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View Full Version : Antivirus, firewall and internet security software



Bob Weisner
01-16-2005, 9:49 AM
Hi:

Does anyone have any suggestions on a good firewall, antivirus and internet security software programs? Looking for FREE versions of the software. Is there anything like Norton Internet Security 2004? Is there a free program that is comparable to Norton Utilities?

Thanks,

Bob

Dan Mages
01-16-2005, 10:05 AM
I use zone alarm for my PC. A basic version is available for free from their website and it works pretty nicely.

Ken Fitzgerald
01-16-2005, 10:22 AM
Bob....I used the free version of Zonealarm firewall for several years. I was so impressed by it I bought the Pro version. You can download it from ZoneAlarms site for free.

Jim Becker
01-16-2005, 11:08 AM
No one program that "does it all"...here are the ones that I use:

Firewall...ZoneAlarm (http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/home.jsp). The free version works really well...and it's free. I use ZA Pro, however, as I like to support the firms who produce the software I actively use.

AntiVirus...AVG (http://www.grisoft.com/us/us_index.php) from Grisoft. Excellent product. I'll be switching to this product when my subscription to McAfee runs out. This product is less "bloated".

Scumware/adware elimination...AdAware (http://www.lavasoft.com/) from Lavasoft. One of several products that do a good job.

Spam Control...Mailwasher (http://www.mailwasher.net/). I've been using this to screen email for a long time now and did subscribe; again, to support the developer.

If you are on DSL or Cable Modem, you should also be using a hardward firewall to insure your computer(s) are completely invisble to the Internet from outside which works greatly to avoid constant probing of your systems.

Perry Schmidt
01-16-2005, 5:35 PM
Jim is right - no program does it all. But of course I use a completely different list - here's my list and why:

Firewall: Use to use Norton Internet Security. Very nice program. Still is. But moved to Sygate b/c it does a nicer job. I'm also running Windows Firewall w/ SP2 on one computer to 'give it a try' and so far it appears to do a very good job. And it's free. :) But I'd be comfortable w/ any one of these three. Also heard ZoneAlarm is very good too. (Sygate free version is at http://smb.sygate.com, uSoft comes with Windows XP Service Pack 2 for free, Norton is $$$)

Antvirus: Norton. They come out with virus fixes/definitions very fast. McaFee had a number of years where they were very bad at coming out with new definitions 'too late'. I've heard Trend Micro is also very good program and very good at getting fixes/virus definitions out in a timely manner. I don't know of a good free antivirus program.

Spyware/Adware: I use to use Adware but moved to Spybot. Adware definitions were (for a time, still are?) very bad and out-of-date. Spybot does a very good job and it's free. Last week I downloaded Microsoft's Anti-Spyware (still in Beta) and so far I'm very impressed. It appears to do a very good job, and found some that Spybot did not. Still needs some eval, but if it holds up I'd recommend Microsoft's software. Both Spybot and uSoft are free.

Spam: I use a free program called Popfile. It's a learning program that takes a couple weeks to 'teach' it. But after it learns does an EXCELLENT job. I get 150+ spam a day at work. This program finds them all. I may have 1-3 slip through in a month. But the best part of it is RARELY registers a false positive. (i.e. record a real email as spam.) All the other spam programs I've tried (both $$$ and free) before this did a very bad job of this later thing.

POPFile uses a statistical Bayesian algorithm. Why mention that? Supposedly McaFee bought a company that uses a Bayesian algorithm for spam detection, and they are SUPPOSEDLY going to incorporate these features into a future product of SpamKiller. Don't know when that will be coming out or if it already is out. Something to look for down the road. Not free, but could be a very good product in the future.

My 2 cents.

Perry

Jim Becker
01-16-2005, 5:56 PM
Perry, be aware that the Windows XP firewall hasn't changed with SP2...they just turn it on by default now. But it only protects against incoming threats, not outgoing threats like ZoneAlarm, Norton, McAfee, Sygate, BlackIce, etc., do. Also, LavaSoft has been releasing updates for AdAware very frequently now...so much so that the other two programs I use to scan (PestPatrol and Spybot) no longer catch anything after an AdAware scan.

But you are correct, there are many available choices! Almost like a country diner menu... ;)

Scott Parks
01-17-2005, 10:47 AM
A few months ago, there was an interesting article in USA Today about a test against hackers. They set up 6 computers running different platforms and recorded hacking attempts and breaches over a 3 week period. The results: The Linux machine had the least attempts, at about 2 attempts per hour. The Windows XP SP1 machine was attacked over 130,000 times, and compromised 9 times over the test period. The next best solution over Linux was a machine running Win XP, with SP2 and Zone alarm. It's attempt rate was at about 3 attempts per hour. This computer and the Linux machine were the only ones that were not hacked. Interesting....

I use XP with SP2, and Zone Alarm. I used to use AdAware, and then got SpyBOt. SpyBot would find more stuff. Then a couple friends of mine got browser hijackers. We all switched to Spysweeper then. Spysweeper finds more stuff on our machines than the others, however it costs $20. I run spysweeper and Norton Antivirus once a week, and my computer has been 100% clean. I once had a worm attempt, but NAV nailed it right away.

Prior to upgrading to SP2, I used the Google toolbar, which is very effective at stopping all pop-ups.

Perry Schmidt
01-17-2005, 7:36 PM
Jim - yea, that's the one down-side of Windows Firewall - i.e. it doesn't alert to outgoing programs. But what I don't know is if the 'free' versions of programs do the same. I THOUGHT that the free versions of Sygate and ZoneAlarm didn't alert to outgoing threats either. If that's wrong then yup - they'd be better. If not, then I think it's a wash. I use/have used purchased versions of Norton and Sygate and they do alert to outgoing programs. Also glad to hear Adware is keeping up now. When I did use it I thought it was a nice program.

Scott - re: Spysweeper. I've not used it but have a number of IT friends who have recently switched over and speak very highly of it. For a non-free one I've also heard it does a very good job. Have you compared it to uSofts Spyware program? uSoft program caught some that Spybot missed, so I'm curious how it does relative to the new kid on the block.

Perry

Jim Becker
01-18-2005, 1:09 AM
Perry, the free ZoneAlarm does protect against outgoing threats and always has...major feature of it. That version just doesn't have some of the bells and whistles that the Pro version does.

JayStPeter
01-18-2005, 12:32 PM
Spyware/Adware: I use to use Adware but moved to Spybot. Adware definitions were (for a time, still are?) very bad and out-of-date. Spybot does a very good job and it's free. Last week I downloaded Microsoft's Anti-Spyware (still in Beta) and so far I'm very impressed. It appears to do a very good job, and found some that Spybot did not. Still needs some eval, but if it holds up I'd recommend Microsoft's software. Both Spybot and uSoft are free.



Perry,

There is a new version of AdAware called SE. They stopped supporting the old version (v6.0?), so you won't get anymore updates unless you install the new version. Unfortunately, I had to get Hijacked to figure this out myself.

FWIW, whatever Hijacked my explorer isn't found by either AdAware or Spybot S&D. I'll give the MS one a shot tonight (along with install of FireFox). If not, I'm currently in the queue at a help forum to get my hijacking fixed.

It's also worthwhile to run AdAware and Spybot in "safe mode". I was surprised how many more things were identified when I did that.

Jay