What is your *ultimate* virus guard?

[The549]

We all have our little tools, but what is your complete system for stopping viruses and adware, etc?
This is what I do, so critique and share:

-run spybot or adaware
-firewall
-mozilla
-no porn 8)
-Task manager - google search
i. delete anything that shows up as bad
ii. if there's a worm or trojan etc, find a shareware/trial virus program to take it off. Uninstall app when it's done its job.

Works well for me....how about you guys?

 

[Sonic]

Routinely back up hard drive on anexternal drive once a week. If shit goes to hell just load up the good copy. Other than that I think a good Firewall and anti-virus software does the trick.

My next step might be to plunge some money into a lawsuit against some nefarious spyware companies.

 

[rabidrabbit]

Grisoft AVG antivirus
Microsoft Windows Anti Spyware
XP SP2 Firewall
Google toolbar with popup blocker

In addition to those I occasionally scan with
AntiVir
Adaware
a2 (a squared)

I browse with Firefox and IE.

 

[Tim Murray]

firewall, spybot, thunderbird (HUGE one), firefox, don't be stupid. that's enough for me.

 

[ninelven]

erased

 

[K.I.L.E.R]

Disconnect the internet and ban all *internet products*.

 

[digitalwanderer]

What is your *ultimate* virus guard?

Believe it or not the first, foremost, and best is common sense.

 

[Ostsol]

Hardware and software firewalls, AVG, and a bit of common sense developed over the course of 10 years of using the internet.

 

[Unknown Soldier]

Currently: Ad-aware, AVG, ZoneAlarm .. but run other little apps to make sure it's totally clean.

I prefer F-Secure as an Antivirus though.

US

 

[StefanS]

Firefox, Lotus, WXP SP2 Firewall, Antivir, Adaware on WinXP
Konqueror, Evolution, Shorewall (<--- rules!!!), F-Prot on Linux

 

[_xxx_]

What is your *ultimate* virus guard?

Believe it or not the first, foremost, and best is common sense.

Second that!

I'm behind a HW-firewall (before that, it was ZA) set up really tight and run (always up to date) McAfee. It is a resource hog, but it's the best antivir SW out there.

Besides one infection with "coolwebsearch"-bar (due to IE, now running Opera and Firefox), I haven't been infected with anything for more than two years of constantly being online.

I also run stuff like AD-aware, spybot etc. once a month just to be sure.

 

[drspangle]

-Firefox
-Don`t go to dodgy sites
-That is all

 

[_xxx_]

-That is all

Pretty stupid, IMHO.

(no pun intended)

 

[Mariner]

-That is all

Pretty stupid, IMHO.

(no pun intended)

Common sense is really (almost) all you need.

I use ZoneAlarm Pro + a hardware firewall now and have never used an anti-virus product. My computer and none of those here at work have ever been infected with a virus (I do a check every now and again).

I suppose it does help that we don't use IE, Outlook or Office here, however, as those seem to be the usual culprits! The ZoneAlarm e-mail protection has also proved very useful as it helps to stop any stupid mistakes in opening dodgy e-mail attachments.

We are only a small business, however, and until recently only had one PC connecting to the internet so I expect that this is another reason why we've never encountered problems!

 

[Guden Oden]

Unfortunately, common sense isn't a good enough protection against viruses when there are so many security holes that will let things slip through anyway without any user interaction whatsoever. When Falk AG was hacked for example, merely visiting this site could have gotten people infected, so having the common sense of staying away from weird toolbar sites, known spyware sites, porn sites or other unsavory places on the web would not have helped.

I run NOD32 and have a hardware firewall. Unfortunately, as I have ports open in it it's not a protection against a serious hack attempt, but at least it isolates my box somewhat from the web.

 

[_xxx_]

Well, I go many dodgy sites (like pr0n or whatever) and if you tried anything like that, you'd definitely catch many things, regardless of which browser you use. Zone Alarm also doesn't always help, there are still enough open doors left. But hey, you'll have to deal with the problems if there are any, so feel free to do whatever you like.

But I think those 50$ for a year's McAfee subscription were definitely a good investment regardless.

 

[bloodbob]

Common sense+firewall.

 

[rabidrabbit]

Only times I've ever been infected have been when a certain friend comes over and wants to use our PC for browsing.

I've told him several times NOT to click the if there comes a box saying something like "Click OK if you want access to galleries"
And he's not browsing for art, that idiot bisexual

 

[t0y]

As some other people said, you just need common sense and a decent firewall. Ad-Aware is also nice to clean up those pesky cookies.
The common sense part includes mozilla/firefox with adblock, of course.

Oh, and when in doubt, I just make an online scan with panda/norton but nothing ever showed up.

 

[digitalwanderer]

Common sense+firewall.

Well, yeah...I got hardware firewalls built into all my routers so after I change/set the passwords I tend to forget about 'em.

But having a firewall goes under "common sense"...at least in my book.