Foo - What Internet Security Suite do you use?

There are so many Internet Security Suites (combination of antivirus/firewall/antispam/antiphishing, etc.) out there.

Does anyone have a good recommendation on a good one?

Free zone alarm, no script for FF, and I don't download random crap on my computer.

Oh and I can read your sig without turning my head. :rolleyes:

I'm using Microsoft security essentials, also free

Surprisingly, Cnet gave Microsoft Security Essentials decent marks.

Trend Micro PC Cillan.

You have to pay for it but it works. I have used it for years with no issues.

I'm using Microsoft security essentials, also free

Me too.

$30 for a copy of kaspersky oem. good for a year.
$30 for a renewal key each year.

works better than AVG and isn't intrusive or bloated.

stay away from 'security suite' or 'all-in-one' software. Only use programs you need. Often these programs have software you don't even need, yet will run in the background, slowing your computer down.
stay away from norton, mcafee, trend micro, all of which, if not configured correctly, will slow down your system to a crawl. Trend Micro corporate version is good, but stay away from the consumer version.


free programs that do what they're designed to do without bogging down your system:
hijack this
spybot S&D
free AVG
zone alarm

I use avg-free and Spybot S&d on four computers at home. I'm not thrilled with them, but they do a decent job.

The biggest impact I have made to malware avoidance is to not allow my wife and kids to have "Computer Administrator" role. No question.

$30 for a copy of kaspersky oem. good for a year.
$30 for a renewal key each year.

works better than AVG and isn't intrusive or bloated.

stay away from 'security suite' or 'all-in-one' software. Only use programs you need. Often these programs have software you don't even need, yet will run in the background, slowing your computer down.
stay away from norton, mcafee, trend micro, all of which, if not configured correctly, will slow down your system to a crawl. Trend Micro corporate version is good, but stay away from the consumer version.


free programs that do what they're designed to do without bogging down your system:
hijack this
spybot S&D
free AVG
zone alarm
I was thinking about getting Norton Internet Security 2010 for $19.99 (http://www.cheapantivirus.com/Norton-Internet-Security-2010-OEM-DVD-Case-p/symantec-snis2010o-dc.htm) or Bitdefender Total Security 2010 (also for $19.99) (http://www.cheapantivirus.com/Bitdefender-Total-Security-2010-p/bitdefender-bts2010o-dc.htm).

They seem to have good reviews from what I've read. You don't think these are good "security suites"?

I'm using Microsoft security essentials, also free

same here.. so far its been a less intrusive than others that I've used.

Don't connect your computer directly to the internet; always go through a router and you should be fine. And don't surf porn and download from limewire.

Trend Micro is the best I've ever used, keeps the bad guys out.

I was thinking about getting Norton Internet Security 2010 for $19.99 (http://www.cheapantivirus.com/Norton-Internet-Security-2010-OEM-DVD-Case-p/symantec-snis2010o-dc.htm) or Bitdefender Total Security 2010 (also for $19.99) (http://www.cheapantivirus.com/Bitdefender-Total-Security-2010-p/bitdefender-bts2010o-dc.htm).

They seem to have good reviews from what I've read. You don't think these are good "security suites"?

The main problem with security suites is that they have a lot of programs rolled into one, and unless you know what you are doing with the settings, can become a good tool that keeps you happy or you become the tool to keep it happy.

If you go with bitdefender total security, which I've never used, but looking at the screen shots, which seem to be similar to norton suite..., disable tune-up, file manager and network map, unless you absolutely want them functioning.

tune-up: will slow down your computer if you leave it on auto because it'll try and 'optimize' or defrag your hard drive (slowing your computer considerably).
file manager: will slow down your computer where it hurts the most, the hard drive by making constant backups of files you might not need. It only protects file deletion from sheer idiocy, because you should know which files are important to you and you'd never delete or overwrite those, now would you?
network map: totally useless unless you have more than one computer and like doing administrator work over the network, rather than just working on another computer directly. It won't give you full control anyways, so why bother?


