Right now, I have ClamWinPortable as an emergency antivirus on my thumbdrive, But I would like to know if there are better, faster programs out there. Anyone know a few?
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Do you like space games? I like space games. You should check out Starsector!
Umm....why? Just why, I don't understand your reasoning here. Why would you ever need emergency antivirus, why not just keep anti-virus on your portable device?
Please explain your reasoning because my mind is spinning in circles.
Umm....why? Just why, I don't understand your reasoning here. Why would you ever need emergency antivirus, why not just keep anti-virus on your portable device?
Please explain your reasoning because my mind is spinning in circles.
Honestly. Have you ever had a computer infected with a virus? Usually a virus will disable any antivirus programs on a computer in order to prevent it from being removed. But having a portable antivirus on a thumb drive can solve that.
I simply want to know if there are better, faster programs I could use.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Do you like space games? I like space games. You should check out Starsector!
Umm....why? Just why, I don't understand your reasoning here. Why would you ever need emergency antivirus, why not just keep anti-virus on your portable device?
Please explain your reasoning because my mind is spinning in circles.
To add to what OP said, sometimes a computer-illiterate friend or relative gets a virus and asks you to help.
Usually a virus will disable any antivirus programs on a computer in order to prevent it from being removed.
this is just plain WRONG.
First off, if a virus even get's to the point where any part of it can execute- the AV program has failed at it's task, since it is supposed to prevent that. the AV program is supposed to see that "oh hey, this program that matches this particular heuristic is starting" suspend the process before WinMain(), and present any appropriate dialog, forcing an ExitProcess() if the task is aborted/quarantined, etc.
If the virus is able to disable the AV program, than there is no reason for it to disable the AV program, since obviously the fact that it was able to do so meant that the AV program was ****ing useless.
Typically, AV and other protection software is disabled by trojans, which is the delivery system used to install backdoors. Why? Because they are usually plopped onto other software in an installer, or something, and installers generally require root access, and in order to make the appropriate changes the changes have to be done from the SYSTEM account (for most AV programs). Also, many installers (badly designed ones, I might lament) often require a reboot, which means that the trojan can install it's various evil drivers, disable any AV, and then when the computer reboots it has full control of the reigns.
Of course, that entire scenario can be prevented by using the tool I depicted above, but unfortunately people seem to think they need some piece of software that acts as nothing more than a glorified blacklist to protect them, when often the former will do just fine. I speak, more specifically, not against the task of Anti-Virus scanning in particular but more about using an AV as a safety net; instead of thinking "golly gee, I wonder if this download of 'GTA.exe' that is 40KB is legitimate" people will double-click on them and let the AV program let them know about problems. That's stupid. 'On-Demand' (background) scanning, and the reliance thereof, slows down systems and is a ****ing pain in the ass, often causing more problems than they solve (no duh, they are doing the exact same **** a virus often does). More to the point, the AV program is just a fancy blacklist and by definition it's not going to be 100% accurate, so while Mr.HeyThisIsObviouslyATrojan didn't click the executable at all because he has a few brain cells and decided to employ them for something other than keeping each other company in an otherwise empty cranium, Mr.ItsOKIHaveAnAV decided "I'll run every application I download with no regard for security since I have a Anti-Virus program and am protected decided it was a good idea. Best case scenario his AV picks it up.
Which brings me to another point, What the **** is up with AV programs these days. it seems that the developers spend more time making flashy pointless skins and animations and other completely irrelevant ******** than they do actually working on the functional part of the program. What makes this worse is that the AV programs often add to users sense of security with such badly worded verbiage as "Your system is PROTECTED" or "Super secureguard ON" and other completely meaningless ********. Saying those things is pretty much the equivalent of saying you're protected if you use a sieve as a condom.
I use AV programs, but only for scanning; they run when I want them to, not in the background opening files like some drunken mother rifling through their sons belongings for no reason. I TOLD YOU I DIDN'T WEAR YOUR DRESSES. NOW STOP DRINKING. GOD DAMMIT that was GRANDMOTHER'S VASE!.... oh err, sorry. But, what I mean is, I want the AV program to, you know, scan for viruses. Not look pretty. Wearing a dress doesn't prevent infection, trust me, I know from experience.
