What Security do you use?

aliEnRIK

hogshead wrote: »

Thanks. I reaslised after posting that I may have been in the wrong area & googling deems it a fake programme to have you purchase the protection.

I'll get me coat.

Which is why ive asked you to follow said instructions

EverDecreasingCircles

I've just had to completely restore my system due to a virus. I've just downloaded Avast but wonder what else I need? My sons tend to go on lots of random websites and manage to get a virus every few months I really want to tighten my security up a bit.

zorrofox

If I were you I'd consider buying your "sons" their own computer.

EverDecreasingCircles

zorrofox wrote: »

If I were you I'd consider buying your "sons" their own computer.

They more or less have one. They use the desktop while I use the laptop, but it's me who has to sort out the problems when they arise .

Knarf44

Maybe you should consider installing something like VirtualBox. It's what they call Virtual Machine (VM) software and allows you to run any number of programs in a virtual environment within your existing Operating System. It's usually used to test programs, a good overview is here.

As an example, if you have upgraded your desktop from XP or Vista to Win 7 but still have the installation disk for your previous OS, install Virtualbox and then install your previous OS within VirtualBox. Your sons can then browse the internet to their hearts content using the previous OS but in a safe virtual environment. If their browsing habits mean they download malware, trojans, viruses etc it doesn't matter as they will not be able to infect the rest of the system.

I'm just beginning to understand this software so am not fully up to speed on it but hopefully one of the resident techies can shed some more light. If not, there is lots of information that can be found via Google including video guides on YouTube.

charlieheard

EverDecreasingCircles wrote: »

They more or less have one. They use the desktop while I use the laptop, but it's me who has to sort out the problems when they arise .

You could use a virtual machine as suggested by Knarf44, but I've no idea of the extra load this places on your machine - in effect, it is running 2 copies of Windows at the same time...

I'm using a program called SandBoxIE, which also isolates your browser from your machine by not allowing anything to be saved without your permission. This means any viruses, etc will be contained within the SandBox, and will just be deleted when the program ends. You can set it to prompt you to save files in certain directories, so that you can download stuff as normal. You can also use it to run IM or email programs to protect you from anything there. Works fine for me - I'm using it to run this session in Firefox at the moment.

amitkum

Firewall on with Avast anti virus.

rasith

I've been using Comodo Firewall it's free and it beats all paid competitors on tests.

aliEnRIK

rasith wrote: »

I've been using Comodo Firewall it's free and it beats all paid competitors on tests.

Yes it does. But a firewall isnt going to stop infections

UnoriginalGuy_2

Microsoft Security Essentials (anti-virus & anti-spyware) and the Windows Firewall. All free. Very easy to install and rarely gets in the way of my work (unlike Norton or Mcafee)