What Anti virus/browser r u using?

[guscycle]

I don' t know if this a bad question to ask because either I'll get hundreds of answers or it's of no interest to no one.
I personally am using at this time AVG Internet Security and the Mozilla browser after using IE and Norton for years.My problems started about the same time I started using both.I thought that Mozilla was a better platform and had more deterrent stuff in it and the AVG had a lot of positive feedback in forums and the local computer guys. In 4 months I have been hit with 3 major Trojans(1 a month) that hit so fast there was no time to stop them except for recovery/reboot. Now I am dealing with a hijacked infection that attached itself to a systems driver and it can't be removed because of its location and what it can do to the operation of the computer.I am working with the Techs from AVG but it's time consuming and I work 2 jobs.Very frustrating.Oh yeah,the computer was fixed 2 x's previously by local repair shops.
So if any one has a GREAT luck with their system set up,I for one would be glad to hear from you....that's if I can back on .
Oh yeah ,I am using Windows XP.
THANX AND HAVE A GOOD DAY,
:ride: Guscycle

 

[Motosportz]

Microsoft Security Essentials and Google Chrome, Win XP, works well for me.

 

[Wetdog]

Move to Canada. We are such a friendly country ya don't need security.

 

[andyman]

I prefer firefox (mozilla) and use either AVG or Avast for anti-virus. I usually run adaware as well to kill some of the spyware threats.

malwarebytes is THE MACK DADDY for getting malware off your machine. if you can get it downloaded and installed, it'll probably fix your issues.

 

[ioneater]

May want to change your browsing habits as well. I bounce between Opera and Firefox for giggles. No Antivirus on my main rig, but I don't peruse a lot of the types of sites that tend to harbor nefarious stuff......so far, lol. Opening forwarded emails and their attachments is generally not a good habit. Sites with lots of picture galleries are also a significant risk.

 

[HuskyDude]

Move to Canada. We are such a friendly country ya don't need security.

Ya our police don't even carry guns...Oh wait that's in the UK.

I use FireFox and our carrier Shaw has it's own security.

Once a week I update and run "Spybot", Ad-Aware, and SpyBlaster

Just to be sure...

 

[Poopy]

I run a Mac, what are these "virus" things you speak of?

 

[seymore]

I use Firefox unless some web-form requires IE.

I use to run AVG until it let down onetime and I had to rebuild my system. I now use AVAST.

 

[Coffee]

Windows XP
Spyware blaster -- this does the most
Spybot search & destroy -- not sure if it is worth using
CC Cleaner -- awesome registry cleaner.
Firefox 3.0 and several other browsing programs for testing on multiple computers.

The commercial antivirus programs inject themselves so deep into the files - they mess things up. To me, that is the definition of a virus, and I don't see any point to paying $ for something that will mess up my computer. But that is just my humble opinion, I'm no expert.


I'm confused. If your hard disk gets infected, why don't you remove it, put in a new one, configure the infected one as a slave, then read the data? Or configure it as a slave in another computer?

I have data saved off my computer every month or so, and worse case I start from scratch with fresh install of XP and re-install programs. Every few years that will get old programs not used off my computer. My concern is theft as much as viruses.

 

[Coffee]

If nothing else works, and I've been in that position before... do this, these instructions are from a few years ago, but I just peeked at the site and it looks the same.


UBCD4Windows

http://ubcd4win.com/downloads.htm, clicked on download, pick a place you like to download from.
Download & run UBCD4Win310.exe (or whatever the latest version is)
“Search for Windows Installation Files? (may take some time)” – Yes
Used all default options except – burned a CD using “StarBurn” instead of making an ISO. “StarBurn” seems to be part of the software that was down loaded.

That made the UBCD4Win CD.

As long as USB storage devices – both thumb drive & NTFS external HD were connected on boot up of UBCD4Win everything worked flawlessly on windows machines. Files could be copied from any drive to any drive with full read & write access. Did not consistently work with plug & play.

So plug in a usb or external drive, boot up on that disk, and copy the files of interest.... if you can boot up on a cd...

 

[guscycle]

The last hit was from infection on a main operations file,it was found but "whitelisted" which means you can't remove or quarantine it without adversely affecting running. I did download the "Malwarebytes" tool and it found 7 infections that AVG didn't. AVG had sent me 3 e-mails on different run features that I sent to them to analyze(hard to do even in "Safe Mode").If the malwarebytes program worked,great but if it didn't my next step is to go online with their tech and he will access my computer and try to "fix" it.
By the way,I do occasion the girlie sites and I have 2 teenage sons who are constantly downloading songs/videos to their Ipods ,frequent famous chat sites and a wife that occassionally likes clicking on email attachments and junk mail. What is strange though is that one of Australian Husqvarna sites I "used" to visit was the first place I was hit by a Trojan.(only say that because I went there right after running a full system and rootkit scan at start up and 10 minutes into the view I was notified about it and it hit so quick ,that everything came to a screeching halt.Not saying by any means that they put it there and I don't have the ability to verify it,just saying,thats all but I won't go there anymore...not yet). Gots to get ready for job 2 ...Thanx for your input.
Have a good day,
:ride:Guscycle

 

[andyman]

Yeah, that malwarebytes is good stuff. Our PC Techs turned me on to it. I work in IT, but not in the PC group. Those guys set standards for and support the over 200,000 PC's in our company. If they say it's the best, I'm inclined to believe them.

