM.zip)

I haven't been over it closely yet.

MRG are a group that gets criticised on methodology with some of their tests, and also for their background as the main person behind it was allegedly involved in 'WareZ' (software piracy) at one point. Also they don't always provide the MD5 hash for files, which means vendors can't verify results.

In this case they do seem to have highlighted a big issue with the full antivirus suites protection of online banking. The report suggests you'd need a 3rd party application to protect online banking.

The alternative suggested by Debitcardmayhem to use a Ubuntu LiveCD for online banking is a good one, provided the router isn't compromised. This saves you using something horrible and slow like Trusteer Rapport the rest of the time when you aren't internet banking.