The need for Anti Virus software

I do approve of all the additional security built into Vista, so my question
is 'How great is the need for Anti Virus software?' at the moment I am
getting a bad mark under 'Malware protection' in the Windows Security
Centre.

There was a early post that referred to anti virus software as a 'ball and
chain' - I would add that the additional insult is that you also have to pay
for it - though there are some free ones for home use. I have taken a
dislike (which could be overcome) to McAfee as their concept of a Lifetime
product has not lasted as long as a normal human life. My PC is connected to
the internet by my NAT router which attaches to an ADSL phone line.

So, what do others do?

--
Michael Chare

The others run an antivirus program. I wouldn't even participate in email
with my children if I didn't have one installed.

--


Regards,

Richard Urban MVP
Microsoft Windows Shell/User


"Michael Chare" <MunderscoreNEWS@chareDOTorg.uk> wrote in message
news:-v6dnVGgTa7mlZTbnZ2dnUVZ8sOonZ2d@pipex.net...
>I do approve of all the additional security built into Vista, so my
>question is 'How great is the need for Anti Virus software?' at the moment
>I am getting a bad mark under 'Malware protection' in the Windows Security
>Centre.
>
> There was a early post that referred to anti virus software as a 'ball and
> chain' - I would add that the additional insult is that you also have to
> pay for it - though there are some free ones for home use. I have taken a
> dislike (which could be overcome) to McAfee as their concept of a Lifetime
> product has not lasted as long as a normal human life. My PC is connected
> to the internet by my NAT router which attaches to an ADSL phone line.
>
> So, what do others do?
>
> --
> Michael Chare

Michael

AVG 7.5 free version anti-virus is an excellent product that will cost you
nothing, and is not anything like as invasive as McAfee or Norton.. it
updates daily, and users of it report back only good things..

A firewall and NAT router will stop unsolicited stuff getting to your
computer.. what neither of them will stop is a user unwittingly letting bad
stuff in.. an anti-virus solution is just one line of defense..

You should also run (and update regularly) SpywareBlaster, a utility that
immunizes IE against attack, requiring no user dependency other than
updating..

These two can't do it all by themselves, so you may also want to run either
Ewido or Trend Housecall on line scans now and again...

Links:

AVG.. http://free.grisoft.com/freeweb.php/doc/2/

SpywareBlsater.. http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html

Ewido.. http://www.ewido.net/en/ (look to the left side of the page for the
online scan)

Trend Housecall.. http://housecall.trendmicro.com/


"Michael Chare" <MunderscoreNEWS@chareDOTorg.uk> wrote in message
news:-v6dnVGgTa7mlZTbnZ2dnUVZ8sOonZ2d@pipex.net...
>I do approve of all the additional security built into Vista, so my
>question is 'How great is the need for Anti Virus software?' at the moment
>I am getting a bad mark under 'Malware protection' in the Windows Security
>Centre.
>
> There was a early post that referred to anti virus software as a 'ball and
> chain' - I would add that the additional insult is that you also have to
> pay for it - though there are some free ones for home use. I have taken a
> dislike (which could be overcome) to McAfee as their concept of a Lifetime
> product has not lasted as long as a normal human life. My PC is connected
> to the internet by my NAT router which attaches to an ADSL phone line.
>
> So, what do others do?
>
> --
> Michael Chare

--


Mike Hall
MS MVP Windows Shell/User
http://msmvps.com/blogs/mikehall/

"Michael Chare" <MunderscoreNEWS@chareDOTorg.uk> wrote in message
news:-v6dnVGgTa7mlZTbnZ2dnUVZ8sOonZ2d@pipex.net...
>I do approve of all the additional security built into Vista, so my
>question is 'How great is the need for Anti Virus software?' at the moment
>I am getting a bad mark under 'Malware protection' in the Windows Security
>Centre.

according to Jim Allchin, Vista is so secure it doesn't even NEED antivirus.
Vista needs no anti-virus, says Allchin

Secure enough on its own


By John Sherwin: Friday 10 November 2006, 16:07

JIM ALLCHIN, outgoing co-President of the Platform Products and Services
Group at Microsoft, has suggested that Windows Vista is so secure it may not
need an antivirus system.
The claim, which is sure to please antivirus vendors worldwide, was made on
Wednesday as part of a telephone conversation with reporters to discuss the
merits of the new operating system's security measures.

Citing such features as Patchguard and ASLR (Address Space Layout
Randomisation, which loads the system kernel differently on each Vista
machine) he said, "My son, seven years old, runs Windows Vista, and,
honestly, he doesn't have an antivirus system on his machine.

"His machine is locked down with parental controls, he can't download things
unless it's to the places that I've said that he could do, and I'm feeling
totally confident about that,"

He added: "Vista is something that will have issues in security, because the
bar is being raised over time. But in my opinion, it is the most secure
system that's available".

He neglected to mention if he was referring to the 32-bit or 64-bit version
of Vista.


