Viewing Thread:
"Security Software."

Could I just ask for your recommendations / ratings on anti-virus / firewall, (etc) software packages which you currently use?

At the moment, I've got Norton Internet Security 2003, but am intending to get some newer software as the subscription expires at the end of the month.

I was just going to get the 2005 edition, but wanted to see what the more experienced among this forum use - if you wouldn't mind sparing a minute or two?

Could I just ask for your recommendations / ratings on anti-virus / firewall, (etc) software packages which you currently use?

At the moment, I've got Norton Internet Security 2003, but am intending to get some newer software as the subscription expires at the end of the month.

I was just going to get the 2005 edition, but wanted to see what the more experienced among this forum use - if you wouldn't mind sparing a minute or two?

Firewall:
Try either ZoneAlarm or Windows XP Firewall.

Anti-Virus:
AVG Free Edition

Anti-Spyware:
Lavasoft AdAware
Spybot Search & Destroy
MS Anti-Spyware

Just chaned mine from NIS 2004 Pro to:

Black Ice Defender
Sophos
M$ Anti Spyware.

Tyla wrote:

> Sophos

We have a running joke at college in computing that Sophos's update client was written it Visual Basic and just displays some random file names instead of actually doing anything. Having said that, it doesn't seem to bad as an antivirus program, apart from the fact it stops HTML files as viruses from removable storage.

Allred wrote:
> Tyla wrote:
>
> Sophos
>
> We have a running joke at college in computing that Sophos's update
> client was written it Visual Basic and just displays some random file
> names instead of actually doing anything.

I could ask them for you if you want. Friend of mine is one of their software testers there and their UK office is only just down the road from me!;)

I've got everything on your list Nimco (minus Windows Firewall enabled), as well as NIS 2003, yet still got stung somehow. Is there any truth that multiple apps (NIS 2003 vs. the rest) conflict with one another, meaning protection is compromised (I also managed to get that PrevX software that Tyla recommended working too)?

And just out of interest Tyla, what made you switch from NIS?

Some AV packages will attack each other if they've got the Heuristic scanning turned on cos they're designed to look for programs scanning files - which obviously each program is doing.

Similarly with firewalls, they each detect a firewall trying to control access.

Anti-spyware programs won't (shouldn't) conflict though.

cjh wrote:
> I've got everything on your list Nimco (minus Windows Firewall
> enabled), as well as NIS 2003, yet still got stung somehow.

Do you keep your Windows Updates up straight ? Otherwise malicious code could still run if you're unlucky...

As MS quote everywhere on their security pages you need 3 things to stay safe:

Firewall - Windows Updates - Anti-Virus

Obviously if you (or someone else using your PC) gets tricked in to clicking YES for anything then you can still get 'stung'.

cjh wrote:
> > And just out of interest Tyla, what made you switch from NIS?

Got a freebie of Sophos from my friend there, and Black Ice is just so much better

Hmmm... wrote:
> Do you keep your Windows Updates up straight? Otherwise malicious
> code could still run if you're unlucky...

Generally, yes, although I am finding myself relying on the auto-update to download them and ask me to install, although I find that when each security package is released (every second Tuesday I believe) that it takes my PC two or three days to start downloading.

Cheers for the info Nimco, I'll have to go through all the options and make sure just one is running in Heuristic scanning.