If anti-virus doesn't work, how would you know? lol
 

Ok, so like so many others out there, I've been using norton anti-Virus for several years now. I've been very happy with the results of the product up until now....

A couple of weeks ago I was surfing, working, and doing school work all at once on my computer. As I typed away on work stuff, one of my open browsers starts flashing, then a message box appears. Of course, it pops to focus just as I hit the enter key, and the OK button on the message box was "clicked" before I even got a chance to read things... DOH!! We all know what happens next.

So after dealing with the 10-20 odd pop-ups (never a problem before this) I quickly realize what that message box was all about.
So I run Norton Anti-v...nothing.
Adaware...nothing.
Spybot....nothing.
Mcafee's online scanner....nothing.

The pop-ups abound. Frustration ensues. Hit...head...on....keyboard.

So I just get used to the occasional random pop-ups. Hey, I'm a busy guy, I've got work to do! Last night I was in my msconfig messing with startup items, and I run across a launch process called alchem.exe.... curious.

SO.... after the obvious research, and being about ready to call Norton and cuss them out, I run across a post about AVG. I install it, and right after re-boot...BAM!... AVG says "YOU'VE GOT A TROJAN STUPID!...no wait...YOU'VE GOT TWO TROJANS STUPID!" Dammit. *suddenly feeling less like the ubber geek I though I was*

SO... long story long.... to anyone running norton anti-virus, DUMP IT, and go here: http://www.grisoft.com/

:crazy: :crazy:

Only issue with AVG that I've had is they haven't updated it as much as I'd like. But I definately like it because it wasn't as intrusive as a copy of Norton I used to have was.

This was added to Norton's virus definition on March 24. Just out of curiosity, when was the last time you updated your Norton Virus deffinitions?

Update checks are *were* set to run on a daily basis. I looked and my Vdefs were up to date. Norton just simply missed the trojan when I scanned the drive.

I actually got the info on alchem.exe off of Symantec's web site! lol

Check your hosts file, too. I had one guy, he had a bunch of spyware (searchx.cc home page, etc) and one of the things it did was add entries to his host file that redirected adaware updates, and I think Liveupdate to the 127.0.0.X range....prevented updates from running properly.

I think it was McAfee who used to provide some sort of a text line you placed into a txt file and when you ran a scanner on it it showed up as a EICAR test file (i think that was the name) i wonder if that is still around to see if you scanner was workin

I have built applications that checks my hosts file on a daily basis and notifies me if changes are made to it. It also deletes changes made to my hosts file if I tell it to.

And herer it is:

X5O!P%@AP[4\PZX54(P^)7CC)7}$EICAR-STANDARD-ANTIVIRUS-TEST-FILE!$H+H*

Copy this string into a text editor and save it. Run your antivirus software and it should catch it as the EICAR virsu or EICAR test string.

I had a *huge* problem with AVG about a year ago, when a virus took it over. My computer was basically slowly disintegrating from this virus, and AVG wasn't doing anything. I didn't know until my computer decided to restart over 20 times in an hour..when it recovered I installed and ran another virus scanner and found that AVG had been infected and my computer was in a terrible state.

Since then I use "eTrust Antivirus" (http://www.my-etrust.com/) which is also what they use here at MicroSoft. If its good enough for them, its good enough for me. ;)

I also run monthly scans using housecall as well.

you got it hrdwareguy thats what it was, and norton grabbed it and dleted it for me soon as i saved it and ran it to check so that does work and is a way for everyone to check their shit out after updating installing something to see if its working

hmmm, so how many people here run more than one anti-v prog at the same time? By what you guys are saying, I need norton, AVG, and etrust running all at the same time......??

you can't (or shouldn't) have more than one anti-virus program installed. that's what i've been taught.

i think the sum of all the answers is: when in doubt, use another anti-virus to "get a second opinion".

i say, keep one anti-virus, and periodically run an online scan (housecall, symantec's, or mcafee's....) just to be sure that your anti-virus hasn't been compromised.

i run e-trust, but i also do monthly scans by housecall - which isn't an installed program. Since it is an online scanner, there are no conflicts between the two.

I don't run any anit virus programs. They are just placebos anyways. System resource hogs also. Just don't open attachments that you don't know, use Firefox and Thunderbird, and you should have no problems.