Anti virus software

[Fastpedaller]

Years ago I used McAfee - It came for the first year and then gave all reasons to keep it, which I did via a once-a-year payment. We had a virus come to us via a email message 'from' car club member (who had no knowledge) - It was very clever, as it sent to everyone in his mailbox and used a recent subject matter. I saw (from the preview) it has .exe. attachments and smelled a rat, so didn't open the message or any attachments. A few hours later, we all had an email from another member of the car club who told us that just having the preview meant the computer could be infected, and how to check the files in safe mode - a process which took us 45 minutes. To be clear, this guy works in computers, is a real whizz and is trusted (sometimes 'instructions' come from dubious sources which cause further problems.
The McAfee hadn't alerted us to anything, and we didn't have any subsequent issues, so the instructions from our pal were good.
A few weeks later i realised the McAfee renewal was due in 6 weeks, so sent them an email saying I didn't wish to renew. After 2 weeks we received a 'reminder' was due in 4 weeks "but we'll take payment now so you are sure to be protected" McAfee took payment using the 'Continual Payment' I'd signed up to. Several unanswered emails later, I was getting concerned until I received a 'survey' from 'an agency working for McAfee' asking for feedback! I let rip with threats to make statements to the UK press etc (I didn't know what else to do) and within a couple of days I received a refund (a couple of £ less because of exchange rate fluctuation) , but didn't pursue further as I was just glad to have resovled it. Once bitten twice shy. After that we used a free (can't remember the name) service. After changing to a Win10 OS computer (insisted by bank) we have had Windows Defender since, and it seems ok.

 

[sungod]

Does it satisfy the banks, or do you have to be seen to have installed a separate bit of software for the job? (I tried asking Lloyds, but they didn't answer.)

can't see why not, as long as a supported browser is used - a friend uses lloyds, i'm sure she's just using windows as is, no add ons

fwiw the ncsc has advice/tips on security measures https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/section/advice-guidance/you-your-family

 

[kynikos]

Does it satisfy the banks, or do you have to be seen to have installed a separate bit of software for the job? (I tried asking Lloyds, but they didn't answer.)

Works OK with Halifax which is part of the Lloyds Group. I can also vouch for Amex, Bank of Ireland, Barclays, Chase, Chip, HSBC, NatWest, Santander, Trading 212 & Vanguard.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

For back up we use MS OneDrive (about £30 pa).

Automatically backs up every file as it is amended.

 

[Fastpedaller]

Maybe off on a tangent (apologies), but we keep getting a pop-up whenever we make an online card payment "save to Microsoft Edge" wanting to save our card details and password. We resist the urge (and rarely use the 'password manager') thinking (rightly or wrongly) that it couuld be possible for someone to harvest the details - we use a handwritten book for our passwords, on the basis that it's less likely that someone will come in via the physical window!

 

[Vapin' Joe]

As for the banks, I can't really say, apart from my bank for years trying to push Trusteer on line. When I cracked and tried it several laptops ago it just made everything soooooo slooooooow. I thought it might have been due to something else but no, when I uninstalled it everything went back to normal.

I had the same experience with Trusteer, it was crap. After I uninstalled it I phoned my bank and told them why, and asked them to put a note on my file explaining why.

 

[MontyVeda]

Does it satisfy the banks, or do you have to be seen to have installed a separate bit of software for the job? (I tried asking Lloyds, but they didn't answer.)

I've been online banking for a couple of decades with no issues. My bank has never asked me anything regarding my computer.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Maybe off on a tangent (apologies), but we keep getting a pop-up whenever we make an online card payment "save to Microsoft Edge" wanting to save our card details and password. We resist the urge (and rarely use the 'password manager') thinking (rightly or wrongly) that it couuld be possible for someone to harvest the details - we use a handwritten book for our passwords, on the basis that it's less likely that someone will come in via the physical window!

I use my phone mostly to pay online, all of my passwords to access commercial sites are saved to Google.
But my cards, I very rarely save them on a site, only with Amazon and PayPal actually.
The handwritten book could be lost or stolen. I use one too, only for sites that I rarely access or for security numbers rarely used, otherwise I remember them.
You can get a password manager app for a small yearly fee (free ones exist), they are supposed to be very secure.

I've been online banking for a couple of decades with no issues. My bank has never asked me anything regarding my computer.

Same here.
I suppose that their online banking and banking apps have their own security protocols.

 

[Fastpedaller]

You can get a password manager app for a small yearly fee (free ones exist), they are supposed to be very secure.

M & S thought their systems were secure - I don't trust putting my passwords with others.....
each to their own.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

M & S thought their systems were secure - I don't trust putting my passwords with others.....
each to their own.

I'm pretty sure your (our) passwords are already encrypted in the receiving site, otherwise how can the site know you're inputting the correct password?
Basically, if you had an account with M&S (for example) your password would have been hacked to give the hackers access to your account.
OK, there would have been no card registered, but your personal details and delivery address(es) would have been there.

 

[markemark]

I'm pretty sure your (our) passwords are already encrypted in the receiving site, otherwise how can the site know you're inputting the correct password?
Basically, if you had an account with M&S (for example) your password would have been hacked to give the hackers access to your account.
OK, there would have been no card registered, but your personal details and delivery address(es) would have been there.

No customer pssswords or card info was taken from m and s. Personal data only.

Online oasssords are never (at kesst not any more) kept. What happens when you set a password is that it’s converted to a one way massively long string of text. When you login it runs a check that your password is accepted by the long string. It’s a one way process and it cannot be cracked. So even if the long string is copied, they won’t be able to get your password so cannot login.

Very old systems used to store your actual passsird but not any more.

 

[cyberknight]

+1 for Windows Defender. It's built in for Windows 10 and 11, and has proved great from my perspective these past few years. Daresay the keen sales staff at PCWorld etc would beg to differ, but ask ask them how much commission they get, and you'll see what drives their keenness

Mini CK 2 just bought a laptop using her x mas and cake day cash along with a bit more from me .I had a choice of 2 very similar specced machines and opted for the one with office free for a year rather than Norton as I found windows more than adequate

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Years ago I used McAfee - It came for the first year and then gave all reasons to keep it, which I did via a once-a-year payment. We had a virus come to us via a email message 'from' car club member (who had no knowledge) - It was very clever, as it sent to everyone in his mailbox and used a recent subject matter. I saw (from the preview) it has .exe. attachments and smelled a rat, so didn't open the message or any attachments. A few hours later, we all had an email from another member of the car club who told us that just having the preview meant the computer could be infected, and how to check the files in safe mode - a process which took us 45 minutes. To be clear, this guy works in computers, is a real whizz and is trusted (sometimes 'instructions' come from dubious sources which cause further problems.
The McAfee hadn't alerted us to anything, and we didn't have any subsequent issues, so the instructions from our pal were good.
A few weeks later i realised the McAfee renewal was due in 6 weeks, so sent them an email saying I didn't wish to renew. After 2 weeks we received a 'reminder' was due in 4 weeks "but we'll take payment now so you are sure to be protected" McAfee took payment using the 'Continual Payment' I'd signed up to. Several unanswered emails later, I was getting concerned until I received a 'survey' from 'an agency working for McAfee' asking for feedback! I let rip with threats to make statements to the UK press etc (I didn't know what else to do) and within a couple of days I received a refund (a couple of £ less because of exchange rate fluctuation) , but didn't pursue further as I was just glad to have resovled it. Once bitten twice shy. After that we used a free (can't remember the name) service. After changing to a Win10 OS computer (insisted by bank) we have had Windows Defender since, and it seems ok.

I had McAfee many years ago

It was free for the first year - then a cheap renewal
Then - amazingly - that product was no longer available and the ONLY option available was one that was about 5 times more expensive

so I ditched them and have used free versions ever since - mostly AVAST - but it has got more naggy recently and sometimes finding the "stay on the free version options are rather hidden!!!!

at the moment I am just using WIndows Defender - most things I have read from people who know say it is the best because it is updated more often and they have the best people working there

 

[MadMalx]

It’s my daughter’s university laptop. I have no idea if she backs it up. I will have to ask her.

She must absolutely back up coursework. My many years in academia showed that the chances of hard/software issues leading to lost work was inversely proportion to the time from the deadline. And many of them were geniune.

My recollection is that my Uni allowed students to download licenced AV software, and supported it, but that was a while back and might have been only postgrads. In addition they almost certainly have generous cloud storage that should be used for backup, but I also recommended students to keep copies on dongles. Most ignored backup warnings until after a catastrophe.

 

[oxoman]

Was with Norton then more recently macafee, got fed up with you need this or that add on. When my current av runs out im going with defender, IT guy at work swears by it. I never save any PW on the PC and any banking is always 2 factor authentication. 100% on the advice for back-up. I have 2 ssd drives that I use and they get kept separately. These Contain pictures, documents ect even my music collection just in case.