Vista - Burning Question: How Much Computer Security Is Enough?

Burning Question: How Much Computer Security Is Enough?



Put down that money order and step away from the Internet, sir. You could blow your kid's college fund on computer security doodads: biometric password protectors, remotely erasable hard drives, GPS tracking — every day, there's some new and irresistible offering for the paranoid. But what do you really need to protect your computer? Less than you think.
The gospel is familiar: An antivirus program paired with anti-spyware/malware measures will shield your PC from just about anything. In fact, the marketing of those products is so good that security apps are about the only software people still expect to pay for. But the best stuff doesn't cost a dime. Programs like AVG and Ad-Aware are free, and they won't hit you up for upgrades like the big security suites.
Those guardians are fine for Grandma's Gateway, but the truly savvy eschew them altogether. Even the most well-meaning program bogs down your box. And it's not hard to dodge infection; just abide by the basic tenets of Internet common sense: Don't click on mysterious email attachments, don't bother with the free pr0n, Ch3@p Vi@gr@, and Nigerian millions, and never open .exe files. Email is still one of the biggest infection vectors, so be cautious and use a good webmail service like Gmail, which automatically scans your messages. Don't leave your computer online when you're not on it. Beware of anything that immediately asks for personal information. Don't reuse passwords.
On the meatspace side, secure your Wi-Fi network and, most important, get a backup drive. Backup may not be the first item on your Web-safety list, but it should be; infection is no big deal if you can just wipe your machine clean. As PC-security demigod Bruce Schneier says, "Any countermeasures are almost optional once you have good backups."
Hardware geeks will notice a glaring omission from this list: encrypted hard drives. That's because only a few really add security, and only a few people really need them. "There's a lot of snake oil," says Lance James, who designs anti-phishing software. "Some of it works, but at that level, you're mostly addressing pedophiles." The most secure drives have onboard microprocessors that scramble data before writing it, but if you forget your password, you're screwed — there's absolutely no way to access your information. However, you're probably more than fine using encryption software like Private Disk.
But before you even go that far, take a step back. If you're really convinced you need ironclad PC security — and you don't work for a credit card company — you may have bigger issues than some puny computer virus. Freak.

Hi

I get by very well with Nod32 and Comodo Firewall Pro (which is Free, even for Pro). I could simply even use any packet filtering software instead of a full featured firewall too, I have no need of full HIPS protection or the other fluff.
I've worked as an Independant New (unknown) Variant tester for major AV companies for about 9 years and worked with developers of the best known and effective AntiMalware programs since inception. I run 3 tech sites dedicated to tech and security, all members of ASAP (Alliance of Security Analysis Professionals), so my habits are kinda secure I'd say...

I would NEVER recomend users to go without a well known and tested AV program these days as there are just way too many ways (other than the email ways) for malware to get onto a users machine today. Malware today is a sophisticated Business, with top notch programmers and spies working in many AV companies...yes, that's right. It's a Billion $$ business and a far cry from the malware of just 5 years ago, so anyone thinking they don't need a top AV product just because they feel their habits are secure are looking for trouble...soon.

Firewalls I will recomend as a necessity today also, there are just too many security issues one can run into without one. It's not just skripties scanning blocks for vulnerabilities either, professional hackers (black hat) run companies of fellow hackers that probably rival the staff at most large companies you worked for. It's no longer the "singular" hacker or attack these days, it is a huge business in some countries and they rake in billions yearly, so obviously there are vulnerabilities other than those stupid Nigerian email scams to worry about.

It's a plethora of potential problems without the two basics of security, the AntiVirus and Firewall combo, but AntiSpyware is still up to the user's choice (but highly recommended for 75% of users).