Safe without anti virus software?

You didn't mention any game titles, but do the online ones allow for community add-ons and UI's? As I've read of infections on well known MMO addon sites (nothing to do with games company). Can't remember if it was Everquest 2 or World of Warcraft now that had infected packs.

If you do use the non-gaming PC to download them all the time then fine, but the convience of using the gaming PC may win out one day.
 
BigglesPiP said:
With Windows you need one, and I don't care how many people say "You just need to be careful where your browse."
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The "common sense" type comments always make for an amusing read.

fluff said:
There isn't a list of set instructions. It comes with experience.

If a site delivers a 0day exploit not know to the vendors, one is screwed regardless of whether or not an anti-malware product is installed.
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Depends. If one is running as a standard user, and has a Software Restriction Policy in place, and has Autoplay / Autorun turned off, and has the browser running in protected mode and / or as another user entirely, even a 0day exploit would have very little room to manoeuvre.

I've lost count of the number of times friends / family have come over with their heavily infested flash disks. I just smile and initiate a scan, safe in the knowledge that nothing can make the jump from the flash disk to my laptop. A 'dir /a /s' -> 'attrib -h -r -s' -> 'del' mops up anything that the AV missed.
 
rather be safe than sorry, am a gamer myself thats all my pc is used more but am running av if u have a decent spec system u wont know its there
 
BigglesPiP said:
With Windows you need one, and I don't care how many people say "You just need to be careful where your browse."

Enough reputable sites get hacked often enough that you DO need an anti-virus. Run without and you are likely to end up in a bot-net. And it's people like you that cause halls internet to go down in the 1st week of the academic year, EVERY YEAR!
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EVERY year :mad:

I won't quote, or point fingers, but the general ignorance is so prevalent here that I would like to cheerful laugh at, in no specific order, the only install from trusted vendors, trusted sites, install all updates, use protected mode (which fyi only prevents wrting of data, not someone reading every file on your pc) or I don't use an av and have no problems (lol?) comments.

You people, are serving only to demonstrate the general ignorance or the precipitation of viruses and malware across the internet. Not understanding is fair enough, no one can know everything, but advising others to follow in your naive footsteps only increases the problem. You are the people who infect and spread the problem and the fundamental issue. If you knew what you were doing was wrong then there'd be so few to infect there'd be far less viruses going around.

Oh what the hell, if you people who don't have any problems and don't use av, how would you know if you did have one :rolleyes: Anandtech's problem is old, people using the google ad system to distribute malware is effective, they always get more cc details back than they spent on the ad :rolleyes:

If you don't know what you're doing, that include those who fall into the "you're safe if you only..." list, use something (free) basic like avast or mse, or comodo if you actually know what your doing, which means you probably already use something.
 
I've always run an antivirus of some form, be it free or paid. I'm currently using a cheap version of Kaspersky and I've never really noticed any performance hit. I'd prefer it to be there and never used than not to have it.
 
Azuse05 said:
EVERY year :mad:

I won't quote, or point fingers, but the general ignorance is so prevalent here that I would like to cheerful laugh at, in no specific order, the only install from trusted vendors, trusted sites, install all updates, use protected mode (which fyi only prevents wrting of data, not someone reading every file on your pc) or I don't use an av and have no problems (lol?) comments.

You people, are serving only to demonstrate the general ignorance or the precipitation of viruses and malware across the internet. Not understanding is fair enough, no one can know everything, but advising others to follow in your naive footsteps only increases the problem. You are the people who infect and spread the problem and the fundamental issue. If you knew what you were doing was wrong then there'd be so few to infect there'd be far less viruses going around.

Oh what the hell, if you people who don't have any problems and don't use av, how would you know if you did have one :rolleyes: Anandtech's problem is old, people using the google ad system to distribute malware is effective, they always get more cc details back than they spent on the ad :rolleyes:

If you don't know what you're doing, that include those who fall into the "you're safe if you only..." list, use something (free) basic like avast or mse, or comodo if you actually know what your doing, which means you probably already use something.
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Completely disagree with you. There is always going to be two sides to this argument, neither is right or wrong. How the hell is it ignorance exactly though? No ones saying inexperienced people don't need AV software, obviously that would be a bad idea.

I haven't used AV on a personal PC for years. I format every few months anyway, backup well and any non-trusted executables I run through virustotal.com before execution (experienced in knowing exactly how malware infection mechanisms work and reverse engineering also helps spot things here). Sure you can argue I may get 0day 'sploited, chances are minimal though and AV won't be much good anyway. Worst case restore from backups.

If you have the experience, then an AV is pretty pointless IMO. It's a broken technology and a business model that relies on fear. It's still crucial in business environments I will agree, but for experienced home users (experienced is the key word here, no ones saying 'everyone' and implying ignorance as you put it) I don't see the need for it. If this guy is only going to be gaming and installing the odd patch, then he could get by without one. Sure installing MSE is not a problem these days, but there is reasons for and against it.
 
AcidHell2 said:
there's no point in not having an AV. computers are so fast these days, there is no reason not to have one. In all likely hood you will be fine. But there is always a chance you will get one and you won't know any different.
I can't remember the last time anything showed up, but why would you not run one, when they are free and computers are so fast. You wont notice any change in fps or anything else.
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This.

Anyone saying that you can't catch a virus from using trusted sources has obviously never heard of websites being injected with malicious code. Yes, the problem is likely not to happen, but there is nothing to stop trusted websites having malicious code injected into them, you visiting them and then being infected.

Just install MSE and then leave it to do it's thing. Prevention is better than cure and you CANNOT 100% guarantee even a trusted source hasn't been comprimised. If you live by that philosophy then, I'm sorry, but you're a fool to think so.

