Are anti-virus programs a real necessity?

[Nefrit]

Please read these to sources of information:

Antivirus software - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (issues of concern)

http://www.semiologic.com/2005/02/24...o-help-at-all/



What do you think?

Of course for the average and uninformed user a AV is kind of the gadget that will stop you from speeding, but for those who are informed, sensible and adopt the common sense approach when accessing the www, are these kind of products really needed?

If needed is a real-time protection really required?

I am asking this because in all this time I used computers (around 10 years) I never caught a single virus. Of course I had issues in the past but they were more spyware related, and for these different applications are needed (specific antispyware programs).

Cheers

[TcM]

Sometimes you don't even realize that you have been infected with a virus.. Using PC's 10 years without AV, you cannot say that you never had a virus, if you never had an AV! How you think you can detect viruses? Some of them are silent.. you won't ever know that your pc is infected.

[WingedPanther]

Personally, I find a firewall to be more important than AV as far as the defenses that actually provide used protection. That said, you have to realize that I am very careful about what I install on my computer. I don't just open email attachments. I don't click every link I receive, etc. As a result, AV is made almost unnecessary by good browsing habits and my firewall. I also work actively to prevent people from getting my contact information, so I don't get much spam.

[TcM]

Yeah I agree.. and even I don't click on everything etc... and take care while online, but I still believe that an AV running is always good, besides that it doesn't take much CPU or RAM, so it is cool.

[lasthell]

If your requirement of PC is just casual communication, browsing and entertainment then you dont need any AV. But if you keep any critical data on your system, or even communicate some, use it for bank transactions, its better to have AV module running as first layer of defence for PCs. Firewalls and NIDS are ok for network level defense but you need seperate security mechanisms for your PC. PC firewall, spyware/malware detection. rootkit detection and AV are need of the hour. Off course these things take some cpu cycles and memory, so you have to take judgment call from cost of these modules vs cost of your data.

[devilsmaster]

Right now i m using Avast vista and windows firewall protection.I have also used Avg Anti virus.Both work well.

[zoekmachine]

I think that everybody must have AV running on his system along with firewall and update their program with every new sig.updates for AV or upgrade.
Are you gonna to risk by opening attachments into yoru email, by installing some unknown programs, by visiting some website to be infected and then even do not know that you are infected.
Tomorrow your PC can be used as Zombie because of trojan infection and you do not have any idea about it.
I think question should be not Are anti-virus programs a real necessity? but what is best anti-virus programs to protect my pc

[shaunxx]

Hello there,

Antivirus is one of the most important program needed for our computer. Some of them slows down our computer. Anyways if you are connected to net its very important for this.

[chili5]

I don't think their absolutely necessary if you have good browsing habits and a good firewall. Before I got high speed for the first time, I didn't have an anti-virus because I only used the internet for emails and google image search. Now I use it for browsing, and Instant messaging so I do have an anti-virus running but if your really careful their probably not necessary to have although they are cheap so hey might as well have one.

[zombie0hour]

everything you can do to protect your computer is important, i have done some blue hat work on my systems and have found out just how vulernable many systems are. Protect them, and make back-ups when ever you can.