Free avast internet security - is it enough?

LookingToTheFuture_2

I've done a quick search on the forums for Rapport and it doesn't seem to be very popular! It's good to know it's not compulsory for internet banking.

waddler_8

macman wrote: »

Rapport is considered by many to itself be spyware, as it incorporates a keylogger.

Sorry, but that's just rubbish.

LookingToTheFuture_2

waddler_8 wrote: »

Sorry, but that's just rubbish.

So do you recommend Rapport, waddler_8?

waddler_8

LookingToTheFuture wrote: »

So do you recommend Rapport, waddler_8?

Nope......

Gillor

LookingToTheFuture wrote: »

I've been using free software from avast and malwarebytes as my only internet security for a while now, but is it really enough to protect my computer?

Not really. No signature based a/v is going to give you complete protection, but specifically for banking try the following free applications:

Windows Firewall. You can supplemented this with something like Windows 7 Firewall Control if you want an easy way of controlling both inbound and outbound traffic.

Anti - virus. It doesn't really matter which one - Avast Free if you're happy with it and it doesn't delay programme start-up on your computer, which it does on both of mine. Otherwise try Panda Cloud which is light and unobtrusive.

Sandboxie, installed on a clean system with limited internet programme access, being sure to empty the sandbox immediately before and immediately after online banking.

Zemana Anti-Logger Free, so that if a keylogger does capture your keystrokes all they'll see are encrypted random characters.

And above all a modicum of common sense.

For your absolute peace of mind, if you want to finish off your banking session with a Malwarebytes scan then fine.

This will make your online banking activity pretty watertight but at the end of the day, as someone once said, the only truly secure computer is one buried in concrete, with the power turned off and the network cable cut!

Gillor
An enthusiastic amateur who's had to learn the hard way.

martin57

Ok, I am very cautious about internet banking, I even have a windows 7 installation partition on my pc that I use for banking only. Its a bit of hassle having to restart the pc to do so, but maybe I will login to banking only once a week, and I like the peace of mind of not doing my browsing and banking on same windows.

I just think its a bit crazy really that banks allow people to bank online on the same windows that they do browsing on.

Saying that I am a bit worried about the above posts about Rapport. I have it installed on all my banking ebay and paypal sites.

it can be a hassle as sometimes it stops working and then I have reinstall it, but I thought that it is an extra security measure.

Am I wrong in this and somehow it could be collecting information that could get in wrong hands?

Thanks for any help.

Martin57

LookingToTheFuture_2

Thanks, Gillor, I will look into sandboxie and the anti-logger software, but am I right in thinking that I would have to remove Rapport if I was using the anti-logger? It's just that I heard of a case where a bank wouldn't refund a victim of fraud because she wasn't using Rapport.

LookingToTheFuture_2

martin57 wrote: »

Am I wrong in this and somehow it could be collecting information that could get in wrong hands?



Martin57

Yes, I was wondering this too! Is there any chance of Rapport
itself getting hacked and someone getting hold of everyone's passwords?

closed

you can go ott with protection

Gillor

LookingToTheFuture wrote: »

.....am I right in thinking that I would have to remove Rapport if I was using the anti-logger?.

Sandboxie and Rapport don't work together so you can't use both but if you search this forum you will find that Rapport is rated pretty low.

If you want a detailed review of Sandboxie and you've got a spare twenty minutes take a look here:

Part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GueXMq-Vyi8
Part 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IbwhE-r8_k
Part 3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XBbC81bZx4

LookingToTheFuture wrote: »

.......I heard of a case where a bank wouldn't refund a victim of fraud because she wasn't using Rapport.

An urban myth I believe but if in doubt ask your bank directly rather than relying on hearsay.