Antivirus software is generally crud. I say this as a computer programmer with a degree, and over a decade’s worth of experience in cleaning viruses off computers. I would never pay for antivirus software for my home computer (at work, possibly). In fact, I haven’t had to pay for AV software yet. I became jaded years ago while reading VMyths by Rob R. He confirmed what I suspected - that the AV update system model is broken, and not the best that programmers can offer customers.
Here are some free AV products (that aren’t always easy for novices to find):
- AVG Free - and yes it’s still free past May 2008, using their free Version 8.0. You just have to look past the Trial version.
- Avira AntiVir is also free.
- ClamWin is based on ClamAV for Linux.
Also required when using a free AV product, is a free Spyware detector/remover. Spyware is a mean (malicious) bit of softWARE that may not spread like a virus, but ruins your computer at least as well as a virus. Antivirus companies tend to charge for spyware detection (which is stupid, since spyware breaks a computer just as well as a virus, and it can be detected in much the same way as viruses are), and it’s how they convince more people to pay for “premium” products. Why bother? There are volunteers out there who don’t charge anything, and ask only for what you can afford to pay them at your discretion.
I’ve only had one virus infect any of my own computers or disks since I started back in 1984. (It’s possible some got through, and were never detected, but that’s VERY unlikely because they are usually easy to spot due to poor programming or intentional destruction/extortion/bragging caused by the well written ones). I’ve downloaded music and TV since the late 1990s using a variety of services, mostly P2P. And the only time a virus infected my computer, it was from surfing to a malicious webpage with an insecure version of Java installed on my computer. AVG detected it in an automated daily scan, and I was back to normal, feeling slightly more vulnerable, but in reality unscathed.
/End bragging
Look at this point for instance:
The public at large knows antivirus software will fail to do its job on a routine basis — yet they’ll gladly buy antivirus software. Society blames everything but the antivirus software when it fails to stop a virus. Indeed, society applauds the antivirus industry every time they fix their broken software.
Of course, I predict society will someday grow tired of antivirus software that fails to stop some viruses by its very design. Society will someday grow tired of the “addictive update model.” They’ll someday demand better antivirus technology that doesn’t require constant updating.
And you don’t have to update AV software that isn’t there. Using a patched computer, properly, with some basic knowledge about how you can execute programs, you can remain virus free for over a decade (assuming computers only become more secure as the Internet matures). AV software is just a second set of eyes that work millions of times faster than yours. Yet for-profit-AV has its eyes connected to a brain that benefits if some computers keep virus hysteria alive and well, by accepting infection requests from virus files run by their untrained victim users.
Why is it bad to have your computer infected with a virus? Well, it ranges from compromising the security of everything you type or do, all the way down to offering up your computer as a tool of extortion to international criminals. And those are both IF the virus doesn’t cripple important data or programs you try to use.
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Dillon | 12-May-08 at 8:07 pm | Permalink
Timely post. I just got a new computer (with XP) and have installed AVG, but I needed a spyware program. Spybot it is.
Aurelia | 13-May-08 at 12:34 pm | Permalink
Or you could just use a Mac….something I wish I’d done a million years ago. No AV, no anti-spyware needed, no nothing…like a miracle for non-techies like me. I know you can just patch things up or use other software, but I don’t know how to do that and I have no time to learn.
So Mac it is…
Catelli | 13-May-08 at 3:10 pm | Permalink
I wouldn’t say that AV software is crud. At our company its saved our bacon a few times. But that comes down to the critical nature of business systems, and the general ineptitude of the user population. (It only takes 5% of stupid employees to take down a network).
I pay for AV at home, only costs me $20-$30 a year (CAs my-eTrust), but am switching to AVG Free.
Like yourself, I stay uninfected through good usage practices, so the AV software has never had to protect me while I’m using the computer. My wife on the other hand….
The whole Spyware/Malware/AV distinctions by the security companies is horseshit. Destructive software is destructive software, period. On that you are 100% correct, so I agree they are falling down on the job by splitting hairs.
As to the AV update model being broken…
No AV vendor puts out new signatures every hour, or even every day. So I’m not quite sure where they are going with that comment. We do check for updates every hour, but that’s to ensure we get updates as soon as they are released. And it has been working for us. Its quarantined a few viruses (usually brought in from outside on a third party vendors laptop that does not have AV installed on it)
Funny thing is, it appears viruses (using the classical definition) are not being released as often anymore. The whole malware industry has switched to social engineering type threats (spyware, spam) because its easier to trick a user into installing bad software than it is to inject maliciously through a hack.
Hackers follow the easiest path, and writing a good virus is getting harder (though not impossible). However, writing malicious software that you trick a person into installing (on a Mac or PC or Linux box) is infinitely easier, because people in the end are trusting. Its why telemarketing fraud still works.
Or you could just use a Mac….something I wish I’d done a million years ago. No AV, no anti-spyware needed, no nothing
Mac users are gonna get anally raped by malware writers some day. Once they reach critical mass in the marketplace, some enterprising hacker will release something that will take a huge swathe of them down.
And I will laugh, and laugh, and laugh……
Saskboy | 13-May-08 at 5:08 pm | Permalink
If AV software isn’t crud, why aren’t you sticking with the paid version at home? ;-)
You’re right about Mac user’s pride too. Time. Bomb.
Linux may be in that boat too. Safer for now, but watch out for complacency.
sassy | 13-May-08 at 5:50 pm | Permalink
Thanks for this post Saskboy
Catelli | 13-May-08 at 6:53 pm | Permalink
Cause AVG Free appears to be just as good, for home use. That being said, I fully recommend CA eTrust. The latest version of that was $30 for 3 PCs, for one year paid support. Its a good deal, and I’m paid up for this year. I may renew next year, I may not.
But even AVG free has its limitations. The paid product offers more complete support, and it isn’t free for business use, personal use only. So it is still AV Software, in the same category as all the others.
Symantec AV is Crud. It is a virus itself in how it slows a system down and completely chews up resources. McAfee, no comment. Trend Micro and CA have solid products (I have experience with both) and a buddy SysAdmin was a big fan of Panda.
I also use Foxit PDF reader, because Adobe Acrobat is most definately Crud now. There’s bad shit everywhere, to find the good stuff you just gots to know where to look.
Catelli | 13-May-08 at 7:01 pm | Permalink
BTW, have you played with Secunia PSI?
I’ve been running it for a while, I’m really impressed with how it can track software vulnerabilities and provide instant updates of how to resolve those vulnerabilities.
Free for personal use as of now, but it appears to be a solid impressive product.
Saskboy | 13-May-08 at 8:10 pm | Permalink
You’re welcome Sassy.
–
Catelli, thanks for the tip about PSI, I’ll try it out. I’ve seen a Microsoft version of something like that before, but have never run it on a home computer anyway.
You’re right on about Foxit too, it’s going to replace my Acrobat next time it wants an update.