What do you use to protect your computer?

[Kie_D_K]

What do you use to protect your computer(s) from virus', spy-ware, ad-ware and all that lovable stuff that is on the internet?

Personally I never have need of them anymore. But none the less what do you use? What do you not use? What do you hate/love? And don't forget the reasons why.

[Blixium]

I don't use anything. I never go near any attack sites so I have no use for them.

But if I did get a virus or something then I'd probably manually delete it or just use free virus programs around the net, they do the job.

I usually always get a version of McAffee for my retarded parents though, they get so much spyware and crap on it somehow. o_O

[Novak]

I would not use norton, But I do use AVG. And I havent got a infection/virus yet while using it. Plus its light weight so yah.

[Eris]

This would be me:

http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/linux_user_at_best_buy.png

[Miss Moonlight]

I just reformatted my XP desktop and changed a few programs. I kept the good ones, but got a new virus scanner. I used to use AVG free 8.0, but I didn't like it; it took up too many resources and my computer only has 256mb of RAM. ;[

So now I use (all latest versions):
Hijackthis
Spybot Search and Destroy
Avira AntiVir Personal Free Virus Scanner (it's fast and lightweight)

I rarely get viruses or spyware/malware, though.

[Hawkatex]

Using Avast after having to get rid of McAffee.
I am very pleased with it.

[SigmaSD]

I use Avira Antivirus and Ad-Aware for my laptop and CA antivirus for my other computer. Ironically enough, I only get an infection whenever my sis uses it, since she visits practically anything. I heard that myspace has a lot of infections as well, so she might get then from there.

[SOS RaShayRitto]

i prefer not to use any real-time "protection" software. I like all my resources available to me for various tasks. So basically i survive off common sense. I do run some scans now an then when i have nothing to do but i cant STAND having some memory hog in the background popping up messages and generally interfering with my computing experience.

[Khanxay]

avast!, Ad-aware, a-squared, Malwarebyte's anti-maware, spyware blaster, and SUPERAntispyware.

I do a full scan with avast! the first of each month, and scan with one anti-malware thing on every Sunday. Oh, and it's not my computer.

[Atsui Sake]

NOTHING! Even when I did have antivirus software, I never ran it because of how slow it was. I just go online and do a Housecall every few months and only end up with cookies and one or two occasional worms. Either way though, I like to think I'm pretty good at avoiding stuff that will cause me to have to reformat. Haven't formatted since I got my machine, except for when I put Win7 on my other hard drive and ended up messing up the boot files on both disks.

[Aizmov]

Common sense and Linux/X/GNU/Fluxbox :cool:

I also run Tiger and Snow Leopard ;)

[Ryuuzaki HD]

Windows Live OneCare so far so good no viruses.

[Gero50]

I use Antivirus software of course. It is one of the best. I also try and do clean ups on a regular time to keep things nice and fast.

[Cobra Commander]

Anti-virus - Avira Antivir Personal. It's free, and it works.

I have, on occasion, used spybot and ad-aware, but I've found that since the last two XP updates, switching to Firefox, and some common sense on my part, I have no need of them.

I don't really need Avira, but I keep it around because it has stopped trojans and supposedly a worm in the past. It doesn't hog resources, either.

Switching to Firefox was probably one of the smartest things I ever did, computer-wise. After about a year, I don't even like IE anymore.

No one try to tell me about Chrome. My Uncle uses it and it infuriates me to no end.

[gaburieru]

For the whole network I use a hardwarefirewall and my wlan is encrypted.

On my Mac and Linux-box I have softwarefirewalls. On the faildows-box I use avira antivirus along with Outpost firewall.

I would not use norton, But I do use AVG. And I havent got a infection/virus yet while using it. Plus its light weight so yah.
How can you be so sure?

[Storm Strife]

Probably too bleeding much.

avast! anti-virus, Malwarebytes Anti-Malware, HijackThis, Spybot - Search & Destroy, Windows Defender, Trend Micro RootkitBuster, COMODO Firewall.

