For those of you who say you don't need antivirus on vista...

[mike-cow]

Here's some interestig reading for you. Ofcourse, you may still argue that "I only go to facebook so I'm safe". It's not true ofcourse, since any website can be hacked, and you'll probably accept an UAC request for some new killer feature "facebook" claims to have implemented. Even if YOU may not, someone else at your computer could accept for you without even considering what they are doing.

Anyway, here goes:

Security design: Why UAC will not work | InfoWorld | Column | 2008-01-11 | By Roger A. Grimes
Techworld.com - Microsoft: UAC not a security feature
Vista UAC isn’t just annoying and stupid; it’s insecure too! | Arno# - The cutting edge of developer waffle
User Account Control (UAC) on Vista - A useless feature - Nick Whittome - The Naked MVP
Want UAC-Free iReboot? You got it: iReboot 1.1 released! — The NeoSmart Files
4sysops - It is official now: User Account Control (UAC) is useless for administrators
Hacker, Microsoft duke it out over Vista design flaw | Zero Day | ZDNet.com

 

[swarfega]

I bought nod32 smart security 64-bit this week, very happy with it. Light on resources and not overly protective. Those who say they don't need anti virus software are fools

 

[mansrm81]

First thing I do is install antivirus software before I even connect to the internet.

 

[Chappy]

Bang On mike-cow!!

It's absolutely INSANE to own a connected computer today without at least, good AV and Firewall. Anyone who says different simply does not understand the complexity of today's Malware and just how prevalent and invasive it can be, no matter How smart the user thinks they are.
After 9 years of being an Independent, new Unknown Variant tester for AV companies, and at least as long working with the developers of AdAware, Spybot, HijackThis, MalwareBytes and others...I know just how easy it is for even the most Careful security experts, who know this stuff backwards, to become infected accidentally even with all the tools.
So if they can get infected, what makes others think they can navigate the WildWiredWorld safely without it.

Nutz...just Nutz I say!

 

[smarteyeball]

I Those who say they don't need anti virus software are fools

Consider me a partially reformed fool then. Out of smugness, or arrogance or a mixture of both, I'd been running Vista with just the Windows firewall and no A/V.

It wasn't until a couple of months ago when I'd proudly posted a reply in another forum claiming "I don't use any A/V. I don't need to. I keep an eye on my system. I know what it's doing".

Sure enough, the very next day I noticed some odd new processes that weren't there the day before. Surprise, surprise, I'd picked up a Vundo variant. It wiped the smug of my face

I've been using Avast since then....

In my defense, if I have one, I was on it like a flash and it's been the first virus I've had in a few years.... Well, that I know of anyway

I still don't use resident protection though..... so yeah, I'm a partially reformed fool

 

[swarfega]

I think new users should definitely have some sort of protection though.

 

[smarteyeball]

I think *cough*'experienced' users should also have some protection too

 

[dmex]

UAC is as secure as PICNIC

Microsoft released two patches last Tuesday on Windows Update

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms08-064.mspx

Microsoft Security Bulletin MS08-061 – Important: Vulnerabilities in Windows Kernel Could Allow Elevation of Privilege (954211)

Not needed an AV in 18 months since using UAC

 

[swarfega]

Yes but your an experienced user. We should encourage newbies to use security software.

 

[KCMichaelB]

I use Avira but no resident protection. All that I've tried reduce performance. I do schedule a full system scan every night at 12am. I also have a hardware and software firewall and use Truecrypt for all of my personal data.

 

[mike-cow]

I wouldn't call anyone a fool for not running an antivirus. I stick with calling them naive, unless they are running a unix-clone.


And as for Dmex... Are you SURE that all exploits of UAC has been fixed now? I would think that those updates actually makes the point of antivirus more significant rather than less.

 

[SeanBond]

i use ESET NOD32 Smart Security Buisness Edition 32-Bit and Spybot Search and Destroy and i have UAC Turned off as it bugs the **** Out of me :P

and i have never had a problem :P

 

[echrada]

SeanBond why do you run Vista without SP1? Just out of interest no criticism intended.

 

[SeanBond]

none taken

i installed it but had naticed that their was NO system performance increased and it made copying data to my other HDD slower so i didnt see any point in keeping it.

:D

 

[echrada]

Thanks for the explanation.:D

 

[SeanBond]

no problem :D

 

[panais]

UAC is as secure as PICNIC

Microsoft released two patches last Tuesday on Windows Update

Microsoft Security Bulletin MS08-064 – Important: Vulnerability in Virtual Address Descriptor Manipulation Could Allow Elevation of Privilege (956841)

Microsoft Security Bulletin MS08-061 – Important: Vulnerabilities in Windows Kernel Could Allow Elevation of Privilege (954211)

Not needed an AV in 18 months since using UAC

I always turn off UAC,is that bad?i have NOD32 and i never catch any virus,trojan etc
Whats the risk disabling UAC?

 

[AstaLaVista]

I have Bit defender and so far, very happy with it, only annoying thing (perhaps my fault) is that I allowed it to take over my internet and PC for me so each time I get into a site, it asks me whether I want to accept cookies to dl to my hard drive, java script, upload cookies to said site, which, IE or FF already do that. The annoying part is to be asked the same thing for each advert the site has, it is definately to much.

I really haven't search around for more options or better control of the option because the control panel options for this A.V. is very cumbersome or perhaps I was just used to Avast doing pretty much everything for me w/o asking. Now I have this feeling that Avast was not doing as good a job as Bit Defender is because of it... my head spins when I think about this.

Sometimes I think I should just run w/o any protection... a reformat or two a year is good for a healthy OS, kinda like cleaning your garage of all the junk you have gathered throughout the year so to speak! :D

 

[skunksmash]

Not needed an AV in 18 months since using UAC

snap!!

i just downloaded Avast after viewing Shawn's ''must have apps'' list for 7, so i put it on both, but my vista has been running no Antivirus for about 7-8 months with 0 issue, & only the windows firewall to protect me.

i ran Avast as soon as i installed it & it was clean :eek::eek:, i don't doubt the threat is very real but its not been an issue for me, i don't think i have ever caught a complete show stopping virus (touch wood) & i have never payed for pro licensed AV software in my life....

but i suppose the bottom line has to be ..''better safe than sorry''

SK

 

[Barman58]

I run Avast, (all but outlook module), and Comodo with Firewall and Defence plus, and run regular scans with Malwarebytes and Spybot S&D. Defender is also left on, as is UAC.

Yes I get pop-ups which can be annoying but I accept them as a necessary evil (and they get less and less if you don't add software all the time)

with all that running I'm sure there is a performance hit but I don't notice it as I've always run them.

And it's not that I'm paranoid, they ARE out to get me! :D

When it comes down to it - it's a personal computer. What works for one may not suit another and the important thing is the choice is there