blonde poker forum

Time to get a new antivirus/firewall package; naturally my first step on that path is to ask the Blondeites!

So, which AV and Firewall progs do people recommend for 2007?

Nod32 for antivirus.

It should come with a built in firewall soon (I don't know how soon  :dontask:) too, but until then I'd grab something like the free version of Zonealarm. If you have a router it will be filtering out most of the incoming crap anyway.

I have had an issue with my Norton recently and have switched to AVG anti virus and firewall. It has a nice self healing antispyware feature (which brings up the infected cookies - often of inappropriate sites ;) ).

Thats my recommendation, there is also a free antivirus download!

I switched to Kaspersky Internet Security from Norton and have been impressed with it.

Sheriff

I use AVG (free from http://free.grisoft.com) for anti-virus.

For a software firewall, I've been quite impressed by the McAfee Internet Security Suite that came free with my parent's Dell PC. Includes AV, spam filtering, anti-phishing, firewall and other stuff. Doesn't seem to be a resource hog like Norton.

Just checked the McAfee site (http://www.mymcafee.com/januarysale/) and it's half-price (£24.99) until January 10th.

HTH.

Have used the free version of AVG for a number of years now, and have had no problems and no infections.

I use Kerio as my firewall, and occasionally run a spyware checker (but not really needed to be honest).

The other thing I use is common sense.  If someone sends you an executable file (this can also include word or excel files that include macros), and you don't know who they are, or it's from someone but you weren't expecting it - then don't open it. 

Also, use Firefox.  It's just better than IE.

Another vote for AVG antispyware and AV.

Nod32 for antivirus.


AVG Anti spyware and Spware Doctor

I use zone alarm free for my firewall.

An independent review team did a review of the 3 main free AV software and AVG came bottom, followed by Avast and then AntVir. The team advised that free antiviral software is useless.

Not avast Nem?

AVG is stopping its free antivirus this month, but its spyware is still free.

I use Zone Alarm for firewall too.

That's what I thought to start with.  I think they do this on purpose to mislead people into getting the retail version.

Did they work for Norton, McAfee or someone similar?

Avast is good, but NOD32 is the best by far, then it's BitDefender

Also worth people checking their firewalls on here:

https://www.grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2

No they were completely independent. But Nortons and Mcafee are even worst than the free ones :D

I trialled BitDefender alongside Kaspersky (one on the lappie, one on the desktop).  BitDefender threw up an issue with MSN that needed me to go through their support team and their response time was appalling (over 1 week on 2 seperate occasions).

I wouldn't recommend BitDefender on this basis, as you're likely to take ages going through customer support if an issue crops up.

For individual files use http://virusscan.jotti.org/

I use ghostwall as a firewall, it is free, small, uses no recognisable resources and is excellent.
From the site above:-

Your Internet port 139 does not appear to exist!
One or more ports on this system are operating in FULL STEALTH MODE! Standard Internet behavior requires port connection attempts to be answered with a success or refusal response. Therefore, only an attempt to connect to a nonexistent computer results in no response of either kind. But YOUR computer has DELIBERATELY CHOSEN NOT TO RESPOND (that's very cool!) which represents advanced computer and port stealthing capabilities. A machine configured in this fashion is well hardened to Internet NetBIOS attack and intrusion.
 Unable to connect with NetBIOS to your computer.
All attempts to get any information from your computer have FAILED. (This is very uncommon for a Windows networking-based PC.) Relative to vulnerabilities from Windows networking, this computer appears to be VERY SECURE since it is NOT exposing ANY of its internal NetBIOS networking protocol over the Internet.

and the port test:-

----------------------------------------------------------------------

GRC Port Authority Report created on UTC: 2007-01-04 at 15:16:43

Results from scan of ports: 0, 21-23, 25, 79, 80, 110, 113,
                            119, 135, 139, 143, 389, 443, 445,
                            1002, 1024-1030, 1720, 5000

    0 Ports Open
    0 Ports Closed
   26 Ports Stealth
---------------------
   26 Ports Tested

ALL PORTS tested were found to be: STEALTH.

TruStealth: PASSED - ALL tested ports were STEALTH,
                   - NO unsolicited packets were received,
                   - NO Ping reply (ICMP Echo) was received.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

I got the same result as you ifm, after disabling my firewall :P

I've meanign to try ghostwall, but just haven't got round to it.

Thanks for the replies, guys... I knew I could count on you :)up