Windows 7: Modern AV systems no use against THIS type of attack

Hi all
I've been saying for DONKEYS YEARS that 99% of current AV software is useless against the sort of attacks being perpetrated these days.

I see all sorts of techno gabble on the Security parts of the forum saying is product A better than product B and all sorts of statistics being disseminated about how product A has detected Virus B while product B has failed to detect it.

These sorts of comparisons in reality are only really valuable in the "Geeksphere" -- 99% of people who get hacked fall for these types of scams

BBC News - Hackers outwit online banking identity security systems

Nothing really to do with protecting their machines but simply the way people use them.

I'm not againist installing basic AV software but the REAL enemy are USERS themselves -- for example loads of people fall victims to the most elementary of scams -- Email saying Your Purchase of XXXX has been completed -- click to verify --- if you haven't made the purchase DO NOT CLICK but 99% do -- and that's where problems start.

So by all means install Av software but this isn't the best protection -- YOU must adapt how you respond to emails etc - and don't be afraid to bin stuff that says YOUR ORDER HAS COMPLETED when you haven't ordered the stuff in the first place -- I know it goes against the craw as your first reaction is to say "What" or " haven't placed any"-- but DON'T ANSWER OR RESPOND TO THE EMAIL --JUST BIN IT.

Cheers
jimbo

Goes to show that the best firewall is the user themselves...

It looks like modern browsers have too many features.
There is now so much code that "gremlins" can hide inside them.

"Javascript!? So we meet again my old nemesis."

I'm sure we would all agree that it is basically down to the user as to whether they will get infected but I think having separate email accounts for web purchases, bank accounts and other correspondence helps a great deal. If you have one email for your bank account then you can safely ignore all suspected spam in other email accounts that purport to be bank related. Has worked for me for many years and I managed to have a spam-free purchasing account for many years before I started to get the small amount I do now get and most is detected as spam.

As we say at work, "PEBKAC" - Problem Exists Between Keyboard And Chair.