Anyone reccomend a decent / legit antivurus program?

[Kenny202]

1 hour ago, Mike Lister said:

https://www.bitdefender.com/solutions/free.html

Thanks Mike, does it include more than Windows virus protection can? Malware, spyware, ransomware etc?

[BigStar]

7 hours ago, KhunHeineken said:

I find it interesting that many are critical of Microsoft and Windows, including myself at times, yet many have suggested using Microsoft for the protection of their device and data. 

 

'Course, many, including our loudest monkeys in the forest, are critical of Thailand but live here anyway.

 

The reality is that M'soft products evolve over time, though not always for the better. The old Windows Defender that most of us remember from the old days was initially just a lil' anti-spyware program. Hence the whole industry springing up to provide real, effective antivirus software.

 

By the time Win 10 came along, M'soft had its act together with "free" Microsoft Defender Antivirus and a serious firewall. It ranks sufficiently well in the standard tests, gets security updates almost daily, so that's about all that an average user needs, esp. one exercising due caution re: surfing habits, suspicious emails, and questionable downloads.

 

It is what it is.

 

Commercial products stay viable mostly by, besides fearmongering, offering more bells and whistles (or bloat) most of us don't really need and don't want to pay for. No one suggests, however--or cares--that if you're convinced, one way or the other, that you need more and don't mind paying more that you shouldn't just go ahead and please yourself; and, you know, sleep better at night. 🙂 

 

 

Edited May 23 by BigStar

[LS24]

On 5/22/2024 at 10:07 AM, Kenny202 said:

Been through 2 anti virus companies last few years and no viruses...but get so tired of being bombarded with threatening messages f how vulnerable you are and the constant up sell / warning messages for add on's that aren't included in their already expensive program. In some ways the prevention is worse than the disease. Also find it a little hard to trust my personal information to a company that behaves so unethically.

 

According to this companies own warnings of how inadequate my basic $100 per year service is, telling me I need their other 15 add ons, I was wondering if what they provide is any better than the basic virus protection that comes with my PC / Windows

Microsoft's built in Defender anti virus is all you need.

[KhunHeineken]

4 hours ago, BigStar said:

 

'Course, many, including our loudest monkeys in the forest, are critical of Thailand but live here anyway.

 

The reality is that M'soft products evolve over time, though not always for the better. The old Windows Defender that most of us remember from the old days was initially just a lil' anti-spyware program. Hence the whole industry springing up to provide real, effective antivirus software.

 

By the time Win 10 came along, M'soft had its act together with "free" Microsoft Defender Antivirus and a serious firewall. It ranks sufficiently well in the standard tests, gets security updates almost daily, so that's about all that an average user needs, esp. one exercising due caution re: surfing habits, suspicious emails, and questionable downloads.

 

It is what it is.

 

Commercial products stay viable mostly by, besides fearmongering, offering more bells and whistles (or bloat) most of us don't really need and don't want to pay for. No one suggests, however--or cares--that if you're convinced, one way or the other, that you need more and don't mind paying more that you shouldn't just go ahead and please yourself; and, you know, sleep better at night. 🙂 

 

 

Interesting post.

 

So, when Microsoft release an update that screws millions of people's devices up all around the world, what makes you think their antivirus defender doesn't miss something that causes the same to happen to people's devices?

Edited May 23 by KhunHeineken

[Mike Lister]

10 hours ago, Kenny202 said:

Thanks Mike, does it include more than Windows virus protection can? Malware, spyware, ransomware etc?

The free version only detects virus's and malware but is consistently rated very highly.

[BigStar]

15 hours ago, KhunHeineken said:

Interesting post.

 

So, when Microsoft release an update that screws millions of people's devices up all around the world, what makes you think their antivirus defender doesn't miss something that causes the same to happen to people's devices?

 

Only death and taxes are certainties in life, son.

