Using Internet without Antivirus.

[gameranand]

Friends I want to use Internet on windows 7 but I don't want to use antivirus. Yes I do not want to use antivirus because it causes me more bad than good. So what are your opinion can I use net without antivirus and the most important thing without getting infected ?? If yes what are the precautions I should take for this??? Please help.

[Vyom]

I used XP w/o Antivirus for about 1 year and now I am using Win 7 w/o AV from like 5 months. Have broadband connection and have never got infected.

I think its not the decision of "Not having AV" that counts, what counts is that how vigilant you are while operating.

I suppose, in my case my precautions and windows firewall does the job for me.
My vigilance includes:
1. Not opening any suspicious files from anyone's Pen drive.
2. Not downloading exe's from untrusted sources (trusted sources include, filehippo.com, download.com....)
3. Browsing Banking sites or the sites which you think can be untrusted from InPrivate mode... etc...

[gameranand]

Originally Posted by vineet269

1. Not opening any suspicious files from anyone's Pen drive.
2. Not downloading exe's from untrusted sources (trusted sources include, filehippo.com, download.com....)

I also don't do these things while online. In fact most of my time on net is spent on forums and gaming sites.
One of my friend said that I might get infected while using google images because when you see full size images on other sites then you might get infected. Is that true because I use google images a lot to see sreenshots of games and other stuff not P**n kinda stuff.

[funkysourav]

okay if you want just to surf the net without an AV
Just make sure you DL and install Sandboxie
run your primary web browser sandboxed
Please please do install Comodo Firewall with "Maximum Stealth"
it will not slow down your PC or surfing speed

[ico]

Switch to Ubuntu for Internet. Keep Windows for gaming.

Better, just install Avira AntiVir Free. Nothing else. No Comodo Firewall etc.

Avira hardly bothers me about anything. That's why I like it.

[Vyom]

Originally Posted by gameranand

I also don't do these things while online. In fact most of my time on net is spent on forums and gaming sites.
One of my friend said that I might get infected while using google images because when you see full size images on other sites then you might get infected. Is that true because I use google images a lot to see sreenshots of games and other stuff not P**n kinda stuff.

Gaming sites!! Dude, what kind of gaming sites? I dont play games that much, and playing online is just out of my league. But still, I am sure, gaming sites could be one possible source, you would have to be a little careful.

Also, I am pretty sure, looking google images, can't infect your system. In fact, that looks down-right silly

[funkysourav]

Originally Posted by vineet369

Gaming sites!! Dude, what kind of gaming sites? I dont play games that much, and playing online is just out of my league. But still, I am sure, gaming sites could be one possible source, you would have to be a little careful.

Also, I am pretty sure, looking google images, can't infect your system. In fact, that looks down-right silly

no its not
virus writers have found a way to embed malicious code into seemingly harmless images and even streaming songs
Malware disguised as picture file
E-victims.org: Twilight star's nude picture malware - Consumer Forum
Avira webguard on my pc detects and blocks these infected pics and frames on my pc atleast once or twice every week
anything and everything can be infected
don't fool youselves into false security

[Vyom]

^^ In that case, we are DOOMED!!!

On a serious note, I still agree of a statement, that I also confirmed from online sources,
"No, Google images can't cause a virus? since it's just a search engine, but if you click on a link to a picture (i.e, visit the page, from where the image has been drawn), you may be liable to get a virus from that page."

One more thing. Virus is just a "file", and I can have many such virus "files" in one folder, on a disk, or a pen drive. That WONT make my system infected. It is only when a virus is executed (i.e, by double clicking, or through command prompt), that my system would be infected by the virus.
So, with no offense, I still stand by my thought, that just by looking at a picture wont make the system infected.

[JojoTheDragon]

Gotta agree with ico. Net with ubuntu is super safe.

And if the OP doesn't want to use any a/v then you must have at least a IQ of 90 and be uber careful in order to dodge threats on your own.

[Vyom]

^^ for that. Thats why I used the term, "Vigilant" before. Operating w/o AV is a challenge, but certainly not impossible.

[funkysourav]

One more thing. Virus is just a "file", and I can have many such virus "files" in one folder, on a disk, or a pen drive. That WONT make my system infected. It is only when a virus is executed (i.e, by double clicking, or through command prompt), that my system would be infected by the virus.

True, it requires User Interaction in some cases and not in the rest of the cases

So, with no offense, I still stand by my thought, that just by looking at a picture wont make the system infected.

