4 ms·
Is there really a reason to even run anti-virus software all the time as long as you don't try to open executables and macro-containing documents that didn't co
by bkyan 15y ago
Is there really a reason to even run anti-virus software all the time as long as you don't try to open executables and macro-containing documents that didn't come from a reputable source?
- AdamTReineke 15y agoNo, because if you visit a site that successfully exploits an unpatched vulnerability in your browser (or plugins) that allows for remote code execution, you WILL be infected. I'd label myself extremely savvy and I've been hit by what I think were ads loading a Java applet that somehow broke out of the JRE and ran an executable.
- jgmmo 15y agoThis. The days of needing to allow or execute malicious executables has passed. Drive-by downloads are extremely common, they use a vulnerability - and bam they can download whatever they want to your PC -- which in turn, will download more stuff.
- InclinedPlane 15y agoI always turn off Java on the browsers I use. It's a HUGE security hole that allows for drive-by infections and the cost of not having java applet support is something I can very much live with.
- finnw 15y ago> It's a HUGE security hole That's not entirely accurate. Most vulnerabilities do get patched quickly. It's still not worth enabling it in your browser though, because so few sites use it.
- dangrossman 15y agoYes, because you don't even have to be using the computer to acquire new malware -- if Windows isn't patched and you don't have a properly configured firewall in front of the system. Simply browsing the web with fully patched Windows behind a firewall is a risk as well. Among other things, I review orders for an advertising service, 20-30 a day. Some of these orders are purposely placed to advertise sites with malicious code that installs malware. My fully patched Windows 7 system behind a firewall, running antivirus and the latest Google Chrome, gets infected with something or other on a regular basis -- at least once a month -- without me ever downloading any files. Last week it was one of those fake antivirus programs that terminates all your real antivirus programs and pops up a window saying you're infected and need to upgrade for $29.99 every 20 seconds. That one was probably a Java plugin vulnerability.
- danudey 15y agoI knew a university professor who was installing Windows XP onto a workstation that was connected to the university network. The machine ended up infected with Blaster before he'd even finished the installation.
- kgo 15y agoHeh, I worked in big oil at the time, and they couldn't kill blaster because IT people kept on imaging new computers on internally exposed networks. We probably could have killed the outbreak a week or two earlier if everyone just stopped imaging for a day.
- Dylan16807 15y agoSo once a month something gets past the antivirus. How often does the antivirus block (not notice something that wouldn't work on your system, block) malware?
- dangrossman 15y agoIf I had to estimate, at least 95% of the website malware gets caught by MSE. This is a typical day reviewing new ad placements: http://i.imgur.com/gvtY9.png http://i.imgur.com/gvtY9.png
- Dylan16807 15y agoI understand that for your work you need to find everything, but that doesn't answer how many would work on your nice patched computer.