--
=======================================
"If you can't make it good, at least make it look good."
- Bill Gates
=======================================

if you are running the 32 bit version, you should for sure run a virus program.
Avast is one that is most often recommended.
FREE with regular updates.



mikeyhsd@comcast.net



"Michael Chare" <MunderscoreNEWS@chareDOTorg.uk> wrote in message news:-v6dnVGgTa7mlZTbnZ2dnUVZ8sOonZ2d@pipex.net...
I do approve of all the additional security built into Vista, so my question
is 'How great is the need for Anti Virus software?' at the moment I am
getting a bad mark under 'Malware protection' in the Windows Security
Centre.

There was a early post that referred to anti virus software as a 'ball and
chain' - I would add that the additional insult is that you also have to pay
for it - though there are some free ones for home use. I have taken a
dislike (which could be overcome) to McAfee as their concept of a Lifetime
product has not lasted as long as a normal human life. My PC is connected to
the internet by my NAT router which attaches to an ADSL phone line.

So, what do others do?

--
Michael Chare

Interesting, but then why does Microsoft sell an anitvirus program
for Vista if it dosen't need one? :-) Actually, MS One Care is
fairly inexpensive ($40 a year for 3 PCs), and not too intrusive.
It's not the world's greatest antivirus software, but for someone
computer savy its probably sufficient.

-- Larry Maturo

"john" <john@msn.com> wrote in message
news:eWPbzMHcHHA.4716@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> "Michael Chare" <MunderscoreNEWS@chareDOTorg.uk> wrote in message
> news:-v6dnVGgTa7mlZTbnZ2dnUVZ8sOonZ2d@pipex.net...
>>I do approve of all the additional security built into Vista, so my
>>question is 'How great is the need for Anti Virus software?' at the moment
>>I am getting a bad mark under 'Malware protection' in the Windows Security
>>Centre.
>
> according to Jim Allchin, Vista is so secure it doesn't even NEED
> antivirus.
> Vista needs no anti-virus, says Allchin
>
> Secure enough on its own
>
>
> By John Sherwin: Friday 10 November 2006, 16:07
>
> JIM ALLCHIN, outgoing co-President of the Platform Products and Services
> Group at Microsoft, has suggested that Windows Vista is so secure it may
> not need an antivirus system.
> The claim, which is sure to please antivirus vendors worldwide, was made
> on Wednesday as part of a telephone conversation with reporters to discuss
> the merits of the new operating system's security measures.
>
> Citing such features as Patchguard and ASLR (Address Space Layout
> Randomisation, which loads the system kernel differently on each Vista
> machine) he said, "My son, seven years old, runs Windows Vista, and,
> honestly, he doesn't have an antivirus system on his machine.
>
> "His machine is locked down with parental controls, he can't download
> things unless it's to the places that I've said that he could do, and I'm
> feeling totally confident about that,"
>
> He added: "Vista is something that will have issues in security, because
> the bar is being raised over time. But in my opinion, it is the most
> secure system that's available".
>
> He neglected to mention if he was referring to the 32-bit or 64-bit
> version of Vista.
>
>
> --
> =======================================
> "If you can't make it good, at least make it look good."
> - Bill Gates
> =======================================
>

John

Compare your wording of what JA said with the original.. he used the word
'may' which puts a different tone on..


"john" <john@msn.com> wrote in message
news:eWPbzMHcHHA.4716@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> "Michael Chare" <MunderscoreNEWS@chareDOTorg.uk> wrote in message
> news:-v6dnVGgTa7mlZTbnZ2dnUVZ8sOonZ2d@pipex.net...
>>I do approve of all the additional security built into Vista, so my
>>question is 'How great is the need for Anti Virus software?' at the moment
>>I am getting a bad mark under 'Malware protection' in the Windows Security
>>Centre.
>
> according to Jim Allchin, Vista is so secure it doesn't even NEED
> antivirus.
> Vista needs no anti-virus, says Allchin
>
> Secure enough on its own
>
>
> By John Sherwin: Friday 10 November 2006, 16:07
>
> JIM ALLCHIN, outgoing co-President of the Platform Products and Services
> Group at Microsoft, has suggested that Windows Vista is so secure it may
> not need an antivirus system.
> The claim, which is sure to please antivirus vendors worldwide, was made
> on Wednesday as part of a telephone conversation with reporters to discuss
> the merits of the new operating system's security measures.
>
> Citing such features as Patchguard and ASLR (Address Space Layout
> Randomisation, which loads the system kernel differently on each Vista
> machine) he said, "My son, seven years old, runs Windows Vista, and,
> honestly, he doesn't have an antivirus system on his machine.
>
> "His machine is locked down with parental controls, he can't download
> things unless it's to the places that I've said that he could do, and I'm
> feeling totally confident about that,"
>
> He added: "Vista is something that will have issues in security, because
> the bar is being raised over time. But in my opinion, it is the most
> secure system that's available".
>
> He neglected to mention if he was referring to the 32-bit or 64-bit
> version of Vista.
>
>
> --
> =======================================
> "If you can't make it good, at least make it look good."
> - Bill Gates
> =======================================
>

--


Mike Hall
MS MVP Windows Shell/User
http://msmvps.com/blogs/mikehall/

"Mike Hall - MS MVP" <mikehall@mvps.org> wrote in message
news:%23r15aGHcHHA.4720@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...

