Do you really need antivirus software?

jmke · 24th November 2010, 09:39

I have deeply mixed feelings about antivirus software, especially when it’s part of a big security suite that tries to protect you from every imaginable form of online threat. The companies that sell you that software have an interest in keeping you afraid, and so they publish countless studies proving how dangerous the online world is.

They also have a vested interest in proving that you haven’t wasted your subscription dollars on their product, so they need to occasionally (or continually) pop up messages and alerts and reminders to show you exactly which threats they’ve blocked. Even when those “threats” are trivial or nonexistent.

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/bott/do-yo...-software/2685

jmke · 24th November 2010, 09:42

Quote:

If you want your Windows PC to be secure, here are the essential steps.

1. Use a modern operating system. Sorry, folks—Windows XP simply isn’t secure enough for ordinary people to use today. It was designed more than 10 years ago, and it lacks many of the core architectural changes that make later Windows versions more resistant to attacks. Address Space Layout Randomization and Data Execution Prevention are core features that block some classes of exploits completely. File and registry virtualization (a key part of the much-maligned and misunderstood User Account Control feature) prevents hostile programs from writing to system folders. Removable drive exploits, which have represented a very common vector for spreading malware recently, do not affect Windows 7.

this article now just reads as a means to push Windows 7 OS.

24th November 2010, 09:39	#1
jmke Madshrimp Join Date: May 2002 Location: 7090/Belgium Posts: 79,021	Do you really need antivirus software? I have deeply mixed feelings about antivirus software, especially when it’s part of a big security suite that tries to protect you from every imaginable form of online threat. The companies that sell you that software have an interest in keeping you afraid, and so they publish countless studies proving how dangerous the online world is. They also have a vested interest in proving that you haven’t wasted your subscription dollars on their product, so they need to occasionally (or continually) pop up messages and alerts and reminders to show you exactly which threats they’ve blocked. Even when those “threats” are trivial or nonexistent. http://www.zdnet.com/blog/bott/do-yo...-software/2685 __________________

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
AntiVirus Software Stress Tested with 3 million known virus/malwares	jmke	WebNews	0	27th March 2009 18:51
Madshrimps gives away Free Anti-Spyware Software!	jmke	WebNews	0	22nd January 2008 08:06
Huge Security Hole Found in Symantec Antivirus Software	jmke	WebNews	0	27th May 2006 14:42
HOWTO: Troubleshoot Any Networking Problem	jmke	FAQ / INFO / HOW-TO	0	15th February 2006 13:33
Best antivirus software for your home PC	Sidney	WebNews	16	29th June 2005 06:58
Intel Pentium 4 Developer Kit for Apple Adored by Software Makers.	jmke	WebNews	0	7th June 2005 22:08
AMD Applauds Microsoft's Decision to License Server Software by Processor	Sidney	WebNews	1	20th October 2004 01:32
Leading Software Vendors Endorse AMD64 Multi-Core Technology	Sidney	WebNews	0	8th September 2004 02:43
IBM Storage Virtualization Software to Manage Massive Amounts of Data	Sidney	WebNews	0	26th May 2004 00:36