What Security do you use?

baby_frogmella

welshee wrote: »

ESET Smart Security
Quite simply THE BEST THERE IS !!

Not anymore mate ESET is now average, other security software companies have caught up in recent years. Sure, NOD32 v2 was legendary in its hayday and i was a big fan of NOD32 but its seems ESET is still living on its past reputation.

I use Norton Internet Security 2011...and that is after i promised myself i would never touch it again a few years ago:rotfl: Seriously its now VERY light (unlike previous versions) yet is very good at detecting/cleaning malware with very low false positives. (Comodo take note!)

cheapopete

Having used the Ubuntu operating system, instead of MS Windows, on various computers for almost 5 years, I can safely say, IT'S VIRUSPROOF! :T
I do not use any antivirus software, and although there is a firewall installed as standard, I have never enabled it.
From what I've read, the reason for Ubuntu, and indeed, any Linux type operating system (of which there are many available, all free) is so safe, is because it is upgraded (free of charge) about every 6 months! And all those extra useful or fun bits of software that you will inevitably want to try, all come to you through 'repositories' within the main operating system supplier. Which means they are basically tested before you get them.
How can you go wrong?
Personally, I'm a permanent noob with my PCs, as I have serious tinnitus, and either forget stuff or can't concentrate for too long (get irritated )
I let my Firefox browser block popups, and frequently delete most of those 'cookies' and that's really all I need.

Have a cheap donut, charge it to my account.:)

GetRealBabe

Hi

Still using Avast and Comodo firewall.:)

quiet_life_4

avast, and online armour

cyclonebri1

cheapopete wrote: »

Having used the Ubuntu operating system, instead of MS Windows, on various computers for almost 5 years, I can safely say, IT'S VIRUSPROOF! :T
I do not use any antivirus software, and although there is a firewall installed as standard, I have never enabled it.
From what I've read, the reason for Ubuntu, and indeed, any Linux type operating system (of which there are many available, all free) is so safe, is because it is upgraded (free of charge) about every 6 months! And all those extra useful or fun bits of software that you will inevitably want to try, all come to you through 'repositories' within the main operating system supplier. Which means they are basically tested before you get them.
How can you go wrong?
Personally, I'm a permanent noob with my PCs, as I have serious tinnitus, and either forget stuff or can't concentrate for too long (get irritated )
I let my Firefox browser block popups, and frequently delete most of those 'cookies' and that's really all I need.

Have a cheap donut, charge it to my account.:)

Dangerous thing to say?, tempting providence and all that. Don't know much myself but I know what works today probably won't tommorrow;)

cheapopete

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

Dangerous thing to say?, tempting providence and all that. Don't know much myself but I know what works today probably won't tommorrow;)

The opposite is true at the moment. As Linux based Operating Systems progress, so does their sophistication. :cool:
As for tempting providence, Linux users do it all the time. Every forum is full of folks telling us about the lack of need for Anti Virus or Anti Spyware. Non stop from earhole to breakfast time.

But anyway, people can so easily make up their own mind, by either downloading it free, or buying a CD from the Linux Shop for £3.99, if they're not happy burning discs. You don't even have to install it. Just run it from the CD. Piece of cake!

cyclonebri1

cheapopete wrote: »

The opposite is true at the moment. As Linux based Operating Systems progress, so does their sophistication. :cool:
As for tempting providence, Linux users do it all the time. Every forum is full of folks telling us about the lack of need for Anti Virus or Anti Spyware. Non stop from earhole to breakfast time.

But anyway, people can so easily make up their own mind, by either downloading it free, or buying a CD from the Linux Shop for £3.99, if they're not happy burning discs. You don't even have to install it. Just run it from the CD. Piece of cake!

Interesting:T, but from a self confessed novice(no offence,I'm in the same category), does anyone else have a view on this??;)

candtalan

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

Interesting:T, but from a self confessed novice(no offence,I'm in the same category), does anyone else have a view on this??;)

GNU/Linux systems are certainly not 'virus proof', they are fairly strongly resistant. There are technical, procedural and cultural factors which make using GNU/Linux systems and the community and user environment, resistant to installation and not least, spread of malware

If you create a virus (which is very easy to do) you have to then arrange the important and obvious next steps which are first to send it to another machine, then to arrange for it to be installed in that machine in a way which is useful for the further spreading.

With your newly created virus, you can send it to another machine somehow, by email or usb stick or web site or whatever. How then to arrange for its installation to be useful?

GNU/Linux systems are pretty slick at just being multiuser systems, that is how they have been created over the 20 or so years. They usually run at 'user' level not at 'admin' (root) level and they run *well* as User. A consequence is that neither the normal user, nor malware, can install stuff at a useful level (admin) without entering a password. No big deal, but a this is a significant boundary. It means that for a malware to enter the system at a useful level - ie at 'admin' level, a password is required. It does not happen secretly while the user is unaware of an event.

If random stuff is downloaded from anywhere for install, the user is responsible for checking what is safe. But there are strong cultural reasons why this is a rare situation (and see note).

However, suppose the malware is installed into a target machine. How can it be spread? like a seed in a stone path in dry weather, it will have a real hard time to spread to other machines. The whole environment is unfriendly for malware.

Almost all apps for GNU/Linux systems are made available through organised libraries (repositories) with access procedures. There are some 30,000 apps or more to choose from. The libraries partly act as trusted places for apps. This means that there is no general expectation that an app will be grabbed from a random place on the internet, with only 'hope' to protect the user.

There is a sophisticated series of 'permissions' built into the file systems used by GNU/Linux. A downloaded executable file is not allocated any permission to run, even though it is an executable type. This situation is also a significant barrier to spread of malware. It is even common to hear complaints from novice users coming from a Windows experience, that their downloaded GNU/Linux executable will not run. It is a simple matter to allow permission but it requires user intervention, and a password.

In addition to these factors, it may be remembered that GNU/Linux systems are heavily based on software libre, 'free' software (where this word free means 'freedom'), this includes open access to the source code. Openness makes it hard for malware which needs to be concealed.

Note:
The expectation of 'open source' code availability for inspection is significant because the user or others more experienced can examine the real intentions of code.

cheapopete

candtalan wrote: »

GNU/Linux systems are certainly not 'virus proof', they are fairly strongly resistant. There are technical, procedural and cultural factors which make using GNU/Linux systems and the community and user environment, resistant to installation and not least, spread of malware

Thanks for some major input candtalan. You have described what I was trying to say far more effectively and accurately. :cool:
Perhaps my enthusiasm for the subject prevented me from typing 'Virtually virus proof'. But, as I mentioned I've used Ubuntu for almost 5 yrs without protection. And,just as a by the way, I do click on weird and wonderful websites.
And, something I forgot to mention is that I usually disable the 'Report Attack Websites' option in Firefox security. Heheh!

50% of my reason to go over to Ubuntu was a virus or trojan in my XP system that caused a complete hijack of my connection, so that although the Virgin Media tech guy could see my comp connected online, but within 15 seconds all activity was redirected to some website in the US. Then the pings just stalled.

Don't get me wrong, I tried to get it sorted via the brilliantly helpful folks at bleepingcomputer.com ,but at the same time I ordered my first Ubuntu disc. I have never really looked back since then.
And when I bought this dual core 64bit Windows7 thing I immediately installed Ubuntu, and eventually wiped Windows.

So, to reiterate, Ubuntu, or any Linux operating system you choose is virtually free of cost, and effectively free from virus problems.

cheapopete

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

Interesting:T, but from a self confessed novice(no offence,I'm in the same category), does anyone else have a view on this??;)

Hah! I like your 'Freedom not to listen'. I can just turn off my hearing aids!!! :rotfl: