50% chance of PC infection after 12 mins

[Ian]

Techweb reports that the average PC has a 50-50 chance of infection with a virus, worm or trojan after just 12 minutes online without adequate protection.

"Sophos estimated that a new PC stands a 50-50 chance of being infected by a worm within 12 minutes of being connected to the Internet. (Other analysts, such as the Internet Storm Center, put the current average survival time at around 34 minutes.)"

This doesn't seem surprising considering the number of nasties infecting PCs each day, even with anti-virus software. The advice to take from this worrying statistic is to enable your firewall and install anti-virus software as soon as you can when buying/building a new PC.

 

[crazylegs]

I done an experiment Ian where a pc i had just built was connected to the internet on my broadband connection and the pc was infected after just 4 minutes, I only visited microsofts website and downloaded the latest updates...

I then disconnected the pc from my broadband connection and installed Zonealarm security suite and it picked up 2 Trojans...

The Moral of the story is always have your Firewall, Antivirus and Adware/Spyware software in place before connecting your Pc to your Broadband connection....

 

[Ian]

Yup, doesn't surprise me crazylegs I just hope that the virus/trojans die down over the next few years, but I doubt that will happen at all!

 

[floppybootstomp]

When I do a fresh install, first things that go on are Antivir and AdAware, even before MS updates.

Only then do I plug the Network cable in...

And I have a hardware firewall as well.

 

[G~MAN]

that's madness! to get avg free edition ... don't you have to be go online to download it ?!

when i first reformatted my hd first thing i done was put norton on it!!! just so many things you can get by just being on the web is incredible!

 

[floppybootstomp]

that's madness! to get avg free edition ... don't you have to be go online to download it ?!

Not if you've had the good sense to burn the program to CD prior to installation

Before a new install I usually compile a CD full of stuff I want to install before connecting online, it pays to be careful.

And Antivir is better than AVG, imo, I ran both side by side for six months (different machines), and that's the conclusion I came to.

As for Nortons, no comment.......

 

[G~MAN]

yer i suppose... but even then you wouldn't have all the updates... still protection

and Norton is great! no problems with mine so far, blocks everything pop-ups to trojans

 

[floppybootstomp]

yer i suppose... but even then you wouldn't have all the updates... still protection

Yes, I did say that, I believe, but I'd still rather connect online for first time with Antivir installed, then get MS updates.

and Norton is great! no problems with mine so far, blocks everything pop-ups to trojans

Of course it's great, looks pretty too, don't it? And comes in a very impressive looking box. And costs quite a bit of money as well.

And it has online activation too, just like XP, so it must be good, right?

And it lasts, what, a year? 18 months? And it still lets through things that freebie software programs catch.....

Yep, Nortons is great. How much is it atm?

 

[G~MAN]

not sure... don't mind really my dad pays ...

my sister uses avg and on my computer i use norton... in my opinion i prefer norton... much easier and user friendly

 

[muckshifter]

Use a 'Router' and you'll have an edge ... couple that with a good firewall (Windows XPs' own will do) and have a bigger edge.

Like Flopps, it pays to keep an up-to-date CD of your chosen "nasties busters" around.

 

[psd99]

I done an experiment Ian where a pc i had just built was connected to the internet on my broadband connection and the pc was infected after just 4 minutes, I only visited microsofts website and downloaded the latest updates...

I then disconnected the pc from my broadband connection and installed Zonealarm security suite and it picked up 2 Trojans...

The Moral of the story is always have your Firewall, Antivirus and Adware/Spyware software in place before connecting your Pc to your Broadband connection....

that is really shocking!

i didnt know that this can happen!
so quick! just 4 minutes?

thats really sickening

 

[Quadophile]

I also have a habit of updating all the software on a regular basis and have a software folder on the computer as well as on my mobile drive. If anything happens to any of my machines I have all the software which can instantly be instlled on any computer. Besides, many of my friends depend on for assistance with latest software and programs. Some people are really lazy

I have had problems with the OS in the past but never had any problems not having the required mix of all the softrware that is absolutely must on any computer.

One f the best things that I purchased in the last few years concerning the computer is the Lacie portable 40 GB USB drive, it has come in handy on many occasions and is far better than having things on a DVD or a CD as the hard drive is way faster than any aluminium media.

