baddad Report post Posted April 14, 2006 A spyware blocker... Having just had my PC broadsided by a trojan or two courtesy (i think) of the minclip games site, I had a closer look at AVG free, which I've been running for the past month or two... For those of you sensible enough to read the small print, the FREE version DOES not include any spyware filters, which is fair enough for a free product, but something you do need to be aware of... Anyways, for those of you who ARE using AVG FREE, you could either upgrade to the pro version for an all inclusive bundle, or run a standalone filter like SPYBOT... Spybot has just been upgraded to version 1.4 and includes some nifty new automation features... found all the cr*p on my machine, so compared to the old 1.3 version it's really good... Now, i haven't got round to it yet, but after this scare I'm starting to wonder about the XP built in firewall... Anyone know any good 'comparison' sites that aint full of adware and stuff??? best BD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mossgrove Report post Posted April 14, 2006 BD The XP firewall is better than nothing, but not by much. Zonealarm free edition is what you need. (www.zonelabs.com) It's a bit of a pain at first until it learns what programs should be able to access the internet, but it's been protecting our PC's for about three years now. Simon A spyware blocker... Having just had my PC broadsided by a trojan or two courtesy (i think) of the minclip games site, I had a closer look at AVG free, which I've been running for the past month or two... For those of you sensible enough to read the small print, the FREE version DOES not include any spyware filters, which is fair enough for a free product, but something you do need to be aware of... Anyways, for those of you who ARE using AVG FREE, you could either upgrade to the pro version for an all inclusive bundle, or run a standalone filter like SPYBOT... Spybot has just been upgraded to version 1.4 and includes some nifty new automation features... found all the cr*p on my machine, so compared to the old 1.3 version it's really good... Now, i haven't got round to it yet, but after this scare I'm starting to wonder about the XP built in firewall... Anyone know any good 'comparison' sites that aint full of adware and stuff??? best BD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
baddad Report post Posted April 14, 2006 BD The XP firewall is better than nothing, but not by much. Zonealarm free edition is what you need. (www.zonelabs.com) It's a bit of a pain at first until it learns what programs should be able to access the internet, but it's been protecting our PC's for about three years now. Simon Pretty much what I suspected... used zone alarm for around a year myself - upgraded when McAfee were doing a 'deal' on a combined package. Think I'll download zonealarm again, then! At least it gives the option of telling you what it's up to, which can get annoying, but is more reassuring than XP's cheers BD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lindy-lou Report post Posted April 14, 2006 the free trial of ewido suite is cracking Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rainbow queen Report post Posted April 14, 2006 ive got the free avg and zone alarm i had some virus and had pc man out he said they were best u could have[at least for free] actually think he said they were as good as norton. errmm actually had the virus before he downloaded the things for me .actually think it was spyware i had on mine and other stuff that he had to get rid off. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
baddad Report post Posted April 16, 2006 Pretty much what I suspected... used zone alarm for around a year myself - upgraded when McAfee were doing a 'deal' on a combined package. Think I'll download zonealarm again, then! At least it gives the option of telling you what it's up to, which can get annoying, but is more reassuring than XP's cheers BD Hiya - just a quick update on above... I checked out XP firewall spec, and it's big flaw is that it's only an INCOMING firewall, which is brill as long as your machine is clean, but if it gets compromised in any way with spy/phishing/pharming ware there's absolutely nowt to stop that communicating back to whoever/wherever planted it... So, back to Zonealarm/Spybot AND AVG, and by by windows firewall.... Trouble is, what with all that 'protection' i can't feel a thing anymore Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
phasmid Report post Posted April 16, 2006 Spybot found stuff on my system after other progs told me it was clean! It got rid of them with a few clicks on the mouse to - very user friendly. I use AVG on all my pooters. Zone alarm drives me mad, it causes problems when trying to home network pooters to the point I give up (easy solution needed please)! Anyone surfing 'naked' is daft IMO. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
smiley Report post Posted April 16, 2006 The who?? The what?? The where-then?? I do have protection (ahem...) on the pooter - but........ What's Spybot?? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