 

All antivir programs have their vulnerabilities, as paid subscribers to third-party apps have discovered to their dismay. Ironically, the apps themselves may become vectors of attack. (Or may in themselves be considered a virus, as in the OP's case.🙂) Amusingly, app support may charge subscribes a few extra hundred $ to eradicate a virus infection that the app was supposed to have prevented.😁 In fairness, that's more than M'soft support will do, AFAIK. And M'soft forums are practically useless. Other community forums can be quite helpful in solving most Windows-related problems, but the average user can hardly manage to Google effectively. Maybe AI will save us all.

 

You Don’t Need to Buy Antivirus Software

 

Above, I recommended additional periodic scans w/ Malwarebytes. It's never discovered any virus on my machine, but it occasionally finds PUPs. Note "Potential." In most cases, I don't really regard them as Unwanted, and their potential for phoning home comes with the territory.

 

[Kenny202]

2 hours ago, BigStar said:

 

Only death and taxes are certainties in life, son.

 

All antivir programs have their vulnerabilities, as paid subscribers to third-party apps have discovered to their dismay. Ironically, the apps themselves may become vectors of attack. (Or may in themselves be considered a virus, as in the OP's case.🙂) Amusingly, app support may charge subscribes a few extra hundred $ to eradicate a virus infection that the app was supposed to have prevented.😁 In fairness, that's more than M'soft support will do, AFAIK. And M'soft forums are practically useless. Other community forums can be quite helpful in solving most Windows-related problems, but the average user can hardly manage to Google effectively. Maybe AI will save us all.

 

You Don’t Need to Buy Antivirus Software

 

Above, I recommended additional periodic scans w/ Malwarebytes. It's never discovered any virus on my machine, but it occasionally finds PUPs. Note "Potential." In most cases, I don't really regard them as Unwanted, and their potential for phoning home comes with the territory.

 

Already downloaded and used Malware bytes. Seem to be on a free 14 day trial but the basic program is free after the trial finishes? It seems really good, I like how you can opt to run the scans when YOU want to. Picked up 72 PUP potentials which I quarantined. So far so good.

[BigStar]

8 minutes ago, Kenny202 said:

Already downloaded and used Malware bytes. Seem to be on a free 14 day trial but the basic program is free after the trial finishes? It seems really good, I like how you can opt to run the scans when YOU want to. Picked up 72 PUP potentials which I quarantined. So far so good.

 

Yes, free after the trial. You can turn off a lot of stuff in the Settings, esp. the notifications. You still get some notifications, but they aren't bad. Note that it will continue to run in the tray unless you right-click the icon and select Quit.

 

72, that's pretty good!

[sungod]

I've never had an issue since they blocked pornhub.

[johng]

Maybe better to go with a Host file...in fact a plethora of host file. ?

 

https://www.meridianoutpost.com/resources/sys-admin-guide/block-ad-servers-with-HOSTS-file.php#list

 

https://pgl.yoyo.org/adservers/links.php#2

[BigStar]

56 minutes ago, johng said:

Maybe better to go with a Host file...in fact a plethora of host file. ?

 

https://www.meridianoutpost.com/resources/sys-admin-guide/block-ad-servers-with-HOSTS-file.php#list

 

https://pgl.yoyo.org/adservers/links.php#2

 

No, has to be manually updated. Spybot will load it up and update it when you run Spybot. 

 

Old school, really. Now the big browser ad blockers use various current ad lists and update the blocker automatically. Windows firewall can block domains or URLs for those special cases.

[transam]

1 hour ago, Kenny202 said:

Already downloaded and used Malware bytes. Seem to be on a free 14 day trial but the basic program is free after the trial finishes? It seems really good, I like how you can opt to run the scans when YOU want to. Picked up 72 PUP potentials which I quarantined. So far so good.

MB picks up PUPS on my other safety software, takes awhile to sift through the list so to not interfere with other stuff.........😂

But I do a MB online scan now and again, never finds anything serious, so far, which tells me what I have is doing an OK job....🤗

[KhunHeineken]

On 5/24/2024 at 6:17 AM, BigStar said:

Only death and taxes are certainties in life, son.

I disagree. 

 

Death, taxes, and computer viruses are certainties in life. 

