Let's face it. All the problems with spammers and hackers, zombies etc has to do with thousands or millions of people who have computers but don't buy virus protection. Am I right or not? Huge problem. Now we have this new epidemic. It's estimated that 1 in 16 computers have this freaking conficker/downadup trojan on their machins.... 1 in 16 and that's a conservative estimate. It's HUGE. It's the worst in 6 years. Real bad. Miserable.

So what do I do? I go to a site to do a free scan just in case my own "free" virus software isn't working. Sure enough, a fourth of the way through the scan and it reports I have 13 "infected files" what ever the hell that means. My options? Free scanning that only does half the job. Free with registration that only does a partial job... or pay MONEY to keep my computer safe when EVERYONE ON THE PLANET WITH A PC needs this protection.

I don't understand. I don't get email on my PC, only on the mac. I don't go flitting about to unknown web sites. I don't go to hacker sites or visit porn (on the PC that is ). I don't get files from anyone. How the heck did I get viruses? I think PC virus protection should be part of the purchase price or included with a computer. If this is such a huge problem and so many people are told everyday to "update their anti virus definitions" why is a problem this huge left up to people to do on their own? Put the dang stuff in there from the get go. Make it a part of the dang OS. What's the deal? How did I get infected in the first place? Did it travel over my network from the Mac? I didn't think that was possible. Is there a virus that can do that? Did I touch someone with a virus and then use my mouse? (that's a joke actually).

I do everything but disconnect the internet entirely from my PC. I need it hooked to the router to transfer files from the mac and get the occasional software download/update (I actually download PC software on the Mac and transfer it most of the time).

I don't understand why there isn't a free top of the line full featured catch everything virus/malware protection application when you can get kick arse FREE applications for nearly every other task you need to do. If there is such virus protection out there PLEASE let me know.

I'm waiting for my scan to finish to find out precisely what those 13 infected files actually are. It looks like it might take another hour.

-vern

I do know that Macs have their own protection kindof. Apple constantly release's "security" updates which are made when they find a virus for mac. I have heard that Windows vista and 7 have better* protection but it all comes down to reckless downloading and illegal downloading (uTorrent Limewire)

Photoman

I can relate to Vern's experience and it really sucks! About 8 months ago I had the geek squad out to figure out why my PC and my wife's PC were performing and booting sooooo slowly. We both had Norton 360 and on top of Norton's spyware protection we had another spyware program (spyware sweeper if memory serves) both updating definition files daily and doing full scans daily. The diagnosis: we each had half a dozen viruses and over 30 spy/mal-ware programs!!!!!! What the hell was Norton 360 doing!!! Funny I should ask! It was the reason it was taking 8 minutes to boot!!!

I asked them what 'they' had run to find this stuff AND what 'they' used on their PCs. The answer was the same. Webroot for virus and spyware and secondary programs for both virus and spyware (AVG's free versions). I asked about Norton (and Mcafee)... the guy, a real nerd, said they suck and are so big that they add about 4 minutes to boot time!! I took the three licenses I had just purchased two months before and tossed them, and switched to webroot and AVG. They seem to be doing their jobs but how can you tell? I got a lot of info from the guy from geek squad... how valid??? Who knows for sure. Based on his recommendations I also bought Register Mechanic, Qurb for spam and PAVARK for root kits (free). I personally recommend a goofy little program called Speedupmypc -- it really works.

One program called spyware protector is a complete sham! It is spyware!!! And these free scans... how can you know that the results are valid?? I would not be surprised to learn that the makers of anti-virus and spyware had a hand in creating it!!

The whole thing makes me crazy.

Rusty

As someone who installs networks and maintains them, it is a problem with all platforms. It has taken more of my time in the last month trying to update and reinstall virus protection than any other thing. I have installed anything from forefront, antigen, trend, mcaffee, symantec, kipersky, avg, wbroot, i hate spam/spyware, onecare, etc.... All of them do well in different areas. In the corporate world there are some new tools that some of the big names have invested very heavily. I hope to see some of those hit the consumer markets. Microsoft has now taken the OneCare line to the server 2008 world (small business) and have seen good results with that.

It is a frustrated thing. I hate to receive that call on a network that I have installed protection and they say "I have a virus". I know for the next few hours I am going to busy. The number one area that the end user will come away with a virus; facebook / myspace. Last week alone I had three networks infected because the end users d/l videos and played them in the office. The owners were not happy.

Vern I would say you will find that the registry will have the 13 viruses and in that there may be several areas the virus has laid it's foorprint. Good luck!

The free online virus scan wasn't AntivirusXP 2009 was it? If it was, you had better read this.
http://www.removeonline.com/remove-antivir...l-instructions/
For a more detailed description:
http://www.enigmasoftware.com/support/anti...nfect-winlogon/

I used AVG free for virus protection for a couple years, then switched over to antivir (free) about six months ago based on a review in MaximumPC mag. http://www.free-av.com/

so far, so good.

Haven't really found an anti spyware scanner that knocks my socks off yet. I might have to give Webroot try.

Webroot combined their anti virus and spyware. So far, as much as I can tell anyway, its doing its job.

Rusty

I'm po'd.

So this free virus check from Panda (pandasecurity.com) almost immediately indicated 13 "infected" files. I had to wait more than an hour to find out more. So I went out for a while.


