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Malware Evolving Too Fast for Antivirus Apps

pcworld.com — Bad guys use sophisticated testing to create malware that can evade even the best security programs.

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  • thesauce, on 01/02/2008, -8/+84Our key to beating viruses and spyware is to educate internet users to avoid clicking "You won a free donkey douche! Click here to claim your prize!" I worked as a computer technician for almost three years and now I work in IT. I'd say 90% of the problems we encountered at the shop I worked at were spyware/virus related. They would all deny they went to porn sites or clicked stupid banners too. Every once in a while, someone would admit to visiting shavemytaint.org or trying to box a monkey in a small white flash ad.

    Then again, how we will be able to keep such great stores as Best Buy open by giving them ***** of money to reformat our computers? Think of the loss!
    • Shatterpulse, on 01/02/2008, -18/+6Read the article. Thats not at all what it is about.
      • Spanq, on 01/02/2008, -0/+11Yes it is, you ignorant boob. You must not have read the second or third page.
    • MindTrigger, on 01/02/2008, -6/+4You haven't been in IT very long if you think people will listen to a word the IT guy has to say about what not to click on the internet/email. Best thing you can do is lock down your network as tightly as possible. I've tried the education road. No one knew what I was talking about, despite my use of "normal language".
      • jgtg32a, on 01/03/2008, -1/+3Try firing someone it works wonders.
        • blackinthmiddle, on 01/03/2008, -1/+0When I programmed for a large pharmaceutical, they would lock people's computers down to the point that you no longer had a computer, but an etch-a-sketch! They tried doing it to the programmers as well, but we got friendly with them. Then, we'd constantly nag them. "Hey, for me to get my work done, I need you to come down and install this program for me." Oftentimes, the program in question was one the IT department was familiar installing. So the scenario often landed up being them giving us admin access and us installing the software. After we'd all agree that it was stupid for us not to have admin access to our own machines (how can you test solutions if you can't install them?), they'd "forget" to take away that access from us! Anyway, that's how they handled it. You couldn't install ANYTHING! Download a weather app and think it would be cool so that you could know what the weather is? Yeah...too bad. You can't install it!
          • sekhui, on 01/03/2008, -0/+3you do not need a ***** "weather app" on your work computer. or any other computer, for that matter.
        • martalli, on 01/03/2008, -0/+2That only works if the CIO is the CEO, but even tech firms aren't often organized in that fashion.
    • ec92009, on 01/02/2008, -0/+4I agreee that education is key. Check out this excellent podcast:
      http://www.eset.com/podcasts/
    • Happytired, on 01/02/2008, -1/+9So I shouldn't continue to go to porn sites? That's the best part of my day. :(
      • martalli, on 01/03/2008, -0/+1I was itching to post a NSFW site as a response, but just barely overcame the thought.
    • tendonut, on 01/02/2008, -0/+5You're doing it wrong. There has to be a fairly large * next to the last word
    • 3Den, on 01/03/2008, -0/+2In a universe where you could actually educate all those users - that would be the solution.
      In this universe - you need to find another way, because blaming the users doesn't fix the problem.
    • renegadeafk, on 01/03/2008, -2/+3it's called common sense. I haven't used any security programs on my pc for years using XP and now with vista and haven't had ANY virus infections and it's still running like new. My relatives and friends all have full av suites and ***** and I have to clean there PC's of the ridiculous infections they get all the time. I'd rather not use any pos antivirus slowing down my PC when I can just not be an idiot.
      • 47f0, on 01/03/2008, -2/+5No, it's not called common sense, it's called denial. How many of the bot-netted computer owners out there think they don't have any virus infections? Just about all of them. Many of them with just as much "common sense" and expertise as you. The newer attacks are specifically designed not to be detectable, and not to impact your system performance to a noticeable degree. I have seen, with my own two beady little eyes, a fresh XP install get owned within minutes of connecting, while trying to download the MS updates.
      • zongamin, on 01/03/2008, -2/+2You are a prize idiot.
        Does it make you feel clever not to have any av protection?
        Wake up - the virus writers are cleverer than you are.
      • ec92009, on 01/04/2008, -2/+11/ Yes you're in denial 2/ Yes the virus writers are smarter than you 3/ You could have all the common sense on earth, and a Linux box running a virtual machine on a mac, and that would still not save you from DNS poisoning: The story goes like this: you go to your bank web site: https://mybankswebsite.com, but your browser knows nothing about the real IP address of your bank, so it asks your DNS server. That's where poisoning takes effect: your ISP (the most likely supplier of DNS translations for your benefit) feeds you corrupt information, and translates to https://11.12.13.14 instead of https://12.13.14.15, and here you are, typing your username and password on a web site that's secured, that looks very much like your bank's, but does nothing but collect your information and forward you to where you thought you were going in the first place.
  • norsurfit, on 01/02/2008, -12/+53Solution: Never go to a web-site that ends in ".ru"
    Russia and Eastern Europe are crime and virus havens...
    • implied, on 01/02/2008, -1/+10Yeah they would never sell code to anyone outside of Russia or Eastern Europe either!
    • DestroyFascism, on 01/02/2008, -3/+1Or steal a CC number and hire a server in the US
    • lovestospooge, on 01/02/2008, -13/+6Buried for xenophobia.
    • reaper, on 01/02/2008, -0/+6fear of strangers?...
      No one said we dislike these guys!
    • subxero37, on 01/03/2008, -0/+6Yeah, screw useful sites like http://pinouts.ru/
      Hmm, this calls for top-top-level-domains, .useless and .useful. That way, it's www.google.com.useful, and www.msn.com.useless.
      Then you can just filter all .useless domains. Easy as pie, other than the fact that I can't bake a pie...
    • Tetraca, on 01/03/2008, -0/+7Never go on the internet without using NoScript.
      Never go onto sites you don't trust.
      Never accept a cookie from a domain foreign to the one you are currently browsing.
      Never install an application from a shoddy or poor source.
      Never install shareware.
      Never install shareware.
      NEVER install shareware.
      Never trust a source which has an installation program for a background or screensaver.
      Never download and install a toolbar.
      Never so much as view ads from tribalfusion or caselmedia.
      Never play an ad game.
      Never use Internet Explorer
      Never use an administrator or root account unless you are installing an application. Even then, use "run as", "sudo", or "su" if possible.

