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[nace]

What would you reccomend for an ultimate PC protection?

I use AVG anti virus and "AD-Aware SE personal". I cannot complain, but......

[Geezer]

I have switched over to Spyware Doctor bcause I was still having problems with occasional spyware using Adaware and Spybot. I haven't had a problem since. It's not free but it works well.



Spyware Doctor

[Dave]

Well...maybe I'll not answer to your question but I suggest you to try linux...
It doesn't need firewall or antyvirus because it's better protected then windows (and my pc still doesn't suffer a virus attack), with windows I was using avg, ewido and zoneAlarm but however I had several problems...maybe I've found the best solution. k:

[Japo]

The best free firewall is Comodo's.

AVG Free is good but I've switched to Avira AntiVir because it has way better detection.

For other malware I use Comodo BOClean and Spyware Terminator as resident, and AVG Anti-Spyware free version for on-demand scans, I could use more on-demand ones if I suspected infection. Ad-Aware was not bad years ago but now it can't be compared with the (even free) products around. A new version is due soon though...

Opera as browser, cookies and script blocked by default, only allowed for trusted sites --such as Abandonia. This way I can surf somewhat nasty websites feeling secure.

The most important thing is using a safe browser with a safe configuration and having safe habits (not opening spam attachments, etc.), that way it's unlikely for you to get infected in the first place. I myself have never got infected.

But what you shouldn't do is surfing the web with an Administrator account. If you only have one account in your Windows, you should create another limited account, use that one and protect the admin one with a password. Because a virus can do only what the account he's got in can.

The "Ultimate" protection, and a protection that's easy to implement and use for every beginner user, are two different and in fact contradictory things. For example if you install a firewall other than Windows' you'll be forced to answer questions "do you want to grant this program Internet access" etc. Even advanced programs can be configured to let you alone though, but that means less security. There are also some programs around that somewhat increase your safety without bothering you with popups.

[_r.u.s.s.]

omg 4 posts and nobody even mentioned best antivirus ever?
kaspersky antivirus ftw \o/

for spyware spybot search and destroy

and i m not sure about firewall, im running without one (with default windows worms doors closed)

[Icewolf]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(_r.u.s.s. @ Jun 5 2007, 12:36 AM) [snapback]292943[/snapback]</div>

[...]and i m not sure about firewall, im running without one (with default windows worms doors closed)[/b]

You run best with that.

I have two pc's one with AntiVir one with AVG. Both problem free.

I think it depends much on the browser as well. I use Opera since it has plug-in for Spybot search and destroy. So Spybot watches Opera and Opera block all the Popups.

I'm malware-free. :cool:

One thing I would recommend as well is doing cleanup with CrapCleaner (CCleaner) and/or EasyCleaner regularly. It wipes out all the trash that piles up using active X and temp data and browsing the web.

[Japo]

Kaspersky is very good and for-pay security products aren't expensive (depends on where you live I guess) but the ordinary user can be overly safe with freeware options. As for personal firewalls, according to some reviews Comodo Firewall Pro is as good as for-pay alternatives or even better.

As I said the most important thing is not inviting the malware into your computer in the first place, rather than relying on neutralizing it once it's already in. Allowing cookies by default is always a bad idea in my opinion, allowing script by default somewhat risky. Opera and FF with plugins can take care of themselves if you configure them properly, you don't need additional software to do what they can do much better on their own.

[Abi79]

For an anti-virus, I suggest using BitDefender for two main reasons:
1. They update the virus signatures every 2 hours
2. They have a great customer support system

[_r.u.s.s.]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Icewolf @ Jun 5 2007, 09:08 AM) [snapback]292976[/snapback]</div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(_r.u.s.s. @ Jun 5 2007, 12:36 AM) [snapback]292943[/snapback]

[...]and i m not sure about firewall, im running without one (with default windows worms doors closed)[/b]

You run best with that.
[/b][/quote]
well, if some kind of turkish haxor (quote by Blood-Piggyâ„¢) wanted to brake in to my pc i would be screwed

..actually if he realy wanted to get in to my pc, he would get around firewall anyways..

[Eagle of Fire]

The best way not to have malware is, like stated above, not inviting them on your system. Some people call me extremely paranoid or even delusional when I say that I don't even have Java and Flash installed on my computer, but then my results of not having malware on my computer speak for themselves. The only problem tough is that flashy (as in graphic only) sites sometimes only use one Flash or Java (sometimes both at the same time) without offering any normal alternative choices to the user visiting the site... When I encounter such sites, I always end up thinking that the site is badly done and that it's probably a big security risk to get there in the first place anyways, because all those extremely new plugings and external kernels usually are way less protected and full of security holes than those who been patched a few times. Plus, those flashy sites seems to be the most popular sites on the internet at the moment, which all add up to be a recepy for disaster when malware is concerned.

I use Firefox 1.5 with a few blocking scripts (plugins) added up. Those plugins allow me to decide whatever happen with what come thru FF, and that's what I think should be the minimum best defense against the WWW attacks such as malware. Some sites send you so many cookies in a single page (Ebay for a starter) that it's scary, and there is no real indication that those cookies are usefull in the first place. One pub banner on two also try to send you a cookie, and most flash and java pub banners will also try to send you malware "on the side" (CometCursor, I hate you! Good thing I found a way to stop you 7 years ago on my old, unprotected computer...) without you even realizing it. Those are really annoying, but if you prevent them from running on your browser page in the first placd then they can't harm you... And if you prevent their cookied from being sent to your computer, you are basically surfing with an invisibility cloak to them.

I never found a good Anti-virus up to now. It's not like I ever needed one in the first place anyways... My problem with Anti-virus is that most of them are way too intrusive in my own system to allow me to do whatever I want in peace. I want a goddamn anti-virus, not an anti-virus/firewall/anti-spyware/malware blocker/whatever you can think of all in one damn program! <_<
I'll try Avira to see if it's good. I don't think I ever tryed that one.

As far as firewalls are concerned, the minimum should be Zone Alarm free edition. Windows firewall? A sheet of paper around your modem will give you more protection. The point of a firewall is to be able to decide by yourself which program have the right in the first place to connect to the internet... I have some Windows critical programs blocked by default on my computer in my firewall because I know I have no need for them... And by doing this, while my computer normal operation is not harmed, I safeguard my computer against invisible attacks from hackers and such. Unless the hacker can get in my computer in the first place and disable my firewall, they might get in... But they can't get out back to them.

As far as anti-spyware is concerned, the one and only best I've found is Spyware Doctor. It's fast, efficient, and always end up finding spywares other anti-spywares don't find. If you want to have ultimate protection tough, install a version of each free anti-spyware on the market and run them once in a while once after another to cover the best chances that you'll find something. Sometimes, one anti-spyware will find something the other don't... But so far, Spyware Doctor have never let me down.

And if you ever get infected by a spyware or malware and wonder where it come from... Check if you don't have Atari games on your computer. As far as producers go, Atari is the worse one I've found so far on that matter. Some (most of the recent) games from them install a spyware every single time the game is started... :angry: