Who actually uses Antivirus?

[KeeperOfThePizza]

I never use anti virus at all, I dont feel it's necessary. I mean if you know what your doing and what your downloading I think your safe.

[markwolfe Veteran]

True, but that's where "responsibility" kicks in. No exe attachments from mail, no strange apps from friends, no active macros in office files, etc. Unless viruses start coming inside jpg's and movies I guess I'm safe.

Oh, and people should really start trying to use normal accounts, instead of running as Administrator.

None of my kids have admin rights on their boxes. Am I stupid for having anti-virus? No. It would be neglectful of me to not have it installed.

[morphen]

On my workstation/gaming computer I don't use any antivirus.

But both my server and laptop runs f-secure antivirus for workstations.

[Doli]

Virus often overwrite KNOWN processes or inject their own code into them. THey could do the same to DLL files which contain functions that are executed by KNOWN processes. Just knowing processes doesn't help.

Even if you know what to look for (such as open ports, altered files, etc.), rootkits can hide themselves past all of these. They can tell Windows that you don't have any open ports, and that files and processes that are running don't exist. In my opinion, you can't be safe even if you know what to look for.

(Y)

it sucks when that happens and when the AV picks up the virus people will hit delete or quarantine which could mess up your program or the whole system at the next boot. (explorer.exe and svchost.exe sent to qurantine during boot scan :p)

Unless viruses start coming inside jpg's and movies I guess I'm safe.

jpeg virus have been reported already

[Ricardo Gil]

None of my kids have admin rights on their boxes. Am I stupid for having anti-virus? No. It would be neglectful of me to not have it installed.

Of course you're not. When you have kids maybe 2 antiviruses aren't enough :)

[MrFuji]

I generally advice everyone to use an antivirus.... However, I don't use it myself recently (not counting WinDefender).

I believe that if you really know what you're doing it's not very likely that you get a virus. I know where the USB sticks that I plug in come from and I have no p2p program...

And *if* I get a virus I can still try to get rid of it in linux...

Soo, generally speaking, use an antivirus - unless you know of the dangers and think you can cope with them.

[itsnotabigtruck]

I don't use AV myself but set it up on my parents' boxes.

[Ricardo Gil]

jpeg virus have been reported already

I guess you mean overflow exploits (if not then we're all doomed).

Like I said, keep updated and you'll be just fine.

[goji]

^ lol that sucks. So you actually use one and still got? Bummer.

Yup, I guess it was so fresh it just attacked. If you or anyone knows anything about amvo.exe and telecms.exe etc and what it is exactly, that would be awesome. Google isn't so much of a friend right now :(

Talk about a reason to go Apple or to a Linux distro.. this is frustrating.

[theyarecomingforyou]

Yes, but that renders your AV useless anyway.

Not if you use a decent AV - that's exactly what they're meant to stop. I think it is foolish for people to use computers without an antivirus - even if it's only one of the free ones. It's ridiculous to think you'll be able to know if you've got a virus by simply looking at your process list occasionally. It's also ridiculous to think that "safe" practices will protect as even trusted sources like websites and new products (iPods, flash drives) can be infected. Heck, Neowin was compromised and pushed malware onto people's systems a while back. Still, I couldn't care less whether people want to stick their heads in the sand and pretend they know what they're doing - just don't come to me for sympathy / assistance.

[(Spork)]

I never use anti virus at all, I dont feel it's necessary. I mean if you know what your doing and what your downloading I think your safe.

LOL

i use Nod32 ill be safe 1 less thing to worry about

[spenser.d]

I have a desktop and a laptop that both run XP MCE 2005. My Desktop runs Windows OneCare Live, but only because I get it for free. My laptop used to, but I uninstalled it because the constant monitoring slowed it down too much (it's not a top of the line laptop), and if I turned it off, OneCare would complain at me (on both my laptop and my desktop, since my desktop was my hub for my OneCare circle...). I don't think I'll have a problem.

-Spenser

[insanekiwi]

i've been using antivir/avira for years. never had a problem. it just idles on my system :)

[AionXn_]

I rarely get viruses on my home computer. I do have NOD32 installed but everytime it scans, the results come out clean (besides for the several tracking cookies).

[xcguy87]

Yes, but that renders your AV useless anyway. If you don't run as Administrator, there's no way system files get written (as long as you update your computer regularly). Of course, it's never 100% secure, but I guess I'd rather have to format once every 2 years because of viruses than to run a sluggish PC every day and still be at risk.

