“The kingdom is safe! My new armor will protect us all!”
Red Tape Chronicals – August 17, 2006:
Consumer Reports recently conducted one of the most thorough tests ever of antivirus programs. But to really put these security programs through the paces, the magazine hired a firm to create 5,500 new viruses, using them to test the antivirus software products for their ability to detect unexpected threats.
“The antivirus community has always been very strongly opposed to the creation of new malware for any purpose,” wrote John Hawes, the technical consultant at antivirus Webzine Virus Bulletin. “There’s just no need for it. Plenty of new viruses are being written all the time, why would anyone in a responsible position want to add to the glut?”
For a very good reason, said Consumer Union’s Evan Beckford, who helped run the test. Nearly all antivirus programs do a good job of detecting known viruses. That’s easy; and rarely are old viruses the cause of much trouble.
It’s the new viruses that cause outbreaks like the LoveBug or Code Red. So antivirus software’s ability to detect new, unexpected threats is paramount, he said.
Here are the scores for detecting unknown viruses:
BitDefender Standard – 87
Zone Labs ZoneAlarm Antivirus – 85
Kaspersky Labs Anti-Virus Personal – 82
Norton Antivirus – 80
Norton Antivirus for Macintosh – 80
McAfee ViruScan – 77
Trend Micro PC-cillin Internet Security – 75
Alwil Avast! Antivirus – 68
F-Secure Anti-Virus – 66
Panda Software Titanium AV – 64
CA/eTrust EZ Antivirus – 57
PC Tools AntiVirus – 41
I wonder where Grisoft’s AVG would be on that list. We have used it for several years. We used it to replace the troublesome and not overly effective McAfee and have not had a single virus since.
Hordes of script kiddies out there and CU is concerned about somebody who will keep the viruses under lock and key? What the AV industry is really concerned about is how they will end up looking.
#3- you can add it Bruce. Cuase no one cares about a Mac.
No one gives a shit.
Pure numbers alone.
write a virus that affects a 100 people.
write a virus that affects a 10000 people.
Its like beating up the retarded kid in school.
There is no point.
Can I add another score: Mac 100%.
You can, but you’d be wrong.
I can assume that :Norton Antivirus for Macintosh – 80 was running on a Mac.
Great, let’s just turn this thread into another childish “Star Bellied Sneeches” discussion!
A- “Microsoft blah blah blah!”
B- “Apple blah blah blah!”
C-“The only solution is open source Linux…blah blah blah!”
End of discussion…Can we now move on?
What do these scores stand for?
80% of the 5500 virus detected
or
80 virus detected out of the 5500?
Cause it makes a huge diference.
Good question Luis.
I also wonder how multiple anti-virus programs work in different combinations. (I know conventional wisdom is not to do this)
Webzine Virus Bulletin says: “There’s just no need for it. Plenty of new viruses are being written all the time, why would anyone in a responsible position want to add to the glut?”
Maybe I say: “There’s just no need for another virus software company. Plenty of new companies being added all the time, why would anyone in a responsible position want to add to the glut?”
I will add to the glut of posts 🙂
A while ago I found full retail copies of ZoneAlarm Security Suite on sale at Half Price Books for $15 and since I liked the firewall and knew my Norton subcription would end soon, I tried it.
I love it to death. The firewall does much more, more effectively than the free version (especially the whole blocking all third party cookies thing), the virus scanner updates almost daily and seems to be very effective (I know, how do I really know, right?), and it has every feature that the big players have, only smaller, better, and faster.
I will pay full price to renew ZoneLab’s product for as long as they maintain this quality. As more people become savvy to Zonelabs, I expect to see them replace the lathargic and cumbersome Norton products as industry leaders.
To #5 the only mac user that would dare use Norton Now is a person that just came from the PC and doesn’t know anybetter.
The user needs to change their habits. I have setup my friends on XP and changed some of their habits thru force others by letting them dig a hole a few times.
With a better OS – one should never need a scanner running. XP could be that if they would just have come out with XP TWO. Why do they need to start over. XP is pretty solid now, Just add your glass on top and give it a new version number.
But wait: That’s what apple does, just keep making it better and more rock solid with each rev.
CU has the valid argument.
Does anyone remember a TWIT podcast a few months ago where Leo and the others were saying they don’t even run a virus program…that if you know what you’re doing you don’t have to worry? Did I hear that right?
1. with the Advent of BOTS for advertising…Which can make money for the person, Why are Virus on the Rasie?
2.I know past reasons, but…Why are there Virus coming out and Who is makeing them? I have 1 GOOd idea, I dont think you will like.
3. I dont care what you run, or How many you run. There are Virus that are GEARED to certain Firewalls, routers, Backdoors, Vulnerabilities, that you are NEVER totally safe. NEVER leave material on the computer that COULD be taken off on CD/DVD. NEVER leave passwords on your machine to IMPORTANT information. TRY NOT to bank on your system. AN OFFICE(with all the important data) machine ISNT an internet MACHINE, unless you LOVE lossing DATA.
4. Windows has the Worst defences in the world, it was DESIGNED that MS could sell the option to ADVERT on your system. there are ways(that MS didnt use) to protect the OS and protect your system…That MS DIDNT use. ALL those patches??? Are to move things around, so they can RE- sell the program to DO the popups, Adverts, and Background installs.
