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[Icewolf]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(David86 @ Jan 3 2007, 11:12 AM) [snapback]273092[/snapback]</div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mighty Midget @ Nov 18 2006, 11:27 AM) [snapback]267463[/snapback]

I believe it was the previous free version that will be unsupported from 2007. The 7.5 version willl still be free and supported.
[/b]

What I have to do?Do I have to update it or install the new version?
[/b][/quote]
Google free grisoft avg (since I'm not sure if I may post the direct link... ) and download the newest version of AVG.
It's an Upgrade and not an Update so you don't get in the regular download process. k:

[haakjay]

Three thing i always download for my pc is

AVG Free (Virus)
Ad-Aware Personal (Spyware)
Crap Cleaner (History stuff, cookies, cache etc.)

[chainsoar]

Buy Norton Internet Security 2007 - anti-virus, firewall, privacy control, anti spam and (if you need it) parental control, all in one. Don't listen to the crap merchants who say Norton sucks. They're lying. Those liars.

[Dave]

But....how much is it?
I don't think that everybody can afford to buy it...I prefer free programs like avg, ad aware, cc-cleaner, avg antyspyware (e-wido)...and remember a good firewall! I'm using zone-labs.

[Japo]

AVG is great for me, it even works against generic malware like trojans. If I was the NORAD I'd purchase the best security available, since I'm the average guy whose data is not especially coveted by people, I go for the free stuff available which is great by the way and updates daily.

And since I'm not that concerned about security, what I need is a program which doesn't waste my resources. I was willing to pay 3€ per month for Panda as I was offered by my Internet provider (Mr. Chirac) but when I installed it on my old P3 450 MHz 64 Mb RAM, Panda turned it into a heap of inoperant crap, even though Panda hadn't installed all features (it wasn't protecting against malware!!) because my computer wasn't powerfull enough. So I uninstalled but then my computer remained hugely clogged even though I cleaned the registry with EasyCleaner --which found loads of crap. I opted for formatting and re-installing Windows as I did periodically on that machine, and cursed Panda Software for ever and ever. Now I have a powerfull computer but heavy unnecessary resident software no thanks.
________________________

I would nonetheless appreciate some expert opinions about firewalls. Is there any point in installing a free one like ZoneAlarm or Kerio or rather it won't offer additional protection compared to the Windows firewall? I used ZoneAlarm with my old machine --which had Win98-- and it was great.

[Icewolf]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Japofran @ Jan 25 2007, 07:04 AM) [snapback]276350[/snapback]</div>

I would nonetheless appreciate some expert opinions about firewalls. Is there any point in installing a free one like ZoneAlarm or Kerio or rather it won't offer additional protection compared to the Windows firewall? I used ZoneAlarm with my old machine --which had Win98-- and it was great.[/b]

No, there's no point installing that. I could send you some records of mine for a presenation at vocational school (english-class ) where I talked about the reasons, that a personal firewall (such as Kerio or ZA) is pointless. And even weakening your security in a way. Do you want it? It's PowerPoint.

EDIT: I got an A- for it...

[Japo]

Thanks, there's no info about this in the Net, a lot of comparisons among all other firewalls but never between them and the Windows one.

Any second, third, etc. opinions?

[win98]

The windows one is alright In some cases that is why the dare not compare with it since they want you to buy there product.

[Japo]

That's what I thought, and now I can provide some information. I was trying an alternative firewall (Comodo which is reportedly better than Kerio and far better than ZoneAlarm free), when I suffered this precisely because of it, in a site where I had never experienced it. Needless to say I've gone back to the Windows one immediately.

However Kerio's webpage for one claims that the Windows firewall doesn't protect you from data leak. Note that they don't claim to protect you better from intrusion --I'm afraid that would be lying--, only from data stealing. And that might be true because I had an application which was leaking data and the Windows firewall hadn't detected it while Comodo did. (Actually it was the license verifier of some software which I had already uninstalled. <_< ) But since, as an anonimous user, I'm far more concerned about my system's getting infected, corrupted or hijacked than about people getting my data, I'll stick with the Windows firewall. Plus Microsoft can learn their own security holes before anyone else, and now they're finally approaching the security issue seriously --I guess thanks to Mozilla's competition.

EDIT Duss, now I also know how to edit the registry and look for malware, but an antivirus and an antispyware are necessary to protect you from getting them in the first place, if not you'll have to be doing a lot of maintenance work. Plus in the many cases where a program is able to detect something it's faster than you removig it. Plus malevolent cookies for example are not in the registry (well I guess you only flush all cookies frequently, so do I).

[Icewolf]

Seriously though:
DON'T use a personal firewall.
It makes you feel save / makes you believe you're safe / makes you believe it protects you, but
IT DOESN'T.

Having a router when you have a broadband connection and/or have a good browser when you have dial-up with ad/spyware protection is by far the better solution. And acting sensible, of course.

It's my desperete wish to make people understand this. :tai: