AVG software - Any experience here?
 

On Tue, 11 Mar 2008 18:08:14 -0400, "D.Duck" wrote:



A good exercise is to venture over the grc.com. Steve Gibson is recognized
as an Internet security expert.

At his site there are several tests you can perform to test the
vulnerability of your system(s).

Thanks. I ran the tests and they showed file sharing is secure and
all ports in stealth or closed. Non-stealth is considered "Failed" on
this site, but I don't necessarily buy that. I am very leery of being
sold stuff I don't need, especially since I see a symbiotic
relationship between "security experts" and hackers.
Not to be paranoid on that, or to suggest this site is in any way
dishonest, but we all have heard of firemen torching homes to drum up
business. When I was manually removing virii, that relationship was
evident in some cases.
For now the test results are good enough for me, as I don't know if ZA
can stealth every port, and I'm not running an NSA operation here.
But I would like to hear your thoughts on this.

--Vic

AVG software - Any experience here?
 

On Mar 10, 4:36*pm, Vic Smith wrote:
On Mon, 10 Mar 2008 12:17:14 GMT, Short Wave Sportfishing

wrote:
I've been looking around for a new anti-virus/spyware/firewall
provider as I'm highly dissatisfied with the Norton products - not so
much on the technical end, but their incessant begging for renewal
starting two months before the license is up.

I stumbled into AVG on the recommendation of a friend. She says it
works great and prefers it to Norton by a factor of 10.

Anybody else use it? *I'm leaning towards AVG, but just want another
opinion.

I've been using the following for a long time, and recommend them.
Firewall - Zone Alarm free version.
Anti-virus - AVG free version.
Neither are resource hogs, and both are easy to use and don't bother
you unless they detect something.
The Zone Alarm has informed me a few times when spyware has tried to
connect to the net. *Since the software got *identified, it was easy
to remove. *You may be surprised how many apps try to connect to the
net, for no reason that you are informed of. *Zone Alarm always tells
you when this happens, and allows you to quickly deny net access for
that instance of permanently.
The AVG has informed me a few times that a virus was either present or
about to be installed. *I seldom do scans since I've installed it.
I avoided these protections for a long time, but the net is now so
full of malicious crap you really need them to make life easy.

--Vic

I also have Ad-Aware which I scan occasionally,spybotsd14, And I've
found that AOL's spyware is supose to protect your whole computer?

well... McGafee

My son ahd me set up with Norton Office once. But don't knwo what
happend to it.

AVG software - Any experience here?
 

On Tue, 11 Mar 2008 17:01:30 -0600, Vic Smith
wrote:

On Tue, 11 Mar 2008 16:55:08 -0500, John H.
wrote:


You're probably right. No one has mentioned the Windows firewall, that I
can see. Is it worth using?

From what I've read, you're better off with ZA or something similar.
For instance, the XP firewall only looks at incoming traffic.
It's also said to have some weakness to "exploits" that require
you to always make sure you have the latest MS security updates.
ZA warns you when a program attempts to send data from your computer.
A couple times spyware got past AVG and was installed on my computer.
Maybe I wasn't paying attention or maybe AVG didn't warn me.
Anyway, ZA immediately caught and identified it when it tried to
connect to the internet. I denied it access and got rid of it.
The ZA warning is automatic as it runs in the background.
Every app that is allowed internet access is on a list in ZA that can
be changed. When something new tries to get access you are asked to
allow/deny and if that decision is permanent.
Can't remember exactly, but I think I ran a AVG scan and that found
the spyware too. I don't do regular AVG scans, as it seems to
normally catch crap before it gets installed. But once in a while I
run a scan for kicks.
No excitement at all.
They seem a good combination of protection, and I'm happy with them.
I Ghost my C drive, and used to restore when I suspected a virus.
Sometimes I would remove a virus manually but that can be a PITA,
and leaves some doubt.
The ZA/AVG combo has saved me a lot of time.
It's free, and the learning curve is short.

--Vic

Ah, now I understand what Reggie was telling me earlier. I didn't realize
that Windows was a 'one way' firewall. ZA and Mc Afee operate the same way.
I may give ZA another try, as the McAfee subscription expires soon.
--
John

AVG software - Any experience here?
 

On Tue, 11 Mar 2008 18:14:57 -0400, "D.Duck" wrote:


"JimH" wrote in message
...

"John H." wrote in message
...
On Tue, 11 Mar 2008 16:59:40 -0400, "Reginald P. Smithers III" "Reggie
is
Here wrote:

John H. wrote:
On Mon, 10 Mar 2008 15:45:50 -0600, Vic Smith
wrote:

On Mon, 10 Mar 2008 11:01:34 -0500, John H.
wrote:

On Mon, 10 Mar 2008 10:25:22 -0400, "Florida born"

wrote:

"Short Wave Sportfishing" wrote in
message
...
I've been looking around for a new anti-virus/spyware/firewall
provider as I'm highly dissatisfied with the Norton products - not
so
much on the technical end, but their incessant begging for renewal
starting two months before the license is up.

I stumbled into AVG on the recommendation of a friend. She says it
works great and prefers it to Norton by a factor of 10.

Anybody else use it? I'm leaning towards AVG, but just want
another
opinion.
I have used the free version for several years, and am completely
satisfied with it. As to a firewall, I have used Zone Alarm free
version
also for several years. Both products serve my three networked home
computers well. Beats the devil out of the footprints of MacAfee,
Norton, et al, which I have also tried

And the price is right.

I installed Zone Alarm when I went to cable internet. I was having a
lot of
interruptions, and when I called Cox, they blamed it on Zone Alarm.
So I
went with McAfee. Haven't had any of those problems since.
I'm using ZA with Comcast, and have no problems. I have read of it
causing problems with some setups, though. Same for McAfee.
What happened to you may have been coincidence, or how it was set
up and used, or just "doesn't work for my system.".
But whatever works is always best.

--Vic

You're probably right. No one has mentioned the Windows firewall, that
I
can see. Is it worth using?

It protects people from scanning for open IP and getting in, but does
not protect from you picking up an unknown a trojan or spyware and them
sending info out.

Does the McAfee firewall prevent that? I'm not talking about the virus
scan, just the firewall.
--
John

Firewall and antivirus or anti-spyware programs are totally different
beasts.

True, but some suites include them all.


Yes. Right now I'm just talking firewalls, and Vic answered the question.
--
John

AVG software - Any experience here?
 

On Tue, 11 Mar 2008 19:02:02 -0400, "Reginald P. Smithers III" "Reggie is
Here wrote:

John H. wrote:
On Tue, 11 Mar 2008 16:59:40 -0400, "Reginald P. Smithers III" "Reggie is
Here wrote:

John H. wrote:
On Mon, 10 Mar 2008 15:45:50 -0600, Vic Smith
wrote:

On Mon, 10 Mar 2008 11:01:34 -0500, John H.
wrote:

On Mon, 10 Mar 2008 10:25:22 -0400, "Florida born"
wrote:

"Short Wave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...
I've been looking around for a new anti-virus/spyware/firewall
provider as I'm highly dissatisfied with the Norton products - not so
much on the technical end, but their incessant begging for renewal
starting two months before the license is up.

I stumbled into AV
G on the recommendation of a friend. She says it
works great and prefers it to Norton by a factor of 10.

Anybody else use it? I'm leaning towards AVG, but just want another
opinion.
I have used the free version for several years, and am completely
satisfied with it. As to a firewall, I have used Zone Alarm free version
also for several years. Both products serve my three networked home
computers well. Beats the devil out of the footprints of MacAfee,
Norton, et al, which I have also tried

And the price is right.

I installed Zone Alarm when I went to cable internet. I was having a lot of
interruptions, and when I called Cox, they blamed it on Zone Alarm. So I
went with McAfee. Haven't had any of those problems since.
I'm using ZA with Comcast, and have no problems. I have read of it
causing problems with some setups, though. Same for McAfee.
What happened to you may have been coincidence, or how it was set
up and used, or just "doesn't work for my system.".
But whatever works is always best.

--Vic
You're probably right. No one has mentioned the Windows firewall, that I
can see. Is it worth using?
It protects people from scanning for open IP and getting in, but does
not protect from you picking up an unknown a trojan or spyware and them
sending info out.

Does the McAfee firewall prevent that? I'm not talking about the virus
scan, just the firewall.

yes, you have to approve all software that has access to communicate
out, or you can allow it to automatically approve based upon their
approved list of software.

I *Got It*!

Thanks.
--
John