 

On 5/24/2024 at 6:17 AM, BigStar said:

All antivir programs have their vulnerabilities, as paid subscribers to third-party apps have discovered to their dismay. Ironically, the apps themselves may become vectors of attack. (Or may in themselves be considered a virus, as in the OP's case.🙂) Amusingly, app support may charge subscribes a few extra hundred $ to eradicate a virus infection that the app was supposed to have prevented.😁 In fairness, that's more than M'soft support will do, AFAIK. And M'soft forums are practically useless. Other community forums can be quite helpful in solving most Windows-related problems, but the average user can hardly manage to Google effectively. Maybe AI will save us all.

 

You Don’t Need to Buy Antivirus Software

 

Above, I recommended additional periodic scans w/ Malwarebytes. It's never discovered any virus on my machine, but it occasionally finds PUPs. Note "Potential." In most cases, I don't really regard them as Unwanted, and their potential for phoning home comes with the territory.

 

No program is perfect. 

 

We have seen how the Chinese and Russians breach the security of major organizations, some of them military, all around the world. 

 

Trend Micro also offers other features, such as locating a lost / stolen device.  Yes, I know Google offer this also.  They offer a password manager and some other things.  You get a monthly report on attacks blocked etc. 

 

I am not criticizing those who use MS Defender.  I just like to give the task to a third party to minimize reliance on Microsoft for everything.  If it was expensive I would most likely reconsider, but it's quite affordable.     

[BigStar]

4 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

Trend Micro also offers other features, such as locating a lost / stolen device.  Yes, I know Google offer this also.  They offer a password manager and some other things.  You get a monthly report on attacks blocked etc. 

 

And as I said,

 

On 5/23/2024 at 4:24 PM, BigStar said:

Commercial products stay viable mostly by, besides fearmongering, offering more bells and whistles (or bloat) most of us don't really need and don't want to pay for. No one suggests, however--or cares--that if you're convinced, one way or the other, that you need more and don't mind paying more that you shouldn't just go ahead and please yourself; and, you know, sleep better at night. 🙂 

 

[KhunHeineken]

On 5/27/2024 at 5:22 AM, BigStar said:

 

And as I said,

 

 

Any comments on this device?

 

https://www.trendmicro.com/en_au/forHome/products/homenetworksecurity.html

 

What protects our various IoT's.  Smart TV's, video doorbells, CCTV cameras, smart lights and plugs etc?  They don't have MS Defender. 

[BigStar]

1 minute ago, KhunHeineken said:

Any comments on this device?

 

https://www.trendmicro.com/en_au/forHome/products/homenetworksecurity.html

 

What protects our various IoT's.  Smart TV's, video doorbells, CCTV cameras, smart lights and plugs etc?  They don't have MS Defender. 

 

Mostly targets the large market of everyday paranoids, I suppose, given the relatively small likelihood of an IoT hack. Up 2 them. But if I were one of the rich & famous living in, say, Beverly Hills, I'd want to be sure my security company had installed something like it, yes indeed.

[steven100]

On 5/22/2024 at 5:25 PM, Mike Lister said:

Bitdefender (free), you don't need much more.

 

I agree Mike,   I use the free ....   and run ASC every few days.     Don't need to buy anything,  Bitdefender is realtime antivirus.  

[ChaiyaTH]

Change to apple problem solved lol

[KhunHeineken]

34 minutes ago, BigStar said:

 

Mostly targets the large market of everyday paranoids, I suppose, given the relatively small likelihood of an IoT hack. Up 2 them. But if I were one of the rich & famous living in, say, Beverly Hills, I'd want to be sure my security company had installed something like it, yes indeed.

Pattaya is my Beverly Hills. 

 

Seriously though, a lot of those IoT's would have vulnerabilities. 

 

When it comes to cyber security, you get what you pay for, and MS Defender is free. 

[transam]

2 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

Pattaya is my Beverly Hills. 

 

Seriously though, a lot of those IoT's would have vulnerabilities. 

 

When it comes to cyber security, you get what you pay for, and MS Defender is free. 

Free, and very good ........🤗

[KhunHeineken]

6 minutes ago, transam said:

Free, and very good ........🤗

Their operating systems over the years have had many issues.  Even some of their Windows updates have caused problems. 

