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# 1 18-02-2009 , 04:37 PM

Jr.Who

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Hey guys,

I've been helping out a friend of mine with some computer stuff lately. Really long story, but I should just get to the gist of what I need help with.

We're looking for some good free security stuff for the PCs. He can get McAfee on them (cause he's a Comcast customer), but I despise McAfee, it makes PCs run like Andy on a football field (haha, I just had to throw that in there for you Andy user added image

).

So I did some research, and it seems like no one wants to make an all-in-one security suite for PCs for free. So this is what I could find that looked good:

Anti-virus/spyware:
https://www.softpedia.com/get/Antivir...-Edition.shtml
https://www.softpedia.com/get/Antivir...-Edition.shtml

Firewall:
https://www.softpedia.com/get/Securit...arm-Free.shtml
https://www.softpedia.com/get/Securit...all-Plus.shtml

Does anyone know if these are good? Or are there any better ones out there, or even possibly a free all-in-one security suite?

Thanks,
Steven Palmesano

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# 2 18-02-2009 , 09:52 PM

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the free thing I use which has been a pretty big help to me is https://www.spywareterminator.com/

- Mike

https://rhetoriccamel.blogspot.com

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# 3 18-02-2009 , 10:39 PM

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prehaps you should pass it on to dave hehehe - only joking just think the timing of this thread is funny

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# 4 19-02-2009 , 04:46 AM

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For spyware protection, these are good:

Spybot Search and Destroy: https://www.download.com/Spybot-Searc...-10122137.html
Adaware: https://www.lavasoft.com

C. P. U. Its not a big processor... Its a series of pipes!

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# 5 19-02-2009 , 04:58 AM

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hahaha... Thanks for throwing that in

Environment Artist @ Plastic Piranha
www.joopson.com

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# 6 19-02-2009 , 09:06 AM

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OK...

I have worked in Windows Support for over 11 years and I would avoid all the applications that The Architect mentioned, you can't trust a piece of software that gets reported by another piece of software for the offence it is trying to protect you from... AVOID

I would recommend these for free and they are just like Ronseal products (does exactly what it says on the tin).

Anti-Virus -: AVG
Firewall -: Zone Alarm

I have used both these products myself in the past and both do a superb job for free.. Both are easy to use and easy to setup and maintain. Oh and always download software from the manufacturers sites only, never via sotpedia or other sharing sites as you do not know who has done what with it.

The reason I say that is I am now a Web Developer and have discovered very quickly that the internet if full of cowboys and conmen waiting to take advantage of users who fail to read information and then fill your PC with crap.

Enjoy.

Chris (formerly R@nSiD)
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Last edited by R@nSiD; 19-02-2009 at 09:09 AM.

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# 7 19-02-2009 , 09:44 AM

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Google once reported all of the Interwebs as spyware...

I shouldn't trust SimplyMaya.com, lol user added image

C. P. U. Its not a big processor... Its a series of pipes!

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# 8 19-02-2009 , 10:38 AM

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Agreed Chris.

"No pressure, no diamonds" Thomas Carlyle

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# 9 19-02-2009 , 11:49 AM

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Originally posted by R@nSiD
OK...

I have worked in Windows Support for over 11 years and I would avoid all the applications that The Architect mentioned, you can't trust a piece of software that gets reported by another piece of software for the offence it is trying to protect you from... AVOID

Originally Posted by

I did a Google news search, and I found no reports of Spybot Search and Destroy being malicious. However, I did find lots reports of spyware masquerading as Spybot...

This article from InfoWorld has plenty of praise for Spybot and the Lavasoft app: https://www.infoworld.com/news/feeds/...r-Windows.html

Quote: "Everybody should be using spyware-detection tools such as Lavasoft Ad-Aware or Spybot Search & Destroy -- preferably both."

Btw, you do know that download.com is run by CNET and that they test all software before it is offered, right? Saying its some random software library is a bit of an underestimation, don't you think?

In the perfect world we would all be running OpenBSD or SuSE with AppArmor, Snort, netfilter, etc. with a hardware firewall...

C. P. U. Its not a big processor... Its a series of pipes!

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# 10 19-02-2009 , 02:08 PM

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Sorry to interject here but...

Originally posted by The Architect
Saying its some random software library is a bit of an underestimation, don't you think?

Originally Posted by

Err... I dont think Chris said that at all or am I not reading it correctly?

All he said was that he prefers to dowload it form the manufacturers site as it may have been tamperd with on other sites... Fair point in my mind as you might not be clued up with the origins of the site.

End of..

"No pressure, no diamonds" Thomas Carlyle

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# 11 19-02-2009 , 04:43 PM

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Originally posted by The Architect
Google once reported all of the Interwebs as spyware...

I shouldn't trust SimplyMaya.com, lol

Originally Posted by

Thats 'cause Google is dumb user added image

Chris (formerly R@nSiD)
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# 12 19-02-2009 , 05:04 PM

Jr.Who

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Thanks a lot Chris, I just needed to know they were good! lol

Well I should be going to his house on Sunday… so I'll tell you how it goes then.

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# 13 20-02-2009 , 05:15 AM

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Originally posted by gster123
Sorry to interject here but...

Err... I dont think Chris said that at all or am I not reading it correctly?

All he said was that he prefers to dowload it form the manufacturers site as it may have been tamperd with on other sites... Fair point in my mind as you might not be clued up with the origins of the site.

End of..

Originally Posted by

Oh, yeah, I didn't see AVG or Zone Alarm... user added image

C. P. U. Its not a big processor... Its a series of pipes!

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# 14 20-02-2009 , 05:38 PM

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Thanks for jumping to the defence there Steve...

What I am saying, and I will clarify this, is that if software downloads are available from the manufactures site use it. I have seen software from 3rd party sites having been decoded and recoded with trojans and backdoor exploits.

To be on the web and not to take the easiest of precautions it a little dim...

And dont over do the software... I firewall, AV and Antispyware is enough to protect you as long as you dont go around like an idiot clicking everything in site. Read it first and then close it, and ignore it. How people hink the internet knows that your machine is slow or has a virus and people click these things and then go... "ohhh, errrr, my PC is busted..." deserve what is coming.

The Internet is not for the stupid.

Chris (formerly R@nSiD)
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# 15 20-02-2009 , 05:44 PM

Jr.Who

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Haha, the problem is that some of the people we give the computers to aren't very computer literate.

BTW, those two programs don't need a ton of resources right?

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