What do you think?

Do I need an antivirus?

Here's my setup:

Windows XP Pro

No ISP/POP3 email or news accounts and no addressbook

Webmail with host antivirus (Yahoo with Norton)

Opera with no Java (no ActiveX, of course)

No file downloads only

Windows XP firewall and DSL gateway hardware firewall

Weekly online virus scan with TrendMicro Housecall

Weekly online trojan scan with Asquared

Weekly spyware scan with Spy Audit

I've been running this way for 6 months without any security incident. I am beginning to believe I really don't need an antivirus. What do you think?

 

Hey CheapSkate

Getting an AV is a personal preference. If you feel you are completely safe and you have had a good track record, then keep doing what you've been doing.

I personally recommend having at least 1 real-time monitor to protect your system because, even though you don't download anything or use POP3 email, it is still possible to get a "Drive-by" infection, meaning you had some site that was bad throw something on your computer when it loaded. This is just my opinion.

Do whatever helps you sleep at night

 

I think you have a false sense of security, impending doom heading you way, just a matter of time...

Cheers

 

I would say it depends on what you have on your computer, and what you do on your computer.

For example :

1. If you never surf to dubious sites...well, i've known people to go for years without getting infected and without any protection (except firewall), but they only visited a very select few sites (I'm sure there's some 'luck' in this, but no idea what the percentage is)

2. Do you do internet banking or buy things online? If so, the last thing you want is a keylogger on your system...and weekly scans aren't going to be much help there.

3. Do you care if you have to reformat your computer? (sometimes easier/quicker if you can't clean an infection yourself)

Personally if there's no real risk to you personally, and you don't mind spending time fixing an infection (if/when one occurs), then I don't see why you should need more security.

 

Thank you for all the replies. I can see why one would want an antivirus running because of the information received above. I guess I have been very fortunate not to have had some sort of infection. I just hate to have memory and cpu cycles used for something I might not need but, then again, I have auto insurance and never had the occassion to use it either. I guess I will look at some of the less memory intensive AV's out there. Thanks again for your replies and insights.

 

I surf all over the place and my AV has never warned me of anything, ever! Other than what I've purposefully download to my desktop and scanned.

I agree with you though, sometimes I feel like I don't even need my AV. But I do recommend you have an anti-virus though because your better safe than sorry in my opinion, and sorry you'll be if you do get a nasty virus.

There are many good free AV's available, if you don't want to pay for one. Some are AVG, Antivir, BitDefender, & Avast and with a name like CheapSkate, it sounds like that would be right up your alley.

 

I've gone for years without having to call the ambulance or fire brigade......
.....but gee I'm glad they're there IF I ever need them!