      In conclusion:
      Never be stupid when browsing the web, and you'll never get a virus or so much as a piece of malware. Alternatively, you could continue to do these things, but use an operating system nobody cares about in the ad world, like Linux, Haiku, or eComStation.
      • martalli, on 01/03/2008, -0/+2Anybody that ever used a command line, and started it with "sudo ..." is NOT part of the problem (unless they are writing malware, that is)
        • Tetraca, on 01/03/2008, -0/+1I'm saying it's part of the solution, not the problem.
        • martalli, on 01/03/2008, -0/+1I am implying that if you have ever used sudo in the command line, your knowledge of computers is probably in the 99th percentile.
      • LightSpeed4, on 01/03/2008, -1/+1never use ie? youre obviously an anti-ms tool
        • Tetraca, on 01/03/2008, -0/+1IE just doesn't have the tools you need to stay safe on the web. Opera is getting there, but it still doesn't have anything like NoScript that creates a whitelist instead of blacklist.
    • SolidSnake24, on 03/28/2008, -0/+1Or use Nod32
  • smackhero, on 01/02/2008, -5/+33most malware out there is in some way or another related to spam advertising. if it's not to create browser pop-ups on your computer, it's to turn your PC into a zombie for sending spam. and while trojans/worms/viruses are illegal, many types of invasive adware/malware programs that create browser pop-ups are still completely legal.

    a large part of the problem is our capitalist/pro-business culture. individuals downloading music/movies for one's own private consumption is illegal, but a multi-million dollar corporations using malware to advertise/sell products or spyware to conduct market research is a sign of entrepreneurial spirit.

    americans often like to blame the problem on other countries like russia or china, but 99% of the advertised services/products in spam e-mails or malware pop-ups are by U.S. corporations. if we held those companies responsible for the use of these underhanded advertising/marketing methods then there'd be no more money in spamming and the malware makers wouldn't have any monetary incentive to do what they do.
    • ec92009, on 01/02/2008, -0/+2Common mistake. Most really bad malware does its utmost to stay under the radar. It either makes your PC become a BOT, capable upon request from the BOT master to send spam e-mail to hundreds of other PCs. Or it just sits there spying on your actions do get private information from you. The old days of "fun" viruses are over. The malware authors are in that business for the money !
    • Hermmunster, on 01/03/2008, -0/+3Malware that pops up warning message telling you that you are infected certainly is software meant to stay out of the way and under the radar. Yeah, I understand your point. There is some real nasty stuff.

      I looked at the properties of a bit of malware that was identified but couldn't be removed and in the company field it said "Russian".

      Anyway, you are right in that we cause great disdain on those that download and playback content while we allow business to perform legally questionable acts against our very privacy. Take the WGA spyware program installed by Microsoft. This program reports back who you are and your OS and related software. It is in all ways a spyware program that is installed like one would install a hidden program.

      Now one should ask: would I allow Walmart to come into my home to search it for stolen goods? Would I allow my neighbor to come in and search my home if he accused me of stealing something from him? Would the police take his word and search my home without a warrant because the neighbor said i had stolen from him?

      The answer is no. You should/would not allow Walmart to search your home. You would not allow the neighbor to search your home. You would not allow the police to search your home just on the word of a neighbor.

      So, why are you allowing Microsoft to install a hidden camera in your computer to spy on you? This is just a program. It is not some physical device that has been stolen such as a CD from a music store, or a book from a book store, or a phone from walmart. It is just a program that can and has been repoduced easily.

      You should never allow anyone to spy on your computer whether they are telling tales of woe that purports their imminent demise. Certainly, the once richest man in the world isn't suffering any and neither are the thousands of millionaires that have come from their company. I'm not telling you to steal from them. I'm not telling you that those that have stolen are not doing anything wrong. I'm working hard to get you to apply what Microsoft is doing on your computer in real life. Not to mention products such as SP3 appears to be requiring you to enter your product key again and installs WGA by default during the installation. Microsoft's monopoly power will force you over time to install SP3 because if you do not then you will subject to various types of issues. So, you give in to their nasty spyware hidden camera program or you live with the inability to run certain programs and perform certain actions.

      But hey, you are allowing Microsoft to enter your home and pry into your lives. You let them become this huge predatory monopoly that has stolen so much from its competitors (such as Z4 technologies, etc). What can I say other than DO NOT allow Microsoft to put this crap into your system--and it is yours afterall.
      • martalli, on 01/03/2008, -0/+3Well, if I lived in Nantucket and I was writing spyware, I would probably put things like "Russian" in the software, too. Why would I write something like 440 north Main, Nantucket, CT?
  • Brianguy2000, on 01/02/2008, -26/+36Nothing can slip past Norton!
    • Rotzooi, on 01/02/2008, -5/+88Norton is the biggest piece of bloatware crap that ever slowed down my computer.
      There's a reason the most download file from the Symantec website is their 'NortonRemover'.
      • Assezdefromage, on 01/03/2008, -0/+3Just out of curiosity what do people recommend as a Symantec Alternative?
        • pytis, on 01/03/2008, -2/+5AVG anti virus free + spybot
          • antdude, on 01/03/2008, -1/+1Do you guys like Ad-Aware 2007? SE free is unsupported now (no more updates).
        • Bulletbillx, on 01/03/2008, -0/+7Avast!, kaspersky, and NOD32 are good anti-viruses as well. Get spybot and adaware for the spyware.
          • sadilak, on 01/03/2008, -0/+2AVast is good, Try AVG too. It aint bad.
    • geekchic, on 01/02/2008, -1/+9Once Norton has bloated your computer - your boast will also appliy to legitimate computer usage as well.
    • Nobiting, on 01/02/2008, -3/+39"You can't hack my *****, I got norton."
    • arbulus, on 01/02/2008, -2/+21Norton is as much of a virus as the stuff it claims to protect you against.
    • ChiRolla, on 01/02/2008, -1/+15I believe you forgot the sarcasm tags for all the literal readers.
    • DestroyFascism, on 01/02/2008, -4/+11Norton is a POS! use Nod32
    • benroy, on 01/02/2008, -4/+18I hope you're being facetious. I'm a computer tech and before I even attempt to address the problem at hand, I remove/uninstall ANY Norton/Symantec software. This is a common practice for many technicians. The key to a healthy computer is 'less is more'. Only install software you know you need or will use. It's not a contest to see how many search assistants and registry optimizers you can pack into your anemic, Celeron-powered, spam-flinging victim of a computer.
      The best Antivirus is NOD32 anyway.
      • Krlll, on 01/03/2008, -0/+3Dugg up for"It's not a contest to see how many search assistants and registry optimizers you can pack into your anemic, Celeron-powered, spam-flinging victim of a computer"
        Thanks for the laugh. :)
    • monkeyrun, on 01/02/2008, -1/+7Norton could almost qualify as a Virus.

