New 'Protect Your PC For Free: No-cost Anti-Virus and Other Software' discussion

23n1th

ernie-money wrote: »

Just a quick question please! I have Malwarebytes & Avast (free) on my pc & Avast is set to update itself, but since I installed them both (about a month and a half ago) neither program has detected a single threat, something which I found a little strange. I mean, it's excellent if my pc is completely clean, but previously when I had AVG free, it always used to find something or other, every time I did a scan. I have updated Malwarebytes manually, but Avast keeps telling me in it's loud American voice that it's "been updated", so I guess it's all good - or isn't it...?

Can't please some people! Fancy complaining you dont have any infection!:rotfl:

There is a reason why AVG found things every time it scanned.

debitcardmayhem

I thought I was having one of those "you have a virus calls again, you know the ones", turns out it was the surgery asking me to come in if I want a flu jab. The receptionist is called Abigail but becaus of her accent it sounded like AVGail :beer:

ascorbic

It's worth noting that Sophos for Mac is now free, and it's probably the best AV available for the Mac anyway.

23n1th

ascorbic wrote: »

It's worth noting that Sophos for Mac is now free, and it's probably the best AV available for the Mac anyway.

Dont you know anything made by apple is immune to any form of infection as they are the most secure things ever made!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!;)

Equinox

pandh wrote: »

Please remove A-squared from the list of recommended free programs. Many people are complaining that the latest version is dreadful, including many comments that it's not free and acts like malware.

Thanks!

Having overhauled my PC I needed to reinstall my security complement. Thanks for the confirmation. I've got Antivir and Malwarebytes now.

I was just about to install a-squared on the recommendation of this sites "free antivrus" article when I decided to have a look first.

PaulHUK

Something to watch out for...?

TalkTalk trial of Anti-Virus "built into the network"

A) Is it really likely to be as good as it sounds

Is there another agenda, and is providing Anti Virus more of a "SmokeScreen" for consumers, when the real aim is to get the ability to categorise the customers' internet browsing habits and interests so the ISP can make money out of selling the extremely valuable behavioural marketing data?

C) If you are a webmaster running a business, hobby or charity website, why should you pay to allow TalkTalk to generate value from running the system?


Discuss! By way of intro, here's what I have learned so far (sources available in multiple places on the internet)

A) They say they won't scan https pages, so if there is a virus/malware on those, it won't protect you. The supplier of the technology has a website which states that website owners can prevent the TalkTalk system from scanning it (which it should, see "C" below) but if a site can prevent it, what is the value of the system to the consumer?

Example of behavioural advertising data being of benefit... Say you browse the internet for information on living with cancer. That could make it more probable that you or a family member has the condition, or more likely you will develop it because you were concerned it might be in your DNA as a hgher risk. The adverts you see can be based on this knowledge. Prices for things you buy on line can be different, e.g. insurance. All sorts of possibilities. You might think is is illegal? There's lots of evidence to show that infringing against our private electronic communication in the UK is not punished (search the internet for the BT Phorm/Webwise trial for example)

C) The company supplyin the technology to TalkTalk is Huawei Symantec (Chinese company "WhoAreWe"? and the once well respected Symantec? in a partenrship?). The Huawei website says that any website can prevent or "disallow" the scanning of their content by the system and describes how to do this. However, just this week reading around the web, I've seen discussions of evidence that the TalkTalk system is being made to ignore the website owner's "disallow" instruction. This means the website pays for the extra download of data to TalkTalk for the daily scanning of the content (allegedly only for anti-virus checks). This is not right for charity websites in my view, nor for moneysavingexperts who have a hobby site or small business.

Thoughts anyone?

Official TalkTalk discussion area: http://www.talktalkmembers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=54112

aliEnRIK

PaulHUK wrote: »

Thoughts anyone?

Official TalkTalk discussion area: http://www.talktalkmembers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=54112

I wouldnt touch ANYTHING from talk talk..........

23n1th

I wouldn't touch it. Sounds like Talk Talk are trying to track what you do on the internet to make money. No Thanks I'll keep my privacy.

aliEnRIK

Just as a sidenote. Does this mean everything will have a higher ping rate too? (Anything thats scanned will surely higher the ping rate)

23n1th

aliEnRIK wrote: »

Just as a sidenote. Does this mean everything will have a higher ping rate too? (Anything thats scanned will surely higher the ping rate)

It would definitely delay web browsing as all traffic is going through a middleman.

I would imagine Talk talk are trying to do what opera mini has done. However whereas opera minis main function is to improve speed with the user data as an added bonus. Talk Talk are just interested in the user data and can only think of "security" as a way of scaring people into using it.