First virus in years... - Ashes of the Singularity Forums

Reply #51 October 5, 2009 1:48 PM from

WinCustomize Forums Top

For AV, I use AVG 8.5 free. Avast! is supposed to be good too.

For clearing out spyware I've found nothing better than Malwarebytes.

Reply #52 October 5, 2009 2:11 PM from

Demigod Forums Top

I recommend one tool 100% to everyone: SpywareBlaster

http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/sbdownload.html

2 great things about this tool:
1. It does not run in the background. You run it, close it, and you are protected, so no system resources loss.
2. It does not remove spyware/adware, it prevents it from even installing in the first place.

Has an undo option if you are afraid it will bork up your system. Just update and run once a week/two weeks and you're set

Reply #53 October 5, 2009 2:24 PM from

Sins Forums Top

Thanks for the replies guys, really appreciate it. By the way with regards to Malwarebytes, will it both detect and remove any spyware found, or will it detect it, then ask you to pay for the 'full' version before it will remove it? In your collective opinion, is it worthwhile purchasing anti virus/spyware/malware software (and if so which ones), or do the 'free' versions do a decent enough job? I use my computer mainly for entertainment (games, movies, music etc) and checking email. I don't really use it to 'surf the internet' but I will go to e.g. online banking, news sites, amazon and sites that host mods for games like Sins and Fallout 3. In short I try to use common sense when using the internet, well at least I hope so

Thanks again guys

Ah, looks like someone posted while I was creating my post! Cheers for the info!

Reply #54 October 5, 2009 3:31 PM from

WinCustomize Forums Top

Tip - don't frequent dodgy free software sites...

Or get a Mac

What? That's what Knoa said

Reply #55 October 5, 2009 5:09 PM from

Demigod Forums Top

Well AV programs are always a necessity in my opinion, even on a Mac. Thing is, the whole point of a virus/spyware etc is that you do not know it is there. You may think you 'surf safely' and never get a virus, but that doesn't mean there isn't one hiding in there, sending your passwords to a botmaster without you knowing it. Free AV perform just as well as the paid versions, on average. You can however decide to pay anyway, for certain premium features or just to support the developers.

Never get careless though, even with an AV program.

Reply #56 October 6, 2009 10:03 AM from

Sins Forums Top

A sombre but much appreciated post. Cheers for the input guys.

Reply #57 October 6, 2009 10:12 AM from

Sins Forums Top

A sombre but much appreciated post. Cheers for the input guys.

On a side note, does anyone else experience frequently experience problems when using the Sins forums to post? I've just tried to add this post, when I clicked 'post reply' it took maybe a minute before a got a white screen with a message saying 'forums go boooom!' and something about a pigeon. It seems, to me at least, that the Sins website slows down more frequently than other websites I visit, and sometimes won't even load. Oh the irony if this is due to my system being infected by spyware or some such...

Reply #58 October 6, 2009 10:17 AM from

Sins Forums Top

Woh... Not qute sure what happened there, excuse the mess guys...