The complete, consolidated Anti-Virus thread « Ask your 'What AV?' questions here!

[oh_yeah456]

IMO there is no such thing as the best antivirus. They all pick up different things, but they all miss heaps =P

[legionnaire]

I've tried quite a few anti virus products recently, and ill say that Kaspersky the best one i've used, Currently using Kaspersky Internet Security 2010 and its great.

[MR CHILLED]

Originally Posted by legionnaire

I've tried quite a few anti virus products recently, and ill say that Kaspersky the best one i've used

What makes it the best out of all that you have used?

[Silence [ECHO]™]

Not sure if anyone's posted my little friend "Panda Anti-Virus" you need to pay for it, or you can use the trial.

[-=N0N@ME420=-]

Originally Posted by MR CHILLED

I don't think it is 100% true in all cases but I think there is some amount of truth to it. So it's a matter of degree's.

I would be stupid to say that the big malware producers from russia are not looking at the biggest target they can get, but as they say,

In 1984, technologist Stuart Brand quipped, -Information wants to be free." As a programmer, it's up to you to protect the information your system creates and works with, and to ensure its continuous and appropriate availability. Practicing security through obscurity ignores these responsibilities in the false hope that no one will notice. It's an open invitation to attack. With a little additional effort you can prevent the holes that obscurity hides from seeping into your code.

A big reason why we aren't seeing blaster and code red worms anymore is because microsoft have actually picked up that security is an issue.

This thread seems less and less about what is 'best' and more about 'what I have been using and find adequate'

[azron]

Originally Posted by -=N0N@ME420=-

A big reason why we aren't seeing blaster and code red worms anymore is because microsoft have actually picked up that security is an issue.

This thread seems less and less about what is 'best' and more about 'what I have been using and find adequate'

No, the reason why we aren't seeing anymore code red and nimda jobs is that malware authors who were previously only interested in annoying and destructive attacks are no soley focus on financial motives. It's easier to fly under the radar and create a piece of malicious code that they can specifically target (spear phish like) or use en mass for a short period of time(conficker). Although conficker is a bad example of the current trend of malware authors, the media hype around what it was going to do scared off the bot herder controlling the malware drop points...

But, FakeAV programs, 'codecs' for random pr0n films, banking/WoW password stealing trojans to name but a few are released in droves day after day... AND, AND, not just for Windows either... Jahlev-c and its 'siblings' is a multi-OS aware drive by download trojan which will serve up either a DMG or EXE file depending on the visiting browser... Sort a really the Jscript associated with the site serving up the dodgy stuff, but hey, thats malware these days... infection in depth!

So, for those of you who assume that malware is only associated with the Windows based OSs, you have your head up your ass. Granted it may not be widespread, but dont think for a second that using an alternative to Windows as your OS is in itself an alternative to running a form of Anti Virus application.

[-=N0N@ME420=-]

Jahlev-c and its 'siblings' is a multi-OS aware drive by download trojan which will serve up either a DMG or EXE file depending on the visiting browser...

http://macscan.securemac.com/osxjahl...-trojan-horse/

The trojan horse OSX/Jahlav-C recently reported in the news is in fact a variant of the already discovered DNSChanger Trojan Horse.

It's a trojan, you have to go to a fairly typical site, click on the video, it will then mention you need an active x controller to be installed, and you have to run the file. Same old, same old.

I'm interested in a multi-os aware drive by download malware, I can't find much on this though, do you have any links? Unless by drive by download you mean it pops up as a download and you have to click save and then run the trojan?

So, for those of you who assume that malware is only associated with the Windows based OSs, you have your head up your ass.

Indeed, malware is not limited to any os, it's just a lot easier to target windows thanks to their slow patch management among other things.

Granted it may not be widespread, but dont think for a second that using an alternative to Windows as your OS is in itself an alternative to running a form of Anti Virus application.

This is a fallacy, you're suggesting because there are random binaries on the internet, that you can download, and if you install as root, and from this get infected, you must run anti-virus on EVERY os you have.

To be honest at this point I'm gonna go with stop installing random binaries from crack websites?

To me anti-virus has always been a last, last, catch, if I've got an anti-malware program popping up saying it's protecting me from something I've failed.

If you download random binaries from random websites (especially the typical cracks/piracy/porn sites) and then install those random binaries as root, you shouldn't be using a pc IMO.

Linux users, like users on every operating system, must always be aware of security issues. They must act intelligently to keep their systems safe and secure. They should not run programs with root privileges when they are not required, and they should apply security patches regularly.

Misleading claims and false advertising by virus protection rackets to the contrary, you simply don't need antivirus products to keep your Linux box free of malware.

[jackdaw]

Eset NOD 32 here!

[paco92]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Trend Micro.

I use Trend Micro Internet Security Pro 09, have absolutely no issues with it, uses next to no resources (less the 1% when my pc is idle) and while the system scan (virus, spyware, malware etc.) it uses around 20% of my CPU. Updates come in daily so you're always protected.

My PC is pretty generally threat free, though i do run Spybot S&D occasionally, which picks up some spyware. Haven't had a virus on this PC though.

So yeah if you're willing to pay, Pro 09 (or 2010 is about to come out) is a good choice in my opinion

[Rem0]

I'm curious to know how people here rate their AV.
With todays beefed up, ram abundant systems you'd think resources weren't much of a concern anymore. I'd also assume that most people here are internet savvy and avoid nasty sources of infections.
I personally used AVG for a long time, it sat in my systray, it never detected anything.
I now use avast, it too sits in my systray, doing nothing.
I wouldn't know how to rate them since they do nothing.

Does this then mean that people here who highly recommend an AV are actually seeing results? are they being infected?

[power]

Originally Posted by Rem0

I'm curious to know how people here rate their AV.
With todays beefed up, ram abundant systems you'd think resources weren't much of a concern anymore. I'd also assume that most people here are internet savvy and avoid nasty sources of infections.
I personally used AVG for a long time, it sat in my systray, it never detected anything.
I now use avast, it too sits in my systray, doing nothing.
I wouldn't know how to rate them since they do nothing.

Does this then mean that people here who highly recommend an AV are actually seeing results? are they being infected?

I rate them based on how infected I've seen systems running them and I have seen systems heavily infected with AVG and avast installed. I have seen viruses break AVG so badly that it was blocking the internet connection . Also I rate them on removal as well, and I used to rate AVG pretty highly now I find it quite ineffective against many threats.

Many old school A/V products which have not become malware aware (think NOD32 - which tbh gets run over the top of by alot of stuff) are really battling atm.

[conky64au]

Has anyone tried blink by eeye?
Seems to be good for overall system protection.

[Foliage]

Originally Posted by azron

So, for those of you who assume that malware is only associated with the Windows based OSs, you have your head up your ass. Granted it may not be widespread, but dont think for a second that using an alternative to Windows as your OS is in itself an alternative to running a form of Anti Virus application.

That was exactly my point.

Originally Posted by power

Many old school A/V products which have not become malware aware (think NOD32 - which tbh gets run over the top of by alot of stuff) are really battling atm.

Sounds like you have a bit of experience in the field, what would you recommend?

[Silence [ECHO]™]

Oh forgot to mention i haven't used anti-virus in a long time, all i use is Malwarebytes Anti Malware, all i need.

[-=N0N@ME420=-]

Originally Posted by Silence [ECHO]™

Oh forgot to mention i haven't used anti-virus in a long time, all i use is Malwarebytes Anti Malware, all i need.

that depends on how safely you browse the web, how often you update your software etc

Originally Posted by Foliage

That was exactly my point.

And it's a terrible! Use linux for 5 minutes and you won't come to the same conclusion.