Windows vs the Intarweb

[Malak]

So I generally run a virus scan and spyware scan once every couple months. I never get any hits, but I do it anyway, JIC.

Anyway, a couple months back Spybot stopped working so I hadn't run a scan in quite a while. Finally decided to uninstall it and install the microsoft stuff and did a scan. Updated AntiVir and ran a scan for that too.

Nothing.

I never run any real-time scanning or firewalls. I don't get hits with scans. I want to know why everyone panics about virii and scans weekly, if not daily, and has multiple programs running to protect them. Symantec's list of latest threats in the last month doesn't have a single threat beyond "Category 2 - Low". At that level, you have little chance of getting hit, let alone being hurt.

It's like someone gets shot on the streets and the next day everyone is wearing bullet-proof vests.

 

[Cerb]

I think it's just a vocal minority, as far as doing scans like that at home. When it comes to support, it's a big issue, because most users are dumb.

I keep Spybot and Adaware on and updated, and every now and then do a real virus scan...but mostly, everything works fine, and Adaware mostly gets rid of cookies every few weeks.

 

[Jeff7181]

There are those of us who's computer would survive just fine without any of that... and there are those who want to download a file from an e-mail from someone... and they don't know what it is... and their anti-virus software won't let them open it... so they disable the anti-virus software so they can see what someone sent them...

 

[pontifex]

i work as a network admin/tech support guy for a medium sized company. my boss, the CIO, sends emails out almost every week with rules for email attachments, phishing emails, etc. he tries to keep everyone updated and he's just a real security freak.

last thursday i get a call from one of the sales guys asking me to come over and look at his pc because he has some error message. well, i find out that he got a virus, a nasty one too, the antiav_exe.exe and hloader.exe ones - i forget the real name of it now. it deletes any AV and security files it can find, restricts access to AV and security websites, prevents updates to AV and security software and prevents access to the registry. but he got it because he opened an attachment from an email from someone he didn't know.

took me half the day to try to clean it but ended up formatting and reinstalling everything on his pc because of it. i found another guy today that had the same virus. i think he got it the same way as the other guy, opening an unknown attachment. luckily i was able to clean it from his pc and get everything working again.

people who aren't in the it field or aren't really into computers just don't get it or just aren't savvy enough to understand.