But when you are looking at a picture or file from the internet, it is stored in your memory and browser cache, so the probability remains
though some malware files do require user interaction,
the rest of them can act without it
they may be tied to an event or any indirect user action

^^ In that case, we are DOOMED!!!

no we are not
when i am crossing a road, there is a probability i may get run over
that does not mean i am doomed everytime i am on the street
just acknowledge the dangers involved, take precautions and let your mind handle the rest

[Piyush]

it depends which sites u r visiting
but ico's idea is perfect
use ubuntu
be safe

[gameranand]

Originally Posted by vineet369

Gaming sites!! Dude, what kind of gaming sites?

Like gamespot, ign, eurogamer and others but mostly reputated sites.

Originally Posted by ico

Switch to Ubuntu for Internet. Keep Windows for gaming.

Better, just install Avira AntiVir Free. Nothing else. No Comodo Firewall etc.

Avira hardly bothers me about anything. That's why I like it.

I think its a good idea. I can switch to ubuntu. Can I work on both simultaneously I mean downloading on ubuntu and playing game on windows. I know it sounds silly and I think its impossible. Isn't it???

Originally Posted by vineet369

Operating w/o AV is a challenge, but certainly not impossible.

Then I am up for the challenge unless I am doomed of course. LOL

[funkysourav]

Gotta agree with ico. Net with ubuntu is super safe.

no it is not
it is as prone as windows is
i think what ICO meant was
keeping your browsing limited to a different environment away from your primary OS
that way if Ubuntu gets infected, your primary OS is still safe

That's why i recommended using Sandboxie with your primary web browser
what it does is operate your browser in a virtual environment with limited privileges
if any malware does creep in it will affect the virtual OS in the sandbox, not the primary OS

And if the OP doesn't want to use any a/v then you must have at least a IQ of 90 and be uber careful in order to dodge threats on your own.

now this is juvenile,
IQ has nothing to do with safety
awareness and prevention does

[Vyom]

Originally Posted by funkysourav

That's why i recommended using Sandboxie with your primary web browser
what it does is operate your browser in a virtual environment with limited privileges

Hmm.. that sounds like a good idea.
So, can you share, how we can do that?

[funkysourav]

Sandboxie - Sandbox software for application isolation and secure Web browsing
download it here
install it
it will automatically detect your browser and create "Sandboxed web browser" shortcut
browse through this secured browser
now note that you can run virtually any unknown or suspicious programs or softwares in sandbox,(via the right click context menu)
this will allow you to deem their true nature
and in case you run a real malware inside sandboxie, it will destroy the current virtual environment(sandbox) not your precious OS

best of all
its free

[ico]

Originally Posted by gameranand

Like gamespot, ign, eurogamer and others but mostly reputated sites.

I think its a good idea. I can switch to ubuntu. Can I work on both simultaneously I mean downloading on ubuntu and playing game on windows. I know it sounds silly and I think its impossible. Isn't it???

If simultaneous is your environment, then install an OS of your choice in Virtual Box and use Internet in it. If Windows XP in VirtualBox gets infected, nothing will happen to the host machine.

Originally Posted by funkysourav

no it is not
it is as prone as windows is
i think what ICO meant was
keeping your browsing limited to a different environment away from your primary OS
that way if Ubuntu gets infected, your primary OS is still safe

Actually it isn't prone as Windows. It is 1000 times more secure than Windows.

Viruses are only there for Windows and they won't infect Ubuntu. Infact they won't run in Ubuntu at all. And the core of Linux is much more secure and stable than Windows. A good example would be, you don't have anything like Registry or I should say "single point of failure" in Linux.

[cute.bandar]

I browse without an antivirus on xp , doing so for years now. It is not a problem as long as you use geeksense. That said I never use my windows PC for anything sensitive like bank or credit card transactions. for those I use ubuntu.
From time to time I run eset online virus cleaner. which always comes clean, unless I do something stupid like run a crack.

[thetechfreak]

Originally Posted by cute.bandar

I browser without an antivirus on xp , doing so for years now. It is not a problem as long as you use geeksense. That said I never use my windows PC for anything sensitive like bank or credit card transactions. for those I use ubuntu.
From time to time I run eset online virus cleaner. which always comes clean, unless I do something stupid like run a crack.

I agree 100 percent. Been doing it for 18 months now. Havent been infected except cracks and keygens.

Stay away from .exe's downloaded from torrents.

Dont download from shady sites.