      The only thing stopping that is that you are paying money for it.
    • anononon, on 01/02/2008, -0/+30The only reason nothing get past Norton is because Norton doesn't leave enough RAM for anything else to run.
    • alexbu, on 01/03/2008, -0/+1Thanks a lot! I couldn't get rid of it, but now, with the Norton Removal Tool, it all worked out for me.
    • Scira, on 01/03/2008, -0/+6Wow no one on digg gets sarcasm anymore.
      • metalwolf, on 01/03/2008, -0/+0Oh, didn't you know thats what the sarcasm tag is for?
        /sarcasm
    • bobbob1016, on 01/03/2008, -0/+4What is wrong with you people, nothing can ever get by Norton. Nothing has to get by Norton, since Norton is so bad, it can't detect a virus named virus.malware, I've seen it... well not seen it, but my point is still valid.

      I had to help a woman whose son worked for Symantec, so she only wanted Norton on her machine. She bought Norton 360, which she nor I could get on the machine. I think she bought a lesser, or in the case of Norton greater (since less is more in Norton's case), version and it went on. I said she could ask her son for the corporate version, since the IT people who use it, don't want any of the garbage.
    • zerodaysoon, on 01/03/2008, -1/+1i agree with Scira, its funny how we have so many techs or educated ppl who can't understand a little sarcasm, oh well i guess they are just pretending
  • geekchic, on 01/02/2008, -12/+31I wonder what the creationists say about malware evolution.
    • Waskonator, on 01/02/2008, -3/+13Bill Gates had sex with a fem-bot on top of a Ouija board. Everyone knows that...
      • martalli, on 01/03/2008, -0/+3But did you know his fem-bot runs a stripped-down linux kernel and raises money for RP on the internet?
    • hagerman, on 01/02/2008, -1/+20I believe they call it intelligent design now.
    • BossKey, on 01/02/2008, -4/+4Heh. I was going to say, the headline is wrong. Malware doesn't "evolve" because its authors are adjusting the design. This is an excellent example of intelligent design.

      I actually think good scientists, journalists, and citizens work against evolution when they use "evolve" to refer to processes that are clearly designed by humans. This only confuses the issue and plays into the hands of the clueless creationists. Please don't ever talk about "the evolution of the Mazda" or "the evolution of the Macintosh" unless you have self-modifying products.
      • UnWeave, on 01/02/2008, -2/+3But you're only referring to the biological definition. To evolve is to change to meet the needs of the environment. So you could argue that it is evolution, even if the method by which it progresses is different to natural selection.
    • SonnyW, on 01/02/2008, -0/+7Malware isn't evolving. It just appears that way to test out faith.
    • Tetraca, on 01/03/2008, -0/+4Malware, like Linux, is just too complex to have evolved to its current state. It must have been intelligently designed to be how it is.
    • Joedope, on 01/03/2008, -0/+1Programmers design programs, which are inherently flawed, guided by laws, and have a destiny. A Particular program was designed which was deleted by other programs which effectively makes the Programmer consider the imperfect programs as perfect, and lets them migrate to the perfect hardware.
  • georgemason01, on 01/02/2008, -13/+5Kaspersky.
  • johannscv, on 01/02/2008, -20/+13There is a fairly painless way to avoid the malware issue. Stop using Windows. Install Ubuntu or Fedora, both make it simple.

    Boom! Problem solved.
    • Pelapp, on 01/02/2008, -6/+15So if everyone used linux, there wouldn't exist any viruses ?
      • vibrokatana, on 01/02/2008, -3/+4A large portion of websites are run on linux. The market share excuse for windows vulnerabilities is pure BS.
      • santaliqueur, on 01/03/2008, -4/+5Correct, the market share idea is totally false. Windows is much less secure than Linux. Assuming that the amount of viruses would scale linearly with market share increasing is such a popular idea, and so wrong, because it assumes both operating systems, given the same amount of users, would be similarly infected, and this is not true, because both have different levels of security.
    • Aensland, on 01/02/2008, -2/+5Except we wouldn't be able to play all those shiney new games now, would we.
      • martalli, on 01/03/2008, -0/+2uh-oh...linux gaming flame-war coming in 3..2..1
    • antechinus, on 01/02/2008, -2/+9Utter and complete *****. If you run a Linux box which is connected to the net and you have port 22 open, have a look at your log files. You will probably be horrified to see all of the automated login attempts. There is a huge net of root kitted Linux boxes out there whose sole aim in life is to break into other Linux boxes and root kit them.

      You do know how to read the log file of a Linux box?
      • vibrokatana, on 01/02/2008, -2/+92007-12-19 01:23:11,403 - denyhosts : INFO new denied hosts: ['88.208.78.83']
        2007-12-19 17:54:43,499 - denyhosts : INFO new denied hosts: ['216.255.8.4']
        2007-12-20 04:25:45,726 - denyhosts : INFO new denied hosts: ['212.160.143.210']
        2007-12-20 09:40:15,242 - denyhosts : INFO new denied hosts: ['72.21.42.122']
        2007-12-20 12:31:14,463 - denyhosts : INFO new denied hosts: ['210.245.188.86']
        2007-12-21 00:33:16,112 - denyhosts : INFO new denied hosts: ['61.134.65.61']
        2007-12-21 16:19:14,236 - denyhosts : INFO new denied hosts: ['194.29.203.144']
        2007-12-21 22:55:13,978 - denyhosts : INFO new denied hosts: ['65.169.184.2']
        2007-12-22 07:36:15,325 - denyhosts : INFO new denied hosts: ['217.64.100.162']
        2007-12-22 17:08:53,442 - denyhosts : INFO new denied hosts: ['66.240.255.58']
        2007-12-22 17:10:53,448 - denyhosts : INFO new denied hosts: ['201.234.135.7']
        2007-12-23 21:01:54,150 - denyhosts : INFO new denied hosts: ['85.38.203.19']
        2007-12-23 22:03:24,519 - denyhosts : INFO new denied hosts: ['72.232.196.98']
        2007-12-23 22:31:54,464 - denyhosts : INFO new denied hosts: ['76.197.19.59']
        2007-12-24 16:42:56,711 - denyhosts : INFO new denied hosts: ['60.191.231.74']
        2007-12-25 02:32:59,373 - denyhosts : INFO new denied hosts: ['211.72.242.109']
        2007-12-27 04:29:33,770 - denyhosts : INFO new denied hosts: ['218.104.164.138']
        2007-12-27 05:20:34,717 - denyhosts : INFO new denied hosts: ['212.160.143.210']
        2007-12-27 17:33:15,398 - denyhosts : INFO new denied hosts: ['76.252.94.131']
        2007-12-27 18:47:16,180 - denyhosts : INFO new denied hosts: ['210.245.188.86']
        2007-12-28 00:24:45,968 - denyhosts : INFO new denied hosts: ['59.56.181.4']
        2007-12-28 03:20:16,951 - denyhosts : INFO new denied hosts: ['222.184.250.36']
        2007-12-29 18:55:00,071 - denyhosts : INFO new denied hosts: ['61.172.200.171']
        2007-12-30 22:34:35,442 - denyhosts : INFO new denied hosts: ['200.171.41.226']
        2007-12-30 22:54:35,732 - denyhosts : INFO new denied hosts: ['66.166.56.233']
        2008-01-02 01:21:08,864 - denyhosts : INFO new denied hosts: ['201.63.19.74']

