Antivirus posts

Today Norton has announced a new version of its Internet protection suite, Norton 360 v4, which includes antivirus protection, smart startup, online backup and uses reputation to keep you safe from malicious websites and enjoying your computer.

As we discussed in our look at SafeCentral, protecting against viruses is difficult because new threats come up every day. While Norton hasn't gotten to the point that it has an emergency response team breaking down the doors of hackers, it is building a rep of keeping your computer safe by letting Norton 360 users rate the reputation of websites and threats. Since it has added reputation, the new tool has blocked a previously hidden threat for one out of two users and has had more than 177 billion reputation rankings since September.

One thing you should never do is run a Windows computer without some form of virus protection. In the past, in order to get any decent virus protection, you had to spend big bucks on security suites like Norton and McAfee; but now AVG Free protects you against the viruses and spyware for free.

AVG has been in the virus protection business since 1991 and the free version of its AVG Anti-Virus program have been widely used by myself and many other users for many years as a free alternative to high priced year-by-year antivirus subscriptions.

Another added bonus of the free AVG Antivirus software is that the program uses relatively few systems resources so it won't slow down your computer.

The free version of AVG Antivirus works on the newly released Windows 7 and offers the following protection.

• Anti-Virus - Makes sure you can't get or spread a virus, worm, or Trojan horse.
• Anti-Spyware - Prevents unauthorized information access by spyware and adware.
• LinkScanner - Ensures every web page you visit is safe – even before you go there.

In addition to the free version of AVG Antivirus, the company offers two paid versions of the AVG Antivirus software with additional protection against downloaded files and identity theft.

If you've noticed an increase the amount of spam you're getting recently, you're not alone. A new method of sending spam in short concentrated bursts, the equivalent of a hit-and-run attack, is beating filters and allowing more illicit and dangerous messages to reach your inbox.

USA Today reports on the most recent fast and furious spam attack that used a threat of tax problems with the IRS to trick people into opening and infecting their computers. The quick blast and the fact that downloading the "IRS" let spammers send out even more messages left even more computers in the hands of spammers.

With more than 600,000 new users a day, Facebook has quickly become a target for all kinds of nasty Internet filth. The newest plague to hit the popular social networking is a virus that appears to come from a friend, urging you to check out ponbon.im, 121.im or 151.im. Do not!

Software news site SoftSailor.com warns that these addresses will infect out of date and unprotected computers. Once infected the virus steals your Facebook account and sends a similar message to your friends.

If you've turned on the TV in the past 24 hours, you've likely heard of the Conficker worm, known as Downadup to its friends, which is set to receive a set of mysterious and possibly disastrous instructions come April 1. WalletPop first covered this virus back in January, urging readers to download a Microsoft Update for protection. We examined the larger efforts at containing the worm last week.

Now that the eve of activation is upon us we wanted to give you a few more resources for making sure you are protected.

If you have your Microsoft Windows Updates configured to automatically install, then it's likely that you don't have anything to worry about. If your updating is lackadaisical and you want to find and fix your Conficker infestation yourself, there's still hope. Several vendors are offering free removal tools aimed specifically at the Conficker/Downadup worm.

AVG Technologies today announced some startling statistics about the newest tactics employed by thieves attempting to steal Internet users' personal information and infect their computers with malware. According to the company, each day these scumbags create 200,000-300,000 new web sites with embedded infections, just waiting, like spiders in their webs, to snag the innocent and curious. These sites will remain active for only a day or less, too briefly to register in anti-virus software catalogs of evil sites, and the number of sites is increasing at an alarming rate; up by half in the last three months alone.

I had the opportunity to talk with Roger Thompson, Chief Research Officer of AVG Technologies, about this problem and possible solutions. He explained that one of these "here today, gone tomorrow" sites could infect my PC as soon as I landed on it, even if I didn't click on anything. Of those sites that attempt 'drive-by downloads' onto visitor's computers, 60% are infective for 24 hours or less. The infections range from the annoying, such as adware, to dangerous malware that could pilfer my passwords, account information, and other personal info that could be used to raid my financial accounts.

Thompson, a man with an obvious passion for the security wars, has been engaged in the battle since 1997, a lifetime in the rapidly-evolving computer field. He explained to me that AVG, having become aware of the problem posed by these short-duration web sites, has taken a new approach to combating this web threat.

On my previous laptop, which crapped out earlier this year, I used Trend Micro's anti-virus program. When it came up for auto renewal yesterday, I canceled it, having found ESET more to my liking. To cancel, I had to agree to the terms of cancellation, which read, in part-

"Customer acknowledges that any continued use of the software product constitutes a willful copyright infringement on the part of Customer. By law, Customer may be liable for civil damages (including attorneys' fees) of up to 150,000 USD for each willful copyright infringement." (bold mine)

To renew the software would have cost me $44.95. To buy it new, $49.95. Using it without a valid license could cost me $150,000!!? This is not only absurd, it is symptomatic of an industry that views its customers as enemies, and spends as much time and money handcuffing us as it does developing better software. I quit using Trend Micro, and Norton Anti-virus before it, because both programs insisted on acting contrary to my wishes, and both companies wasted huge chunks of my time when I resorted to customer service.

My advice? Don't buy Trend Micro; let them soak some other sucker for $150 large, for its two-bit software. Find a company that wants your business, one that sees the user as a customer to be cultivated, not a thief looking to steal the silver.