 

Why so much confidence in MS for protection against viruses?   

[BigStar]

32 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

Seriously though, a lot of those IoT's would have vulnerabilities. 

 

They would, or might. But so do Macs and Linux boxes. They aren't worth going after unless the owner is high profile. Corporate servers have the best possible, astronomically expensive security systems tended by full-time staff. They're worth going after, and so they get hacked anyway.

 

36 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

When it comes to cyber security, you get what you pay for, and MS Defender is free. 

 

Which for the average user is all that's needed, and that's good.

 

You Don’t Need to Buy Antivirus Software

 

25 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

Their operating systems over the years have had many issues.  Even some of their Windows updates have caused problems. 

 

So have paid antivirus programs, as you've been told.

 

26 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

 

Why so much confidence in MS for protection against viruses?   

 

You Don’t Need to Buy Antivirus Software

 

You keep going around and around in circles, old man, as you tend to do. We don't care if you paid for antivir, no need to keep trying to justify it.

 

Give it a rest.

 

 

[KhunHeineken]

7 hours ago, BigStar said:

They would, or might. But so do Macs and Linux boxes. They aren't worth going after unless the owner is high profile.

Don't hackers send out scans for open ports, all around the world, as an initial way in? 

 

7 hours ago, BigStar said:

Which for the average user is all that's needed,

Is there safety in numbers, aka, being average?  I don't think so. 

 

Look at the viruses that infected millions of devices over the years. 

 

7 hours ago, BigStar said:

So have paid antivirus programs, as you've been told.

I agree.  I have had the odd compatibility issue, but it was easily fixed.

 

7 hours ago, BigStar said:

You keep going around and around in circles, old man, as you tend to do. We don't care if you paid for antivir, no need to keep trying to justify it.

That doesn't answer my question.

 

It's a simple question, and forget about the paid v free debate.

 

Question:  "Why so much confidence in MS Defender?" 

 

Where does this confidence come from? 

 

If one doesn't need any anti virus protection, as you say, they shouldn't even need MS Defender, right? 

[BigStar]

10 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

Question:  "Why so much confidence in MS Defender?" 

 

Answer: You Don’t Need to Buy Antivirus Software

 

10 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

If one doesn't need any anti virus protection, as you say, they shouldn't even need MS Defender, right? 

 

Nonsensical resort to a straw man argument.

 

Keep asking, keep getting the same answer until a mod helps you exit your loop, as they have before.

 

[KhunHeineken]

35 minutes ago, BigStar said:

Answer: You Don’t Need to Buy Antivirus Software

I guess Ticketmaster didn't have MS Defender. 

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c899pz84d8zo

[BigStar]

2 hours ago, KhunHeineken said:

I guess Ticketmaster didn't have MS Defender. 

 

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c899pz84d8zo

 

Already addressed. Round and round and round . . . .

 

10 hours ago, BigStar said:

Corporate servers have the best possible, astronomically expensive security systems tended by full-time staff. They're worth going after, and so they get hacked anyway.

 

[tgw]

On 5/22/2024 at 10:07 AM, Kenny202 said:

Been through 2 anti virus companies last few years and no viruses...but get so tired of being bombarded with threatening messages f how vulnerable you are and the constant up sell / warning messages for add on's that aren't included in their already expensive program. In some ways the prevention is worse than the disease. Also find it a little hard to trust my personal information to a company that behaves so unethically.

 

According to this companies own warnings of how inadequate my basic $100 per year service is, telling me I need their other 15 add ons, I was wondering if what they provide is any better than the basic virus protection that comes with my PC / Windows

 

Windows Defender is very good and usually quite adequate for normal use.

 

If you are adventurous and install programs from untrusted sources and give them admin permissions ... well, that's something else.

But even for that, Windows Defender is good enough. It will automatically scan any file to be executed. The danger then comes to payload being downloaded by the program being executed. I close that hole by using a little tool called "auto_addfwrs".

It's a batch program that automatically adds any executables and libraries to the firewall and denies them access to the internet, which prevents the download of external code.