        ownd, they are welcome to try but they get banned lol
    • tendonut, on 01/03/2008, -2/+4That argument is complete *****. The only reason Windows is so heavily infested with viruses/spyware/malware is because the huge marketshare Windows holds. If everyone started using Macs of using Linux, the programmers would just shift their focus to write malware on the platform that would affect the most people.
      • vibrokatana, on 01/03/2008, -0/+2A large portion of websites are run on linux. The market share excuse for windows vulnerabilities is pure BS.
        • tnoy, on 01/03/2008, -2/+3Remote vulnerabilities are different than local ones. Using Linux's server market share is not applicable here.
      • martalli, on 01/03/2008, -0/+2A larger market share certainly would attract more attention, but true POSIX systems are inherently more secure. I remember good old uxa.cso.uiuc.edu...These systems were designed to handle 50 users at a time without security compromises, so even if someone gets acess through a limited user, control of the machine is difficult. No one is claiming they are invulnerable, but like vibrokatana asserts, if linux website could be taken down with simple exploits, no one would bother trying to bring them down with massive DOS attacks.
  • lukas88, on 01/02/2008, -9/+9Virus protection is useless, has been for a while. Nothing protects you like common sense and/or a great backup and restore plan. I've had to wipe my computer only twice in the past 7 years because of a virus, and it was painless because I spent a few minutes coming up with a backup plan.

    Don't download porn in an exe format and you will be just fine.
    • xelloss, on 01/02/2008, -0/+3I find the outdated a Java can lead to tons of Trojan horses. There are a lot of java based gaming website that will infect your computer and most people don't even realize its Java. Personally I think there should be a class or something that kids and high schoolers have to take to learn how to use a computer securely and safely (though most people and kids probably won't take that class seriously /sigh).
    • SonnyW, on 01/02/2008, -0/+3Common sense beats any virus scanner out there, but that doesn't mean you're safe with just either of the two.
    • UnWeave, on 01/02/2008, -1/+2I've never had to wipe mine in the past six, because I use antivirus protection. Backup is a hassle, and good antivirus system and a bit of common sense, like not trying to watch an .exe, isn't.
      • Zurahn, on 01/03/2008, -0/+1I've never had to in the last...well, ever. I've had to fix a computer for family members before, but was always able to do it. I've never had a problem on a computer used by me because I know not to use Internet Explorer. I don't even have an anti-virus program installed. And for the inevitable "Well how do you know then?!" -- aside from having scanned online once in the rare occasion, a virus is a pretty crappy one that both doesn't do anything at all noticeable in performance or otherwise.
    • Hermmunster, on 01/03/2008, -1/+6I had a nice family in my shop the other day. Mom, Dad, 2 kids (older son, and a daughter). They obviously are a religious family and focus on family. No porn, no extraneous programs, have Norton Internet security, etc. But they were infected with a rogue program. How did they get this program installed? What caused it? Did they download something? Did they install something? Did they visit some odd site?

      None of that. It came down as a codec when they visited a web site. That program then downloaded the rogue software and kept prompting them with Windows Security Alerts. He made it clear that he had not responded affirmatively to the prompts. He did not go to their website and purchase their software. None of the programs he used got rid of the rogue software.

      What can I say? He didn't do anything wrong, but he got infected. In my shop I get hundreds of computers a year that are infected. Actually, I have to say the majority of them are infected. This is not the case with stupid people. Those of you making this statement are even dumber than those you claim are dumb. The people that get infected are just average people using their computer to do those things they thought they should be allowed to do. The computer is a complex piece of software/hardware and not everyone has the same level of detailed knowledge. There's nothing wrong with this.
      • zongamin, on 01/03/2008, -1/+1You are 100% right - its all very well for a bunch of nerds to boast that they don't use any AV - which in my opinion is as stupid as you can get, but for many people this is the reality.
        Even without visting dodgy sites, or opening crazy emails you can still end up with this kind of ***** on your system
    • Tetraca, on 01/03/2008, -1/+2I haven't scanned my system in over 3/4ths of a year or had any AV or other 'classic' protection software running at that time. I'm on an LU and use NoScript and common sense as my defenses against malware (I don't even worry about virii since I haven't installed a single thing that wasn't either a game, or off of SourceForge). Just for ***** and giggles I just scanned my computer for crap after a bunch of updates for the software - it's clean as a whistle. The only thing that showed up were my own manual overrides.
  • TacticalPenguin, on 01/02/2008, -15/+5I started to use this antivirus app a couple years ago called Ubuntu and I've never gotten a virus since. Then again, when I DO use windows, I use avast which seems to update every 5 minutes.
    • Clp727, on 01/03/2008, -0/+2I like Avast and use it on all of my Windows computers. There was a report on SANS (sans.org )recently about a java vulnerability that seemed to evade most AV software on the market ( http://isc.sans.org/diary.html?storyid=3400 ). Avast was one of a few that actually detected the rogue software that was downloaded.
  • whiteknives, on 01/02/2008, -7/+28The best Anti Virus/Malware software is lesser known and free. Since people fool themselves into thinking that money buys protection for their valuable information, they flock to whatever software is the most popular. Of course, hackers are going to write programs specifically designed to infiltrate computers running Norton, McAffee, etc. I recommend AVG or Avast!