I also have Sandboxie installed, just in case I'm feeling extra paranoid/risky.

[devendra3047]

i have installed AVG antivirus system.
it has really protected my pc.
i find it to be great.

[Gjallarhorn]

In the two years I've had this laptop I've used nothing, and I've never had any problem with it. I got a trojan once through some german file hosting site with a malicious pop-up, but that that was an easy fix...it was also one of only two instances I've used IE on this laptop.

I actually tried Avast last month, and used it for about two weeks. Didn't notice any sort of difference beyond the fact that it made my entire computer crawl. I got rid of it because I like playing simple games such Age of Empires 2 without having massive lag...and not waiting 10 seconds for a folder to open.

[Mr. Nobody]

I use...
avast! anti-virus
Spybot - Search & Destroy
Windows Defender

They serve me pretty well. No problems yet.

[TheAsterisk!]

I typically run 'round the Internet on Linux of some sort, so it's pretty safe, and I keep a software firewall up on each of them, but I still need to boot into XP now and then, so it gets tedious.
I have a simple virus scanner on my Linux OSs to try and keep from passing on any of the nasties to XP, and XP has its own firewall and scanner installed, too.

By the way, what's with everyone telling everyone exactly which apps, right down to the version numbers sometimes, they use? If you're worried enough to keep watch for the nasties, why let everyone in on which countermeasures you've deployed? Seems a little counter-productive to me.

@Eris: Should've had flamethrowers mounted on the bike.

[AshCrimson]

Avira for the AV and Zonealarm for the Firewall, or COMODO if for some reason zone is having some problems.

[Mac]

Well, for me I've been using the same system protection for a few years, and never had any problems:

Avast (Pro on laptop, Home on desktop) - brilliant free AV and I never have trouble with it
Windows Firewall
Spybot - I don't have the scanner running though, I only use it to scan periodically.

People will ask why I use Windows Firewall, and that's because I watch what I do on the Internet, so I have no need for a resource-hogging firewall. Also, my router has its own firewall, which tends to block more stuff than I'd like it to. -.-

[Kuresuma]

I have firefox, which comes with internet safty, but on my other computers I use Norton Security Scan and/or firefox. ^^
Hope this helps.

[ZenErik]

I have a Mac. No anti-virus needed currently. :)

[bee.]

ESET smart sec.

[CerebralDivinity]

I use the Common Sense Security Suite :P

In all seriousness, most of that can be avoided by not visiting shady websites, and keeping your web browser and operating system up-to-date.

[SigmaSD]

I have CA and Avira in my other computer because it always got so infected (b/c apparently people don't understand when I say not to visit certain sites). I installed Avira today and it took care of like 20 infections and now runs like a race car. *victory sign*

[lilminx]

i use avg, its pretty good

[La3m]

Agreed. Common sense and an anti-virus program (in my case, AVG) goes hand to hand. You cannot leave out any one of it.

Yes, Linux and Mac are not prone to virus/malicious attack compared to its Windows counterpart but I don't give a 100% trust on that level of security.

[Kalay]

Well.. I used Spybot Search and Destroy. AVG. And Malware. I dunno.. my hometown computer guys just put it on there for me when I took my computer in to get it some help.. lol

Maaylynn; aka Chrissy

[rwarn852]

Zone Alarm. Not easy to set up and learn but great protection

[Janglefox]

I get some free Sophos for my Mac from the university. No idea how well that works.

[dadan]

as of now I am using avira AntiVir personal...it is for free!and i found it just fine to protect my pc from any viruses.



.

[surotzky]

hmmm..I think I should try avira Antivir it might satisfy the needs of my pc.

hmmm..Im having a hard time on what to use..

[Ryuuzaki HD]

I'm using Norton 360 for my new PC.

[Sora Rosario]

I'm using the same thing along with Malwarebytes. XD

[AndrewJose]

I use

Antivirus

and dust cover to protect my computer

[Ka-ririn]

Kaspersky Antivirus 7.0 is pretty good until now.

