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antivirus prog necessary?

M

marquee

Banned
so i thought if i was good about not installing stuff that i dont know about, not opening email attachments, not using outlook, not using macros that come from a reliable source (i.e. that i wrote myself), and in general not being dumb in using my computer, installing updates whenever they come out, i'd never get a computer virus. and so i've never bothered purchasing an antivirus prog. a couple times a year i'd go to housecall antivirus site, or download a free trial offer of NAV or something, and just check to be sure i'm clean, and so far, i've never found anything.

now some person at work is telling me there are some viruses that can just magically appear on your computer without you doing anything, is that true? i dont quite buy it. anyone can confirm?
 
Originally posted by: marquee
so i thought if i was good about not installing stuff that i dont know about, not opening email attachments, not using outlook, not using macros that come from a reliable source (i.e. that i wrote myself), and in general not being dumb in using my computer, installing updates whenever they come out, i'd never get a computer virus. and so i've never bothered purchasing an antivirus prog. a couple times a year i'd go to housecall antivirus site, or download a free trial offer of NAV or something, and just check to be sure i'm clean, and so far, i've never found anything.

now some person at work is telling me there are some viruses that can just magically appear on your computer without you doing anything, is that true? i dont quite buy it. anyone can confirm?
Click to expand...

Yes, they're called worms. Code Red, Nimda, Nachi, Etc are all perfect examples. Also you can get them just from web browsing as well.
 
Originally posted by: spidey07
Originally posted by: marquee
so i thought if i was good about not installing stuff that i dont know about, not opening email attachments, not using outlook, not using macros that come from a reliable source (i.e. that i wrote myself), and in general not being dumb in using my computer, installing updates whenever they come out, i'd never get a computer virus. and so i've never bothered purchasing an antivirus prog. a couple times a year i'd go to housecall antivirus site, or download a free trial offer of NAV or something, and just check to be sure i'm clean, and so far, i've never found anything.

now some person at work is telling me there are some viruses that can just magically appear on your computer without you doing anything, is that true? i dont quite buy it. anyone can confirm?
Click to expand...

Yes, they're called worms. Code Red, Nimda, Nachi, Etc are all perfect examples. Also you can get them just from web browsing as well.
Click to expand...
Exactly.

 
I havent had an AV program installed for years at my house until recently. to my recollection Ive never had a virus there, not once..

so for me, apparently it's not REALLY necessary, but most people will still recommend one.... since I have Norton Anti Virus corporate edition on there, I have no complaints. 🙂
 
Originally posted by: spidey07
Originally posted by: marquee
so i thought if i was good about not installing stuff that i dont know about, not opening email attachments, not using outlook, not using macros that come from a reliable source (i.e. that i wrote myself), and in general not being dumb in using my computer, installing updates whenever they come out, i'd never get a computer virus. and so i've never bothered purchasing an antivirus prog. a couple times a year i'd go to housecall antivirus site, or download a free trial offer of NAV or something, and just check to be sure i'm clean, and so far, i've never found anything.

now some person at work is telling me there are some viruses that can just magically appear on your computer without you doing anything, is that true? i dont quite buy it. anyone can confirm?
Click to expand...

Yes, they're called worms. Code Red, Nimda, Nachi, Etc are all perfect examples. Also you can get them just from web browsing as well.
Click to expand...

Unless you run Linux, I would suggest getting some AV software.
 
Originally posted by: marquee
if you sit behind a firewall and dont open those ports, you should be fine though?
Click to expand...

#1 rule of security - no computer is immune unless you don't ever turn it on or attach it to a network.

No, you're not fine even behind a firewall.
 
Originally posted by: illusion88
Originally posted by: spidey07
Originally posted by: marquee
so i thought if i was good about not installing stuff that i dont know about, not opening email attachments, not using outlook, not using macros that come from a reliable source (i.e. that i wrote myself), and in general not being dumb in using my computer, installing updates whenever they come out, i'd never get a computer virus. and so i've never bothered purchasing an antivirus prog. a couple times a year i'd go to housecall antivirus site, or download a free trial offer of NAV or something, and just check to be sure i'm clean, and so far, i've never found anything.

now some person at work is telling me there are some viruses that can just magically appear on your computer without you doing anything, is that true? i dont quite buy it. anyone can confirm?
Click to expand...

Yes, they're called worms. Code Red, Nimda, Nachi, Etc are all perfect examples. Also you can get them just from web browsing as well.
Click to expand...

Unless you run Linux, I would suggest getting some AV software.
Click to expand...

Some of the biggest worms in history were on Unix based platforms.

 
I'm with you, I never bought one for my computer once a year i'll download the free trial just to check, 3 years and no viruses....my brothers computer and mom's computer on the other hand both have anti-virus and get viruses....a great deal of it is based on the user...

personally I doubt i'll install one just because odd's are i'd just keep it turned off all the time anyways.
 
Originally posted by: illusion88
Originally posted by: spidey07
Originally posted by: marquee
so i thought if i was good about not installing stuff that i dont know about, not opening email attachments, not using outlook, not using macros that come from a reliable source (i.e. that i wrote myself), and in general not being dumb in using my computer, installing updates whenever they come out, i'd never get a computer virus. and so i've never bothered purchasing an antivirus prog. a couple times a year i'd go to housecall antivirus site, or download a free trial offer of NAV or something, and just check to be sure i'm clean, and so far, i've never found anything.

now some person at work is telling me there are some viruses that can just magically appear on your computer without you doing anything, is that true? i dont quite buy it. anyone can confirm?
Click to expand...

Yes, they're called worms. Code Red, Nimda, Nachi, Etc are all perfect examples. Also you can get them just from web browsing as well.
Click to expand...

Unless you run Linux, I would suggest getting some AV software.
Click to expand...

well the idea is i dont want crap running in the background i dont need. to me, having a virus running in the background or an antivirus program running in the background is equally annoying 😛 some of the worms spidey07 listed... like nimda, those still require an unsuspecting user to initiate it by downloading some attachment right?
 
No. I never ever use them. They're for pussies. Real men live by the sword and die by it! The only virus I ever got was about 10 years ago. I use zone alarm, download Win updates when prompted by the auto-update, and don't open attachments. Anybody who gets a virus from an email attachment should be banned from using a computer for 90 days.
 
Originally posted by: Skoorb
No. I never ever use them. They're for pussies. Real men live by the sword and die by it! The only virus I ever got was about 10 years ago.
Click to expand...
Herpes sucks doesn't it?

 
Originally posted by: CraigRT
I havent had an AV program installed for years at my house until recently. to my recollection Ive never had a virus there, not once..

so for me, apparently it's not REALLY necessary, but most people will still recommend one.... since I have Norton Anti Virus corporate edition on there, I have no complaints. 🙂
Click to expand...

Same thing for me.
 
Originally posted by: marquee
Originally posted by: illusion88
Originally posted by: spidey07
Originally posted by: marquee
so i thought if i was good about not installing stuff that i dont know about, not opening email attachments, not using outlook, not using macros that come from a reliable source (i.e. that i wrote myself), and in general not being dumb in using my computer, installing updates whenever they come out, i'd never get a computer virus. and so i've never bothered purchasing an antivirus prog. a couple times a year i'd go to housecall antivirus site, or download a free trial offer of NAV or something, and just check to be sure i'm clean, and so far, i've never found anything.

now some person at work is telling me there are some viruses that can just magically appear on your computer without you doing anything, is that true? i dont quite buy it. anyone can confirm?
Click to expand...

Yes, they're called worms. Code Red, Nimda, Nachi, Etc are all perfect examples. Also you can get them just from web browsing as well.
Click to expand...

Unless you run Linux, I would suggest getting some AV software.
Click to expand...

well the idea is i dont want crap running in the background i dont need. to me, having a virus running in the background or an antivirus program running in the background is equally annoying 😛 some of the worms spidey07 listed... like nimda, those still require an unsuspecting user to initiate it by downloading some attachment right?
Click to expand...

No. Just by being attached to a network you can get it. New security holes are being exploited and released all the time.
 
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