Is AV software necessary?

[Unknown]

Holy smokes man can't you read? You're on this newsgroup so read.

 

[Shenan Stanley]

For some time I've been questioning the use of AV software. I work in
IT support and I really couldn't count the number of perfectly good
Windows installations I've seen borked by Norton AV or any of the
other bloated virus suites. The performance hit from installing these
things with always-on protection is lamentable, both in terms of boot
up time and the general responsiveness of the OS, and for what?

Agreed, if only partially. I have seen perfectly good installs "borked" by
many of the different AV suites. In my experience it usually floats back to
something else that was installed along with the OS, some application that
somehow doesn't agree with the restrictions of (or worse yet - shares some
of the files with) the AV suite in question.

The performance hit (in amount of memory used if by no other measure) is
significant. As for what - well, quiet simply put - one of the following:

- Inability to learn.
- Lack of desire to learn.
- Forced distribution of said software due to the fact most people see the
computer as a tool and a toy for distraction at the workplace and system
admins have better things to do than do the work of dozens to thousands for
them on the upkeep of their personal workstation.

Thesedays, viruses spread faster than the AV companies could hope to
spread updated virus definitions. So for a critical length of time, AV
software is completely powerless to protect your system when any
particular worm or virus is at its peak on the Internet.

Very true. In fact, in the last round the patch was the only thing that
would prevent SASSER (or a firewall) for the first hours, in which time the
damage COULD BE enormous.

AV has disappeared from my home machines and - guess what? - no
viruses. This is because

(1) I login to the systems as a limited user, not the administrator
(2) I don't open email attachments
(3) I don't download, install or run software from disreputable
websites (4) I don't use IE or OE - these programs are virus
distribution clients (5) I use an ADSL firewall router and not an
ADSL modem

My opinion is that AV software fixes nothing that common sense
couldn't fix. Common sense has the additional advantage that it
doesn't turn my 512MB P4 system into a 64MB P2 with an endlessly
grinding hard disk.

You get no argument about your statements here. What I do argue is that not
everyone has (or wants) common sense when it comes to computers. Again -
for most people these things are tools or toys. They don't know how to fix
their own car, why should they know how to fix their computer. They have
better things to do - and that is likely true. If I had the choice of my
doctor knowing the correct procedure to remove my appendix or just winging
it because he kept his computer secure by reading up on the latest threats,
patching his machine, securing any flaws in his Internet Browser, and making
sure the firmware for his hardware firewall was up to date - I choose my
appendix.

Nevertheless, at work, I still have to deal with the endless problems
caused by AV software. I still have to knowingly cripple nice, clean
installations by installing Norton bloatware. I still have to mess
around ensuring that the AV definitions are up-to-date, even though
essentially they will always be out of date when it really matters.

Welcome to your role in the world. To fill in the emptiness left by people
who do not understand the importance of the tool or toy they are using until
it is too late. You could try to educate your users. You could try and
tell them "opeing attachments is bad" - but they will get that one email
from Aunt Beatrice (who is sweet, kind, makes great lemon pie and wouldn't
harm a fly) and they will consider it safe. What they don't know is that
Aunt Beatrice has Netsky and didn't even really send this email.

Is AV software necessary? IMO, no. It should be avoided like the
plague.

Agreed. But only in-so-far that it is practical. People in general are not
going to use the common sense you tout. Wish they would.. Then I would have
more time and their computer would seem faster and I would get the credit.
As it is - I'll continue to distribute AV software at work until everyone
has as much common sense about computers as they do about touching the hot
stove.

 

[1]

I use Trend Micro PC-Cillin. I have never had the troubles most folks have
had with AV Software. I never use to use AV until I got one. This computer
is a gaming computer with 180 gigs of HD space. More than half of that space
is used for games and media files. Having to wipe the computer and start
over is not a fun thing. It's no real biggie as nothing on this computer is
vital. However, I can see the need for AV on anything that has banking,
creditcard or personal info. AV will help prevent trojans that are used by
hackers to steal that info. Further, I would suggest a hardware firewall
such as a router. I use a D-Link 604. Inexpensive and easy to configure.
Their help site is great. It even has settings for the most popular games.

Just my 2 cents worth

 

[bullwinkel J. Moose]

Hear, Hear. You can't prevent users from going into site which will put
viruses, trojan horses, data miners and all sorts of worms onto your
machines. I don't run these AV programs on start up but I do run a solid
firewall. This prevents hackers and some of he above to get into my
computer. I run AV programs overnight as a safeguard.In any case the big
problems thesze days is spam and you need all the protections available.

