Broadband people take the symantec security scan.

Turner

Used this today and got quite a shock. And im running a fairly strict firewall.

Recommend everybody tries it. Try both the security scan and the virus detection.

Link to symantec scan + virus detection

Chief.

tomk

Mmmm ... yes, very comprehensive...

From Symantec Security Check

Error 001

Security Scan and Virus Detection do not work with your operating system. To run Security Scan and Virus Detection, you must be using Windows 98/ME, NT 4.0 Workstation/2000 Pro/XP, or Mac OS 8.1 or higher.

ozt9vdujny3srf

Gotta love the way you have to use IE for virus detection and firefox isnt supported in the security scan.

Turner

ah

never thought of that.

ozt9vdujny3srf

Well according to symantec my computer is completely safe, although it said i should isntall a "well used" virus scan despite the fac that i use AVG antivirus.

I use a linksys Firewall/Router and use no software firewall.

Johnny_the_fox

Originally posted by Chief---
Used this today and got quite a shock. And im running a fairly strict firewall.

Recommend everybody tries it. Try both the security scan and the virus detection.

i use it every two/three weeks.. as another virus checker <just incase avg doesnt pick up anything...>

ozt9vdujny3srf

The best anti virus guard of all is not using Internet Explorer,

Ripwave

Originally posted by Chief---
Used this today and got quite a shock. And im running a fairly strict firewall.

Recommend everybody tries it. Try both the security scan and the virus detection.

Link to symantec scan + virus detection

Chief.

So what exactly did it tell you that was a surprise?

Turner

478 infected files.

Not on my own computer but on a laptop here in the house we use occasionally with no anti virus protection but with a firewall present.

Ripwave

Originally posted by Chief---
478 infected files.

Not on my own computer but on a laptop here in the house we use occasionally with no anti virus protection but with a firewall present.

?? What made you think that firewalls prevent viruses?

Use Anti-virus software to protect against viruses. (AVG from www.grisoft.com is a good one). A firewall will not prevent you from downloading a virus infected e-mail, file or web page.

The only thing that a firewall will do is tell you, after you have a virus, that it's trying to make connections out to the network!!!!! (and if, and sounds likely, your "friend" has turned off the notifications, then your firewall won't even do that!).

A firewall can protect you from a worm, but the vast majority of broadband users in Ireland are already protected, because the routers being provided by eircom and IOL automatically provide protection from uninvited inbound connections. (The NAT functionality necessary to enable 2 ports on a router provides basic firewall functionality for free).

Johnny_the_fox

here is another online scan -> rav... try it and see what it says... <it will run offline aswell.. >

RobertFoster

Originally posted by Truckle
Well according to symantec my computer is completely safe, although it said i should isntall a "well used" virus scan despite the fac that i use AVG antivirus.

same :rolleyes:

Ripwave

Originally posted by Johnny_the_fox
here is another online scan -> rav... try it and see what it says... <it will run offline aswell.. >

I've used TrendMicros HouseCall with good results.

And it should be stressed that the advantage of installing AV software, rather than relying on online tests, is that an installed application can actually prevent infected files being written to the hard drive in the first place! AVG has a free version available that will protect your PC all the time, not just when you do a scan.

(Though obviously, you have to keep your virus definitions up to date - no antivirus program can protect you against a virus that it doesn't recognize as a virus).

oscarBravo

I find Avast home edition very good - it takes care of updating itself.

Stark

A lot of anti-virus software can be a **** resource wise. F-secure for one often hangs my system with 99% CPU usage. Panda Anti-Virus and Kaspersky anti-virus are supposed to be good resource wise though.