    There's a much simpler solution: 99% of the time, you can avoid getting malware by avoiding websites that use the words "free" or "naked."
    • arbulus, on 01/02/2008, -2/+4ClamWin is nice too.
    • neodorian, on 01/03/2008, -0/+2Agree. AVG Free and common sense have kept me virus free since the Win98 days.
    • vr6vdub, on 01/03/2008, -1/+1Or not running as admin/root. That will negate almost ALL attack vectors aside from buffer overflow's and other privelage escalation attacks.
    • FXPooky, on 01/03/2008, -1/+3OS X works, too.
      • martalli, on 01/03/2008, -0/+1Awfully expensive compared to ubuntu and opensuse, and without all the pretty eye candy.
    • zerodaysoon, on 01/03/2008, -0/+1i tried Avast but it never worked for me. Im using Vista, and I noticed my machine was getting slowed, so i ran a virus check using Avast and nothing, i ran windows live one care and it took care of it for me. Im not using Avast anymore. dont get me wrong i love open source programs but Im going back to Clamwin it doesnt have live protection but its way better than avast at least in my case, oh yeah I did update the virus signatures!! lol
    • keyo, on 01/03/2008, -0/+1Avast is a piece of *****.
  • serverdown, on 01/02/2008, -20/+6OSX.
  • ZaZ2137, on 01/02/2008, -6/+7AVG + Spybot + Firefox + Adblock Plus ftw, noscript optional if the person is a dumbass....or just any modern linux distro. also in either case using a redlisted hosts file thats updated regularly helps
    • Gzero, on 01/02/2008, -0/+8AVG has one of the worst detection ratings.
      • MScrip, on 01/02/2008, -3/+3AVG is a virus scanner, right? How many viruses are still out there? I see more spyware and adware on people's computers. I can't remember the last time I found a virus on someone's computer. AVG may have the worst detection rate, but since viruses aren't rampant anymore, who cares?
    • xelloss, on 01/02/2008, -0/+3I personally don't like AVG, I recently tested this test virus on my friends computer and it didn't even catch it until we told it to scan the file. http://www.tech-pro.net/howto_000.html
      NOD32, Kaspersky and Norton have no problems finding it.
      • sadilak, on 01/03/2008, -0/+1Use AVG for that Anti Malware *****. AVAST is pretty good as an Anti Virus Option
    • SanTe, on 01/02/2008, -0/+2My equation looks like this: Avast! + SpywareBlaster + Firefox + Adblock Plus + NoScript. I use NoScript just to be on the safe side. If I need to whitelist a subdomain I'd rather take the extra step rather than let every site's scripts do whatever the hell they want right out of the gate. I'm thinking of experimenting with a malware site-blocking hosts file for an extra layer of protection.
    • vvlist, on 01/03/2008, -0/+4I choose Linux. I don't have to worry about my data like the common Windows user. Vista is safer but not for long and five times more annoying than XP.
  • JenadaeXX, on 01/02/2008, -3/+22With the new and improved combination of Common Sense V1.0 and any decent free anti-virus, YOU TOO CAN BE FREE OF MALWARE!!!
  • SebHughes, on 01/02/2008, -15/+7Another reason to swap to apple.
  • Heidenreich12, on 01/02/2008, -15/+7i'll be dugg down. but have you never seen the Get a Mac ads? They are stupid but true... I once used a Pc, and i finally got fed up with the crap. I'm not a Fan Boy, i just use what makes sense.
    • c0re1337, on 01/02/2008, -4/+7Makes sense? While the commercial does "make sense", it makes sense to convert your Windows PC to any linux distribution (like Ubuntu) or even BSD, instead of wasting money on a proprietary OS.
      • F0RMLESSNESS, on 01/02/2008, -2/+1Actually no that doesn't make much sense, for one thing you can't use photoshop on Open Source OS's. (don't give me that GIMPshop ***** if I wanted to use photoshop 6 i would go back in time with Marty *****!) You can't use a whole hell of lot of specialized software that people need on Open Source OS's.
        Not only that, but open source linux OS's are not exactly user friendly. While any idiot can use Windows or OSX, it takes a slightly higher level of computer know how to manage Linux.
        • Oronar, on 01/02/2008, -0/+5Any idiot can use Ubuntu.
          • martalli, on 01/03/2008, -0/+1In fact, I think ubuntu and kubuntu are much more approachable to the average windows user than Mac. I am all for the average person switching to Macs, but I think the typical windows user still likes to have menus to click on. The Mac's finder interface sucks...what kind of crazy human factors pothead advocated that?
          • metalwolf, on 01/03/2008, -0/+0obviously not him. :3
      • martalli, on 01/03/2008, -0/+1You're absolutely right, but for the crowd who buy a new coputer every year or two because the malware s slowing it down...they would be much happier on a mac. They would really have to learn anything, either.
  • TFkb, on 01/02/2008, -2/+1Great to see some attention drawn to the problem.
  • flyingmeteor, on 01/02/2008, -16/+10Get Ubuntu.
  • kitaljevich, on 01/02/2008, -6/+24I don't, and never will use any kind of anti-virus software. Although I download large amounts of various content, I've never got a virus/trojan/etc. How? Just follow these five simple steps:

    1. Never run an executable if which you are unsure of its source.
    2. Don't go looking for cracks online... ever.
    3. BitTorrent --> Private Trackers.
    4. Always remember: ".ru" == malware hell.
    5. Firefox (win)

    /$0.02
    • JamesMorris, on 01/02/2008, -3/+3Cracks are good. hush.
    • MioTheGreat, on 01/02/2008, -1/+11You know, #5 may or may not be true anymore. WIth Protected Mode IE (A feature which other browsers should have began implementing the moment Microsoft announced it.), it doesn't even have user-level access to your system. If the IE process is completely hijacked by an exploit, it can't even delete an icon off your desktop, let alone install software on your computer.
      • JenadaeXX, on 01/02/2008, -6/+1Yay! Now I can get those annoying pop ups for visiting Google now too!! I'm so glad my OS can think for me now so I don't have to!
        • MioTheGreat, on 01/02/2008, -0/+4What? UAC consent dialogs have nothing to do with how Protected Mode helps you. Protected Mode helps you by giving any running code in the IE process no access to your computer.
        • renegadeafk, on 01/03/2008, -0/+1Yeah microsoft definitely did something right with IE security, and now it's nowhere near the security nightmare ie6 was. *shudders*
      • keyo, on 01/03/2008, -0/+1Opera is the best for security, they patch their holes extremely fast. Last time I checked on secunia they had none known, IE had 20+
        • MioTheGreat, on 01/03/2008, -0/+1But none of the holes in IE can affect your computer, thanks to Protected Mode. Yes, I know, it's better not to have the holes, but you can't deny that FF and Opera should be implenting a Protected Mode.
    • MindTrigger, on 01/02/2008, -1/+11You are preaching to the choir. It's the other 95% of computer users out there that don't know what the hell you are even talking about, who are the problem.
    • tendonut, on 01/03/2008, -0/+6actually, www.gamecopyworld.com and (using FF) www.serals.ws are completely clean. (Don't even THINK about it under IE) Keep that in mind. Other than that, you're dead on.
      • logandurand, on 01/03/2008, -0/+3GCW is fantastic, I haven't had to use my original game disks in years. Also, serials.ws is great as long as you don't click on their activex applets.
    • sremick, on 01/03/2008, -0/+5If you've never run a scan, how do you know you're not infected?
      • tendonut, on 01/03/2008, -0/+1See this rock? It keeps zombies away.
    • zongamin, on 01/03/2008, -0/+2You are an idiot.
      Your advice is excellent, however you STILL need AV Protection.
      Don't kid yourself.
  • MioTheGreat, on 01/02/2008, -12/+5So many ignorant people commenting garbage like: "Get a Mac."

