So my mom's Norton is going to expire tomorrow, and my McAfee is going to expire in 19 days. What options would be good?
My mom's computer uses Windows 8.1
Mine is a using Windows 7 Premium Home Edition SP1.
I already have both Spybot: Search & Destroy and Malwarebytes Antimalware on both of our computers.
I was considering using Avast/AVG/Ad-Aware, but in the post below Shane said he's using two of them. Is two (free) anti-virus programs a good idea?
https://www.bogosity.tv/forum/index.php?topic=2228.msg20788#msg20788
It is not generally considered a good idea to run two anti-virus programs at the same time. Understand though, an anti-virus is not a firewall, which is not a malware detection/deletion program, which is not an ad-blocker. Some anti-viruses come in suites that have all those things, but you generally have to pay for that. That being said, I've been using the Avast! free edition for a few months now, and it seems to be satisfactory.
So short story lengthened for clarity:
I'd recommend EITHER the AVG or AVAST AND EITHER Ad-aware OR AD BLOCKER to add to your Spybot and Malwarebytes. Also, be sure to completely remove the old anti-virus from the system, firstly to avoid annoying reminders and secondly to avoid a scenario where one anti-virus prevents the other from working.
It is if Ad-Aware is the second; it's the only one I'm aware of that'll recognize another AV program and let it be the master.
But it's really for the belt-and-suspenders tin-foil-hat-paranoid crowd. These days, I think most people would be safe with Windows Defender.
Quote from: MrBogosity on February 25, 2014, 04:18:04 PM
It is if Ad-Aware is the second; it's the only one I'm aware of that'll recognize another AV program and let it be the master.
But it's really for the belt-and-suspenders tin-foil-hat-paranoid crowd. These days, I think most people would be safe with Windows Defender.
I fall into the paranoid crowd just because I tend to go to more websites--and if the post I linked to of you is any indicator, I think you are too. :P My mom probably is paranoid about it too, but she mainly just uses her computer for her e-mail (she's good with not opening bad attachments/e-mails), general web browsing (e.g. Googling/going to ask.com for health questions, searching for a doctor, etc). Still, good to know there are options besides the ones you pay for and even one with Windows, as I'm told they have their own anti-virus for free.
@Dallen. Yeah, I will definitely remember to delete the stuff from my system entirely, thanks for the heads up. :)
Quote from: Travis Retriever on February 25, 2014, 04:36:47 PM
I fall into the paranoid crowd just because I tend to go to more websites--and if the post I linked to of you is any indicator, I think you are too. :P My mom probably is paranoid about it too, but she mainly just uses her computer for her e-mail (she's good with not opening bad attachments/e-mails), general web browsing (e.g. Googling/going to ask.com for health questions, searching for a doctor, etc). Still, good to know there are options besides the ones you pay for and even one with Windows, as I'm told they have their own anti-virus for free.
@Dallen. Yeah, I will definitely remember to delete the stuff from my system entirely, thanks for the heads up. :)
that's not paranoid: that is understandable. If you're going to go to dubious websites on a regular basis, then it follows you might need something stronger.
Quote from: Travis Retriever on February 25, 2014, 04:36:47 PM
I fall into the paranoid crowd just because I tend to go to more websites--and if the post I linked to of you is any indicator, I think you are too. :P My mom probably is paranoid about it too, but she mainly just uses her computer for her e-mail (she's good with not opening bad attachments/e-mails), general web browsing (e.g. Googling/going to ask.com for health questions, searching for a doctor, etc). Still, good to know there are options besides the ones you pay for and even one with Windows, as I'm told they have their own anti-virus for free.
@Dallen. Yeah, I will definitely remember to delete the stuff from my system entirely, thanks for the heads up. :)
Do you happen to know the e-mail/username/password of the person that owns the ISP account? I'm not talking about the one you use for your personal stuff here, I'm talking about the one your ISP gave you when you (or the person that actually has the account) first had the service installed. (If you can sign on to the ISP's homepage, and look at your bill, then say yes.)
If you do, chances are very good that you are provided with one of the PAID anti-virus/firewall/anti-malware suites as part of your subscription. Generally, you'd have to look for a link that says "software" (on the homepage) and then "security" (on the drop-menu that appears when you hover on "software").
Quote from: dallen68 on February 25, 2014, 05:23:19 PM
Do you happen to know the e-mail/username/password of the person that owns the ISP account? I'm not talking about the one you use for your personal stuff here, I'm talking about the one your ISP gave you when you (or the person that actually has the account) first had the service installed. (If you can sign on to the ISP's homepage, and look at your bill, then say yes.)
If you do, chances are very good that you are provided with one of the PAID anti-virus/firewall/anti-malware suites as part of your subscription. Generally, you'd have to look for a link that says "software" (on the homepage) and then "security" (on the drop-menu that appears when you hover on "software").
Yes, but it's with Verizon, and after them getting involved with the NSA, I don't trust them with that stuff.
EDIT: And come to think of it, Microsoft is pulling that kind of bogosity too, so I probably wouldn't want to trust them with it either.
After this computer dies, I plan on switching to WINE/Ubuntu if not full on Linux, depending on what Software (and Linux alternatives are available) I have to use at work as an Electrical Engineer. What kind of protection should I use for a computer that I build myself running WINE/Ubuntu/Linux?
Quote from: Travis Retriever on February 25, 2014, 05:26:42 PM
Yes, but it's with Verizon, and after them getting involved with the NSA, I don't trust them with that stuff.
EDIT: And come to think of it, Microsoft is pulling that kind of bogosity too, so I probably wouldn't want to trust them with it either.
After this computer dies, I plan on switching to WINE/Ubuntu if not full on Linux, depending on what Software (and Linux alternatives are available) I have to use at work as an Electrical Engineer. What kind of protection should I use for a computer that I build myself running WINE/Ubuntu/Linux?
Hmmm... That's actually a good question. I believe the Ubuntu suite you can pick up at FRY's electronics has that kind of thing on the disk, but I have absolutely no experience with non-IBM based machines, so I can't tell you how good/bad it would be. (Well, I did use an Apple 2e in High School, but that sort of thing wasn't a
big issue thing then ;) )