Antivirus?

[Miss_Stress]

I'll be the first to admit I'm not great with computers, so I was wondering if anyone here might be able to help.

I have Microsoft Security Essentials installed on my computer, and I have pop-ups blocked by my computer (my security is as high as it can be while allowing me to actually look on the internet!!), but I was wondering if it was enough. The websites I visit are Facebook, here, Digispy, Amazon, Youtube and my email account, but I'm worried about spyware and adware. The results of the scans by MSE are always clear, but I'm still concerned.

Should I be concerned, or is MSE enough to keep my computer safe? Thanks in advance!!

[PepperElf]

My own personal recommendations...

check your browser to see if it pre-checks for harmful sites. I found a nice link on it here http://research.zscaler.com/2010/06/...otections.html

I'm on Safari myself mostly, so I get their version of a warning when I come to a potentially harmful page.



I'm also... not running flash. When i worked at a tech job earlier this year, a lot of customer viruses were coming in through flash. I don't know if they ever fixed the loophole but, the viruses were on a time-delay and would be coming in as an application attached to some flash content; the computers would see it as something from Adobe so they'd automatically accept it as trusted.

I'm not even sure my old mac was safe really cos my Adobe suddenly kept trying to update on it's own. So when I got the new Mac I just kept it flash-free.

If I really need anything with flash, I just view the page in Chrome.

[Miss_Stress]

Thanks PepperElf I don't know if I'm just over-reacting to all the hype about viruses or what, but I just know if ID theft happens to anyone in our family it'll end up being me.

[Raveni]

Even with Microsoft Security Essentials installed, I'd get something else. There's some good stuff in the sticky:

http://www.customerssuck.com/board/s...ad.php?t=14226

I use Avast! or AVG for antivirus on all of my computers. Also either Ad-Aware or Malwarebytes for malware.

All four of those are free, so you can just pick one antivrus and one malware cleaner and you're good to go.

[artcurmudgeon]

Howdy....

As this is what I do for a living.......


1) AVG, Avast, and MSE are all good Anti-Virus.

2)Malwarebytes and Ad-Aware are excellent for Malware

3)Spybot S&D is good for spayware...

All are free.

You should have 1 of each, and have them running in the background.

Like checking the oil, fluids and tires once a week on your car. You should be running scandisk, defrag and complete scans with your choice of anitvirus, anti malware and antispyware software one a week...

[telecom_goddess]

Even with Microsoft Security Essentials installed, I'd get something else. There's some good stuff in the sticky:

http://www.customerssuck.com/board/s...ad.php?t=14226

I use Avast! or AVG for antivirus on all of my computers. Also either Ad-Aware or Malwarebytes for malware.

All four of those are free, so you can just pick one antivrus and one malware cleaner and you're good to go.

Count me in as a user of AVG (computers AND phone) and Adaware.

[suburbandecay]

If you want to reduce the attack surface of your machine, I would recommend removing both flash and java if at all possible. Those are probably the two biggest attack vectors out there right now. In addition, I would recommend using a browser other than IE (although IE9 is better than it's predecessors when it comes to infection resistance) with an adblocker.

I personally use MSE and run the occasional scan in MalwareBytes.

[fireheart]

I use Avast on my laptop and my boyfriend uses it on all of his computers.

It's free, easy to use and doesn't clog up your computer too much. I also use Comodo Firewall, which works wonders until you go to install something and you spend 10 minutes clicking "yes" to it (and setting it to "installer or updater" seems to freeze the app I'm running).

I also use Chrome, which in addition to being good in terms of popups (or lack thereof) and infection resistance, it feels less clunky. If you picture Internet Explorer as the Mother, Safari as the Father, Firefox as the Grandparent, then Chrome is the hyperactive kid on a sugar high

[Plague*Star]

Should I be concerned, or is MSE enough to keep my computer safe? Thanks in advance!!

Run Secunia's on-line scanner. It doesn't look for viri/malware, it looks for software with known security flaws. It's amazing how many PCs have old, unneeded software lurking somewhere on the hard drive.

http://secunia.com/products/consumer/osi/online/

P*S

[Miss_Stress]

Thank you all that's been a big help to me.