    Absolutely nothing about Windows makes it any more vulnerable to malware that runs as a user than OSX or Linux. Anyone can write a piece of software for OSX or Linux that sits in the background and periodically sends out spam to random addresses just as easily as they can with Windows. The only difference is that until recently, there was no good default security setup with Windows. UAC, and the idea of process integrity levels fixes that....You have to manually allow software to be run as an Admin.
    • Aensland, on 01/02/2008, -9/+3Don't forget Windows has a much larger userbase, therefore more potential targets.
      • santaliqueur, on 01/03/2008, -1/+2Then why are there less than 5 known viruses for OS X, but tens, if not hundreds of thousands for Windows? I know Windows has a larger share, but it's not 10,000:1. OS X is more secure.
        • MioTheGreat, on 01/03/2008, -0/+1A virus can't exist out in the wild unless it has a chance of infecting a sufficient population of computers.

          That said, how many viruses actually depend on some vulnerability in Windows? Very few. They're just code that latches onto a file. Running as an Admin all the time certainly made pre-Vista operating systems more prone to viruses.
          • santaliqueur, on 01/03/2008, -0/+1Is the number of Linux webservers a sufficient enough number for you?
          • MioTheGreat, on 01/03/2008, -0/+1That's remote execution, not malware.
    • MindTrigger, on 01/02/2008, -3/+3*****, the first thing any self-respecting computer user does with a new Vista machine, is disable UAC.
      Windows Popup: "User is attempting to click the Allow or Deny buttons. Allow or Deny?"
      • MioTheGreat, on 01/02/2008, -0/+1No, that's what any person who believes him or herself to be a "power user", all the while not actually understanding what UAC does, or the first thing about the computer security concept of LUA.
    • mistercobber, on 01/02/2008, -0/+2It's just as ignorant and naive to belief UAC is "proctecting" your computer from you.
      • MioTheGreat, on 01/02/2008, -0/+1It's flat out wrong to believe that UAC is protecting your computer "from you"

        In fact, that's not it's job in the slightest. It's job is to give processes the least access to your system that they need to function. In doing so, it mitigates any vulnerabilities in running software or operating system components by ensuring that they don't have the needed access to your computer to do system-wide harm. It certainly helps with the malware situation, there's no denying that, but Windows Defender, or another good anti-malware app, or even better: common sense will all help a lot more than it ever could.
    • vvlist, on 01/03/2008, -0/+1Wow, you live in a dream world. I'd pick a posix-based OS over Windows any day.
  • baalzebub, on 01/02/2008, -10/+10yup, just keep running ms-windows no matter the cost, refusing to switch to an alternative be it BSD/Linux or OSX is like refusing to get off the rail road tracks knowing a train is getting closer & closer at high speed, its not if its going to hit you just a matter of when, and if you dont get off the tracks it surely will come and hit you...
    • Orlong, on 01/02/2008, -2/+9Ill switch to BSD/Linux when the day I can play Crysis, Bioshock, WOW, LOTRO, etc... on it. Otherwise I have to stick with Windows. Too many of the Diggheads on this site always scold people who dont use *nix, not realizing that they actually want to do things that are actually fun like play games, watch TV, edit photos with something better than Gimp etc...Ive tried Linux and and STILL cant get a driver for my X-FI Fatl1ty edition soundcard so its useless to me
      • Smwbigboss, on 01/02/2008, -5/+2That's why you dual boot. Do your browsing and basic tasks in Linux, then restart and boot into Windows when you want to play a game.
        • tendonut, on 01/03/2008, -1/+5That's what I have been doing for years. The problem though, is that can be a bit time consuming and I still can't get a native linux Ventrilo installer for when I am just hanging out in Vent and not playing games.
    • chris9902, on 01/02/2008, -2/+7Using Windows is like being the train driver. If you're a dumbass you're going to crash.

      Using Linux is like using those hand carts. You'll get there fine but by the time you arrive everyone else is 3 stops down the line.
  • DestroyFascism, on 01/02/2008, -12/+5I question if *nix would fare any better...
  • Jawshie, on 01/02/2008, -4/+14I love Linux as much as the rest of you but please stop with the "just install Linux" comments. The idea of this article is not to convert people but to make people aware and to take proper precautions. The unfortunate reality of the situation is that even if we do not want to, often times we must use Windows or Mac or whatever OS to get the job done. Fanboyism doesn't cut it in the professional world, results do.
    • orblivion, on 01/02/2008, -0/+6"Just" install Linux is annoying, agreed. It presumes that I know what you're using your computer for, and obviously Linux isn't ready for *everything*. But I would still certainly say "Consider installing Linux". It's ready for a whole lot, and getting progressively better. It's a possible option, I would want to make sure that people at least know it's a possibility, and how it's actually pretty capable. And the more people that use it, the more we'll get better software on Linux, and the more we'll get Windows to do nice things like IE protected mode (which I never heard of before this thread; I'm a Linux user and I say kudos to MS for that. I'll have to look into it).
    • Hermmunster, on 01/03/2008, -0/+2There's noting wrong nor annoying with telling others to switch. To encourage them with a large loud roar is not wrong. Stating it 100s of time is not wrong. Let's not censor the people who wish to make it clear that Linux is the right choice to overcome these types of problems. 90 % + of the people that use computers would be happy with Linux because the vast majority of people simply do chatting, email, and browse the web. Some write letters, manage their photos, create cards, play music, and watch videos (including TV on their computer). Linux is perfect for this. Hence, there's no reason to say to stop telling people this.

      Back in the day when we were using DOS and Windows started to become popular were you telling everyone to shut up with telling everyone else to switch to Windows? I doubt it. So it is really inappropriate for people to tell others to shut it regarding Linux.
      • Jawshie, on 01/03/2008, -1/+1I'm not saying its wrong to encourage Linux or even that it is not perfect for so many people. I am saying that it deserves to be in the right place. I use Linux exclusively and love it. The unfortunate reality is is that we do not see enough people with the Linux experience in local shops or whatever to install it and configure it properly (or lack of configuration) and will not support it and the fact that you will not likely find a Linux PC where most people buy their PCs from: Wal-Mart, Best Buy, Circuit City. Yes I know about gPC but it was not sold at any of my local Wal-Marts. The consumers refuse to learn how, don't care enough to, are happy enough with or just wont remove Windows. While Linux is great for most things, so is Windows. It can do all these things and thats all people want.
        I can only imagine the amount of electronic waste that there must be from people thinking that a computer is no good once it gets a virus.... :(
    • 47f0, on 01/03/2008, -0/+2Oh please. I've spent nearly three decades in the professional world as an IT employee and consultant. At the end of the day, after all your hard-worked case studies are glanced over, and all your hours of meetings, it's remarkable just how much of the purchasing budget comes down to "fanboyism" from some ***** of a VP. And if it's not fanboyism, it's whichever sales rep had the biggest boobs.
      Having said that, professional environments are not a huge part of the issue here. The PC has become a commodity appliance, even to the degree of being a kid's toy. Most of these people are not power PhotoShop users. Most of them are not power gamers. Most of them just want to do such average, mundane day-to-day activities as surfing the web, sending emails, playing music, writing documents and watching videos. All of which is increasingly well-handled by Linux - without near the security risks. That's an increasingly significant benefit. That's real results.
      And, if I may paraphrase you, in the real world, real results count.
      • Jawshie, on 01/03/2008, -0/+1When I say professional world I don't strictly refer to big business IT departments. I also include those local shops in which everybody takes their machines to get them fixed once they have had a bad case of the "porn flu." For every PC I have serviced lately, I could only think about how much time I could save just installing Linux and giving it back. Oh the scolding I would endure, though, when I got a nasty call saying they could not find their Start button and IE5. This article is not, in my opinion, targeted to those people who work in the higher-end of IT but for those consumers themselves and the local PC guy who couldn't pass the A+ if his life counted on it.
    • brettalton, on 01/08/2008, -0/+1In general, fanboyism is just plain rude and condesending, but when someone says "Switch to Linux" in a "Malware is accelerating" article, they almost can say "Switch to Linux" with no explanation of why. Alas, I do have to explain why: because since 1970, UNIX has had, what twelve viruses? Zero of which could properly propagate.