 

[Guest]

Yu
AV is a must have on a PC with or without internet access. I have been using Dr. Solomon and McAfee and have never felt much in terms of slow performance of my 1523 computers in my setup. Norton is good as far as its utilities are concerned. I don't grase that as an AV Solution

----- john wrote: ----

For some time I've been questioning the use of AV software. I work in IT support and I really couldn't count the number of perfectly good Windows installations I've seen borked by Norton AV or any of the other bloated virus suites. The performance hit from installing these things with always-on protection is lamentable, both in terms of boot up time and the general responsiveness of the OS, and for what

Thesedays, viruses spread faster than the AV companies could hope to spread updated virus definitions. So for a critical length of time, AV software is completely powerless to protect your system when any particular worm or virus is at its peak on the Internet

AV has disappeared from my home machines and - guess what? - no viruses
This is becaus

(1) I login to the systems as a limited user, not the administrato
(2) I don't open email attachment
(3) I don't download, install or run software from disreputable website
(4) I don't use IE or OE - these programs are virus distribution client
(5) I use an ADSL firewall router and not an ADSL mode

My opinion is that AV software fixes nothing that common sense couldn'
fix. Common sense has the additional advantage that it doesn't turn m
512MB P4 system into a 64MB P2 with an endlessly grinding hard disk

Nevertheless, at work, I still have to deal with the endless problem
caused by AV software. I still have to knowingly cripple nice, clea
installations by installing Norton bloatware. I still have to mess aroun
ensuring that the AV definitions are up-to-date, even though essentiall
they will always be out of date when it really matters

Is AV software necessary? IMO, no. It should be avoided like the plague

 

[Pop]

Uhh, and how would YOU know he's ONLY here to READ? That's
not the only use of a ng, or didn't you realize that?

 

[Unknown]

You apparently spoutted off without reading the entire thread.

 

[rumbaboy]

For some time I've been questioning the use of AV software. I work in IT
support and I really couldn't count the number of perfectly good Windows
installations I've seen borked by Norton AV or any of the other bloated
virus suites. The performance hit from installing these things with
always-on protection is lamentable, both in terms of boot up time and the
general responsiveness of the OS, and for what?

Thesedays, viruses spread faster than the AV companies could hope to
spread updated virus definitions. So for a critical length of time, AV
software is completely powerless to protect your system when any
particular worm or virus is at its peak on the Internet.

AV has disappeared from my home machines and - guess what? - no viruses.
This is because

(1) I login to the systems as a limited user, not the administrator
(2) I don't open email attachments
(3) I don't download, install or run software from disreputable websites
(4) I don't use IE or OE - these programs are virus distribution clients
(5) I use an ADSL firewall router and not an ADSL modem

My opinion is that AV software fixes nothing that common sense couldn't
fix. Common sense has the additional advantage that it doesn't turn my
512MB P4 system into a 64MB P2 with an endlessly grinding hard disk.

Nevertheless, at work, I still have to deal with the endless problems
caused by AV software. I still have to knowingly cripple nice, clean
installations by installing Norton bloatware. I still have to mess around
ensuring that the AV definitions are up-to-date, even though essentially
they will always be out of date when it really matters.

Is AV software necessary? IMO, no. It should be avoided like the plague.

My house hasn't burnt down yet; I make sure the gas cooker's off before
going out or to bed, and don't smoke ... but I'm not getting rid of my smoke
detectors just yet ...

 

[Pop]

AV software is NOT necessary, anymore than:

seat belts
telephone
underwear
safety helmets on the job
shoes
education
and a couple of other items. You can quite successfully
connect to an ISP at least one time without haven AV. If
you don't have a 'net connect, it might be even safer. But
it's NOT "necessary".

Pop

 

[Mandy Shaw]

What puzzles me is why the original poster thinks NAV has such awful effects
on the PCs he builds ... I have never heard that sort of feedback from
anyone else.
In my experience a sensible anti-virus policy is one of the first things any
sort of external information security or IT quality audit checks for. Those
guys have seen what happens if you ignore the basics, and anti-virus is
right up there with things like effective backups. What makes a home
environment any different? If anything, it is likely to pose greater
virus-related risks, because the PC is typically engaged in a wider range of
activity, and is typically communicating with a wide range of people with a
wide range of awareness of Internet security issues.

 

[Unknown]

Tis unfortunate that you are now paranoid over viruses. This prevents you from
operating your computer without that garbage so you'll never see how great a
PC can be. And, you speak/write with emotion rather than fact.

 

[Pop]

LOL! Is that right? What're you doing, rewriting a
dictionary or something?

Pop

 

[David Candy]

All AV programs stuff up some machines. McAfee and Norton are considered the worse. Whichever one stuffed up their machine is the one they hate.