backNo Security Suites
My comments on security suites that I posted to an email list on January 12, 2004:
Personally, I think the massive combo products from Symantec and McAfee are timebombs waiting to cause problems. Most of the extra stuff they stick in is useless to me and they always seem to cause problems. I am still struggling to get Symantec's Norton Internet Security 2004 Professional working properly at my wife's business. If I don't have any luck during the next few attempts I'll be tossing it in the trash and switching to the paid ZoneAlarm (it's only free for home and school use) and a straight A/V product, possibly even one of the frees ones.
No security is just asking for trouble. The real problem is all the crap they put into these combo products. I use to think I was safe running Win95 naked because I used dial-up and wasn't on-line much. When I learned about ZoneAlarm, I decided to install it. Turns out that within 10-15 minutes of connecting, I'd have someone trying to connect to my computer. It also found a spyware program that had gotten silently installed with a shareware game I had installed. I became an immediate believer in the importance of a software firewall. IMHO, skip all the fancy new-fangled features. Stick to the basics:
- Anti-Virus Software
- If you are conscientious and careful, you can go without this. I go without only because it slows my 233MHz Win95 system down too much. But I will be looking at the free A/V programs and probably give some of them a try.
NOTE: I went with avast! 4 Home. I don't even notice it's running, even on this old, slow machine.
- Software Firewall
- This is a must if you connect to the internet, even if you're using string and tin cans! Not only does it make your computer not respond to any connection attempts (aka stealth mode - making it look like your computer is not even there), but it will catch those spyware (aka trojan horse) programs when they try to use the internet. The free ZoneAlarm version has been working great for me.
- Hardware Firewall
- Once you have broadband, a router with a firewall is a must! It protects all of your compters and network devices. And if something does get through, then you have a second level of defense with the software firewall on each computer.
As for the other inconveniences like spam and popup ads that are not security threats, I use the default features available in Mozilla (which has bayesian spam filter and some pop window blocking support). And I live with anything else rather than install additional problems (ops! Freudain slip...I meant programs) because IMHO a few inconvenieces are better than messing up my system.
Well, that was a bit more than my two cents! :-)
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