SO, You think your 'puta is virus safe NB

[rich]

SO, You think your \'puta is virus safe NB

I thought mine was with Norton, Ad-aware, & spy-bot until a computer genius came round today with a copy of Sophos and found 43 viruses and loads of other dodgy stuff.....most of it my fault because I hadn't updated things, or ignored them when they flashed up. He says that it's vital to have the latest version of Zone alarm and Ad-aware for starters, but that Norton is virtually useless - it must be because it missed all those viruses! I am not particurlarly hot on the techy side, (mechanics yes!) so there are plenty people more knowledgeable than me, but just be warned!

<hr width=100% size=1>http://www.jersey-harbours.com

 

[l'escargot]

Re: SO, You think your \'puta is virus safe NB

The reason the viruses got through is because you didn't update not because Norton is useless. Sophos would also have missed them if it had not been updated.

Ad aware, Spybot and Zonealarm do not stop viruses, you need them to stop other nasties. They also need to be updated regularly too.

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[rich]

Re: SO, You think your \'puta is virus safe NB

Ahem, Norton was updated.

<hr width=100% size=1>http://www.jersey-harbours.com

 

[abraxus]

Re: SO, You think your \'puta is virus safe NB

Actually Zonealarm does stop internet spread viruses. When that major virus hit most pc's a few months ago all of our company pc's were infected and my work laptop, which runs Sophos and is updated daily.

My home pc which runs zonealarm only was completely unaffected even though it is always online via broadband.

On my home pc I can't be bothered with anti virus software as it messes up too many other things, so only run zonealarm which has to date kept me virus free.

I also delete all spam email and email from people I've never heard of without opening them, and never open attachments unless I'm sure they're ok.

A decent firewall such as zonealarm coupled with common sense precautions will usually keep a pc safe from viruses.

Bill



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[l'escargot]

Re: SO, You think your \'puta is virus safe NB

Ahem' your post said: "most of it my fault because I hadn't updated things"

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[l'escargot]

Re: SO, You think your \'puta is virus safe NB

"Actually Zonealarm does stop internet spread viruses" - Zonelabs, who make Zonealarm disagree with you. See<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/company/products/znalm/comparison2.jsp?product4=zass&product2=zaav&product3=zap&product1=znalm&submit.x=47&submit.y=10> here</A> for product comparison. It depends what you have.

Zonealarm (the free one) and Zonealarm Pro don't stop viruses, Zonealarm with Antivirus and Zonealarm Security Suite do

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[Jools_of_Top_Cat]

Re: SO, You think your \'puta is virus safe NB

I know someone who used zone alarm. One of his friends to prove a point, who was a bit of a whiz got onto his computer over the web and turned my friends zone alarm off. He then had full access to his machine.

As a firewall I would not go back to zone alarm!

<hr width=100% size=1>Julian

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.topcatsail.co.uk>

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[abraxus]

Re: SO, You think your \'puta is virus safe NB

Zonealarm doubtless state all of that to encourage people to move from the free version to a paid for one. It may not be designed to stop viruses, but it certainly stopped the major attack that affected most pc's recently. My work laptop along with several hundred others at work and my dad's home pc were all infected within minutes of connecting to the internet. My home pc was on continually throughout and remained clean.

If you set the right permissions and alerts the free version of zonealarm is more than adequate for those who aren't going to be specifically targetted by hackers and take reasonable precautions.

Of course it isn't designed as an antivirus tool, but as it prevents anything being downloaded or gaining internet access without your say so, it's pretty good if you set it up right and pay attention to it's alerts. Naturally it can't protect against infected emails and attachments, and you either need anti virus software, or as the virus writers are usually one step ahead, just don't open any unless you know they're safe.

As for a computer with zonealarm, or any firewall installed for that matter, being hacked, if someone targets a specific pc rather than casts a wide net looking for holes, the it probably doesn't matter what you have installed. A determined hacker will get through pretty much anything if he wants to.

Most anti virus or firewall software aimed at the home user is designed to protect against blanket attacks looking for security holes but would be up against it if someone wanted to specifically hack your machine.

If you open all email and attachments indiscriminately, use websites that require you to install programs, such as free download sites, or use file sharing sites, then you will definitely need a good anti virus program that is regularly updated. But if you don't, and follow a few basic precautions, then a decent free firewall package does the job.

I've managed to remain virus free for 8 years and my pc is on and online for about 12 hours a day.

Bill

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[[2574]]

Re: SO, You think your \'puta is virus safe NB

I dunno about this - I've only ever used Norton (AV & firewall) and my pc has been online 16hours most days for the past two years and I've never been infected. This is all a mystery to a teccie cretin such as myself - I can only comment from experience and I've had no problems with Norton.

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[burgundyben]

Re: SO, You think your \'puta is virus safe NB

I use my home PC for typing the odd letter and for surfing and email, I keep letters backed up on a floppy and regularly export my outlook address book and favourites to a floppy. I use minimal applications and dont pay for any adware or virus programs, if puter gets slow or hit by virus I format hard drive, re-install windows and office and re-make my web connection.

Minimalism is the way.

<hr width=100% size=1>My house is for sale, 2 beds, Hamble.

 

[Kevin]

Re: SO, You think your \'puta is virus safe NB

Hi

I think on a home computer, to me anyway, its more important to stop tracking cookies, ad software,spyware etc etc which are truely annoying things!! rather than worry too much about firewalls stopping hackers, I use Zone alarm and ad ware ( not ad-aware- that ballsed up my computer when i deleted some spy ware it had found, absloute nightmare and took ages to scan, no adware takes a about 10 seconds and no problems)

To stop the unwanted tracking cookies, ad software etc I use spywareblaster this prevents it being loaded onto the computer rather than most of the others finding it and removing it once it is there, since installing it I never have ad software, spyware pop ups or anything else annoying. It also stops viruses from being uploaded.

If you want to check your computer there are sites which will run a test to see how protected you are. Using Zone alarm and the other couple of things I have installed, I was told by a few sites that the hacker would need to know more info about my computer before any relevent attacks could take place.

never will be completely safe

Kevin

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[BustinAround]

Re: SO, You think your \'puta is virus safe NB

Wrong, what they're saying is that its not a virus scanner. It will however stop any viruses that spread by exploiting security holes in windows, which unless you are very foolish, are the only type that will threaten you.

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[adrianm]

Re: SO, You think your \'puta is virus safe NB

I had a guy at work who said Norton was useless because there were over a hundred viruses on one PC. After checking I found it was a hundred files infected with one virus that had been correctly quarantined by Norton!

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[BrendanS]

Re: SO, You think your \'puta is virus safe NB

quite. No way that Norton is going to miss 47 viruses if it's kept updated, unless the viruses were already on the computer before it was installed, and no hard drive scan was done.

Norton is a perfectly capable antivirus, though like all other anti virus software is not foolproof. Most of the top antivirus software are about equal in capability for home use. It wouldn't have been my first choice, but came with my computer, and has worked perfectly even though it gets a hammering because of my internet surfing and searching, and my computer is online 24hrs a day.

My first line of defence will always be a good firewall, and despite claims to the contrary,good firewalls will actually stop most viruses and worms taking effect, even if it isn't an already known virus (so getting past the antivirus) as they look for suspicious activities.

The other main line of defence is to download and install all the available MS security updates (for the vast majority of people using Microsoft operating systems. Later systems like XP will do this for you automatically without you having to do anything if you set up auto update)

<hr width=100% size=1>Me transmitte sursum, caledoni