Is the end of anti-virus finally here?

Iria · Sep 10, 2006, 05:25 AM

Source: InfoWorld
________
I first heard that the anti-virus scanner was dead in December 1989. Experts had postulated that the increase in the number of different computer viruses, which at the time numbered almost 200, would quickly outpace the ability of anti-virus scanners to keep up.

That seems a laughable prediction now: Anti-virus scanners and vendors are adaptable, and they only have limited performance problems even when faced with 50,000 or 100,000 threats. Despite this flexibility, the premature announcement of the death of the anti-virus scanner still seems to herald every new malware threat. File executable viruses were going to kill them. Then macro viruses, script viruses, polymorphism, and now root kits.

As a two-decade security veteran, I’ve always chuckled at the thought of anti-virus programs becoming useless. Now, I find myself writing about it. Has the end of anti-virus scanners' useful life finally arrived?

Robert McClelland · Sep 10, 2006, 05:33 AM

blah I used zass for virus scaner so far I have no virus what so ever pass couple years

I been really good on that subject lol.

ExitiosuS · Sep 10, 2006, 05:38 AM

I've used Norton and, really, I feel secure with Norton because I know myself that I don't download stupid files that warrant a risk... Norton's pretty much my safety net. And when I have had viruses (last known virus I had was back maybe four years ago, when I got that uhm... forget the name of it, but it restarted your computer repeatedly if you didn't have a good firewall). But yeah, I've been content with Norton and I love the extra features you get.

I guess in saying that I'm not a good source for antivirus software, if my last known virus was four years ago that might prove the opposite point... but because Norton removed that, I feel confident that I'm protected.

lol

OmegaRED · Sep 10, 2006, 06:30 AM

I've used about 10 of the top Antivirus programs and settled for my current favorite Nod32. A quick browsing of Pr0n sites will give it a workout and within a few minutes trojans, spyware and viruses are blocked. Great program with barely any cpu usage but somehow it didnt even make the list on this article. For shame!

BWX · Sep 10, 2006, 07:09 AM

I used to use Norton, then Symantec, until I got tired of the bloat..

I switched to AVG FREE and never looked back.

mike2h · Sep 10, 2006, 07:12 AM

huh, norton is made by symantec.

BWX · Sep 10, 2006, 07:28 AM

Yeah I went from "Norton AV", to "Symantec av".. for less bloat.. But still for me, it was too much. (older versions than in links)

Sandok · Sep 10, 2006, 07:32 AM

Got Norton 2005 here... Dunnno I never have had viruses in many many years and I am a risky surfer...

ronnn · Sep 10, 2006, 07:57 AM

Our computer is used in many risky ways and only scanner I use is trend or panda online (once a month maybe). Haven't had a virus in a couple of years, think the isp must be catching most or something. Last big one I got was the "I love you" and friends with norton or McCaffe got it also. The isp offers free virus software by f-secure and adaware pro, but really slows things down. Using firefox certainly cut down (basically ended) popups and trackers.

FuNsTeR · Sep 10, 2006, 09:00 AM

i use Avg 7 pro ... i haven't had a problems in years i used Avg 6 pro as well since 1999

TheBlackCat · Sep 10, 2006, 04:27 PM

The people who make virus scanner software are not stupid. It is not like viruses are some all-powerful, unstopable force. They are made by humans in a very specific manner. And the virus scanner software companies have smart people whose job is it to counter anything that virus makers come up with. They are made by people, they behave in a predictable manner, and humans can discover this and counter it. There is nothing magical about each new type of virus, it simply requires a simple patch to give the software new abilities. Modern virus-scan software can be set up to be patched easily, even automatically, for this sort of thing. No matter how good software is it will always have vulnerabilites, and no matter how good a virus is it will always leave a detectable pattern or detectable tracks that can be identified.

ferret2004 · Sep 10, 2006, 04:48 PM

I use this one. I haven't paid for a virus scanner for years, and don't plan on it anytime soon.

Sep 10, 2006, 05:25 AM	#1
Iria DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 7,275 Rep Power: 89	Is the end of anti-virus finally here? Source: InfoWorld ________ I first heard that the anti-virus scanner was dead in December 1989. Experts had postulated that the increase in the number of different computer viruses, which at the time numbered almost 200, would quickly outpace the ability of anti-virus scanners to keep up. That seems a laughable prediction now: Anti-virus scanners and vendors are adaptable, and they only have limited performance problems even when faced with 50,000 or 100,000 threats. Despite this flexibility, the premature announcement of the death of the anti-virus scanner still seems to herald every new malware threat. File executable viruses were going to kill them. Then macro viruses, script viruses, polymorphism, and now root kits. As a two-decade security veteran, I’ve always chuckled at the thought of anti-virus programs becoming useless. Now, I find myself writing about it. Has the end of anti-virus scanners' useful life finally arrived?