5. answer to #2…
Virus companies cant MAKE new AV, if there are NO virus/infections.
and
MS is to EASY to make virus for, with all the built in Vulnerabilities.
6. windows was BUILT on the idea that it would be SIMPLE to DO things for those that WERE NOT programmers.
IT STILL isnt any simpler to Work and handle THEN any other OS.
They have LOST their Edge. To keep safe, you still need ALOT of knowledge to protect yourself, and to know HOW it works.
ECA…were you once a comic book writer? Just noticed that you randomly BOLD (capitalize) words like you would see in a comic book.
Between BitDefender and Zone labs though, which is the less system hog? Currently I use AVG and it hardly takes up anything.
#4, I guess then that the best Mac anti-virus program is Windows.
We Mac owners must thank you Windows owners for taking the hit for us. And this protection is free for Mac owners! Thank you Microsoft.
Of course a cynic might surmise that the antivirus software vendors would not want new viruses created before they had released them with a ready fix available to subscribers for a fee.
>> I wonder where Grisoft’s AVG would be on that list. We have
>> used it for several years. We used it to replace the troublesome
>> and not overly effective McAfee and have not had a single virus
>> since.
That sounds like McAfee has been finding the viruses when you get infected, and AGV hasn’t been detecting them. Assuming your online habits haven’t changed since you started using AGV, perhaps it’s giving you a false sense of security if it never detects anything?
Besides that, spyware is more troublesome turning your Pc into a zombie. Computer viruses are rather passe now.
Yoda,
When you are right you are right.
I have allways thought that Apple is safe due to the low volume of the attack. hell I allways thought that should be a selling point by Apple.
right now i get the best of both worlds.
I have a intel based Apple running the latest OS (tiger i think)
and i run boot camp with my windows media center OS.
It was costly but its all good now.
Virus writers want to get the sheep and mess up thier lifes. So Pc’s get it.
So Yoda, On behalf of windows users everywhere you are welcome.
🙂
“He who protects everything protects nothing” Sun Tzu.
Cause no one cares about a Mac. No one gives a shit. Its like beating up the retarded kid in school. There is no point.
I guess you were that kid. The Mac is far superior to Windows in just about every way. Even Bill Gates sings its praises and copies it every chance he gets. Macintosh is the victim of better marketing on the part of M$ and numerous mis steps at Apple a decade ago.
15, Not really…
I need a better monitor, which I cant afford, and a BIGGER text as this all looks like 6pt to me, and BLURRY…
actually i was the kid that defended most of the time.
That wasnt the best way to say it but that is about it i feel.
THe mac isnt superior it just runs different.
Macs do processes well but they never had to mass produce for a ton of people.
Windows is ok (hey im honest) but it is wourse by applications that are rushed by companies and OS’s that are rushed by microsoft.
Apple takes its time and makes sure it works. That dosnt make it superior just (i guess) better made.
I use both and i like both. When i get asked what comp[uter a person should get i have told many to get Appple. its easy user interface is nice.
Tee mac isnt superior it just runs different.
Because of the way it runs, it is superior. If I want to install a program on a Mac for most programs I just drag the application into the applications folder and its installed. If I want to remove it, I do the opposite. Not like windows were the simplist programs liters your hard drive with 5 million DLLs and registry entries. Ever have a windows uninstaller fail and find it almost impossible to remove a program from Windows? Yeah its different and thats what makes it great. Windows should have been trashed and reworked by M$ years ago, but M$ does not want to upset anyone with incompatability and that is their problem.
gquaglia,
you present a really good case. you have some good points.
So i have nothing. you have a really good point.
One question though.
How do you say gquaglia?
I’ve been running AVG for several years on my laptop at uni…..it has stopped and protected me from loads of viruses. One of the problems with being a student is that your idiot friends send you all their viruses they get on the teen sites and porn rooms….so virus protection is vital 🙂
I just this year, after 4 years of free AVG, updated to the paid version, it offers a few more things like anti-spy ware etc.
Where’s Ewido?
Hmmm… you guys almost convinced me to switch, except none of my software and peripherals work. I’d have to buy new everything from APPLE because this company is built upon lock-in tactics. If it ever does fall back behind (and let’s be reasonable, we’ve been this before. Just look at Intel and AMD) I’m stuck again.
I find FREE companies WORK HARDER…
THEY want to be #1…Then they WANt your money…but NOT yet.
And Norton and Mcafee, have gotten LAZY…
#25
If I want to install a program on a Mac for most programs I just drag the application into the applications folder and its installed. If I want to remove it, I do the opposite. Not like windows were the simplist programs liters your hard drive with 5 million DLLs and registry entries
So are saying that when a MAC installs a program, every file is contained in the applications folder? All the executables and binaries are in one folder?
Not like windows were the simplist programs liters your hard drive with 5 million DLLs and registry entries. Ever have a windows uninstaller fail and find it almost impossible to remove a program from Windows?
I have been a Windows Admin for 10 years in the Navy, some of the harshest operating conditions you can imagine. I can count on 1 hand the times that a MICROSOFT non OS product has had issues installing. The above comments do happen alot with 3rd party programs.
You are also making an accusation of something outside the normal operating scope of the OS. If you install something on a MAC and it doesn’t install correctly, are you saying that it will uninstall correctly?
Its in an error state, how can Microsoft program for every error that a 3rd party developer might make?