If you go with norton, which I hope you don't, because the software isn't good.
1: very intrusive, tells you "see? look at me work, I'm scanning your computer, and to prove that I am, I'm going to slow your system down to a crawl to make it look like I'm doing hard work."
2: eats up a lot of system resources
3: very time consuming to install and setup
4: very time consuming to uninstall
5: very time consuming to upgrade to newer version, because you can't just do "upgrade". That's just asking for trouble. It'll break norton 90% of the time, so you must uninstall first, run a complete uninstaller, then install the new copy and even then it's not a 100% guarantee that norton will work correctly.
6: if your computer breaks down, I assure you the computer technician that you hire to repair it will just install free AVG onto your computer and say norton was causing the problems, or didn't catch the virus before it caused havoc.

I don't use a suite...just AVG antivirus, free version, on a couple of computers.

I do have Norton on one computer, but when my subscription expires, I'll switch to AVG.

I voted "Other". I use Slackware on my desktop and OSX on my laptop. Both of them connect through a hardware firewall. (router)

If you go with norton, which I hope you don't, because the software isn't good.
Do you speak with experience? If so, when was the last time you used Norton? Was it 2008 & earlier? The reason I ask is because from my quick research, it seems like Norton got their act together in 2009 & 2010. Most "professional" reviewers (CNET, PCWorld, PCmag, etc), says that their '09 & '10 version is a huge improvement over earlier versions.

Here are the sources I used for my "research".
http://www.av-comparatives.org/images/stories/test/dyn/dynamic2009.pdf
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2357677,00.asp?kc=PCRSS05079TX1K0000992
http://internet-security-suite-review.toptenreviews.com/
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2351871,00.asp

Now, I'm really confused.

linux.

Eset NOD32.

I'll bet you're asking so you'll know the best way to exploit my system.


Not falling for that one again...

'microsoft security essentials'

I have been using Norton Internet Security (NIS) and it was working well until yesterday. That is when rogue malware got in and began to attack. The attack has happened to me before and this time it appeared as "Vista Anti-Virus 2010". It may also have other names but it always appears as a fake anti-virus (AV). This fake AV was able to get under Norton and disable it. The way these fake AV attacks work, a pop up will tell you that your computer is infected with a virus, and you should click here to start a scan. DO NOT start the scan or you are really screwed.

To fix it I had to download free AV software from MalwareBytes.org. Then I had to re-boot my computer in safe mode, and run a scan using the MalwareBytes AV software to remove the virus. Note that Norton did not detect the attack at all.

So, overall I WAS happy with Norton, but I am very disappointed about this recent attack and Norton's inability to prevent it.

Linux.

/thread

Don't connect your computer directly to the internet; always go through a router and you should be fine. And don't surf porn and download from limewire.

Then what is the point of the internet. I thought the internet was made for porn and lolcatz.

are the paid for ones really safer than the free ones?

the paid ones generally have updates for the latest viruses, etc.

my computer hasn't suffered a viral infection for... something like 3~4 years and all I've been using was kaspersky, freeavg and spybot S&D.
you can't even hack the computer from outside because the router is a hardware firewall.

Then what is the point of the internet. I thought the internet was made for porn and lolcatz.

You are correct. The internet is for porn (http://www.lucn.net/?p=16).

my computer hasn't suffered a viral infection for... something like 3~4 years and all I've been using was kaspersky, freeavg and spybot S&D.
you can't even hack the computer from outside because the router is a hardware firewall.

This is the route I went with my now-retired pc.

I use nothing for my new imac = more time for BF :p
http://readrant.files.wordpress.com/2008/07/bullet-time-matrix.jpg

my computer hasn't suffered a viral infection for... something like 3~4 years and all I've been using was kaspersky, freeavg and spybot S&D.
you can't even hack the computer from outside because the router is a hardware firewall.


in that case no one needs anti virus. who doesn't use a router these days. one line one pc?

in that case no one needs anti virus. who doesn't use a router these days. one line one pc?
A router won't prevent viruses. People still open attachments they get in emails. Like all the time.

avast! and threatfire, both are the free versions. My ISP (http://ww2.cox.com/residential/tulsa/internet/cox-security-suite.cox) has a security suite (McAfee) that is available, but I've never taken the time to play with it.