Comments on: New software for a new computer?

Question: New software for a new computer?

®@ — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 08:39:31 -0800

I'm setting up my spankin' new computer. So far I've downloaded AVG as my anti-virus solution, but I'm not sure which way to go for anti-spyware.

Is Ad-Aware still any good? Should I use ZoneAlarm (which doesn't play nice with Adaware), or is there something better? And does anyone have experience with AVG's anti-spyware setup? I realize that ZoneAlarm serves more of a "firewall" niche, so input / corrections are appreciated. Anyone have experience with AVG's anti-spyware solution?

By: cheero

cheero — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 08:42:59 -0800

I only run AVG with a combination of Hosts file (http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm) and Adblock for Firefox. I've been on this setup for a year now and I have not had a single spyware issue.

By: kindall

kindall — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 08:45:30 -0800

If you do want anti-spyware, Microsoft's Windows Defender is perfectly cromulent.

By: box

box — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 08:46:26 -0800

Besides Ad-Aware, Spybot S&D is the other free standard.

By: magnoliasouth

magnoliasouth — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 09:03:33 -0800

This has absolutely NOTHING to do with your question, but when I bought this computer I found this list of clean free open source software... amazing. It has been my most favored list of all time. No, really.

Hopefully you'll find it as helpful as I did, if you didn't already know about it. Most meta-filter folks know as well as lifehackers. It's just a great list!

By: davcoo

davcoo — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 09:14:32 -0800

I'm pleased with the combination of COMODO Firewall Pro (since Windows Firewall only protects against incoming attacks and not those that "phone home") and Comodo BOClean Anti-Malware, both free and highly-rated.

By: sharkfu

sharkfu — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 09:20:04 -0800

Spyware Blaster is good too. Unlike scanners (Ad-aware & Spybot) it helps immunize the computer so spyware is blocked from installing in the first place. Freeware.

By: Sufi

Sufi — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 10:04:28 -0800

AVG Anti-Spyware, which used to be Ewido, is supposedly very good

By: EarBucket

EarBucket — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 10:08:26 -0800

I use a combo of Ad-Aware and Spybot S&D. They tend to complement each other's blind spots pretty well. ZoneAlarm for your firewall, AVG for your anti-virus. Oh, and CCleaner to periodically clean up your hard drive and registry.

By: ®@

®@ — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 10:46:03 -0800

This is great! I should have mentioned, I'm on VISTA 64 bit. Any caveats for this?

By: IvyMike

IvyMike — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 11:02:49 -0800

I'm going to be a contrarian: nothing will kill your system's performance faster than Microsoft Defender. And virus software usually isn't much better.

I've been running without a resident spyware scanning software for years now. I'm considering disabling my virus scanning software. I have a hardware firewall, and I just avoid doing things that would get me a virus. How do most people get viruses/spyware these days, anyways? Maybe I'm forgetting something, but so far, things seem to be going swimmingly.

If this was a laptop that would be using public networks, where it would be exposed to more serious attacks without the benefit of my firewall, I would probably rethink my strategy.

Of course this advice is predicated on the idea that you will never, ever slip up. Download that kitty-cat screensaver and all bets are off.

By: gemmy

gemmy — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 11:10:34 -0800

AVG for anti-virus, Comodo Pro for firewall. Run Ad-aware AND Spybot S&D on a regular basis, and throw in an online scan from Trend Micro every month or so. I haven't had any problems ever.

Running just a firewall and no anti virus, and only trusting to your own safe computing habits, only works if you are the only one using the computer in question, and you never have friends or family using it to look things up on occasion. If it's a family computer, like mine, it certainly is not advisable.

By: BeerFilter

BeerFilter — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 12:28:13 -0800

I used ZoneAlarm for years, but it seems to occasionally run away with my proccessor. I finally got sick of it randomly slowing the system down, and switched to COMODO a week ago. I haven't seen it take up more than a couple percent of my CPU since.

By: heeeraldo

heeeraldo — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 13:48:47 -0800

yet another vote for Ad-Aware, Spybot, and AVG Antivirus.

Those three will help if something gets on your system, but this is certainly a case where an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure; keep on top of your updates, be vigilant about downloads, redirects, and phishing attempts, and if you're at all unsure, scan it first or don't run it at all.

oh, and here's a related comic.

By: hortense

hortense — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 15:06:39 -0800

I use no script, takes getting use to but works great.

By: Argyle

Argyle — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 16:54:38 -0800

I think Webroot Spysweeper is good. We did an extensive anti-spyware shootout at work, and it was the best.

By: clanger

clanger — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 18:06:28 -0800

I use
Spybot S&D as someone mentioned earlier
Spyware blaster (also mentioned earlier)
and Super Antispyware

also popup blockers like adblock plus

plus Hijack This and other tools that I rarely use anymore but are good to troubleshoot things.

be sure to update often. and scan periodically as works for your situation.

By: me & my monkey

me & my monkey — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 19:06:54 -0800

I'm going to second IvyMike's contrarian advice. I don't use antispyware or antivirus software at all, and I don't have any problems. There are two things you have to do to make this work. First, don't do dumb things. Second, and much more important, don't run as an administrator. If you can't install any software at all, you can't install spyware/viruses/etc. If you do the second consistently, you can slip up on the first.