Forum Home
PC World Chat
Thread ID: 105065	2009-11-17 22:09:00	Firewall vs Anti-virus	Greg (193)	PC World Chat

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
831154	2009-11-18 03:16:00	I'd have to disagree with the majority of the posts. A firewall stops incoming connections unless you allow them. Coupled with a computer with a locked down user account, there is very little malware can do; - keyloggers/trojans (which cannot be installed into windows when under a limited user account anyway) will not be able to establish a connection to the outside world; the firewall will intercept the connection and ask if you want to allow. Stopping connections going out is FAR more important than stopping connections coming in. - viruses will not be able to harm windows under a limited user account (they will only be able to damage the current user account's files). - worms cannot get onto the network if the firewall blocks it. If connections can get in (which they can't if you have a firewall), they can only damage the user's files, not the OS (unless you run as root/admin. Which I'm sure you dont :D). If connections can get out, they can carry payloads such as keylogs, screen captures of website logins etc. The best solution is of course to have both (the av to protect your personal files). But if I could only have one, it would be the firewall with a locked down user account. The admin account isn't for 'power users'/computer gurus to use as their everyday account. It is for modifying the computer. If you have no reason to modify the computer (install programs mainly, running poorly designed programs that NEED an admin account), then you should always use a limited account. This principle is fundamental to the security of linux and osx.	utopian201 (6245)
831155	2009-11-18 03:38:00	I'm only using an AV. Used to use a fw, when I was on dialup, but not now. Altho, there's no point having an AV or firewall program, if you use P2P programs. You may as well, share the whole hdd, forget about installing patches, and invite hackers, trojans, worms and viruses Perhaps if the program has a security flaw in it that is known and being exploited.. It's not P2P programs which are dangerous, it's the fake files which are actually viruses all over the networks that are the problem.	Agent_24 (57)
831156	2009-11-18 06:19:00	I would rather have both the firewall and anti-virus installed than only have half of what is required to protect myself from viruses and hackers getting into my computer.	convair (13650)
831157	2009-11-18 06:22:00	Voted firewall, as I have no real need for AV	plod (107)
831158	2009-11-18 06:49:00	A firewall stops incoming connections unless you allow them. Coupled with a computer with a locked down user account, there is very little malware can do. Like to tell that to the owner of the PC I have here - It has Norton Internet Security, 4 limited accounts and 1 password protected admin account that I was asked to setup, only the father knows the password. The PC is riddled with infections, and the father never uses the PC as he has his own laptop. The kids don't know the password. Most of the infections came from the Temp files, but its obviously got more.	wainuitech (129)
831159	2009-11-18 07:34:00	I voted both as I run AV and the windows firewall coupled with the routers firewall, although my backup server has a software firewall installed as an extra precaution but not my everyday computer as I consider the router and MS firewall to be enough. The server only has it due to the fact that it is not password protected so we can all use it if needed	gary67 (56)
831160	2009-11-18 07:36:00	A lot will depend on which OS you are using. For Windows systems - I'd rank of equal importance. But for Linux ..... firewall only :D	Brooko (8444)
831161	2009-11-18 08:31:00	Like to tell that to the owner of the PC I have here - It has Norton Internet Security, 4 limited accounts and 1 password protected admin account that I was asked to setup, only the father knows the password. The PC is riddled with infections, and the father never uses the PC as he has his own laptop. The kids don't know the password. Most of the infections came from the Temp files, but its obviously got more. hhmm, that is interesting. What kind of damage have they done to the PC? I wouldn't have expected them to change windows files. Or in fact any files other than those accessible by the limited accounts. In fact I'm pretty sure its impossible...	utopian201 (6245)
831162	2009-11-18 08:54:00	hhmm, that is interesting. What kind of damage have they done to the PC? I wouldn't have expected them to change windows files. Or in fact any files other than those accessible by the limited accounts. In fact I'm pretty sure its impossible... Usual infection problems, slow,and thats even after removing Norton, as it wasn't working at all. Locks up and crashes often, Pop ups, Ran Memtest - OK, Ran Ccleaner , removed over a GB of junk, ran malwarebytes, that located just over 200 infections, Tomorrow I will be running the remainder of the software to clean out the junk, but there appears to be some system file damage some place, it took just over 4 1/2 hours to clone a 80GB drive with approx 56 GB used ?????? In the past I have found when it takes a long time like that for a small amount of data, and 56GB is not big, system files are damaged. How it got like that I dont know, a limited account should have stopped some of it. This is getting off subject - so On the original subject of AV or Firewall, there are free good versions of both, so wouldn't hurt to install them. Its not going to cost any $$ and better to be safe than sorry as the saying goes.	wainuitech (129)
831163	2009-11-20 07:54:00	Most people have a router I'd have thought, so don't really need a software firewall . You don't need anti-virus either but I always kept my Nod32 even though I can't recall the last time it found anything . Windows firewall is good enough if you need a software one, although I have Windows 7 Firewall control on just because I can .	Twelvevolts (5457)
1 2 3 4