Anti Virus

[Patrick]

I have just installed new internet and virus protection using AVG.

It has found to date something like 100 tracking cookies in three days, interestingly more day on day. 6 day one 19 day two 39 this morning.
I have never with past programs regestered such activity, at least knowingly.

This begs the question.

1. Is this software more efficient in seeking out these things where others failed?
2. Is it less efficient in that it allows them in, where other software stopped them?

Be glad to hear opinions.

Patrick

[Ian]

Have you set the system to delete the cookies? It sounds like it's informing you about them but not deleting them, so you get an accumulation over several days.

Also, have you been doing more browsing of new sites than usual?

Ian

[Stephen]

Is this the free version, or the paid for version? I've used the free one and it wasn't quite so efficient. However I currently use Trend PC-cillin, its the best I've ever used. It also finds tracking cookies during its regular sheduled scans, though less than it used to, it will delete ones that it has found before.

[devilgas]

the best free av software i've used is avast. it has one of the smallest memory footprints of all the av products i've ever tried and has picked up everything thrown at it. it will update itself every time the pc is switched on or whenever a scheduled update is triggered. coupled with ad aware, i've never had any virus / malware issues. you need to re-register avast every 15 months or so, but they claim it will remain free forever - this has certainly been the case for the 4+ years i've been using it.

[Archangel]

Most Antivirus software do one thing: They scan for viruses, worms and trojans.

A cookie is not a virus and there is no Antivirus Software that will block cookies or if it does websites might not load properly as other related to website functions might not perform correctly.

Stick with a known Antivirus software. They all do a good job.
I have used most Antivirus softwares (free versions) over the years and never had any problems. The last 4 years I did stick with AVG as I find it better using lower resources consumption. But that is still up to personal preference.
Here is a link with Antivirus software ranked by popularity that might be helpful.

http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?id=29&sort=25

NOD32 Antivirus is another very good option to consider, though it doesn't come free.

You might need to install a firewall in your computer (I would sau it is a must to do so) like Sygate or Kerio, or other.

And finally make sure you have installed a cleaning software like CCleaner or other.
An old and very efficient cleaning software that I also use (can be also customized what to erase) is Crystal Clean.
You might want to give it a try here:

http://www.softsea.com/review/Crystal-Clean.html


George

[Patrick]

Originally Posted by Archangel

Most Antivirus software do one thing: They scan for viruses, worms and trojans.

A cookie is not a virus and there is no Antivirus Software that will block cookies or if it does websites might not load properly as other related to website functions might not perform correctly.

Stick with a known Antivirus software. They all do a good job.
I have used most Antivirus softwares (free versions) over the years and never had any problems. The last 4 years I did stick with AVG as I find it better using lower resources consumption. But that is still up to personal preference.
Here is a link with Antivirus software ranked by popularity that might be helpful.

http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?id=29&sort=25

NOD32 Antivirus is another very good option to consider, though it doesn't come free.

You might need to install a firewall in your computer (I would sau it is a must to do so) like Sygate or Kerio, or other.

And finally make sure you have installed a cleaning software like CCleaner or other.
An old and very efficient cleaning software that I also use (can be also customized what to erase) is Crystal Clean.
You might want to give it a try here:

http://www.softsea.com/review/Crystal-Clean.html


George

First off, it isn't the free version but a paid for two year licence consisting of Anti-Virus, Firewall, Anti-spam,and Anti-spywear
It is identifying the cookies as a threat and is putting them in a folder called Virus Vault from there I can delete them.
It would appear, a bit early to say that cookies once detected on a scan do not appear again on a later scan, time will tell on that one.

Still begs the question I originally posed.

Patrick

[Ian]

Originally Posted by Archangel

Most Antivirus software do one thing: They scan for viruses, worms and trojans.

That's not true, many anti-virus packages also trap cookies issued by known malicious sites or advertisers. I use Zone Alarm Internet Security Suite and it will even delete particular known cookies automatically, while requesting a decision from me on others.

Zone Alarm Internet Security Suite is also an anti-spam solution and a software firewall. But the software is definitely categorised as anti-virus.