On the contrary, this is why (in my opinion of course) an always running anti-virus is needed. If a rootkit attempts to install itself and it happens to match a known signature, the antivirus software may stop the rootkit from installing. This is when the anti-virus will be beneficial to stopping a rootkit....before it is fully functioning and installed. If you do not have a resident anti-virus program, but only scan once or twice a week, the rootkit can slip by the antivirus and install itself. At that point, the antivirus is completely useless as it cannot detect the presence of the rootkit. Of course their is nothing that can be done to stop someone from changing the signitures of the rootkits anyway, but that's sort of off-topic :-p

But yes, not running as root or administrator does render most of these 'bugs' harmless...

Edited March 13, 2008 by xcguy87

[MulletRobZ]

Used to, but not for the past couple of years because I now use a Mac.

[1Frothy]

I use ESET NOD32 V3. It takes up so little resources that it makes no impact that I can see on system performance. No antivirus will ever detect 100% of the threats out on the web but I prefer to have an antivirus program. I'm not the only person who uses my PC and my wife sometimes like to click things that seemed like a good idea to click at the time.

[PermaSt0ne]

you don't have to click "download" to get a virus

worms / media player exploits / cross-scripts

there's a billion ways to get infected without knowing or requiring any user interaction. not using an anti-virus is your choice, but it's ignorant to think you are safe because you only click download on certain links

[ProiektHat]

If i was the only user of this PC i guess i wouldn?t use any anti virus but my wife also uses, so just in case i run Avira/AntiVir

[PixilEyes]

Oh heck yeah I have to. I look at a lot of porn. haha.

[Windam]

I never used AV on XP, and now even more so on Vista

[_neutrino Veteran]

lol what is a virus lol never heard of it lol well i have heard of viruses and even had to make a few of them for my securities class when i was in school however i have to say that even after taking classes on computer security and containment i still do not use an antivirus. the odd part about that is the fact that i do infact own a windows based computer ... i dont use it much and when i do use it i am using it for word processing and the like. however all of my other machines are running Linux so i do not really need any anti virus or anything of the like lol.

[Tews]

lol what is a virus lol never heard of it lol well i have heard of viruses and even had to make a few of them for my securities class when i was in school however i have to say that even after taking classes on computer security and containment i still do not use an antivirus. the odd part about that is the fact that i do infact own a windows based computer ... i dont use it much and when i do use it i am using it for word processing and the like. however all of my other machines are running Linux so i do not really need any anti virus or anything of the like lol.

+1 (Y)

[Angel Blue01]

Not having to use antivirus was part of the reason I switched to Linux. I generally advise people to get NOD32 or at least AVG.

Oh heck yeah I have to. I look at a lot of porn. haha.

Linux (or Mac) is good for porn -good browsers and no spyware :)

[Eric Veteran]

Yup, I guess it was so fresh it just attacked. If you or anyone knows anything about amvo.exe and telecms.exe etc and what it is exactly, that would be awesome. Google isn't so much of a friend right now :(

Talk about a reason to go Apple or to a Linux distro.. this is frustrating.

There's lots of info about both of those (they're trojans) in the Google search I just made, as well as information on how to remove them. :)

From http://virusinfo.prevx.com/pxparall.asp?PX...c5bae0033f46288

The filename is associated with the malware group Trojan.Legmir.A.

These files have no vendor, product or version information specified in the file header.

AMVO1.DLL has been seen to perform the following behavior(s):

* The Process is packed and/or encrypted using a software packing process

* The Process is polymorphic and can change its structure

* This Process Deletes Other Processes From Disk

AMVO1.DLL has been the subject of the following behavior(s):

* Created as a process on disk

* The process is hooked into all running processes which could allow it to take control of the system or record keyboard input, mouse activity and screen contents

* Deleted as a process from disk

* Registered as a Dynamic Link Library File

* Executed as a Process

ACTIVITY ANALYSIS OF: TELECMS.EXE

* The following behaviors have been observed for this object:

* Deletes programs.

* Creates Run Keys.

* Runs other programs.

* Communicates with other computers across the web.

* Hijacks running processes.

* Participates in chat rooms.

* Has outbound communications.

[JustGeorge]

For those of you that don't run AV:

Scenario 1: A hacker manages to compromise Neowin and plant malicious code on the front page. You browse to Neowin later that day. How do those of you that don't run AV defend against this type of attack in a Windows environment? Non-admin account, sandboxed browser, FF w/NoScript, etc?

Scenario 2: You are emailed an Excel or Word file from your boss that has been infected with a virus without his knowledge and you open it. Whats your defense against this?

Not being a smartass here. I genuinely want to know.