The wife's laptop has been popping up with a lot of weird stuff lately and I found out her anti-virus protection ran out 3 months ago. What do some of you use and what do you personally recommend to buy?
I work in IT. Whatever antivirus you decide to use, the most important thing you can do is assign a password to an administrator account that you don't use to login, and remove admin rights to your account. If you do this, even if you have no antivirus software installed it protects you from over 80% of the malware out there. As a non administrator, the worst a virus can do is to infect your profile but not the operating system. Then you create a new profile, copy your stuff over, delete old profile and you're good to go.
I've personally and professionally used many different antivirus products over the years. If you must keep using Windows, the above advice as well as continuously reminding users not to open or click on suspicious attachments and links has made more difference in reducing malware infections than any antivirus product I've ever used.
Other than that, I have switched many people over to linux and their support requests always drop to next to nothing. I installed Ubuntu linux on my mom's and brother's laptops years ago. Other than telling them how to get on their wireless home network, and what program to use for the internet and email, they have had zero issues and zero malware over the last 4 years. They are both computer 'tards, and after switching them to linux their support calls went from a couple times a month to never, and they are using their hardware long past when most throw them away. Over the last few years I have installed linux on dozens of people's computers. It resulted in much more free time for me by eliminating calls to help them remove a virus or fix their slow as molasses computer. I've even lost customers who experienced frequent malware infections by charging them $60 to install Ubuntu linux, then I never hear from them again with the exception of an occasional question.
The only reason I'm using a Macbook Air right now instead of linux is because it was provided free from work, it's extremely light with very long battery life, and all I need to get stuff done is Chrome with Google apps, and Citrix Receiver.
As a retired IT guy with over 25 years experience writing code, setting up networks (LANs, WANS, SANs, running multi matrixed project teams, departments etc ... The best thing you can do is switch to OS X and quit supporting Bill & Melinda gates : popcorn!
IMO.
AVG used to be good.
Spybot and Adaware used to be good. They were even endorsed at one time by MS. Not anymore.
Just a FWIW
Regarding OSX. Yea....it`s an option. But for the average User?
They want to plug and play. Not going to take the time to learn a whole new OS.
Look at the skill level you guys have. Those who do not have formal training have still spent loads of time reading, learning, experimenting to know what they know about PCs. They have an interest in their workings. It is a hobby for some. A passion for others.
The average User.....not gonna happen.
Regarding OSX. Yea....it`s an option. But for the average User?
They want to plug and play. Not going to take the time to learn a whole new OS.
Look at the skill level you guys have. Those who do not have formal training have still spent loads of time reading, learning, experimenting to know what they know about PCs. They have an interest in their workings. It is a hobby for some. A passion for others.
The average User.....not gonna happen.
Microsoft Essentials. Used it for 3 years now with no probs. And last time I looked it was free. Microsoft, free - don't often get to use those two words in the same sentence.
In my opinion there is not much to learn when switching to Mac.
As far as antivirus on windows, depending on how and what kind of virus, and how bad, you will never get it out of the system. Reformat and start over. I can usually have one back up faster than the virus removal.
Then make sure protection is kept up to date.
Finally, realize like 60% of virus' are spread through email.
Like 90% of virus' are caused by a user saying it's on to run said virus on computer by numbly clicking yes install this or opening an email attachment.
I'm computor illiterate, i lost 2 PC's with McAfee's paid subscriptions. New computor, i use Avast......so far so good. They have a free version, but i did'nt feel right useing their product and not paying so i payed for a subscription.
Mark my words guys. As Linux and Mac`s grow in popularity and use the target on their back will grow.
Neither are invulnerable. They just are`t as targeted due to their lack of use.
Once you install any Adobe product on linux or Mac, they are just as vulnerable to infection/hacking as a Windows machine. The only difference is that out of the box, a Windows machine has users running as an administrator, while Mac and linux have users run as non-admins. The only linux and Mac malware infections I've seen both came from Adobe Flash and Reader. On both Mac and linux, removing the malware was as easy as creating a new user profile and copying over docs and pics from the old profile then deleting old profile in something like 10 minutes time.
I get Norton and McAfee for free through the military but what I have noticed is that after a while I start having issues with them. I went with Viper on my home computer and haven't had a complaint in 2 years. It's an awesome system that doesn't slow your computer down.
Viper is well respected. Just not real well known.
McAfee has survived on advertising and name recognition alone. Stinks as an AV IMO.
Norton was excellent. Then went through a spell where it was a resource hog and detection rates were terrible.
It has gotten better but still far to intrusive and non-user friendly.
Just my opinions.
I retired after 20+years in higher ed IT, and Info Sec. When I did, I bought my iMac. I've had a Mac Book since about 2009 and it is still running strong.
But, I have no illusions about OSX. There are known, active attacks targeting Mac desktops. There are two free security apps you can use to protect your Macs. Sophos AV and the App Store 1Antivirus (Symantec). Either one is good and should be on your Mac.
I use the Sophos product.
After all those years trying to keep Windows systems and networks updated, protected and clean, this is so nice.
But always remember at some point in the future Mac OS X will have the same problems as windows today so why change. I know that all things change but why the cheerleading for wintel with their track record? I still keep my chops supporting people who won't change from windows but why get offended? To each his own: Thumbs!
I too have spent 20+ years in corp and higher ed IT.
I have had great success with both Norton and sophos...
I think both products work very well for home users; the newest version of norton is very comprehensive.
Best thing you can do is keep a good product updated and active and be careful what you do on your computer.
Coupons, free music and movie sites are often loaded with spy/adware and viruses... Porn sites even more so...
Don't agree to open/run/install everything you find online.
Regularly backup your important docs and pics.
Jump drives are large and cheap...
good luck
One of the reasons that Microsoft Windows is more susceptible to malware infections is that by default, your Windows account is an administrator. As an administrator, any infection gets beyond your account and can infect the whole system. We used a report from Microsoft that stated that over 80 percent of Windows malware could be prevented by removing admin rights from users to convince the managing partners at my employer to agree to taking away users admin rights. Linux and OSX by default users are not admins and any admin tasks require entering a password. When freinds and family have repeated virus problems, I create an admin account with password, remove their account's admin rights, and tell them that if they are prompted for the admin password, to take the time and think about if they REALLY want to allow whatever is prompting for admin password, and decline if they aren't sure. That usually cuts don't on repeated calls for help.
I used to tell people in college to wrap their mouse and they wouldnt get a computer virus. Then someone decided to put condoms on.all the mouses in the computer lab on a friday morning.
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