Try avast to give you protection from p2p sites that your sons use. If they use stuff like limewire, it's a HOTBED for malware, rootkits, worms, and other nasty viruses.

One easy trick that will help is to set up at least two user accounts. Give one administrative privilege and password protect it. Give the other only basic user privilege. Unless you're installing software, just use the basic user one. In a lot of cases, some of the bad stuff won't be able to "install" itself without elevated user priv; and if you're not logged in as an admin, it can't inject itself. That doesn't work all the time, but it does help.

 

[guscycle]

I got a spare few minutes at my #2 job to check here.After running the Malwarebytes program,like I said earlier,it found 7 traces BUT it did not remove THIS particular infection.I'm going go live with an AVG tech later this evening(after #1 job) and give them a chance to correct it(maybe it will end up as an UPDATE) and hopefully it will later help another poor sap like me who gets hit.
....if not,it's recovery time,AGAIN! and I'll look into getting the CC Cleaner
for registry clean-up.
Many Thanx
..and have a good day,
:ride: Guscycle

 

[Coffee]

... and I have 2 teenage sons...

Again, I'm no expert (at all) but based on experience this would be the primary source of issues. Especially gaming sites.

What is strange though is that one of Australian Husqvarna sites I "used" to visit was the first place I was hit by a Trojan.

I'd appreciate it if you could PM me what that site is, a huge percentage of or membership is from Australia. I am realize that it may have been a coincidence... but I like to keep track of those things.


In general, in my opinion computers should be viewed as handy, but not perfect tools, that can break or disappear for a number of reasons. I believe having some kind of a plan in case something happens to a computer is a good thing. Even if it is acknowledging "yes these pics/documents are cool, but have no sentimental value".

 

[mxracernumber1]

I don' t know if this a bad question to ask because either I'll get hundreds of answers or it's of no interest to no one.
I personally am using at this time AVG Internet Security and the Mozilla browser after using IE and Norton for years.My problems started about the same time I started using both.I thought that Mozilla was a better platform and had more deterrent stuff in it and the AVG had a lot of positive feedback in forums and the local computer guys. In 4 months I have been hit with 3 major Trojans(1 a month) that hit so fast there was no time to stop them except for recovery/reboot. Now I am dealing with a hijacked infection that attached itself to a systems driver and it can't be removed because of its location and what it can do to the operation of the computer.I am working with the Techs from AVG but it's time consuming and I work 2 jobs.Very frustrating.Oh yeah,the computer was fixed 2 x's previously by local repair shops.
So if any one has a GREAT luck with their system set up,I for one would be glad to hear from you....that's if I can back on .
Oh yeah ,I am using Windows XP.
THANX AND HAVE A GOOD DAY,
:ride: Guscycle

I had a similar problem o this very machine about 6 months ago. Go to www.malwarebytes.com. Download the free Malwarebytes software and run a scan. This FREE software will not only identify the problem but WILL get rid of it. You will have to run the scan every night for a couple of weeks to keep it from coming back. I did this and have not even had to scan mine or the part 4 months. This stuff is free and makes a trashed computer like new again. Thee are more advanced versions of the software that you can purchase, but you don't necessarily need them. This worked great for me just when I was about to wipe mine clean and have to reinstall everything.

 

[mxracernumber1]

By the way, a gaming site is exactly where min came from. My wife used to sit for hours every evening after the kids went to bed playing on those sites. Not only do you cath all kinds of stuff like that from these gaming sites, but the software take up HUGE chunks of disc space. I deleted all that crap off of mine and told my wife to stay off of those sites from now on.

 

[z987k]

I run a Mac, what are these "virus" things you speak of?

I can get more pretentious. Cause I run *nix and what's this paying for software thing you speak of?.. and yeah viruses are a mystery to.

 

[Poopy]

lol. I remember the days of downloading this virus killer, that internet speeder upper'er, cookie cleaners, yada yada.....

 

[Ruffus]

I use ESET NOD32 Antivirus 4. No complaints.

P.S. I also run FireFox.

 

[Phoenix]

Ditto on Eset. I also like Avira Antivir.

As for browser, Firefox all the way!