For a while I was using Norton '08, and realised that the constant computer slowdown was due to LiveUpdate eating 100% of the CPU. Then I moved to AVG '08, with pretty much the same thing happening (caused by the Resident Shield). Pretty annoying when you're trying to play something without constant computer-induced frameskipping.
At the moment I'm trying to find a set of good programs to use, and I'm on ESET NOD32 Business, Ad-Aware '08 and Outpost Firewall Pro '09, which seems to be a little easier on system resources at the moment. Only occasionally will the CPU go up over 25%, but that's mainly Firefox's fault. Time will tell, however.
So out of curiosity, what are people using? Any recommendations?
Computer Security
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Stormwatch
- Posts: 2327
- Joined: Thu Jan 27, 2005 1:04 am
- Location: Brazil
- Contact:
When I ran XP, I occasionally ran manually-initiated full system scans with Ad-Aware, Spybot, and whichever antivirus I was using at the time (typically AVG Free or ClamAV). I disabled any and all "active protection" bullshit in such software. I don't think I ever found a firewall program that I liked. Honestly, the best defenses against viruses/trojans have nothing to do with "security" software:
1) Research software before you install it; if there's nothing positive about it on the Web outside of its own page, chances are you don't want it anyway.
2) Only obtain software from official or other community-trusted sources. Avoid software from companies that look like they have a marketing department bigger than their track record.
3) Keep your security patches on your OS and web browser up to date.
4) Keep backups of any important files so that you can recover in case of a system that's infected beyond repair (or a hard drive crash, or a rogue power supply, or a tired/drunk user...).
1) Research software before you install it; if there's nothing positive about it on the Web outside of its own page, chances are you don't want it anyway.
2) Only obtain software from official or other community-trusted sources. Avoid software from companies that look like they have a marketing department bigger than their track record.
3) Keep your security patches on your OS and web browser up to date.
4) Keep backups of any important files so that you can recover in case of a system that's infected beyond repair (or a hard drive crash, or a rogue power supply, or a tired/drunk user...).
^^^ I used to think so, until I went to a very legal, very legit site that started using banner ads to support itself. One of the damn ads came loaded with orz.exe, which proceded to download a nasty trojan onto my computer. By the time the Antivirus caught it, the damage was done. I don't navigate the web without that, firewall and antispyware. All running on full blast. I got infected by simply visiting a site.
Don't hold grudges. GET EVEN.
My XP security setup explained in as few words as possible:
- Don't forget to run chkdsk /r from the command line now and then in addition to using Disk Defrag when needed (and when you have time; don't get obsessive about defragging; best thing MS did with this program was get rid of the block-shifting UI, although I don't like Vista's approach to defrag)
- Firefox 3.X with master password set and FlashBlock installed (using only three plugins at the moment)
- SpyBot: S&D with TeaTimer and SDHelper (more info below)
- don't use Internets Exploder 7
- Symantec Anti-Virus (more info below)
- Hosts.txt file
- HARDWARE firewall and I also leave on XP's built-in firewall
- Only one profile; manually check the Processes list now and then (all my XP installs normally run less than 40 processes; I had one running just 24 or so when setting it up).
- Possibly the biggest one for XP users: don't ignore updates, install BOTH Service Packs (SP3 should be safe by now) and switch to Microsoft Update (as opposed to Windows Update, which just updates Windows but not Office or other MS programs). More info below again.
- I also turn off all that glittery XP UI garbage and check the Services to save CPU cycles, but messing with Services can be a bad idea.
- Don't install registry cleaners or use them. But do make a backup of your registry, and do look for safe registry tweaks like disabling the last file access update if you want more power.
I believe that it's not safe to run Ad-Aware or other spyware cleaners at the same time one is running SpyBot. If you have TeaTimer (which was just updated to cache scan results and correct the low-priority process consuming 100% of the CPU at idle on low-spec machines), a good Hosts.txt file (I just use SpyBot's because I'm lazy), and good settings on your browser you don't need anything else in the way of spyware sweepers.
The idea is to stop stuff from installing in the first place, after all; SpyBot does that well along with smart browsing habits, and I'm not a fan of actually having to run the sweep function. Plus you have the problem of false positives and the two sweepers warring with each other. Also, SpyBot now has opened up a form of open-contribution spyware reporting on their Forum which should help put them above their competition (such as it is).
On to antivirus software: I run a Symantec Antivirus 10.1.6.6000 package distributed by my college. No problems at all on dual-core machines. Actually I'm not sure if I put it back on a 2.7 GHz Celeron machine or not, but I had it there as well and it did eat up some processor time there.
Onto a hardware firewall...I don't think I have run into anybody trying to hax my computer into a zombie drone, but then again I rarely (like once every two years) check the logfiles on my router.
It's a good idea not to install XP while connected to the internet regardless. I hook it up ASAP to get all updates.