[gameranand]

@ ico
can't I install two OS and work on them simultaneously. There is no solution for that? You know I play online through hamachi with my close friends. can't it happen that say right now I am using windows and playing game and something is being downloading through torrent in ubuntu. Also I heard that ubuntu have some problems with NTFS file system. If I write on NTFS drives through ubuntu then data might get corrupted or will it harm my ntfs drives?

[ico]

Originally Posted by gameranand

@ ico
can't I install two OS and work on them simultaneously. There is no solution for that? You know I play online through hamachi with my close friends. can't it happen that say right now I am using windows and playing game and something is being downloading through torrent in ubuntu.

You can use VirtualBox like I mentioned. Use the OS installed in VirtualBox/VMWare for browsing.



Having good amount of RAM is recommended.

Originally Posted by gameranand

Also I heard that ubuntu have some problems with NTFS file system. If I write on NTFS drives through ubuntu then data might get corrupted or will it harm my ntfs drives?

It is not the case. I've encountered no problems with my external hard disk which is formatted with NTFS. Infact Ubuntu reads/writes on NTFS faster than Windows as far as my experience is concerned.

[pauldmps]

Isn't it best to install an antivirus & use your PC normally than wasting your time & energy in such workarounds ?

I use Microsoft Security Essentials AV & it has one of the best detection rates & does not cause any noticeable difference in performance on my 5yr old PC.

I too visit legitimate sites but I have been infected from them too. Last time I reported that HindustanTimes.com site is spreading malware. It seems that the ads on that site use Java exploits to download & run malicious files on the PC. MSE immediately detected & cleaned the PC.

So visiting only legitimate site doesn't mean that you won't be affected with malware since most webpages contain content from other websites too.

[ico]

Originally Posted by pauldmps

Isn't it best to install an antivirus & use your PC normally than wasting your time & energy in such workarounds ?

Will have to agree on this.

[Vyom]

Originally Posted by funkysourav

now note that you can run virtually any unknown or suspicious programs or softwares in sandbox,(via the right click context menu)

Hmmm.. Quite useful and Handy thing is this Sandboxie. So, I installed it and tried running. Runs various programs perfectly.
So sandboxie provides virtual environment to a single process and is better than Virtual machine, since there is no need to run Entire OS just for the fear of a single malicious program

But everytime I ran any browser in the sandboxie, I encountered following message, "SBIE2102 File is too large to copy into sandbox: index.dat"
Upon further research, I came to a conclusion that I should increase the "File Migration Limit". And now there is no error, when I increased the size to 100 MB.

Thanks funkysourav. This is going to be useful.

[damngoodman999]

I never use ANTIVIRUS , just only use trojan remover , no probs just run PC fine go ahead !

[gameranand]

@ pauldmps
Brother who wants all these hassles. But the problem is that I use power iso and anti virus deletes the executable of this software. I use C to create my project which are exe files and anti virus deleted them without any warning and I had to make my project again. The worst part is that when I configure it to ask me everytime then there was no option to ignore. You know what I reinstalled my OS and when I scheduled boot time scan it found 5 virus in C drive now how the hell my pc got infected when I didn't installed anything except my goddamn drivers. These are the reasons why I started this thread.

[thetechfreak]

I had virus in my audio drivers.

Solution-
install antivirus before installation then remove.

[funkysourav]

Originally Posted by gameranand

@ pauldmps
Brother who wants all these hassles. But the problem is that I use power iso and anti virus deletes the executable of this software. I use C to create my project which are exe files and anti virus deleted them without any warning and I had to make my project again. The worst part is that when I configure it to ask me everytime then there was no option to ignore. You know what I reinstalled my OS and when I scheduled boot time scan it found 5 virus in C drive now how the hell my pc got infected when I didn't installed anything except my goddamn drivers. These are the reasons why I started this thread.

yes my elder brother was having the same problems
the exe files from c are removed(quarantined)
which antivirus are you using?
Check the quarantine list and if possible Flag them as safe (whitelisting)
I use Avira, it asks me everytime it detects a suspicious file, i can set it it to ignore there depending on the file

[gameranand]

Originally Posted by thetechfreak

I had virus in my audio drivers.

Same Here.

Originally Posted by funkysaurav

which antivirus are you using?

Avast.

Originally Posted by funkysaurav

I use Avira, it asks me everytime it detects a suspicious file, i can set it it to ignore there depending on the file

Really Avira has that option??? How much Ram it uses because I use Avast because it don't requires a lot of resources.

[ico]

Avira is much lighter than Avast.