[pchelpers] Re: Antivirus recommendations

> Currently AVG free (resident shield turned off) and AntiVir free
> regularly update and scan on boot (NOT in safe mode) I installed
> A-squared free and Bitdefender after receiving this post. I scan
> ''manually'' with Spybot S&D.
> 
> Is this sufficient protection or overkill?

Apparently you didn't see what Scott and i wrote in the thread "New 
Antivirus recommendations":

Spybot S&D is not enough because it's detection rate is not very good 
and because it doesn't provide real-time protection. (Actually it does, 
but this function is as deficient as its name, TeaTimer.)

See also http://local.nu/HelpDesk/index.php/Anti-spyware_software

The only real protection against malware is provided by applying basic 
safe computing methods:

1) Use only a safe browser and an email program that are not directly
connected with the operating system, in other words, not MS products and
the many IE clones. That has the extra advantage that you don't have to
delete an important but infected email and can read it without any
danger as long as you don't open the attachment.

2) Don't open any attachment coming from someone you know unless it's
announced in the email. Even then, you should realise this precaution
only eliminates malware automatically attached by infected computers,
not "cool" or funny stuff that people send on purpose without knowing
it's infected.

3) Obviously don't open any attachments coming from strangers until
you've corresponded with them enough to trust them.

4) Don't download anything from shady websites even if you have a safe
browser. If people finally realised that surfing with IE is like walking
down dangerous side streets and entering stores with offers too good to
be true, they wouldn't go to shady websites. Even Google results usually
show enough to know not to click on the link. With a safe browser, it's
like sending your robot there; you can use it to spy on the crooks, but
you wouldn't make the robot bring any junk home from there...

5) Use *one* good firewall, antivirus, and antispyware program each, and
update them and your operating system regularly. Almost all antivirus
programs have real-time protection ("guard", "shield", "on-access
scanning", etc.) but many antispyware programs don't. Most users are not
savvy enough to be protected sufficiently unless both their antivirus
and antispyware programs are actively analysing all downloaded and
opened files for malware all the time.

6) Install and run https://psi.secunia.com/ or regularly run
http://secunia.com/software_inspector/


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