bsoltan wrote:

If you use XP:

1. Common Sense (don't visit, click on, download, open, look at anything that might be dodgy).
2. Up to date system, including operating system, web browser etc.
3. AVG or Avast or Avira. Antivirus.
4. Spybot Search&Destroy, AntiMalware, Malwarebytes. For Malware etc.
5. Enable Windows Firewall (if you use Windows, and are behind a hardware router this is fine).

I've heard Microsoft's new security tool is decent as well.

More info can probably be found if you search.

+1000! Do this.  I use Vista and have Avast Antivirus and Spybot S&D, and never have a problem.

Make Windows Vista and 7 firewalls fully controllable with prompts for new programs that want an internet connection with firewall control.

One question............ Best free internet security?

You might find this interesting:
http://www.tomsguide.com/us/2009-antivi … -1315.html

Well the majority of PCs are on routers these days, so the windows firewall is redundant at best compared to a hardware firewall - it's surely not going to perform better than the router?

But I concede the poitn that in general, not every windows firewall is pointless.

Gavpowell last edited this patent nonsense on Mar 15, 2010 at 5:46pm

Thanks for the help guys, I did a bit of digging and avast gets a bit of a pasting so I'm at a loss now as I don't trust AVG after I had it and then upgraded to eset smart security and when I first scanned my system it found about 34 infections!!!

So just how good is avast these days?

I use Avast also and think it's brilliant, doesn't intrude on me while i'm using my system or playing games. Doesn't cause any browser or system slowdown either.

Anything that Windows has built in that is security related is turned off on my system, because the security center is just that annoying.

Avast has everything included. It monitors your web browser in real time for dodgy sites etc, and scans all incoming emails. Aswell as having a firewall in place, which for me hasn't blocked any games or anything from working every 3 seconds like half of the other Anti Virus suites do.

Ok I have gone down the route of-Avast! Spybot and Windows Security Essentials
everything seems ok so far, I just have one question and that is, How effective is the windows firewall as i am not sure i trust it!!

If you / we are sold on Avast for AV, can I redirect this thread (slightly) into the requirement or not for a software firewall?

I like many others have my own router: PC, Xbox, WiFi. So why does this do away with the need for a s/w firewall?

The reason I'm asking is I am currently running Comodo and, well, it's a pain in the arse.

It's constantly popping up "doing it's job". I sometimes thinks it's more intrusive than a virus...

So if I really don't need it, off it comes!

BR
JN

JohnN wrote:

If you / we are sold on Avast for AV, can I redirect this thread (slightly) into the requirement or not for a software firewall?

I like many others have my own router: PC, Xbox, WiFi. So why does this do away with the need for a s/w firewall?

The reason I'm asking is I am currently running Comodo and, well, it's a pain in the arse.

It's constantly popping up "doing it's job". I sometimes thinks it's more intrusive than a virus...

So if I really don't need it, off it comes!

BR
JN

A software firewall which prompts the first time an application wants an internet connection enabling you to allow or deny that application access gives you a great level of control. You can prevent applications which you may not trust communicating with the outside world.

On hardware firewalls, or at least on basic hardware firewalls, you cannot have control on a per application basis like you can with a software firewall.

Vista or 7 firewalls with Firewall Control are all you need, and yes they are reliable.

If you have a laptop on the move connecting to may different access points, then you need a software firewall which allows you to create Zones etc.