Sep 10, 2006, 05:33 AM	#2
Robert McClelland PAX Tweaker, PAX Expert. Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Somewhere in Wood County Ohio Same Town :) Posts: 10,645 Rep Power: 196 System Specs	blah I used zass for virus scaner so far I have no virus what so ever pass couple years I been really good on that subject lol. __________________ "XTREME AUDIO IS CRAP!" "There no support for it. It's crapist card on face of the earth it should be throw into the sun" http://www.speedtest.net/result/1949536385.png

Sep 10, 2006, 06:30 AM	#4
OmegaRED Relapsed Gamer Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Ottawa , Canada Posts: 5,688 Rep Power: 173 System Specs	I've used about 10 of the top Antivirus programs and settled for my current favorite Nod32. A quick browsing of Pr0n sites will give it a workout and within a few minutes trojans, spyware and viruses are blocked. Great program with barely any cpu usage but somehow it didnt even make the list on this article. For shame! __________________ E Penis Specs: <------------- See System Specs

Sep 10, 2006, 07:09 AM	#5
BWX unplugged Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: USNY Posts: 19,669 Rep Power: 110 System Specs	I used to use Norton, then Symantec, until I got tired of the bloat.. I switched to AVG FREE and never looked back. __________________

Sep 10, 2006, 07:12 AM	#6
mike2h DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: norcal Posts: 6,483 Rep Power: 91 System Specs	huh, norton is made by symantec. __________________

Sep 10, 2006, 05:38 AM	#3
ExitiosuS Simian Masterpiece! Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: London, Ont. Canada Posts: 358 Rep Power: 0 System Specs	I've used Norton and, really, I feel secure with Norton because I know myself that I don't download stupid files that warrant a risk... Norton's pretty much my safety net. And when I have had viruses (last known virus I had was back maybe four years ago, when I got that uhm... forget the name of it, but it restarted your computer repeatedly if you didn't have a good firewall). But yeah, I've been content with Norton and I love the extra features you get. I guess in saying that I'm not a good source for antivirus software, if my last known virus was four years ago that might prove the opposite point... but because Norton removed that, I feel confident that I'm protected. lol

Sep 10, 2006, 07:28 AM	#7
BWX unplugged Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: USNY Posts: 19,669 Rep Power: 110 System Specs	Yeah I went from "Norton AV", to "Symantec av".. for less bloat.. But still for me, it was too much. (older versions than in links) __________________

Sep 10, 2006, 07:32 AM	#8
Sandok DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 9,472 Rep Power: 0	Got Norton 2005 here... Dunnno I never have had viruses in many many years and I am a risky surfer...

Sep 10, 2006, 07:57 AM	#9
ronnn DriverHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 617 Rep Power: 0	Our computer is used in many risky ways and only scanner I use is trend or panda online (once a month maybe). Haven't had a virus in a couple of years, think the isp must be catching most or something. Last big one I got was the "I love you" and friends with norton or McCaffe got it also. The isp offers free virus software by f-secure and adaware pro, but really slows things down. Using firefox certainly cut down (basically ended) popups and trackers.

Sep 10, 2006, 09:00 AM	#10
FuNsTeR Caledonian and Proud Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Darkest Ayrshire Posts: 1,305 Rep Power: 88 System Specs	i use Avg 7 pro ... i haven't had a problems in years i used Avg 6 pro as well since 1999 __________________ "They say when you play a Microsoft CD backwards you can hear satanic messages ..... but that's nothing, if you play it forward it will install Windows"

Sep 10, 2006, 04:27 PM	#11
TheBlackCat DriverHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Searching for the Candle in the Dark Posts: 567 Rep Power: 0	The people who make virus scanner software are not stupid. It is not like viruses are some all-powerful, unstopable force. They are made by humans in a very specific manner. And the virus scanner software companies have smart people whose job is it to counter anything that virus makers come up with. They are made by people, they behave in a predictable manner, and humans can discover this and counter it. There is nothing magical about each new type of virus, it simply requires a simple patch to give the software new abilities. Modern virus-scan software can be set up to be patched easily, even automatically, for this sort of thing. No matter how good software is it will always have vulnerabilites, and no matter how good a virus is it will always leave a detectable pattern or detectable tracks that can be identified. __________________ [color=#000000]There is always an easy solution to every human problem—neat, plausible and wrong.[/color] -H. L. Mencken

Sep 10, 2006, 04:48 PM	#12
ferret2004 HardwareHeaven Addict Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Ohio, USA Posts: 285 Rep Power: 0	I use this one. I haven't paid for a virus scanner for years, and don't plan on it anytime soon.