Windows Anti-Virus Software, Really?
April 11, 2018 7:46 PM Subscribe
Do I really need to run McAfee on my Windows 10 machine? After a decade long break from Windows, I built myself a new computer. Do I really need Antivirus software?
I never used any on Macs for the last decade and never had a single problem. I'm pretty savvy and don't open attachments without serious scrutiny. I use Chrome. I do the updates. I'm just concerned about some dumb antivirus software slowing my whole machine down. Do you guys use it?
I never used any on Macs for the last decade and never had a single problem. I'm pretty savvy and don't open attachments without serious scrutiny. I use Chrome. I do the updates. I'm just concerned about some dumb antivirus software slowing my whole machine down. Do you guys use it?
Microsoft has Windows Defender built into every version of Windows 10, so there really is no need to buy an additional product.
posted by nickggully at 7:54 PM on April 11, 2018 [13 favorites]
posted by nickggully at 7:54 PM on April 11, 2018 [13 favorites]
I'm running 8.1, and XP before that, and I haven't had separate AV software in probably ten years. Maybe I'm just unimaginative in my exploration of the internet. I do browse with noscript or something similar, and I tend to keep my browser security options set to "no you can't". But I would say no, you don't need AV.
posted by Sing Or Swim at 8:19 PM on April 11, 2018
posted by Sing Or Swim at 8:19 PM on April 11, 2018
I have used a combination of Defender and Malwarebytes for the last decade plus without any issues. Usually when I find McAfee or Norton on a family member's machine its totally fucked the machine sideways and I have to get rid of it.
posted by selfnoise at 8:21 PM on April 11, 2018 [4 favorites]
posted by selfnoise at 8:21 PM on April 11, 2018 [4 favorites]
Personally, I don't even use Windows Defender, but I run adblock and don't use it to find..free stuff..on the Internet. If I was going to do that, though, I'd just use Microsoft's bundled software and maybe run a manual Malwarebytes scan from time to time, taking care not to activate any of the background stuff it can do.
The vast majority of desktop AV software is very poorly written and causes more problems than it solves, often with major security implications. Their detection engines are fine, as they all do what you'd expect without causing trouble on Linux, but all the other stuff is just awful.
posted by wierdo at 8:25 PM on April 11, 2018 [1 favorite]
The vast majority of desktop AV software is very poorly written and causes more problems than it solves, often with major security implications. Their detection engines are fine, as they all do what you'd expect without causing trouble on Linux, but all the other stuff is just awful.
posted by wierdo at 8:25 PM on April 11, 2018 [1 favorite]
To be clear, I anti-recommend anything from McAfee, Symantec, or any of the big names. Supposedly some smaller companies sell AV software for Windows that doesn't have all the broken extras, but I still wouldn't bother unless you actively intend to use the computer to do risky things and also not use an ad blocker.
posted by wierdo at 8:28 PM on April 11, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by wierdo at 8:28 PM on April 11, 2018 [1 favorite]
You don't really need a separate antivirus nowadays, in fact, you pretty much never have if you live behind a router. I've not run any antivirus myself for the last, oh, 15 years and have never had virus issues. The most important thing is keeping the bad guys out by keeping your windows and browser up to date, practicing good hygiene by not opening files you don't trust, and having windows firewall operating normally.
The second most important thing is keeping everything backed up, that truism that data doesn't exist unless it exists in multiple places at once. Keep a copy of your important documents or photos in 3 locations - the cloud, your computer, your phone. The chances of you losing your data to a hard drive failure is a lot higher nowadays than losing it to a virus attack. Some statistics frequently quoted online from Backblaze say 90% of hard drives survive to 3 years, 80% survive to 4 years, and it drops from there, it seems true in my experience.
posted by xdvesper at 8:32 PM on April 11, 2018 [2 favorites]
The second most important thing is keeping everything backed up, that truism that data doesn't exist unless it exists in multiple places at once. Keep a copy of your important documents or photos in 3 locations - the cloud, your computer, your phone. The chances of you losing your data to a hard drive failure is a lot higher nowadays than losing it to a virus attack. Some statistics frequently quoted online from Backblaze say 90% of hard drives survive to 3 years, 80% survive to 4 years, and it drops from there, it seems true in my experience.
posted by xdvesper at 8:32 PM on April 11, 2018 [2 favorites]
Do I really need to run McAfee on my Windows 10 machine?
Nobody ever needs to run McAfee on any product whatsoever, so that would be No.
posted by flabdablet at 8:34 PM on April 11, 2018 [5 favorites]
Nobody ever needs to run McAfee on any product whatsoever, so that would be No.
posted by flabdablet at 8:34 PM on April 11, 2018 [5 favorites]
However, given that virtually all malware that arrives on Windows boxes in 2018 gets there via advertising - mostly via ads for foistware or compromised advertising servers - you absolutely do need uBlock Origin in your browser.