[chii-chan91]

Norton Internet Security... its not bad i guess, its just kinda annoying sometimes when it blocks things that im trying to view, thinking that just cause it opens in a new window it MUST be dangerous... and then it lets through other random stuff sometimes like the weird new smilies download thing and party poker- but it stopped a virus one time so i guess i cant complain too much:)

[Tattster]

im an avast man ;D

and if anything does find its way trough i will run an avast scan and a MalwareBytes scan :3

my laptop came with macaffee /tear

[Wio]

I use AVG and spybot, and I don't seem to have many problems.

[Dani0]

I use nothing.

[Miz]

I don't even think their is any point in installing any virus protection program because my computer seems fully un fixable in that category. I use Spy - Ware though even though that isn't helping much anymore.

[GangstaKermit]

a huge hammer ... it always works

[Ellipsis]

I use Avast, but I miss Norton. =/

[Kally]

I use Avast Anitivirus, Spybot Search & Destroy, Zone Alarm and Spyware Blaster (:

[nioniosmeg]

This would be me:

http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/linux_user_at_best_buy.png

And THAT would be me:
http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/7807/linuxuseratbestbuy.png

[Android 18]

I used AVG for a little while, but I didn't like it. So now I use Norton 360 Premier Edition. I just recently upgraded it.

[SOS Machinehead]

i use AVG 8.0 and its worked well. the only time I've haven't gotten a virus in a while. i just switch computers due to my computers pure badness. 256 to a half gig of ram does not treat me well. also i use this due to me downloading loads of junk that i provide to all the people wouldnt know how to activate the flash on a psp.

[Viral_]

I used to use Avira only, but Santa Claus brought me a rootkit and a lot of trojans last week...
I spent my christmas to remove them! :curses:
But now my PC is as safe as houses :crossfing
-Avira (A crap, I know...)
-Spybot and TeaTimer
-PeerGuardian 2 with billions and billions of blocked Ips
-"No script" for firefox

...
Now the system is damn slow, but at least I can surfing the web safe xD

[Bayonetta]

I use Norton Internet Security.

[Alorumin]

i use AVG 9, but ive heard that Norman antivirus is a very good program aswell.

[Alorumin]

I use Norton Internet Security.


ouch ! norton is worse than a virus itself :P i would go with something else if i wer you.

[alex3047]

I use AVG anti virus but not satisfied yet, so recently i purchase a quick heel licensed version.

[silverwings1415]

i use defender pro. i'm really satisfied with it. i've had no viruses or issues and i've used it for windows xp and vista.

[Celeste]

Useing AVG antivirus system - I've had Kaspersky AntiVirus before.

[blueangel06661]

I use avast. I'm not really sure how well it's working but I hope it is. I used to use a different one and it worked really well but then my subscription ran out and I had to go to a free one. But I was told Avast was the way to go, so I went that way.

[Khanxay]

I am now currently using Microsoft's Security Essentials. It's rather nice.

[Miss Moonlight]

Hijackthis
Avira Antivirus Free
Spybot Search & Destroy

And CCleaner.

[jackprw1]

I'm assuming that giving this info doesn't put security at risk - perhaps someone could say if it does!

I use 1) Firewall inbuilt in router
2) Sygate firewall is on computer in case of router failure but I turn it off when logged on.
3) Microsoft firewall turned off
4) Avast antivirus
5) Spywareblaster
6)Prevx Intrusion prevention
7) Ewido - not full version which has expired & you have to pay for.

Everything seems fine at the moment. (I recently changed set up as I was getting a few viruses and trojans.)

[Bayonetta]

ouch ! norton is worse than a virus itself :P i would go with something else if i wer you.
Heh, well not anymore. Right now I'm using AVG 9.
x]

[Gero50]

I use to use AVG now I use Microsoft Security Essentials. It works much better and has a much nicer virus signature database. Plus like AVG it is also light weight and dose not completely bog down your computer white it is in operation.