How could someone survive without an Anti-Virus Software?

[ejb190]

Originally Posted by Mousse

The biggest help was the "$200 fine" they have to pay if I need to fix their workstation. The boss liked the idea of not wasting company resources.

That's interesting. It would be interesting to study the affect of that fine on the habits/culture of the users and what lengths they might go to to avoid calling IT if something does go wrong.

I have a PC that has no AV software and I know it is completely safe. I never connect it to the internet!

[tech4all]

Originally Posted by ejb190

I have a PC that has no AV software and I know it is completely safe. I never connect it to the internet!

But what if someone goes to your computer and breaks it with a sledge hammer?

Kidding

But you gotta connect to the net if you want to do system updates to get the latest patches and what not. Even if you had some other means to get them, they still have to come from the Internet and 'could' be infected.

[Leet Apple]

Haven't seen a virus since my PC days 2 years ago

[yg17]

I don't use AV software, I just make sure to get all of my porn and warez from safe, reputable sites

[iJohnHenry]

Originally Posted by Leet Apple

Haven't seen a virus since my PC days 2 years ago

Almost 5 for me, Brotha.

[Leet Apple]

Originally Posted by iJohnHenry

Almost 5 for me, Brotha.

[Huntn]

Originally Posted by SandboxGeneral

If you use Firefox you can install an add-on called NoScript which blocks all Javascript functions on webpages and lets you allow/disallow which scripts you want to run on any given page. This will go a very long way in protecting you online, since many viruses these day's use Javascript to infect PC's.

There is a similar add-on for Google Chrome called ScriptNo that does the same thing.

Here is an MP3 link to the podcast Security Now where they talk in detail about ScriptNo and NoScript.

I've been using NoScript for years and am now in the habit of for every new site I go to, turning on a script or two... I've been using Windows for years and the only viruses I have personally seen were on my Mac in an email attachment created for Windows.

[chown33]

Originally Posted by SerraAbs

they can claim all they want, their system maybe compromised without their knowledge!

Unfortunately, this statement is true even when one is running AV software.

Your system can be attacked and compromised using a zero-day exploit that no AV vendor knows about yet. Your machine and its contents are compromised, but unless and until the AV software learns the malware's signature, it will remain so and you won't necessarily have any knowledge of it.

There have been several examples of zero-day exploits that weren't known to AV vendors or to the OS provider for fairly long periods of time. Stuxnet is one that comes to mind, but I know there are others.

[TedM]

Originally Posted by ViolentHero

For years me and my family have tried to keep our computers safe from online threats. These days, after removing a virus on my 2005 Dell Notebook with Windows XP, I've been using...

Microsoft Security Essentials
Windows Firewall
Firefox with AdBlock Add-on
A 2004 Belkin router that's password protected with built-in firewall turned on

No problems since having this setup but the notebook is now old, I haven't used it often. Lately, I hear stories of Windows users who claimed to not have used an AV for years and are still fine. How is that possible? Personally, I wouldn't take the risk. The last time I got a virus, it was from a safe site. Believe it or not, I got the Security Tool virus from deviantArt back in 2009.

I'm using windows 8 with no anti virus. It does come with windows defender which is actually decent, but in reality to get a virus you have to do something shifty or be tricked.

Bad sites
Downloading Stuff
Cookies

All of these are ways this could happen. Watch where you go and what you do and you'll be fine.

[ViolentHero]

Originally Posted by TedM

I'm using windows 8 with no anti virus. It does come with windows defender which is actually decent, but in reality to get a virus you have to do something shifty or be tricked.

Bad sites
Downloading Stuff
Cookies

All of these are ways this could happen. Watch where you go and what you do and you'll be fine.

deviantArt is a safe site. It's supposed to be a safe site. There were other users who got the same virus like me. The users say that it is placed in the ad spaces which is why I am now using AdBlock with Firefox. I'm not sure if it's still going on though. Hopefully, users might have reported it to deviantArt and got rid of it already. Still, I'm using Firefox or Chrome just to be safe.

EDIT: Security Tool, the virus pretending to be an anti-virus, got installed on my PC on its own without my permission when it happened back in 2009.

[Mousse]

Originally Posted by SerraAbs

IMO they cant, an antivirus product + a firewall is a must!

I view anit-virus in the same light as the TSA. It gives you a false sense of security and wastes a lot of time. The last thing I need to have my machine running slow because Norton feels the need to do a cavity search on all the data coming through my router.

Firewall is a must.

Originally Posted by SerraAbs

they can claim all they want, their system maybe compromised without their knowledge!

Lots of system get compromised without the users knowledge, AV programs or no. As long as the computer doesn't go cuckoo for cocopuffs, it's all good. Weird stuff starts happening, most of it can be undone with a restore from a previous state with System Restore. Worse case, a full reimaging from back up. Hardly a problem for someone who never keeps important info on his computer.

[jasonvp]

Originally Posted by Mousse

As always, the best anti-malware out their is your noggin.

Bingo. I have never run AV/AM software on my Windows gaming rig, and I've never had a problem with it. The simple fact of the matter is: I engage the grey matter between my ears before I do anything on that machine.

I even turn off the Windows "firewall" (har har). But that's because I understand that network security should be handled elsewhere (ie, in the network).

jas