Anti virus software

[HLaB]

One review said AVG was the best free antivirus but whilst I've had no viruses (that I know off) in the last couple of years its also the most annoying with pop ups.

 

[lazybloke]

Groupon (and similar places) sell AV software cheaply. Personally I've been using MS Defender for about 5 years with no issues (can't the same for when I used McAfee for a couple of years).


Group also sell Windows Pro, Office Pro (desktop versions, not web apps) and Project - all very cheaply as activation keys only. You get the software itself from Microsoft's site.

 

[FrankCrank]

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

About the same here - couple of decades, no issues. I only use the laptop, might try the app at some later time.
It's a faff to use the card reader gadget, but then having security is by default a hassle to the user, and the scammer.

 

[AndyRM]

at minimum, get an external usb drive and just copy her coursework/whatever to it

malware aside, laptops can be stolen, and stuff just fails, keeping copies of files is basic protection against the day something happens

I cannot echo this enough.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

When I last did a proper course that had actual coursework - which was a while ago
I was working at University/school(trainee teacher!) and at home - and sometimes in a library
I used to keep my work on a USB stick so I could use anywhere
and when I had finished a section I would email it to myself
then save it from there to the home computer hard drive

Basically - keep it in several places - but if it is on something like Gmail then you can always get it back from there if the worst happens

Oh - and based on experience of being "the IT teacher that the kids can talk to" in a Secondary school
I would advise NOT having the main storage device as a USB stick that spends most of its time in a girl/woman's handbag

The carp I had dug out of the USB connector on such things is nobody's business!!!

 

[nogoodnamesleft]

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.

(Some) Banks are not very security aware (amazingly so). Several years back I had a big argument with a major credit card service as they were requiring payment security on the card account be setup using e-mail (where you give them some magic word). eMail must be one of the least secure communications methods (unencrypted open text message passing through and being cached on who knows what server who knows where and under who knows what security). So had an argument with them, got it escalated and eventually they did the "err, you are right, please accept £xxx as a gesture of our thanks".

 

[presta]

I used Avast free for years but got fed up with their endless attempts to get you to upgrade to their paid version which became more blatant as time went by. When I got my current laptop I decided to try Windows Defender and so far it's worked fine. I don't miss the endless pop ups urging you to Upgrade Now! XX days left before you're unprotected! every time it updated itself and then when it comes to it, a microscopic option to continue with the free version after you've waded through the anxiety inducing choices when trying to avoid selecting the paid version. I'm sure the rest are just as bad.

Which recommend Bitdefender because it doesn't do that.

No idea, I bank on my iphone

Same question: does it satisfy the banks, or do you have to be seen to have installed a separate bit of software for the job?

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.

You mean you've had each of those accounts hacked, and none of them used Windows Defender as an excuse not to refund you?

My bank has never asked me anything regarding my computer.

They won't have any reason to until you expect them to refund money from a hacked account.

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

Did it uninstall ok? I've seen stories online saying it's nigh on impossible to get rid of.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Which recommend Bitdefender because it doesn't do that.

Same question: does it satisfy the banks, or do you have to be seen to have installed a separate bit of software for the job?

You mean you've had each of those accounts hacked, and none of them used Windows Defender as an excuse not to refund you?

They won't have any reason to until you expect them to refund money from a hacked account.

Did it uninstall ok? I've seen stories online saying it's nigh on impossible to get rid of.

Sort of - took a while to do it properly
but I have been working with a variety fo computer since 1981 so I am sort of used to them!

I seem to remember that I had to try several times and kept finding "extra bits" that it left behind "just to make it easier to re-install" or something

It is not the only thing I have found that with

when I was looking after the laptops in a school I spent half the first summer holidays getting rid of the rubbish on the computers and setting them up properly!

 

[presta]

Sort of - took a while to do it properly
but I have been working with a variety fo computer since 1981 so I am sort of used to them!

I seem to remember that I had to try several times and kept finding "extra bits" that it left behind "just to make it easier to re-install" or something

It is not the only thing I have found that with

when I was looking after the laptops in a school I spent half the first summer holidays getting rid of the rubbish on the computers and setting them up properly!

Do you have to get rid of it completely to make Windows Defender work?

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Do you have to get rid of it completely to make Windows Defender work?

Not sure -I have not had to do that recently and they change it often

but installing any anti-virus will probably disable at least some functions of Defender, which might need to be re-activated after getting rid of the other system

 

[MontyVeda]

...
They won't have any reason to until you expect them to refund money from a hacked account.
...

The bank is responsible for the security of my account. I jump through their hoops of three or four tier authentication every time I log in.

 

[Aescott]

Your daughter should use OneDrive or similar for her work. It's backed up automatically and is accessible from any device with an internet connection.

Windows Defender works well, although I have recently ditched Windows completely and moved to Ubuntu (Linux). Viruses aren't a thing on Linux, although that may change if the market share for Linix becomes big enough for the scammers to be bothered.

 

[PaulSB]

I've used Windows Defender for 25+ years, to my knowledge I've never had a virus infection in that time. My rather simple logic is Microsoft wouldn't ship an AV product that didn't work for Windows.

Prior to this I tried Norton, MacAfee, Kaspersky and probably some others. All this probably based on someone else's experience. Yes, this was 25 or more years ago but I found all of these products deeply intrusive, often slowing the machines and/or preventing an operation and buried themselves so deep into the device software that removing them was a nightmare. I would never use free or paid for AV software again. Dreadful stuff and to repeat, yes I'm sure things have improved.

An issue I have to this day is the impact these "free" products have on older non-techy people. I have limited IT skills but can help people. Through my u3a I do this. The number I speak to who have been scared into buying products they don't need is appalling.

Regarding backups make sure your daughter is set up with OneDrive. It's fully automated, instant and very easy to install. I've used some commercial products and found OneDrive, for the every day user not a techy person, vastly superior.

 

[PaulSB]

Did it uninstall ok? I've seen stories online saying it's nigh on impossible to get rid of.

My experience is decades old but on one ocassion MacAfee was so impossible to get rid of that I had to wipe the machine and reinstall everything from scratch. Norton was almost as bad and as for Kaspersky 🤬🤬🤬

Those three products destroyed my confidence in any commercial AV product.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

I use macAfee for a while when it came free with one I bought

Then the renewal came and I ditched it
and the whole computer speeded up

I have read a lto fo things over the years saying things like - "if you want to speed you computer up delete MacAfee"