Going Commando?

[BouncingSoul]

I like that title. Basically what I'm referring to is the act running a system with no protection. No Antivirus, no software firewall. I'd probably have some sort of spyware scanner handy just in case but that would be it.

I have multiple reasons for this 1st one being the number of crashes I endure. I posted a question about this before and was shown how to read the minidump files. The results are something in Symantec AV failing and the system crashes. Usually a reinstall of my AV package with fix it but not for long. Then it starts up again. I guess I could try an alternate product but I don't really want one. Any AV product I've used has been such a resource hog it's almost unbearable.

The reason for me wanting to ditch my software firewall (Zone Alarm) is because of how bloated it is. The thing prompts me for everything, like that Mac Ad. X is trying to access the internet allow or deny. X is trying to blah blah. Even checking allow always doesn't seem to help. If its a frequently changing program (WoW for example) I have to click through 5 windows just to play the game. I'm sick of it. I check basically the same sites daily, I use firefox, I don't have outlook. I figure I should be safe on the AV front. I honestly have no idea why I ever got a firewall other than I was told I should have one some years back. So in the end is it personal preference or is there really some reason to have all this crap on my system. What do you guys do? Do you run this stuff? If you do, do you have a recommendation for a product that doesn't hog resources and just quietly does its job?

 

[NetRyder]

I've been running "commando" for the last several months, actually - no antivirus and no software firewall (apart from the built-in Windows Firewall that's on by default). Even before that, the antivirus was more of a safety net; I can't remember the last time I actually had any malware on any of my machines.

Like you, I just got tired of wasting system resources on processes that I found unnecessary. 🙂

Before that, I was using Kerio as my software firewall and NOD32 or AOL AVS (based on the Kaspersky engine) as my antivirus.

 

[zeke_mo]

I went commando one time and forgot to wear a belt...yeah I can never go back to that gym again....

 

[falconguard]

I went commando one time and forgot to wear a belt...yeah I can never go back to that gym again....

TMI:laugh:

 

[omg its nlm]

I been commando for a few years.

ZA is not needed in anyway on your home PC thats for sure.

If you know what you are doing. Go commando.

At work I use it but thats common sense since I am not controlling everything that comes and goes.

My friends that know nothing are so funny. They are like omg someone is going to hack you or give you a virus. Umm no. What moron would want to hack into my PC? I have a router so they have to get by that first and yeah as far as I am concerned its not needed.

Who uses it and what are your reasons? I think if I was not the only on my PC I would just have AVG or something on there.

 

[Petros]

Partially commando...I use a software firewall for reasons other than security. I like to be able to monitor and block programs that attempt to call home or malicious code that wishes to do the same.

 

[X-Istence]

Firewall only, on Mac OS X. And I run without elevated priviledges.

 

[vertigo]

i have a router and a basic software firewall, only used for blocking/allowing apps. that's it.

if you know what you're doing there is no need for virus or spyware checks.

 

[Geffy]

If you're email server does virus scanning, or you pretty much only use webmail I see no point. I don't run AV on my Mac, but I've got the built in firewall on.

 

[ray_gillespie]

Just running AVG with the Vista firewall. That doesn't seem to use too many resources but is cool. Ditched Zone Alarm years ago 🙂

 

[madmatt]

My Exchange Server doesn't have AV or a software firewall. I've been looking into Forefront Security for Exchange but I haven't gotten around to installing it.

 

[BouncingSoul]

Thanks all. I figured most of us here wouldn't run much of anything or would at least have some good suggestions. I'm due for a reformat anyways so I guess I can skip the resource hogs this time.

 

[Tuffgong4]

I would be going commando except for the fact that my wife uses my system, as for firewall I just use the router that I have and windows firewall. As for AV i run AVG for basic stuff because of the wife and I'm waiting for AOL active virus shield to get updated for vista and to take a look at antivir when it gets updated for vista.

I'd rather have a wife and AV then no wife and no AV !!!! sorry felt like adding that.

 

[Geffy]

I do run AV software (AntiVir) on my parallels Windows install but I use that for MS Outlook and work email and we sometimes get the odd virus to our company abuse mailbox.

 

[Grandmaster]

Hmm this is interesting. Didn't realize so many people don't use any protection...

I'm just paranoid about downloads.

 

[Evil Marge]

I've often seen people say they have no anti virus software and never had a virus, how pray tell would you know you've not got a virus sitting on your pc if you have no virus scanner to check? :crosseyed: :laugh:

Oh and I got a new pc today and the first thing I put on was AVG 😀

 

[NetRyder]

I've often seen people say they have no anti virus software and never had a virus, how pray tell would you know you've not got a virus sitting on your pc if you have no virus scanner to check? :crosseyed: :laugh:

Because you run an on-demand scan every once in a while to check. It's just the realtime monitor that sucks up unnecessary resources.

 

[Tuffgong4]

I think if I had a system that was bogged down enough I wouldn't run any, but so far my systems can let the av take it's resources and not ruin anything else in the process...

 

[omg its nlm]

Because you run an on-demand scan every once in a while to check. It's just the realtime monitor that sucks up unnecessary resources.

Yes thats what I do.


Don't care how powerful my PC is. I would not install it. 🙂

 

[LordOfLA]

At the moment having no router between my pc and the interweb I use XP's firewall, largely down to the fact I've not been bothered to turn it off yet knowing how not very useful it is.

I have nod32 running in the background as it uses so little system resources it has minimal to zero impact on my pc performance. It's also handy to protect me from my own curiosity 😛