On that topic - lots of people think that they are protected by Windows/Microsoft Update but then don't install updates when it asks for them. I recently ran into a situation where somebody thought a single update wasn't important, and it wasn't; but only after it installed that one would it bring up other far more important updates like Service Pack 3.
- Don't forget to run chkdsk /r from the command line now and then in addition to using Disk Defrag when needed (and when you have time; don't get obsessive about defragging; best thing MS did with this program was get rid of the block-shifting UI, although I don't like Vista's approach to defrag)
- Firefox 3.X with master password set and FlashBlock installed (using only three plugins at the moment)
- SpyBot: S&D with TeaTimer and SDHelper (more info below)
- don't use Internets Exploder 7
- Symantec Anti-Virus (more info below)
- Hosts.txt file
- HARDWARE firewall and I also leave on XP's built-in firewall
- Only one profile; manually check the Processes list now and then (all my XP installs normally run less than 40 processes; I had one running just 24 or so when setting it up).
- Possibly the biggest one for XP users: don't ignore updates, install BOTH Service Packs (SP3 should be safe by now) and switch to Microsoft Update (as opposed to Windows Update, which just updates Windows but not Office or other MS programs). More info below again.
- I also turn off all that glittery XP UI garbage and check the Services to save CPU cycles, but messing with Services can be a bad idea.
- Don't install registry cleaners or use them. But do make a backup of your registry, and do look for safe registry tweaks like disabling the last file access update if you want more power.
I believe that it's not safe to run Ad-Aware or other spyware cleaners at the same time one is running SpyBot. If you have TeaTimer (which was just updated to cache scan results and correct the low-priority process consuming 100% of the CPU at idle on low-spec machines), a good Hosts.txt file (I just use SpyBot's because I'm lazy), and good settings on your browser you don't need anything else in the way of spyware sweepers.
The idea is to stop stuff from installing in the first place, after all; SpyBot does that well along with smart browsing habits, and I'm not a fan of actually having to run the sweep function. Plus you have the problem of false positives and the two sweepers warring with each other. Also, SpyBot now has opened up a form of open-contribution spyware reporting on their Forum which should help put them above their competition (such as it is).
On to antivirus software: I run a Symantec Antivirus 10.1.6.6000 package distributed by my college. No problems at all on dual-core machines. Actually I'm not sure if I put it back on a 2.7 GHz Celeron machine or not, but I had it there as well and it did eat up some processor time there.
Onto a hardware firewall...I don't think I have run into anybody trying to hax my computer into a zombie drone, but then again I rarely (like once every two years) check the logfiles on my router.
It's a good idea not to install XP while connected to the internet regardless. I hook it up ASAP to get all updates.
On that topic - lots of people think that they are protected by Windows/Microsoft Update but then don't install updates when it asks for them. I recently ran into a situation where somebody thought a single update wasn't important, and it wasn't; but only after it installed that one would it bring up other far more important updates like Service Pack 3.
I have a Toshiba Satellite 2535 with two ethernet cards and win2k sp4 connected directly to a cable modem. The other computers connect through it. 4+ years, no malware. I never, ever use Internet Explorer (well... I believe Steam uses the IE DLLs to display its page, but that can't be helped.) It's security through obscurity I guess, but if anything did bite me I could probably fix it. Failing that, I have backups.
I've fixed other people's PCs that were infested with crapware. I can hardly imagine how they do it.
I've fixed other people's PCs that were infested with crapware. I can hardly imagine how they do it.
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Super X Gamma
- Posts: 27
- Joined: Mon Jul 07, 2008 8:07 pm
Naturally, I'm only using a hardware firewall, using a safe browser (Opera 9) and keeping a keen eye on my system. Over the past ~5 years, the only viruses that happened to infect my system were those brought in with the other people's files, and even those did no harm.
I don't run any passive antiviruses because I hate the slowdown as well.
I use Avira AntiVir (personal version is free) at my workplace computer, though, because compromising any information stored there is a risk I can't bear alone. Works pretty decently.
I don't run any passive antiviruses because I hate the slowdown as well.
I use Avira AntiVir (personal version is free) at my workplace computer, though, because compromising any information stored there is a risk I can't bear alone. Works pretty decently.
Matskat wrote:This neighborhood USED to be nice...until that family of emulators moved in across the street....
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themachinist
- Posts: 780
- Joined: Sat Mar 17, 2007 9:25 pm
- Location: Space, the final frontier.
I have heard good things about avast, either it's free or there's a free version. I actually don't even have any anti-virus software installed right now. I use the free version of zone alarm firewall and I just run some anti spyware stuff every now and then and visit trusted sites. winxp. My comps clean though.
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GaijinPunch
- Posts: 15853
- Joined: Mon Jan 31, 2005 11:22 pm
- Location: San Fransicso
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themachinist
- Posts: 780
- Joined: Sat Mar 17, 2007 9:25 pm
- Location: Space, the final frontier.
Ubuntu is the new Mac (or maybe the new Safari)