      So if you want to further progress human efforts in more important areas than spyware protection, then go to a locally-owned computer store such as mine in Canada, ask to switch to Linux (but also be taught about OpenOffice vs. Microsoft Office, Mozilla Firefox vs. Internet Explorer) and we'd be happy to oblige. If we don't oblige, go to a different computer store.
  • cmblechar, on 01/02/2008, -3/+1Last night I had a dream. A dream where I clicked on one of those win a free Razor Cell Phone ads by guessing which pop star was pictured and I won. It was glorious. I was king of the world with my new cell phone and advanced knowledge of pop star identification. Then I woke up and realized that I had to pay money for that damn cell phone and that ad was bullsh*t. But now I'm on a mission... to give all of us that want to win so badly the prizes we all lust over and are tempted by every day. Just you wait and see world!
  • rickremixx, on 01/02/2008, -12/+1oh yeah for the win
    1. Never run an executable if which you are unsure of its source.
    2. Don't go looking for cracks online... ever.
    3. BitTorrent --> Private Trackers.
    4. Always remember: ".ru" == malware hell.
    5. Firefox (win)
  • reaper, on 01/02/2008, -1/+6"Today's for-profit malware pushers use dedicated test labs and other increasingly professional techniques to improve their chances of infecting your computer"
    =
    Virtual Machine + Quad core
    • greevar, on 01/02/2008, -0/+3Unfortunately, they have found a way to infect you through virtual machines as well.
      • billyoneal, on 01/03/2008, -0/+1Really? I'd like to see that.....
  • TheMagicalMoose, on 01/02/2008, -1/+0Though all of this doesn't surprise me, I think there should be some room for improvement in antivirus software.
  • Orlong, on 01/02/2008, -9/+1Most viruses are written by the antivirus companies anyway. This is how they stay in business
    • SonnyW, on 01/02/2008, -0/+10Your ass is not a reliable source of information.
  • LeeSoong, on 01/02/2008, -3/+4Too bad Microsoft & Apple don't have the 'sophisticated testing' to make things work securely before selling them...
    • internetworld7, on 01/02/2008, -6/+1First of all lumping Microsoft and Apple in the same sentence on the issue of security is an abomination of monumental proportions!!! You're saying Apple doesn't test? How many viruses and spyware exist for Mac OS X? 0 How many viruses and spyware exist for Windows? hundreds of thousands, soon to be millions. Mac is built on a rock solid Unix foundation. See the difference --> http://www.apple.com/getamac/viruses.html
      • MioTheGreat, on 01/03/2008, -0/+6Viruses and Spyware, as I've said countless times, don't have much to do with the security of the operating system beyond the default privileges given to processes. They're just executable code. It's the job of the OS to execute things you throw at it.

        What is a big problem, however, is exploits in the OS that allow for remote execution and privilege escalation. In this regard, Vista is a little better off than OSX, based on their respected security records.
      • billyoneal, on 01/03/2008, -0/+5So, you are using advertisement for OSX to show why OSX is perfect? Hmmmm..... sounds like you need a third party source to me.
    • MioTheGreat, on 01/03/2008, -0/+5The OS is working perfectly fine. You're giving it a program to run, and it's running it. It's no business of the OS to determine whether or not something is malicious or not. The only thing the OS should do is try to prevent running programs from being tricked (exploited) into running another app's code, which Vista does quite well, with UIPI, UAC, ASLR, etc.

      And Microsoft's security practices have evolved over the past few years to be a lot better than Apple's. This is actually quite evident if you look at the number of exploits in Microsoft software versus Apple software.

      I expect Apple is hard at work on an SDL like Microsoft's, if they haven't already finished getting one implemented.
  • benroy, on 01/02/2008, -1/+8I like to abide by the K.I.S.S principle. Keep It Simple Stupid. Too many people think nothing of clicking 'OK' to any prompt thrown up onto their screen. Would you let every person who knocked on your door into your house? 90% of the time the software in question was WILLFULLY INSTALLED, it's very rare that an 'infiltration' occurs. Even NOD32 can't protect against ignorance.
  • shredswithpiks, on 01/02/2008, -1/+6use more firefox
  • 1legend, on 01/02/2008, -10/+6Best security software: Linux
    • charlietuna, on 01/02/2008, -0/+5I was waiting to see a linux post. Next we will see: "Ron Paul Linux, the Distro. for real Republicans (tm)".
      • martalli, on 01/03/2008, -0/+1As soon as CNN writes an article about Ron Paul using Ubuntu, or if someone even photoshops a photo to make it look like RP is using ubuntu, that submission will get 20,000 diggs. Digg's two major memes seem to be Ubuntu and RP.
    • UnWeave, on 01/03/2008, -0/+1*Safest OS, maybe.
    • charlietuna, on 01/03/2008, -0/+1OpenBSD is a better bet.
  • MarkusGarvey, on 01/02/2008, -0/+5Granted , most malware infestations are a result of a problem between the keyboard and the monitor, but now these guys have written malware so smart, that researchers who mess with them get DOS'ed, as soon as they mess with them! One of the best ways i have found to prevents malware, is to have the infestee, run with limited privileges, or if they must have porn, boot off a Damm Small Linux CD and go to town...
  • internetworld7, on 01/02/2008, -10/+0LOL! Yet another reason to switch to a Mac. Malware and hacker free, forever. --> http://www.apple.com/getamac/viruses.html
    • Syphon8, on 01/02/2008, -0/+8Forever, eh? Clearly you're an idiot.
      • internetworld7, on 01/03/2008, -5/+1Clearly you're jealous. A wise man once said, "Don't hate the play'a hate the game."
        • Syphon8, on 01/03/2008, -1/+5I've never had a virus on my Windows or Linux computers. Jealous? You being too stupid to not get them?
        • tendonut, on 01/03/2008, -1/+3OS X is far from invincible. Hacker's just don't give two ***** about affecting 2% of the market with their annoying malware apps. And this is coming from a die hard Mac lover, a linux system admin, and a Windows PC gamer.
    • MioTheGreat, on 01/03/2008, -0/+3If you honestly believe that, you're a complete moron, and willfully know so little about computer security that at this point, you're likely beyond help.
    • Zurahn, on 01/03/2008, -1/+1"no computer connected to the Internet will ever be 100% immune from attack"