A cookie is not a virus and there is no Antivirus Software that will block cookies or if it does websites might not load properly as other related to website functions might not perform correctly.

That's right, a cookie is not a virus, but neither are most of the threats dealt with by so-called anti-virus packages as these threats are mostly trojans and worms.

Many anti-virus packages also filter cookies but only neutralise cookies that are known to be malicious or suspicious. This is determined using a constantly updated database of known threats, just like anti-virus databases, or by assessing the configuration of the cookie.

Stick with a known Antivirus software. They all do a good job.
I have used most Antivirus softwares (free versions) over the years and never had any problems. The last 4 years I did stick with AVG as I find it better using lower resources consumption. But that is still up to personal preference.
Here is a link with Antivirus software ranked by popularity that might be helpful.

http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?id=29&sort=25

NOD32 Antivirus is another very good option to consider, though it doesn't come free.

You might need to install a firewall in your computer (I would sau it is a must to do so) like Sygate or Kerio, or other.

And finally make sure you have installed a cleaning software like CCleaner or other.
An old and very efficient cleaning software that I also use (can be also customized what to erase) is Crystal Clean.
You might want to give it a try here:

http://www.softsea.com/review/Crystal-Clean.html


George

George, Patrick said that he has installed AVG, which, if you look at the link you provided, is listed (right at the top of the list!) as a dependable anti-virus solution, so I'm confused as to why you suggested that he only use a "known" anti-virus package?

I know you are just trying to be helpful, but the advice you have given is at best, confusing and in fact, largely, incorrect.

Ian

[Caz]

Our Norton has just expired, so downloaded the 'free' basic offer from our ISP - Virgin on Monday.

It took several goes to get going (and and online chat to their helpdesk), as it kept saying that I wasn't connected to the internet (wrong!). I eventually had to allow them to come on my screen and have a fiddle with the settings. Even he struggled, but after a couple of restarts we eventually got it going.

So far, it doesn't seem to be going too badly, although the first time my partner went on he did get a pop-up at the end of the session - the first for many moons, but haven't had one since.

However, on Tuesday it told me that there were 49 spyware cookies on our machine and I should enable this in the package. Of course, that's not part of the basic package and would cost about £3 a month which is, let's face it, about the cost of Norton, so I do feel a bit ripped off.

I have used the free version of AVG in the past, and found it pretty good. I can remember I was sent a virus, which it blocked, and a friend with Symantec wasn't so lucky.

Caz

[Patrick]

Originally Posted by Caz

Our Norton has just expired, so downloaded the 'free' basic offer from our ISP - Virgin on Monday.

It took several goes to get going (and and online chat to their helpdesk), as it kept saying that I wasn't connected to the internet (wrong!). I eventually had to allow them to come on my screen and have a fiddle with the settings. Even he struggled, but after a couple of restarts we eventually got it going.

So far, it doesn't seem to be going too badly, although the first time my partner went on he did get a pop-up at the end of the session - the first for many moons, but haven't had one since.

However, on Tuesday it told me that there were 49 spyware cookies on our machine and I should enable this in the package. Of course, that's not part of the basic package and would cost about £3 a month which is, let's face it, about the cost of Norton, so I do feel a bit ripped off.

I have used the free version of AVG in the past, and found it pretty good. I can remember I was sent a virus, which it blocked, and a friend with Symantec wasn't so lucky.

Caz

I have just removed PC Guard supplied free with my package with Virgin Media (Blueyonder) I got fed up with it telling me it couldn't connect to the internet and very often telling me privacy function wasn't connected.
But then I am getting fed up with Virgin Media as a whole, ever since the mergers with Blueyonder NTL and Virgin that formed the new setup I have trouble regularly with email, very rarely did when it was Blueyonder and its now the most expensive provider, there are some much better deals to be had out there.

Patrick

[Archangel]

Originally Posted by Ian

George, Patrick said that he has installed AVG, which, if you look at the link you provided, is listed (right at the top of the list!) as a dependable anti-virus solution, so I'm confused as to why you suggested that he only use a "known" anti-virus package?

