Best Anti Virus and Firewall?

[RUSTY]

Originally Posted by Matt D

I'm currently using MSE plus Win 7's firewall, behind a router with NAT & SPI.

I used to use Kaspersky, but ditched it when I switched to Win 7 as KIS had issues with it at the time. I'd assume that it works perfectly with Win 7 now of course, but my licence has long since expired & I haven't felt the need to re-buy.

I also use Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware, plus perform periodic scans with Trend HouseCall & other online scanners.

Just dumped Kaspersky 2011 big issues with Windows Vista 64bit & Windows 7 64bit desktop & windows downloads.Blue screen, no start ups, no shut downs ect....... Works ok with my laptop with standard Vista. Running Bit Torrent for two days no problems so far.

Originally Posted by Zing

Well I can not remember the last time I had a virus . I am quite experienced with computers you know . I do know what I am doing. My mind is at peace ta very much

Neither can I.

[Jon T]

Another vote for NOD32 here, light on resources, few false positives, picks up the test viri I have at my disposal(through my work), blocks access to websites it thinks are dodgy.

Firewall is a combination of a linksys router running DD-WRT and the one built into Windows 7.

Websites are browsed with firefox with the noscript addon.

Users are their own worst enemy, the times i've cleaned a machine up for someone only to be contacted very shortly after with words to the effect of "application x no longer works, i've downloaded it again, that got it working, but now my PC is slow again", or in other words, Application X stopped working because it relied on spyware/malware which I removed, only for the user to re-install. When advised of this user will say something along the lines of "I can't live without application X, i'll just have to live with the PC being slow". It's at this point I distance myself from said user.

Originally Posted by Maggy J

Neither can I.

yeah but you dont do half the stuff I do

[Stuart]

Originally Posted by Rockabilly Spike

giving stuff away for free is a marketing tool as part of a business model.
but whatever, I'm just a salesman, I know nothing.....

It is.. However, it's worth remembering that some free AVs are as good as or better than the paid ones. Avast (for instance) frequently scores highly..

Originally Posted by Zing

yeah but you dont do half the stuff I do

I have a 24 year old son who uses this PC..

[mart44]

I use Norton Internet Security 2011 but I don't rely on it as the primary defence, neither would I any other AV program/security suite ..paid or free. Reading the forums of the various products reveals that they all have their failure rates and false positive figures.

The other layers I use are Sandboxie as the primary security program, ClearCloud DNS and WOT for Chrome (NIS includes its own site rating function for Firefox that works inside the sandbox).

This all seems to keep me safe in a quiet no bother sort of way.

[MetaWraith]

Just throwing in my tuppence worth.

Any AV is only as good as it's last update. For any new nasty malware there is a period between it's release upon the world and your AV Provider finding out about it, and including detection in their next update. SO for heaven's sake practice Safe Hex and use the old MK-I Noggin from GreyMatter Enterprises and dont click those dodgy links.

Originally Posted by MetaWraith

Just throwing in my tuppence worth.

Any AV is only as good as it's last update. For any new nasty malware there is a period between it's release upon the world and your AV Provider finding out about it, and including detection in their next update. SO for heaven's sake practice Safe Hex and use the old MK-I Noggin from GreyMatter Enterprises and dont click those dodgy links.

Originally Posted by MetaWraith

Just throwing in my tuppence worth.

Any AV is only as good as it's last update. For any new nasty malware there is a period between it's release upon the world and your AV Provider finding out about it, and including detection in their next update. SO for heaven's sake practice Safe Hex and use the old MK-I Noggin from GreyMatter Enterprises and dont click those dodgy links.

got my sandbox and virtual machine so I can if I want

[mart44]

Originally Posted by MetaWraith

SO for heaven's sake practice Safe Hex and use the old MK-I Noggin from GreyMatter Enterprises and dont click those dodgy links.

The chances of infection can be cut down that way but a danger is that dodgy links may not always appear dodgy.

[Matty_]

Originally Posted by mart44

The chances of infection can be cut down that way but a danger is that dodgy links may not always appear dodgy.

Or that normally un dodgy links/sites can become compromised and suddenly become dodgy (can happen to the best of em)

Av`s are a reative technology, the malware authors are allways one step ahead. Allthough getting malware is easy if you go looking, it`s not something that is as prevalent as it was say when XP was young. UAC allthough not primarily designed as a security tool is an excellant addition in helping system level malware from being installed. Again back to the don`t just click OK to everything scenario!