Free vs. Fee: Free and Paid Antivirus Programs Compared

This is one other reason I love Nortons extra features.
It blocks or warns of many of these type of malware issues.

For a somewhat recent example:

I occasionaly go to the Fallout Nexus looking for new mods or to update current ones.

A few weeks before NV was released, I attempted to go to Fallout 3 Nexus.

Norton totally blocked the site and warned me not to proceed.
I found this odd because I had visited there many times before without a word, even had it bookmarked.
None-the-less I trusted the recomendation and did not continue. I just checked back every now and then.

2 or 3 days later, Norton is again giving it the green check, and allowed me to enter the site without saying anything.

Oddly enough, there was a message on the front page about a recent problem with malware infested adds etc. that had been taken care of. And encouraging everyone to be sure there AV was up to date.

Not sure exactly how this works, but Im glad it does. Better safe than sorry.




But I would think, even if visited, wouldn't most any decent AV stop the actual Malware? Seems if it tried to download it would get spinpointed pretty quick.

Wishmaster said:

2 or 3 days later, Norton is again giving it the green check, and allowed me to enter the site without saying anything.

I had the same kind of thing happen the other day only the site was being blocked by Google for a few days just as in your example. This is part of the message that was given by Google in regards to why the site was being blocked even though it was never found to host any Malware...

"In some cases, third parties can add malicious code to legitimate sites, which would cause us to show the warning message."

Evidently these days trusted sites can be used to disseminate Malware without their compliance or knowledge.

~Maxx~
.

ZORG said:

Greetings,

i´d like to feel safe as you do but i just can´t.

zorg

I don't sweat being safe online since I began running my browser in the virtual space of Sandboxie behind a NAT Router with the world's top testing most effective proactive HIPS program on the desktop along with dozens of clean Windows 7 System Images and Macrium Reflect Images stores safely on an inert Raid 0 eSATA drive. I don't download anything from Sandboxie's virtual space to the 'real' computer unless it passes the approval of Virus Total's 40+ AV Scanners and/or several of my on demand scanners and I overwrite Sandboxie's virtual space daily with 7 passes of Schneier's Algorithm to give any possible Malware what it deserves. As far as effectiveness goes so far I haven't even seen so much as a tracking cookie on any of my computers for almost 2 years since I started using this multi-layered security approach.

~Maxx~

ZORG said:

I got interested in sandbox. By the way, you don´t have a pc, you got a fortress.

zorg

Running your browser of choice inside the virtual space of Sandboxie is detrimental to any Malware that would gain access to your computer by not allowing it to obtain elevated privileges and only allowing content that the user specifically approves to enter the 'real' computer from the virtual sandbox.

BTW all of the computer security software I described in the post above is 100% freeware including both Sandboxie and Comodo 2011.

~Maxx~

parabellum said:

It isn't 100% freeware. All these applications are shareware/crippleware.

Sorry, you're completely wrong on all counts! You may know Linux software, but every computer security program I mentioned is absolutely free and protects a Windows 7 computer without doing it harm.

I can definitely see the need for VM Ware for testing Malware, but for everyday browsing the internet the only virtualization that is needed for protection is for the browser.

~Maxx~

Sandboxie: The free version is missing a few features which are available in the paid version (multiple sandboxes and forced programs). After 30 days of use, the free version displays reminders to upgrade to the paid version, but remains functional.

Comodo: Comodo v5.0.162636.1135 aka Comodo 2011 as all previous versions of CIS have always been remains completely free for everyone to download and use. There is a packaged retail version which includes added technical support which was designed for and is sold by commercial outlets like Amazon, J&R, Fry's and Newegg for those who prefer to pay for exactly the same program.

~Maxx~