There is a need to be better organised than ever before. Regular updates to OS, Anti-Virus, and support programs wil likely keep things in order. Recently there was a poll on this site about Back-up and I was really surprised to see the result, I never expected so many not even backing up ever. Anyone who comes to PC Review if not a geek must be at least an enthusiat so it did not make any sense to me what the results of that poll were.

Take care of your computer, only then it will take care of you!

 

[Alf]

Done and Done

i use AVG
i havent had a virus yet

 

[Goldenginza]

Help to keep your system 100% clean of infections!!

Hello Forum Memebers:

I will tell you that I am a volunteer doctor who has worked in refugee camps located in some of the very worse war zones in the world since 1971. Always under pressure to maintain 100% security on my computer to protect the medical data of refugees world wide.

I run Windows 2000 Server Service Pack 4 as this platform requires far less patches then Windows XP Prof.
(Very stable platform that was built in Australia to my knowledge).

Here are a list of antispyware, antivirus program that I use an is compatible with my platform. The reason I am telling you this is because it is just about impossible to find any software protection what will support Windows 2000 Server. (These programs support almost all other Windows platforms).

I use Sygate firewall Personal free: www.sygate.com

www.adwarespy.com (This program on a quick scan will scan over 130,000 registry keys and will destroy not only "CoolWebSearch", and all of it's 300 plus varients, but will destroy anything else found). When I first ran this program I was shocked as it found 531 registry keys infected and 71 files. Must purchase. And at the time I had the #1 & 2 spyware program installed. Now I only use adwarespy, and removed the other two.

If you are the owner of SpySubstractPro. from www.intermute.com (You can download for free www.trendmicro.com Antispyware 3.0 for free. If you have neither, you must purchase.
(Purchase the TrendMicro, as they now own the company Intermute, that made SpySubstract.

For an antivirus program, I found a program that in my opinion is the best state of the art technology in the world. This program will stop a trojan dead in it's track when you enter a webpage that is infected or you attempt to open a file for download. Plus it will scan your memory on boot-up for antivirus infections. Plus it even comes with a registry key fixer.

www.filseclab.com "Trojan Twister Anti-virus/Spyware. Comes from Beijing, China. Purchase only.
(WORKS ON ALL WINDOWS PLATFORM, INCLUDING SERVER FOR THE SAME ONE TIME PRICE. YOU DON'T HAVE TO PAY EVER AGAIN FOR VIRUS UPDATES OR A NEW RELEASE).

And last of all you can download for free a program from Germany, that is an excellent compliment to any other type of security programs you have running on your system. This is a free program that will clean, malware, trackware, dailers, spyware, virus, etc. etc. -- The only thing that is not available in the free version is a function that will catch say, a trusted software download that has embedded spyware or trojans installed. This function will pop-up when you open the file and tell you that the program has trojans, spyware or drivers not associated with the program embedded in the program. And it gives you the opportunity to kill the file.

www.emsisoft.com (Germany). Free or if you want the purchase option.

I have personal obligations to my clients world wide to protect their medical information and likewise to many government agencies. And I can assure you that my computer remains 100% clean. And I receive Xrays etc., etc.,from Asia, Russia and other parts of the world that are known to create spyware/virus.

And ofcourse I am not in the positon to have my system crash. Many of the places I am in have no authorized Microsoft/Toshiba Tech.

Hope the above info. will help alot of all you good members out there with spyware & antivirus problems.

Good Luck,

Goldenginza

 

[CITech]

Goldenzinga, thats one hell of a spec list.

I'm not in the medical industry but do work for the finance sector and we ahve similar contractual obligations.

I might be copying your setup to give it a whirl, hope you don't mind.

Cheers

 

[floppybootstomp]

Thanks for the recommendations, Goldenzinga, they keep your system clean so certainly worth considering some of those. A few there I hadn't heard of.

And welcome to the Forums

 

[Quadophile]

Goldenginza,

That is a great guide for anyone who cares about their data! Thank you very much for the contribution, it sure will help many.

 

[TECHGUNS]

I dicovered this myself hackers hacking while tring to update.
Downloading most of MS updates like SP2 and burnin it on CD will help you.
Some of your antipest site have updates that you can download also and burn.
It help reduce the amount of time your on the net before getting fully updated.

Surf safe.