I only download from trusted sources and have never had a problem, but I run AV just in the off chance that a trusted source has been comprimised. I've come across this at numerous customer sites where one of their trusted sites is being blocked by "Websense" for example. Upon contacting websense because the customer is complaining Websense advise the site has been flagged in their database as comprimised so is being blocked.

The one time I have had a virus attempt to install itself was when I bought a NEW usb key. It had a Trojan on it and a search online revealed it was in the news. A bad batch had been released from the factory after someone there infected the machines there by mistake and somehow the virus was ending up on the USB keys along with the crappy software they were loading the USB sticks with...
 
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RE: Halls interwebs

Dont you have a policy whereby the computers have to be checked before the room gets enabled? I know we had to do that @ brighton uni.
 
I am going to add to what I posted earlier in the thread. When I said trusted sources, I meant original physical media, not downloads from websites or other places. The OP has repeatedly said it won't be used for browsing the web, and if you keep removable media away from it then I don't see a problem as long as the OS is bang up to date.

I, personally, would bang MSE on there regardless but I wouldn't rate AV as a high priority in this instance.
 
theheyes said:
I am going to add to what I posted earlier in the thread. When I said trusted sources, I meant original physical media, not downloads from websites or other places. The OP has repeatedly said it won't be used for browsing the web, and if you keep removable media away from it then I don't see a problem as long as the OS is bang up to date.

I, personally, would bang MSE on there regardless but I wouldn't rate AV as a high priority in this instance.
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MSE? you are joking arnt you?

Let me just clear this lot up for everyone:

If your computer is offline, not connected to a lan, you never insert usb memory other removable media, writable cd's from friends etc then this is the only instance when you do NOT* need AV. But... And i say but. *There have been occasions when original media have contained viruses. A popular computer games magaine included a cover disc that was infected (although this is very rare)

If you are online, on a lan, use external devices & removable writable media etc... Then you DO (and is highly advisable) need to have AV. When i say AV i mean proper AV, not pants money spinners like norty and mcpapy from a Peesee World 'Salespersons'. (investigate which AV or IS is right for you)

If your the type that says "I don't need AV because i keep ontop of security updates" or "I'm careful where i browse" etc then you are a complete nOOdle! Coming out with such dribble is placing false information into the minds of some people on here whos present AV/IS knowledge may be limited. Trying to give people the impression your a Knowledgable enough user to avoid malware infection, is simply wrong information - And is to be ignored entirely!
 
Nope, no joke. MSE is fine, free and not a resource hog. As you said yourself, the chances of getting malware on an original disc is very rare and not even worth considering.

If your the type that says "I don't need AV because i keep ontop of security updates" or "I'm careful where i browse" etc then you are a complete nOOdle!
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I'm guessing you don't read a lot of my posts around this forum. Computer security is not a one size fits all solution. Would I recommend not running AV on a general computer? No, probably not. But what is the worst case scenario? He somehow gets infected an loses a few saved games and has to reformat?

Coming out with such dribble is placing false information into the minds of some people on here whos present AV/IS knowledge may be limited. Trying to give people the impression your a Knowledgable enough user to avoid malware infection, is simply wrong information - And is to be ignored entirely!
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I stand by what I said. AV isn't necessary on this computer if being used in the manner the OP states. It's not a recommendation, it's an opinion. If you or anyone else think that's "dribble" then it's not my problem. Feel free to ignore everything I say. ;)
 
No AV here. Pretty much given up explaining why I don't subscribe to that religion.

I read a decent article recently. Summary was that Symantec cuts I/O performance by, wait for it, 3000% (yes three thousand per cent). Microsoft Security Essentials cuts I/O performance by "just" 50%. But hey, I'd rather my I/O wasn't affected at all thanks!
 
NathanE said:
I read a decent article recently. Summary was that Symantec cuts I/O performance by, wait for it, 3000% (yes three thousand per cent). Microsoft Security Essentials cuts I/O performance by "just" 50%. But hey, I'd rather my I/O wasn't affected at all thanks!
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Impressive figures, I had no idea it was that extreme!

It's also worth highlighting the level of trust you are placing in your AV vendor, it may be rare problem but it effectively owns your OS and Bitdefender people recently learnt this issue the hard way... :p
 
no AV here either. i certainly don't recommend it for others but it suits me and the way i use my pc.

and if anybody dares to suggest i'm part of some bot-net and i don't even know it, you can **** right off. :D
 
tntcoder said:
Impressive figures, I had no idea it was that extreme!

It's also worth highlighting the level of trust you are placing in your AV vendor, it may be rare problem but it effectively owns your OS and Bitdefender people recently learnt this issue the hard way... :p
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Kaspersky learnt the exact same thing back in about 1998/1999. The day I booted my PC up to a BSOD in the morning is the day I stopped using AV altogether.

They're just another form of malware.

They certainly meet all the symptoms of a malware infection:

- slow the PC down
- are hard to uninstall without leaving traces
- cause random problems with third party software
- often cause BSODs due to all the rootkit hacking they do in the kernel
- often cause problems when hotfixes or service packs are installed for the OS
- popup annoying dialogs at random intervals on the desktop when you're working
- use non-standard "eye catching" user interface design
- install hooks into your web browser and e-mail clients, which slow down web surfing substantially
- disable built-in functionality of Windows such as Windows Firewall
- often view 64-bit support as a secondary affair
- trick you into paying money for questionable value return

I can go on?
 
Ratbag said:
Same here. And I'm sick of the patronising bile that usually follows when somebody states they don't use an AV.
;)
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Ditto - reading a couple of the opinions in the thread made me laugh. AV is like a condom. It can fail and let the nasties through. ;)

It isn't even worth trying to explain each individual because they will not understand. Let them use an AV product because they genuinely do need it.

@NathanE - fantastic posts! :)
 
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