I know you are just trying to be helpful, but the advice you have given is at best, confusing and in fact, largely, incorrect.

Ian

Patrick, in his initial statement wrote that he has installed new Internet and Antivirus software using AVG.
To me that sounds as it could be any Internet protection software (not necessarily AVG too) and AVG Virus scanner. So I spoke in terms only of Antivirus software and not of Security packages as a whole.

In his second reply he states that it is a whole AVG package, which makes much more sense of the warnings he gets in terms of cookies.

[Caz]

Originally Posted by Patrick

I have just removed PC Guard supplied free with my package with Virgin Media (Blueyonder) I got fed up with it telling me it couldn't connect to the internet and very often telling me privacy function wasn't connected.
But then I am getting fed up with Virgin Media as a whole, ever since the mergers with Blueyonder NTL and Virgin that formed the new setup I have trouble regularly with email, very rarely did when it was Blueyonder and its now the most expensive provider, there are some much better deals to be had out there.

Patrick

I've been with Virgin (rather than Virgin Media) for just over a year. Tried to change my package the night before they changed their name, but it wouldn't go through so called them the next day because they'd been offering my level for about £12 a month. Was offered a package of broadband and telephone for £9.99 a month, so went for it. The only thing I have to remember is to dial 1280 if I'm dialling an 08.. number, because that's still cheaper with BT. Apart from that, all local/national numbers are free evenings and weekends. However, I do use an 08.. number to call my kids for 1p a minute as they both live abroad and found Virgin more expensive for that.

Partner has had a payasyougo Virgin phone for years, but has just changed to contract - once again, not a bad deal - £9.99 a month for 300 mins/300 texts.

But have found service to slightly less reliable - couldn't get online at all the other night, but that might have been because the dog had tried to get behind the bookcase where the phone line comes in and dislodged the modem cable! Wasn't too chuffed, was faffing around the back of the computer with various usb connections before I clicked

Caz

[paul.r.w]

Stick with AVG it does a good job, just run ad-aware or similar to identify and remove unwanted cookies and other intrusions.

[Ian]

Originally Posted by Caz

I've been with Virgin (rather than Virgin Media) for just over a year. Tried to change my package the night before they changed their name, but it wouldn't go through so called them the next day because they'd been offering my level for about £12 a month. Was offered a package of broadband and telephone for £9.99 a month, so went for it. The only thing I have to remember is to dial 1280 if I'm dialling an 08.. number, because that's still cheaper with BT. Apart from that, all local/national numbers are free evenings and weekends. However, I do use an 08.. number to call my kids for 1p a minute as they both live abroad and found Virgin more expensive for that.

Partner has had a payasyougo Virgin phone for years, but has just changed to contract - once again, not a bad deal - £9.99 a month for 300 mins/300 texts.

But have found service to slightly less reliable - couldn't get online at all the other night, but that might have been because the dog had tried to get behind the bookcase where the phone line comes in and dislodged the modem cable! Wasn't too chuffed, was faffing around the back of the computer with various usb connections before I clicked

Caz

We are in the process of setting up our new office just less than a mile from our home and we have 10 megabit Virgin service at the house, but Virgin can't serve the office so we have gone with a BT reseller, Eclipse (pretty good company - I have used them for a number of relative's broadband connections that I have set up for them).

Although our office ADSL connection is rated as 'up to 8 megabits' - we are only getting a little over 3 megabits and it can drop to below that. Incidentally, new connections go through a 10 day optimisation period and we're past that.

The BT-based services run by my relatives have all had problems over time, in fact Julia's parents' connection is currently not working at all and I find that it's harder to get it sorted out than with Virgin problems as there are two layers of bureaucracy (BT and the reseller) to get through than one with Virgin.

I haven't had any experience of the third UK market broadband option, the local loop unbundlers (Bulldog and Carphone Warehouse, for example) but friends that have, also report problems which seem unnecessary.

Technology is complex stuff and it does go wrong, unfortunately!

Ian