Computer Security

[Andrewcook]

As I've now been looking at New AntiVirus as to having Bullguard that has all the Security credentials that's including Mobile Laptops Kindle and Computers as to this other one I still got can only Secure Three off my equipment is  called MacAfee I will be ditching very shortly. 

[Turnoar]

I would avoid Sputnik version 5 Andrew!

[Cheesey69]

Or don’t bother. Don’t open dodgy emails, use windows defender. 
paypal for online purchases or credit card. 
 

[FairTmiddlin]

Lots of computer techs say to me, save your money and use Windows Defender. After all it's made by the same people who make the interface. Updates come every tuesday.

[TheQ]

I work for a multinational company spread round the world, computers everywhere, I use 2 regularly and use up to another dozen,  have 4 running at the moment..  

The company uses... Windows defender..

[Cheesey69]

Just my belief and I’ve been around computers since zx81 (for the oldies) is that anti virus programs are a sort of easy income for those that believe in the classic image of hackers sitting in darkened rooms trying to break into your computer. 
They really don’t. 
Viruses have to be invited in, usually via email and even then, defender won’t let any program open up a system file. 
Enable windows update. 
Use a mix of numbers and letters for wireless codes on your router or hub. Don’t leave the password as it comes.  Don’t use any whole words or use date of birth. Your not that unique. 
Don’t use free wireless points. 
Use a credit card that covers any online purchases at any pay level (American express)

use PayPal or Apple Pay. No one sees your details then. 
If you deal with an unfamiliar company, check it out. If they take PayPal your covered. Don’t open accounts remain as a guest. No details stored then

open a new banking account just for online stuff and tap to pay use. Then if cloned it will only go so far and not hurt your main account. 
most online fraud is when hackers break into big businesses and that’s their problem

never download anything from an email, insurance companies and the like will send you a link that requires a previous set password and or code. 

[Meantime]

5 minutes ago, Cheesey69 said:

use PayPal or Apple Pay. No one sees your details then. 
If you deal with an unfamiliar company, check it out. If they take PayPal your covered. Don’t open accounts remain as a guest. No details stored then

A word of warning when using Paypal to pay for items with a credit card linked to Paypal.

Section 75 of the credit act means that the credit card company is equally liable along with the retailer when you make purchases costing between £100 and £30,000, which is useful if something goes wrong or the retailer goes bust. However you need to be aware that section 75 does not extend to agencies or indirect relationships. If you use Paypal to make the purchase you break the direct relationship between you, the retailer and the credit card company and section 75 protection no longer applies.

Incidentally the same is also true for purchases made on Amazon Marketplace where Amazon take the payment, they are acting as an agency and again you then have an indirect relationship with the end seller.

Paypal have recently introduced their own product Paypal credit, and if making purchases using that you are fully protected by section 75.

[YnysMon]

My son Harry has had a couple of bad experiences with non-UK online sellers, but as he'd paid by Paypal he reported the incidents and got his money back.

[FairTmiddlin]

The biggest leak of personal data is done by the person themselves.

Facebook (other platforms are available) is one of the biggest farming areas of the web. All those innocent post that people answer in hopes of helping a poor child, finding out what their birthflower is or how many of the following have you done.

All of the above are farming answers to the usual questions asked as verification on websites. Would you knowingly give a scammer all of the answers to your security questions?  If the answer is no, stop answering random posts on places like Facebook. And as for the thousands of people who fall for all the unbelievable giveaways. Stop it is farming gulible people into accepting freinds request from scammers.

People wonder why their Facebook accounts get hacked?????????????

[PaulN]

I will take the above advice and start using windows defender, but I don't seem to be able to find what looks like a genuine website using that name. It seems to come up under the names of various companies offering windows defender. Which site should I be using to download the software please?

[rightsaidfred]

If you have Windows it should already be loaded as part of the package.

Fred

[PaulN]

3 minutes ago, rightsaidfred said:

If you have Windows it should already be loaded as part of the package.

Fred

Thanks, just had a look at my programmes and it's not there. I'm still using Windows 7 Professional, as I much prefer it to what came after.

[grendel]

on windows 10 its under windows administrative tools

[oldgregg]

7 hours ago, TheQ said:

I work for a multinational company spread round the world, computers everywhere, I use 2 regularly and use up to another dozen,  have 4 running at the moment..  

The company uses... Windows defender..

But what does the company have in place to secure its network / VPN and avoid infected client machines?

[rightsaidfred]

2 hours ago, PaulN said:

Thanks, just had a look at my programmes and it's not there. I'm still using Windows 7 Professional, as I much prefer it to what came after.

I am no expert but as windows 7 is now obsolete and unsupported I doubt defender is a viable option without access to the constant  updated protection, I use Malwarebytes and have never had a problem.

Fred

[grendel]

well looking on my win7 machine its running microsoft security essentials, which is built in, but doesnt appear on the program list, its in the taskbar off down the right, it also appears from the list in control panel

[grendel]

according to my win 7 computer, defender updated its virus list earlier today., so it obviously still is supported

[grendel]

malwarebytes and other anti virus software slowed my computers to the point they were not useable, I do run one of my laptops with no antivirus, and have never had a problem with it, (it does run an obscure linux version though)

[rightsaidfred]

I won't pretend to be as knowledgeable as others here although I have been using computers since the 1980s, I have  run Malwarebytes for around 12 years now and never found it a problem and it has offered good protection when watching football etc.

Fred

[BroadAmbition]

Me and the family / some mates use 'Bitdefender'  Been happy with it to date

Now I will state her and now that we use that one on strength of a recommend from someone in the know, I am as far removed from as 'Being in the know' as it is possible to be - If that makes any sense

Griff

[TheQ]

15 hours ago, oldgregg said:

But what does the company have in place to secure its network / VPN and avoid infected client machines?

No Idea, that's all handled by a contracted company who does out IT..

[Alpo]

Is Microsoft Security Essentials still updated and supported? It was my understanding that it is now defunct.

Genuine Defender can be downloaded from Microsoft's website I believe.

I use Defender myself and have had no issues with it.

[PaulN]

On 26/07/2021 at 18:22, grendel said:

well looking on my win7 machine its running microsoft security essentials, which is built in, but doesnt appear on the program list, its in the taskbar off down the right, it also appears from the list in control panel

Thank you Grendel, good advice as usual