> AVG 7.5 free version anti-virus is an excellent product that will cost you
> nothing, and is not anything like as invasive as McAfee or Norton.. it
> updates daily, and users of it report back only good things..

Agreed 100% - I used Norton for many years, but the last couple of versions
have been so awful that I finally had no choice but to abandon it...

I use AVG on all my PCs (real and virtual) now...

> A firewall and NAT router will stop unsolicited stuff getting to your
> computer.. what neither of them will stop is a user unwittingly letting
> bad stuff in.. an anti-virus solution is just one line of defense..

AVG also have a free anti-spyware package, but it's probably a bit too
crippled for serious consideration:
http://free.grisoft.com/doc/avg-anti.../lng/us/tpl/v5

MS One Care is not specifically for Vista.. and JA did not say that Vista
categorically didn't require a av program..


"Larry Maturo" <lmaturo@imceda.com> wrote in message
news:Oi72CqHcHHA.5044@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
> Interesting, but then why does Microsoft sell an anitvirus program
> for Vista if it dosen't need one? :-) Actually, MS One Care is
> fairly inexpensive ($40 a year for 3 PCs), and not too intrusive.
> It's not the world's greatest antivirus software, but for someone
> computer savy its probably sufficient.
>
> -- Larry Maturo
>
> "john" <john@msn.com> wrote in message
> news:eWPbzMHcHHA.4716@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>> "Michael Chare" <MunderscoreNEWS@chareDOTorg.uk> wrote in message
>> news:-v6dnVGgTa7mlZTbnZ2dnUVZ8sOonZ2d@pipex.net...
>>>I do approve of all the additional security built into Vista, so my
>>>question is 'How great is the need for Anti Virus software?' at the
>>>moment I am getting a bad mark under 'Malware protection' in the Windows
>>>Security Centre.
>>
>> according to Jim Allchin, Vista is so secure it doesn't even NEED
>> antivirus.
>> Vista needs no anti-virus, says Allchin
>>
>> Secure enough on its own
>>
>>
>> By John Sherwin: Friday 10 November 2006, 16:07
>>
>> JIM ALLCHIN, outgoing co-President of the Platform Products and Services
>> Group at Microsoft, has suggested that Windows Vista is so secure it may
>> not need an antivirus system.
>> The claim, which is sure to please antivirus vendors worldwide, was made
>> on Wednesday as part of a telephone conversation with reporters to
>> discuss the merits of the new operating system's security measures.
>>
>> Citing such features as Patchguard and ASLR (Address Space Layout
>> Randomisation, which loads the system kernel differently on each Vista
>> machine) he said, "My son, seven years old, runs Windows Vista, and,
>> honestly, he doesn't have an antivirus system on his machine.
>>
>> "His machine is locked down with parental controls, he can't download
>> things unless it's to the places that I've said that he could do, and I'm
>> feeling totally confident about that,"
>>
>> He added: "Vista is something that will have issues in security, because
>> the bar is being raised over time. But in my opinion, it is the most
>> secure system that's available".
>>
>> He neglected to mention if he was referring to the 32-bit or 64-bit
>> version of Vista.
>>
>>
>> --
>> =======================================
>> "If you can't make it good, at least make it look good."
>> - Bill Gates
>> =======================================
>>
>
>

--


Mike Hall
MS MVP Windows Shell/User
http://msmvps.com/blogs/mikehall/

Not using AV software? Unthinkable, you could inadvertently let a virus on
your pc and then you would be in trouble. I would say you absolutely need an
AV program. I would recommend AVG, it is stable, updated daily, and free.
Get an AV application.
G


"Michael Chare" <MunderscoreNEWS@chareDOTorg.uk> wrote in message
news:-v6dnVGgTa7mlZTbnZ2dnUVZ8sOonZ2d@pipex.net...
>I do approve of all the additional security built into Vista, so my
>question is 'How great is the need for Anti Virus software?' at the moment
>I am getting a bad mark under 'Malware protection' in the Windows Security
>Centre.
>
> There was a early post that referred to anti virus software as a 'ball and
> chain' - I would add that the additional insult is that you also have to
> pay for it - though there are some free ones for home use. I have taken a
> dislike (which could be overcome) to McAfee as their concept of a Lifetime
> product has not lasted as long as a normal human life. My PC is connected
> to the internet by my NAT router which attaches to an ADSL phone line.
>
> So, what do others do?
>
> --
> Michael Chare