Whats youre favorite ativirus and firewall protection? And Why?

Spongebob · 02-06-2006, 12:26 PM

I'm in the process of testing antivirus apps and firewalls for my system. I recently tried etrust's software and din't like it much becuase the firewall interferred with some of the stuff I need to do and there was no way to just shut off certain features.
I also tried Vcoms System Suite 6 but that made my system not boot.
I'm now using McAfees software which seems to be very stable and the firewall doesn't interfere with any of the stuff that etrusts software did, but I haven't had it very long so I can't really say I've seen it all yet.
I tried Nortons software off and on in the past 2 years but thought it was worse than most spyware and virus's since it seemed to slow everything down a bit and the system maintaince part of the program made any system I ever used it on perform like crap. Maybe the 2006 version is better than the last 2 versions but I'd need to be reassured before I'd try that one again.
I have system mechanic 6 professional which seems to have a much better maintaince freature than in previous versions and it actually seemed to help a bit on the 2 systems I ran it on, unlike Norton, but I've never installed their Ativirus software or firewall to test it yet, so I'd like to hear from someone using it wether or not its worth trying.
I've heard AVG is good but I haven't used it in many years since I didn't like an older version of it that I tried years ago, I can't remember why, since its been so long ago.

What does everybody use here and why?

Adionik · 02-06-2006, 02:12 PM

ZoneAlarm Suite.

Bittorent *Cough*

I'll never forget the day that AVG popped up and was like

AVG HAS DETECTED A VIRUS:

AVG.EXE

I should've taken a screenshot...damnit.

Spongebob · 02-07-2006, 01:42 AM

That jots my memory, I think AVG was doing stuff like that to me also, detecting bogus stuff. Can you accually update ZoneAlarm then *Cough* or is this question even relevent? Why do you like Zone Alarm Suite?

PrairieDawg · 02-07-2006, 02:12 AM

AVG and Zone have served me well on my machines for years. (Except for a short period of time when I tried Avast!). My primary reasons for using them is that they work and they are free. No antivirus is perfect and they all are capible of false positives as well as false negatives.

The biggest problem I've seen on the machines that people bring me to fix is the fact that most antivirus programs are either misconfigured or outdated. It's amazing how many people treat their PC like a toaster .... "if I plug it in it should work". I had one young fellow who brought his bug infested machine to me and stated "I dunno what's wrong with it. All I know is that when I click on the big blue E the porn doesn't show up."

I've found that if I occasionaly use Adaware and Spybot S&D as well as running A Squared (A2) once in awhile that I can be bug free at no cost.

**casecutter** · 02-07-2006, 07:49 AM

I run AVG and I use the built in windows XP firewall and not had any issues. I also don't go to any sites where I should have any issues and I never open email attachments ever. I ran McAfee and hated it. It was a resourse hog and always caused problems. I hear Nortons is even worse.

ANZAC_ELITE · 02-07-2006, 08:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by casecutter

I run AVG and I use the built in windows XP firewall and not had any issues......

Same here except my ADSL modem appears to have a hardware firewall as well. Funny thing is the supplier says if it has it's not supported, I have a friend who co operates with the FBI in searching for paedophiles on the net, he has some good software, I gave him my IP, and he could not find me, came back saying I was fully stealthed so I guess supported or not it works.

Quote:

Originally Posted by casecutter

I ran McAfee and hated it. It was a resourse hog and always caused problems. I hear Nortons is even worse.

Just don't get me started on Norton, lol

Amd_Lover2004 · 02-07-2006, 08:23 AM

I use AdawareSE, AVG, and Zone Alarm on most of my computers, though some of the systems that cant run full versions of XP have been using Kerio Personal Firewall.
All of which is free and works pretty well for free products. I have not had a virus since I built this X2 system, Lots of spyware though, but that is to be expected.

Adionik · 02-07-2006, 12:04 PM

I think you can update it, I haven't tried.

O_o

**Yawgm0th** · 02-08-2006, 08:56 AM

Too lazy to read whole thread. Answer to title question:
Zone Alarm
AVG Free and Symantec Corp

Zone Alarm works great and is free. It's a bit of a resource hog, but most software firewalls are. I don't actually use it on very many systems, though. It can be useful in preventing programs from accessing the Internet, and it's crucial if you're on a wireless network with WEP or no security (or a direct modem to PC Internet connection). Aside from that, it won't do anything that your hardware firewall (router) won't. It really depends on what the household (kids, etc.) situation is and your level of knowledge.

As for antivirus, I always install AVG free on customer's computers. It's easily better than the paid versions of Norton, McAfee, and just about everything else. It's also free. No AV program will work every time, so why pay for one? I use Symantec Corp on my own and my friend's systems (mine legally, there's not quite). Like firewalls, though, I don't use AV protection on a number of my own systems because it's simply a larger pain in the ass than fixing the viruses they never get would be. The systems in question are used entirely for gaming, though (I refer to them as "auxilliary gaming systems"). I use AV protection on my "normal use" system (my laptop) because it's susceptible to P2P viruses and some of the nastier spyware.

Speaking of which, I do actually use Ad-Aware SE on most of my systems because they almost all get used for web browsing. I would also install AV if they got used more because viruses quite often come through web browsing, particularly some holes in Java (and IE, though I never use it). I would highly recommend anyone short of a security "professional" install AV on all systems, regardless of the fact that I just admitted I don't.

For the record I haven't had a virus or attack on any system in over two years. I haven't found a virus I couldn't defeat "manually" in over two and a half.

Spongebob · 02-09-2006, 06:32 AM

If you have a router, is the WindowsXP firewall enough, or even the firewall thats built into the routers software? I think I could get by without any extra Firewall, although I do have Zone alarm suite software now, which I haven't installed yet.
McAfees coming off this system, its becoming a system hog and I can't open up Firefox when I'm running CloneDVD2 and AnyDVD for some reason when McAfee's firewall is running, plus my wife is complaining about it messing with her E-mail, which I don't want to take the time to figure out right now. I can't live with that.