firewalls...what's cookin'?

[gravytrain]

hey again everyone,

i'm wondering about firewalls and anti-virus software...

i've been told that xp has a firewall with service pack 2 and it's pretty good,

but i've also been told the best protection is with a firewall/anti-virus pack you buy at the store as the downloadable ones are pretty average,

could someone also let me know if it is a firewall or is it an anti-virus program that is the best way to keep 'net speeds up and block pop-ups...

thanks again!

[i an not a nerd]

Well, gravytrain, my personal favorites for antivirus protection are Doctor Web and Norton Antivirus.

Now if you want an antivirus and firewall combo, Norton Internet Security isn't that bad. If you want a seperate program for firewall, then Zonealarm either the free or pro version should work for you.

[PrntRhd]

i've been told that xp has a firewall with service pack 2 and it's pretty good,

The XP firewall is marginal at best, but better than nothing.
These free firewalls are much better than the one in XP:
ZoneAlarm free, Sygate free, Kerio (free).

but i've also been told the best protection is with a firewall/anti-virus pack you buy at the store as the downloadable ones are pretty average,

No, the "suites" tend to be bloated and slow things down worse than ever.

could someone also let me know if it is a firewall or is it an anti-virus program that is the best way to keep 'net speeds up and block pop-ups...

Neither firewall programs or AV will prevent popups, that is not their job. To keep speeds up, keep malware off the system by using an alternative browser like Firefox, Opera, or Netscape. Use a popup blocker like Google Toolbar if your browser does not have blocking built in (Firefox does). Use SpywareBlaster and IE-Spyads to keep IE from loading the crud if IE is your choice of browser. Turn off unecessary services that slow things down.
I strongly recommend all users run one AV scan program, two free ones are AVG and Avast. Also run a firewall, or Internet worms will infect your PC.

[Budfred]

I largely agree with PrntRhd... Here is the prevention speech I give people after cleaning up the mess on their system:

This is a good time to set up protection against further
attacks. Read the article linked below about "How did I
get infected". You need an antivirus that is updated, a
good firewall (a router firewall is not enough) and a
spyware blocker like SpywareBlaster and also IE-Spyads.
All of these have good free versions available... be very
cautious about any security software that advertises in
popups or other intrusive ways, they are not only usually
useless, but also often have malware in them....

http://www.computercops.biz/postlite7736-.html

[pop pop]

My defensive armory:

AVG Antivirus
Sygate Firewall (and a router)
Spybot S&D
Ad-aware SE Plus (yes, I paid for it)
SpywareBlaster
MS Antispyware
TrojanHUnter 4.2 (yes, I paid for it)

Every once in a while:

Bitdefender Online Scan antivirus
CCleaner

-----------------------------
This armory has kept my systems clean and mean for a couple of years now.
------------------------------

One word of caution: if you buy a Norton suite you will count the days until you remove it...if you even can.

[Steve]

firewalls...what's cookin'?

I use Zone Alarm (free version). It does everything I want a firewall to do.

For an anti-virus program, I use AVG free and back it up with occasional TrendMicro online scans.

For anti spyware...well, that's a little hard to pin down. I guess my biggest protection is using Firefox for my browser. Since switching to FF I just don't get spyware. Even when I try. I run AdAware once in a great while but it finds very little, if anything.

I check my computer with HijackThis when I suspect problems. It's a good program. Not the be-all and end-all but useful. It wont protect your computer but it will give you a quick look at the most common areas of your OS that get infected.

That's about it for me...

[classicsoftware]

I vote for Sygate as my firewall and not had any problems with it. I use Avast for the antivirus and I use Firefox for my browser and I am basically spyware free. I have a test maching where I try to go to suspect sites, especially porn sites (NO JOKES OR SNIDE COMMENTS PLEASE) and I don't get dialers or homepage hijacks or additions to my favorites that I used to get when I used IE.

I have removed so much porn crap from client's PC's. It's truely amazing. I am sure you can get stuff with FF, but it is a whole lot more difficult....

[pop pop]

uh...ummm..did you really say that?

You can get what with FF?

Considering the context preceeding it, that's just tooooooo funny.

[gravytrain]

thanks everyone once again for the advice,

i really appreciate it

look forward to chatting again soon