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Like many of you, I switched from Norton Internet Security a year or so ago and went with MS Essentials due to its small unobtrusive footprint. However, recently, based on a few articles like the one below where even MS has been hacked, I'm wondering if I should step back up to a heavier duty program. From what I've read, Norton has done some work to lower their footprint and CPU demands...maybe that would be a good one. What are your thoughts?

Here's the most recent article: http://www.cnbc.com/id/100501836


Win11, Intel i7 7700K 4.2Ghz, 32Gb RAM, 2x1Tb HD, 500Gb NVMe, BIAB/RB 2026, MOTU 828MK3 audio, MOTU Midi Express, Yamaha Montage 7, DX7II, TX802, Motif XS Rack, Roland Fantom XR Rack, Oberheim Matrix 1000, VoiceLive3 Extreme, Kontakt 6, SampleTank 4.3
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the whole thing makes my eyes glaze over!! I used Norton last year because it came with my computer but when it came time to renew I decided to try something different. currently using the free version of Avast and it seems very good while not hitting my system too bad.

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Surf with a Mac or Linux.

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yeah but switching your OS is not usually a very practical solution for most people. plus those platforms get targeted a lot more as they become more popular.

Last edited by JohnJohnJohn; 02/27/13 01:54 PM.
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MS Essentials is not considered to be good protection.

Tech News Daily reported awhile back that MS Essentials failed Key Tests:

http://www.technewsdaily.com/16455-mse-avtest-fail.html


Consider the free Avast! free for home users.

http://www.avast.com/free-antivirus-download


--Mac

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Quote:

Surf with a Mac or Linux.




You obviously didn't read the article. The Apple Corporation was one of the companies that was vitimized by a cyber attacked.


Keith
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+1 for Avast Free. I've been using it for about 5 years without a virus invasion. Plus, it updates in the background several times per day automatically. I don't notice it bogging down my system. My Dynavox Speech Synthesis Device (Win 7/32) came with M$ Essentials and my very first call to Technical Support they told me to disable it and download Avast.

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I use and like zone alarm. They license and use some of the malwarebytes algos. It's fast and I don't notice it bogging down my system either. I'm using the paid version at the moment, but I used the free version for years before getting the paid version.


I'd be completely happy if I had just one more guitar.
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I have never been hit as far as I know going back at least 10 years.

Not casting aspersions on anyone but three things:

1. Free ***** sites.

2. Free gambling sites.

3. Being brain dead with spam emails. Yes, email spammers are very clever and can fool you into thinking it's a legitimate email but if you're too stupid to not read up about this and understand that no, your bank is not sending you emails no, the IRS is not senting you emails no, you're not expecting a UPS delivery and no, you didn't just win the Nigerian lottery and other crap like that then you shouldn't be on the internet.

Sorry.

Bob


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I thought I was safe - surfing since the mid 1990 and it wasn't until this month that I got my first piece of malware. And I surf every day since I run a business on line. I don't know if I should be proud of the fact that in about 20 years, I managed to be safe, or if I should be embarrassed that one finally got me. I'm a little of both.

I don't surf weird sites, I disable Java from my browser, I never-ever click links in my e-mail, (even if I know the person who sent it without checking with them first - and even then I'm very selective about it), I'm careful with my downloads and scan every download before opening.

How did I get it? I got one of those pop ups that said "your computer is infected, click here for removal" or something like that, and I know not to click it, so I used Alt-F4 to close the window. My computer tech suspects that was the problem and advised me to use the same method suggested by Mac (after the proverbial horse got out of the barn), hold the on/off switch and close down the computer improperly.

According to my computer tech, a non-advertising supported test comparison of the popular AV software apps for Windows and Android can be found here http://www.av-test.org/en/tests/home-user/ and you can review by your version of OS (Windows XP, Windows 8, etc.)

Malwarebytes is a good add-on that can be used with your AV software for extra protection. Computer tech highly recommends the pro version.

And contrary to the propaganda given to us by Mac and Linux users, both OS's have their share of viruses. In fact, the very first verified virus ever was found on a Mac many years ago. I have a Mac friend who got one that it took weeks to get off - because there are no Mac techs around here, it cost a lot of money too.

Nobody is safe, the bad guys are out to get anyone they can. Keep your guard up.

Notes


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How to remove a Virus or Malware in a Mac.


Move or close the Scan Window.
Go to the Utilities folder in the Applications folder and launch Activity Monitor.
Choose All Processes from the pop up menu in the upper right corner of the window.
Under the Process Name column, look for the name of the app and click to select it; common app names include: MacDefender, MacSecurity or MacProtector.
Click the Quit Process button in the upper left corner of the window and select Quit.
Quit Activity Monitor application.
Open the Applications folder.
Locate the app ex. MacDefender, MacSecurity, MacProtector or other name.
Drag to Trash, and empty Trash.

Malware also installs a login item in your account in System Preferences. Removal of the login item is not necessary, but you can remove it by following the steps below.

Open System Preferences, select Accounts, then Login Items
Select the name of the app you removed in the steps above ex. MacDefender, MacSecurity, MacProtector
Click the minus button

Pretty Easy Stuff!

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+1 for Avast...5 years and no infections (several warnings from Avast but no infections).

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Quote:

I don't surf weird sites, I disable Java from my browser, I never-ever click links in my e-mail, (even if I know the person who sent it without checking with them first - and even then I'm very selective about it), I'm careful with my downloads and scan every download before opening.




Yeah this is one of those that scares me too because I know you're careful Notes. A friend of mine got hit with this a couple of years ago and I went through hell getting rid of it. I have seen those little popups on various websites trying to tell me I'm infected including Youtube but never one actually on my machine. Sometimes just running my mouse over something on a webpage will open a popup ad without clicking anything so now I really watch where my mouse cursor is going. The other thing that gets me is even big commercial sites like CNET will have several download buttons on the same page as the software I may want to download and it's not immediately clear which download button is the correct one. This is obviously by design to fool people into downloading something they didn't want. So far the stuff is not malicious it's just various advertising but still if I just want to try out a freebie video editor that's all I want not something else so again, I will read the screen carefully before clicking anything.

The other thing is clone your hard drive regularly. I have an esata dock that according to my mobo specs I can boot from so my complete system is cloned and ready to go. The thing there of course is I don't do that every day so the most recent changes would still be lost if my hd died or got irrepairably infected.

Bob


Biab/RB latest build, Win 11 Pro, Ryzen 5 5600 G, 512 Gig SSD, 16 Gigs Ram, Steinberg UR22 MkII, Roland Sonic Cell, Kurzweil PC3, Hammond SK1, Korg PA3XPro, Garritan JABB, Hypercanvas, Sampletank 3, more.
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