baddad Report post Posted April 16, 2006 The who?? The what?? The where-then?? I do have protection (ahem...) on the pooter - but........ What's Spybot?? Hi smiley... Spybot is a freeware/donations please application for finding and getting rid of 'Spyware'... Spyware can be anything from a 'tracking cookie' (a cookie is something that's put on your PC by a website to 'remember' what you've already looked at - an example here would be when you use the 'view new topics' feature, and the system knows what's new since your last visit - a 'tracking' cookie does a similar job, but also monitors other sites you visit so (i.e.) advertisers can target your PC with stuff you're likely to find 'appealing'. Most tracking cookies are fairly harmless, but some are quite nasty), to a full Trojan infested taskbar or other inconspicuous application that can - in the fullness of time, open the doors to all sorts of other stuff that'll leave you screaming blue murder with a hard disc full of absolutely nothing (or worse!)... Spybot'll have a good nose around you system, tell you what 'dubious' stuff it has on it and give you the option of deleting/quarantining it... MANY antivirus progs now include spyware detection features, but not all - (IE AVG FREE), and those that do may not be quite as hot as a dedicated programme... hope that helps... PHAS: Haven't got as far as a home network yet, but keep any notes on workarounds with ZoneAlarm... i think it IS a fiddle until you've got it's 'authorised applications' tweaked properly, but for my money it is doing a much better job than XP's firewall, and the commercial apps i tried slowed me down to a crawl... BD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
smiley Report post Posted April 17, 2006 Thanks BD xx Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Special_talent123 Report post Posted March 7, 2009 A spyware blocker... Having just had my PC broadsided by a trojan or two courtesy (i think) of the minclip games site, I had a closer look at AVG free, which I've been running for the past month or two... For those of you sensible enough to read the small print, the FREE version DOES not include any spyware filters, which is fair enough for a free product, but something you do need to be aware of... Anyways, for those of you who ARE using AVG FREE, you could either upgrade to the pro version for an all inclusive bundle, or run a standalone filter like SPYBOT... Spybot has just been upgraded to version 1.4 and includes some nifty new automation features... found all the cr*p on my machine, so compared to the old 1.3 version it's really good... Now, i haven't got round to it yet, but after this scare I'm starting to wonder about the XP built in firewall... Anyone know any good 'comparison' sites that aint full of adware and stuff??? best BD YH my neighbour is a an expert in computers and repairs cos he works for a company dont recommend the free edition ones they could actually give viruses so be careful. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mad cat lady Report post Posted March 7, 2009 Yes there is some dubious software out there which does give you more problems than it is supposed to solve then charge you for the full version to rectify the problems. I also (used to) work with computers and so long as you are careful on what you use there are some perfectly good free anti virus software available. I have used AVG in the past but now prefer to use AVAST (free), I also have SPYBOT which I have been using for several years. I will never put Norton on my machine (or MCAfee), and Norton is the first thing I remove from a new computer. Just because you pay for some does not make them better. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Special_talent123 Report post Posted March 7, 2009 Yes there is some dubious software out there which does give you more problems than it is supposed to solve then charge you for the full version to rectify the problems. I also (used to) work with computers and so long as you are careful on what you use there are some perfectly good free anti virus software available. I have used AVG in the past but now prefer to use AVAST (free), I also have SPYBOT which I have been using for several years. I will never put Norton on my machine (or MCAfee), and Norton is the first thing I remove from a new computer. Just because you pay for some does not make them better. we never pay for the free ones now. if we need some anti virus things then we get it off our neighbour because 90 percent of it are safe the ones he uses. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lbj Report post Posted March 7, 2009 I'm very happy with AVG on my main computer, I've used it for years and years without problem (I also run adaware and spybot to deal with ad-ware). I have Avast on the boys' machine as they have a version compatible with Win98 (the machine's practically an antique!). McAffee was the worst ever for me, it seemed to get into everything, but that was a long long time ago. janine Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Special_talent123 Report post Posted March 7, 2009 I'm very happy with AVG on my main computer, I've used it for years and years without problem (I also run adaware and spybot to deal with ad-ware). I have Avast on the boys' machine as they have a version compatible with Win98 (the machine's practically an antique!). McAffee was the worst ever for me, it seemed to get into everything, but that was a long long time ago. janine the free edition came a danger to my old laptop. mcafee with bt package is fine no problems with it. norton does nothing. i use the mcafee siteadvisor but i only use things that my neighbour recommends so i wont download unless he is there Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Special_talent123 Report post Posted March 14, 2009 my day opp worker had downloaded avast programme and she automatically found a virus spreading in a laptop her laptop is now died she is trying to take avast off and AVG 8. she is getting someone to sort it out because apparently programme downloaded on to her laptop Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites