Running without Antivirus on Vista

[MBrown]

I sorta like not running an antivirus program. How likely am I to catch a virus. I don't go to any risky sites or nothing. I'm guess I am addicted to the extra snappiness of running with out a antivirus.

 

[mechBgon]

You might find some of these security steps relevant if you're trying to go without antivirus: http://www.mechbgon.com/build/security2.html Don't disable UAC, whatever you do.

 

[Amaroque]

I'm using XP Pro (completely updated). All I do is use a limited user Acct, HW Firewall/router, and the free ZA on my computers.

Been running all my machines like this for years. Last virus I had was... I can't remember.

Oh yeah, I run the free Ad-Aware like once a month (with updated defs).

Of course, I don't DL unknown programs, and my son is only 1yr old. That helps alot!


Edit: I should also say that my machines are powered on, and online 24/7.

 

[Seppe]

hey,
well if ur smart enough u should be ok on the net, but having friends come over with infected memory stickes can ruin ur system in a blink of an eye. one of my friends ran without av until this kind of incident. u can get viruses from places u never thought u could. i would definitly use an av but thats just my 2 cents

 

[covert24]

im on vista and all i have is avg pro edition that io got for free. everything else (uac, windows def. etc.) is off. i also have ccleaner that i run weekly to flush out any temp files and such.

 

[velillen]

honestly i could see not running an AV if your careful. I've been using free av's for a long time now and all the warning's i have gotten are from shaddy places that i wouldnt have gone to if it hadnt been on the "test" pc of mine. on my main pc i haven't had any virus's found but still use one just for that sense of mind of being able to go opps shouldnt have clicked that.

 

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: velillen
honestly i could see not running an AV if your careful. I've been using free av's for a long time now and all the warning's i have gotten are from shaddy places that i wouldnt have gone to if it hadnt been on the "test" pc of mine. on my main pc i haven't had any virus's found but still use one just for that sense of mind of being able to go opps shouldnt have clicked that.

That was then. This is now. The bad guys are, among other things, now poisoning major advertising networks with malicious exploit-laced advertising content. That means it could come up on sites you think are safe, and normally would be safe.

Malware also travels via infected CDs, DVDs and flash drives (when's the last time you viewed a digital camera as a threat? ), and even exploit-bearing audio files. While I'm not saying antivirus software is a surefire defense by itself, it would be a good idea to get a solid defense-in-depth strategy going.

 

[gsellis]

Originally posted by: mechBgon
That was then. This is now. The bad guys are, among other things, now poisoning major advertising networks with malicious exploit-laced advertising content. That means it could come up on sites you think are safe, and normally would be safe.

Malware also travels via infected CDs, DVDs and flash drives (when's the last time you viewed a digital camera as a threat? ), and even exploit-bearing audio files. While I'm not saying antivirus software is a surefire defense by itself, it would be a good idea to get a solid defense-in-depth strategy going.

+1

Malicious code is easy to find accidentally. I have hit one legitimate site this year on 2 different computers that had an infected payload (caught by AV on one, but a content filter on the other). My wife's laptop has hit about 3 (all stopped by AV), and all from commercial sites.

Even if you have a Mac, you should cover it up. Just like a STD, you just don't know where your partner has been You aren't being paranoid, as there really are some malicious folks out to get you. BUT, just a few layers of precaution and good behavior minimize it. I have not been infected, ever. My step-daughter, yes, but that has been corrected (and I hate 180Solutions and Sony is not high on my list either).