I just got back. Those 13 files? Guess what they were? Oh my GOD! I'm DOOMED TO HELL! MY COMPUTER IS TRASHED.... they are... oh god help me... they are...

... Wait for it...

... cookies in my browser cache. Yes that's it. Just some cookies. So they scare the freaking hell out of me. Make me wait more than an hour with a big red DANGER DANGER bar on my screen to find out that I have some suspicious looking cookies (funny those "bad" cookies are right next to their own cookies). So anyway... of course I had to remove them myself by hand or else I would have to fork over $19 for six months use.

Panic avoided. 13 cookies. Only one was really "suspicious". Some advertising feed tracker. I swear this is a scam. If the virus makers stopped suddenly. Or they all just died... like... the hand of God... what would all these security companies do? How much money from the virus blockers and fixers go directly to the virus makers? Am I the only paranoid nut with a tinfoil hat who can see that logical connection? People aren't spending on viruses. Economy is bad... SUDDENLY in the news the worst virus epidemic in 6 FREAKING YEARS. Seems kind of a handy relationship.

I don't trust the virus protection companies anymore than I trust the people who create the viruses. I think they are both working together. Million dollar business. If you owned a virus protection company, and suddenly the business was dieing off because you were too good at your job... and you could manipulate that market... sheesh. Look at Enron? Look at the miserable crooks at the banks these days? No one's above a little corruption.

-vern

AVGfree.

http://free.grisoft.com

Same question: The free stuff doesn't protect from everything. You can still get nailed unless you pay money. My goodness, the protection level "dial" only has a few yellow bars. Why can't I get all green bars and full protection from something that isn't my fault? MS should include a "coupon" for this cost since it is their responsibility. As Peter Parker's uncle said to him, "With great power comes great responsibility." .

I just don't see how this one area of "functionality" has become "separated" from the overall performance of what is included with a computer. A computer without virus protection can become totally useless OR become an agent to pass on problems to others. This would be like not including the price of the hard drive when selling a computer. Or making people pay money every six months to continue to use their mouse or keyboard. This cost should be part of the package if it's that important. When you buy a car you don't get partially working breaks until you pay for an "upgrade" for breaks that work "all the time" and "really good".

This isn't like buying a better mouse or keyboard to improve the computer. A simple cheap mouse won't destroy your computer. A computer with a small monitor won't get a zombie and send spam while you sleep. If there really really is a desire to stop the spread of malicious viruses (especially for IT departments in LARGE CORPORATIONS) they would invest in providing a free way to do the best job for EVERYONE and ANYONE who needs it. This is NOT OUR RESPONSIBILITY. If there is a solution for it and with in hours of hooking up a new computer yoou end up with a large expensive door stop without it... it should be a standard feature without an extra cost to some third party you have to pick and choose from because some really suck and some don't.

You know damn straight that sales figures for virus protection software go way up when these news stories come out. Guaranteed.

Like I said... this is a rant. feel free to join in the fun.

-vern

Here's an interesting site I like to play with occasionally. You upload a "suspicious" file and it will scan the file with what must be every virus scanner known to man, and show the results. It is interesting to see what each scanner comes up with.
http://virscan.org/

Also, don't forget to install a firewall. Comodo (free) has served me well.

Vern- Do you use Internet Explorer on your PC? DONT. Use Firefox. IE is the MAIN gateway for hackers into your PC. Disable it. Here's how:

-Open IE.
-Open 'tools' tab.
-'Internet Options'
-'Connections' tab
-LAN settings button.
-Check the box for 'Use a proxy server...'and enter the address 0.0.0.0.0

Now, Internet Explorer can't find the Internet... but better yet, the Internet cannot find YOUR IE, and thus cannot spread it's foul wrath upon your system.

If this is common knowledge, which I suspect it is... sorry to bother.

Wow!

I use only Firefox. It is my default browser, but I still have IE. So even if I never ever use IE for web browsing, something or someone could "activate" it? Scary. Unfortunately I still need IE functional for testing my own web pages.

-vern

By getting in the habit of digging in to that menu really quick and hitting that toggle switch you can activate and de-activate it...

If you are testing webpages that are on your local drive, you don't even need to have IE online at all...no? (unless you are testing links and stuff)

It's just a trick I got hipped in to a couple of years ago and have had NO trouble since...knock-on-wood. If I could I would totally UNinstall IE, but it is a critical Windows component, turns out.)

Hi,

I thought I'd add my latest adventure... as I stated in previous post, I was running Norton 360 (virus plus spyware) and another spyware prog until the Geek Squad found half a dozen viruses and dozens of spyware programs on my PC. I switched to webroot (see prev post). Well just for kicks I went for one of these free scans offered on the internet... one from Norton. Yep, it found stuff. I reported this to webroot and they wanted lots of info (they are responsive) and it seems that the two viruses Norton found (that webroot didn't) were false positives -- actually had I had Norton 'clean' them DeepPaint 3D would have stopped working. Their still looking at the dozen or so spyware programs.

I updated the free AVG virus/spyware and am running it... it is finding even more spyware programs. Well, the guy from Geek Squad did say to run at least two virus and two spyware programs.

What crap!

Rusty