      Nice link.
  • kidal25, on 01/02/2008, -2/+8Just use NOD32. No ***** and no problems. It doesn't slow down my computer. It's the best anti virus I have ever used.
  • MrTea, on 01/02/2008, -0/+6know what'd be more affective than antivirus apps? An improvement of user intelligence; "duhhhh, oh look an attachment in the email from my business partner in the middle east, what can go wrong? *click*"
  • ninjan, on 01/02/2008, -1/+2Internet needs Charles Bronson going after the malware creators.
  • Syphon8, on 01/02/2008, -3/+3I'd say that malware is a product of intelligent design, myself.
  • Syphon8, on 01/02/2008, -7/+2I'd say that malware is a product of intelligent design, myself.
    • adragontattoo, on 01/03/2008, -0/+3So what is double posting a sign of?
      • Syphon8, on 01/03/2008, -1/+3Digg's comment system being broken.
        • metalwolf, on 01/03/2008, -0/+0What is this with the broken comment system? I have had a few problems where it said CAPTCHA wrong but I have never double posted to my knowledge. Maby its only diggers with dial-up.I think there is a reason it says "please allow 60 seconds for your comment to be saved."
  • dho331, on 01/03/2008, -2/+0I use Avast and Spybot and they protect more than Norton ever will... Norton is a joke, McAfee still lists GSA as malware (lol) and every other company either distributes viruses / spyware WITH their antivirus / antispyware (eAcceleration, for one), or they just sell you outdated protection that isn't worth anything, seeing how well Spybot and Avast have treated me for the last year or so (Spybot many years) I don't see why you should dish out cash for a name-brand POS product.
  • SoundJudgment, on 01/03/2008, -2/+1The funny thing I find is when you realize this whole Digg is just another 'advertisement' for PC World's Webzine, you finally go on to actually read all the 'reviews' in their link, and the first thing you find is .... .drum-roll, please.... a Pop-Up window with a PC World Subscription advertisement.hitting you in the face. ;)
  • dho331, on 01/03/2008, -2/+0unless of course you have firefox with adblock plus...
    • bedfordn, on 01/03/2008, -0/+0Ha! Exactly...I never saw the ad...
  • whiteguysamurai, on 01/03/2008, -2/+4Don't run as admin, make yourself a limited account and only "run as" when you need to.
    Works great.
    • lithiumsystems, on 01/03/2008, -1/+1What about malware that enter your system through vulnerabilities? :/
      • whiteguysamurai, on 01/03/2008, -1/+1I'm not saying they don't exist, but you can always run a spyware suite along with a limited account.
        Safe practice is best, but most vulnerabilities are cause by human error, not by the operating system.
        • lithiumsystems, on 01/03/2008, -1/+1Most advanced malware these days use vulns as entry points. I know because I work in the industry.
  • Hermmunster, on 01/03/2008, -3/+1This is a no-*****! type post. Of course it is. If you work with this stuff every day you can't help but realize that. And another thing. Products such as Norton which exploit facilities in XP to trick viruses, and to keep the consumer in line, tends to give malware authors ideas on how to interfere further with how the system runs. For instance, if you turn off norton by disabling it with MS config you can't get out to the internet. But if you re-enable it, you can get out. Even if you no longer want it because as Norton is and has been for some time a resource hog due to it throwing in everything including the kitchen sink, you can't just temporarily disable. You have to completely remove it.

    This very facility, that lock you out of the internet when you disable norton is due to an idea that now the malware authors are resorting to. They can disable your internet access when you try to disable them. This isn't saying that this hasn't been happening for some time. It has and there are many ways for malware to disable internet access (including acting as a layered service provider). It's the fact that legit companies using these techniques are now giving malware authors the very same ideas on how to create havoc once you do decide to try to remove them.

    And, to remain on topic. Most of the antivirus programs do their job well. Whether they are free or commercial they all do the job pretty well. You need only one product. No reason to pay for Norton when you can get it for free. That's why Symantec tosses in everything and the kitchen sink. They have to to seem like you are getting some value for the money.

    As for adware/spyware. This is a different category of issue and programs from symantec and mcafee are not adequate. Period.

    You need a combination of products to overcome these. You need AVG anti-spyware, ad-aware, spybot S&D, and others including the free Microsoft malware removal tools. Not a single one of them, nor any others on the market, can detect and remove all the threats. And I see a lot of variation on my daily work removing this ***** from people's computers.

    So, this is a no-*****! type post for me.
    • zdiggler, on 01/03/2008, -0/+1One reason not to use Norton,

      If I'm developing a MalWare, first thing I'll make sure is Norton don't detect it. I'll work days and nights to get around Norton then I'll will write my evil program.

      Norton is Malware it self. once you install, you can't just simply uninstall it. You have to get Norton Uninstaller from their website.
  • adragontattoo, on 01/03/2008, -2/+3I honestly dont get why people believe that they flashing banner that just popped up on their screen is truly their AV warning them of an infection.


    Stupidity at its finest I guess
    • metalwolf, on 01/03/2008, -0/+0There is a reason why the SmitFraud virus is common. To quote a joke I like, "A ID10T error occurred between the seat and the keyboard."
  • Jammerdelray, on 01/03/2008, -3/+3Just use the best Internet Security Suite Available with hourly or better updates such as Kaspersky.
  • zdiggler, on 01/03/2008, -4/+2This XP install is over 2 year old and I have no antivirus/spyware scanner or anything I never got any got anything..
    How do I get one of those?
  • BrianCrosbie, on 01/03/2008, -3/+1SOPHOS. Straight up.
  • heresy_fnord, on 01/03/2008, -2/+1I've never once used any AntiVirus program for Malware. Most of them don't look for it, without buying addons. That's what anti-malware apps like Spybot Search and Destroy and Lavasoft Ad-Aware are for.
  • lithiumsystems, on 01/03/2008, -1/+1Perhaps if more security suites had advanced behavioral blocking features we would have more secure systems?
  • elint6, on 01/03/2008, -1/+1Inaccurate. Evolution is "just" a theory.
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