Firefox version
Chrome version
posted by flabdablet at 8:39 PM on April 11, 2018 [9 favorites]
Firefox version
Chrome version
posted by flabdablet at 8:39 PM on April 11, 2018 [9 favorites]
Response by poster: Uninstalled that stuff. Thanks MeFi.
posted by trbrts at 8:46 PM on April 11, 2018
posted by trbrts at 8:46 PM on April 11, 2018
Mefite samsara's profile, is a frequently recommended source of information on how to prevent Malware infection. As others have echoed - the emphasis is on following a set of rules for good security - such as normally running things from a limited access account and patching applications frequently (I like PatchMypC for this). I would also second uBlock origin.
posted by rongorongo at 10:29 PM on April 11, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by rongorongo at 10:29 PM on April 11, 2018 [2 favorites]
flabdablet: WHAT THE SHIT IS THAT?!? That dude can't be real, right?
Also, how do I get my computer to stop nagging me to pay for McAfee? I can't even find that shit to purge it.
posted by jenfullmoon at 11:33 PM on April 11, 2018
Also, how do I get my computer to stop nagging me to pay for McAfee? I can't even find that shit to purge it.
posted by jenfullmoon at 11:33 PM on April 11, 2018
flabdablet: WHAT THE SHIT IS THAT?!? That dude can't be real, right?
John McAfee has a biography strange enough to be absolutely laughed our of a plot pitch to a film studio (save the one that's rumoured to be making a movie about him starring Johnny Depp of course). He is clear that he does not use nor recommend the A/V product that bears his name "I take it off...it's too annoying" - and he has some sound advice about cryptocurrency investments apparently too.
posted by rongorongo at 11:57 PM on April 11, 2018 [2 favorites]
John McAfee has a biography strange enough to be absolutely laughed our of a plot pitch to a film studio (save the one that's rumoured to be making a movie about him starring Johnny Depp of course). He is clear that he does not use nor recommend the A/V product that bears his name "I take it off...it's too annoying" - and he has some sound advice about cryptocurrency investments apparently too.
posted by rongorongo at 11:57 PM on April 11, 2018 [2 favorites]
That dude can't be real, right?
The dude is indeed John McAfee. However, I suspect that those are not, in fact, bath salts.
how do I get my computer to stop nagging me to pay for McAfee? I can't even find that shit to purge it.
Sorry, I was a bit overzealous to suggest that nobody ever needs to run any McAfee-branded product. There is indeed one McAfee product that actually usually works and actually does something useful:
McAfee Consumer Product Removal Tool
posted by flabdablet at 7:09 AM on April 12, 2018 [3 favorites]
The dude is indeed John McAfee. However, I suspect that those are not, in fact, bath salts.
how do I get my computer to stop nagging me to pay for McAfee? I can't even find that shit to purge it.
Sorry, I was a bit overzealous to suggest that nobody ever needs to run any McAfee-branded product. There is indeed one McAfee product that actually usually works and actually does something useful:
McAfee Consumer Product Removal Tool
posted by flabdablet at 7:09 AM on April 12, 2018 [3 favorites]
you pretty much never have [to have separate antivirus] if you live behind a router.
Wow, this is terrible advice.
posted by Pig Tail Orchestra at 10:40 AM on April 12, 2018 [2 favorites]
Wow, this is terrible advice.
posted by Pig Tail Orchestra at 10:40 AM on April 12, 2018 [2 favorites]
I use the built-in Windows Defender antivirus and do an occasional scan with the free version of MalwareBytes and I've not had an issue yet. While I'd say it's still a very good idea to have antivirus, there are much more important things you can do to protect yourself against malware, such as: block ads, avoid downloading stuff from sites you don't trust or don't know about, and keep the software and OS you have installed regularly updated. Samsara's profile, mentioned above, goes into a lot more detail here. Also Nthing the recommendation against McAfee and Symantec/Norton products, and I don't really like any other third-party AV product enough to endorse one.
posted by Aleyn at 1:00 PM on April 12, 2018
posted by Aleyn at 1:00 PM on April 12, 2018
After a time on Linux, I returned to the Windows fold right around the time Windows 8.1 came out. I'm back on Linux after several years (with Windows on a virutal machine), but all that time I surfed safely and never used anything more than Windows Defender. I don't know if it's proof against everything, but with a little common sense about where I go and what I open, I never had a problem. It's nicely integrated into Windows, behaves itself 99% of the time, and just does the job.
posted by lhauser at 8:01 PM on April 12, 2018
posted by lhauser at 8:01 PM on April 12, 2018
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Alensin at 7:51 PM on April 11, 2018