I keep a bootable LIVE disk of Ubuntu Linux on it. And installed on THAT I have a few system management tools, including AVAST for Linux, which is free for non-commercial use.
When fixing computers, I look like I'm from the future when I whip a USB connector out of my watch, boot into a system environment that never fails to impress, scan the system for viruses, then restart into a virus-free Windows.
Then my beard glows, and I hover off the ground, fire a portal into the nearest wall and disappear, but not before tossing a single red rose behind, leaving the gorgeous woman I was assisting weak in the knees.
Please explain your reasoning because my mind is spinning in circles.
Honestly. Have you ever had a computer infected with a virus? Usually a virus will disable any antivirus programs on a computer in order to prevent it from being removed. But having a portable antivirus on a thumb drive can solve that.
I simply want to know if there are better, faster programs I could use.
To add to what OP said, sometimes a computer-illiterate friend or relative gets a virus and asks you to help.
Sure.
Also:
this is just plain WRONG.
First off, if a virus even get's to the point where any part of it can execute- the AV program has failed at it's task, since it is supposed to prevent that. the AV program is supposed to see that "oh hey, this program that matches this particular heuristic is starting" suspend the process before WinMain(), and present any appropriate dialog, forcing an ExitProcess() if the task is aborted/quarantined, etc.
If the virus is able to disable the AV program, than there is no reason for it to disable the AV program, since obviously the fact that it was able to do so meant that the AV program was ****ing useless.
Typically, AV and other protection software is disabled by trojans, which is the delivery system used to install backdoors. Why? Because they are usually plopped onto other software in an installer, or something, and installers generally require root access, and in order to make the appropriate changes the changes have to be done from the SYSTEM account (for most AV programs). Also, many installers (badly designed ones, I might lament) often require a reboot, which means that the trojan can install it's various evil drivers, disable any AV, and then when the computer reboots it has full control of the reigns.
Of course, that entire scenario can be prevented by using the tool I depicted above, but unfortunately people seem to think they need some piece of software that acts as nothing more than a glorified blacklist to protect them, when often the former will do just fine. I speak, more specifically, not against the task of Anti-Virus scanning in particular but more about using an AV as a safety net; instead of thinking "golly gee, I wonder if this download of 'GTA.exe' that is 40KB is legitimate" people will double-click on them and let the AV program let them know about problems. That's stupid. 'On-Demand' (background) scanning, and the reliance thereof, slows down systems and is a ****ing pain in the ass, often causing more problems than they solve (no duh, they are doing the exact same **** a virus often does). More to the point, the AV program is just a fancy blacklist and by definition it's not going to be 100% accurate, so while Mr.HeyThisIsObviouslyATrojan didn't click the executable at all because he has a few brain cells and decided to employ them for something other than keeping each other company in an otherwise empty cranium, Mr.ItsOKIHaveAnAV decided "I'll run every application I download with no regard for security since I have a Anti-Virus program and am protected decided it was a good idea. Best case scenario his AV picks it up.
Which brings me to another point, What the **** is up with AV programs these days. it seems that the developers spend more time making flashy pointless skins and animations and other completely irrelevant ******** than they do actually working on the functional part of the program. What makes this worse is that the AV programs often add to users sense of security with such badly worded verbiage as "Your system is PROTECTED" or "Super secureguard ON" and other completely meaningless ********. Saying those things is pretty much the equivalent of saying you're protected if you use a sieve as a condom.
I use AV programs, but only for scanning; they run when I want them to, not in the background opening files like some drunken mother rifling through their sons belongings for no reason. I TOLD YOU I DIDN'T WEAR YOUR DRESSES. NOW STOP DRINKING. GOD DAMMIT that was GRANDMOTHER'S VASE!.... oh err, sorry. But, what I mean is, I want the AV program to, you know, scan for viruses. Not look pretty. Wearing a dress doesn't prevent infection, trust me, I know from experience.
I keep a bootable LIVE disk of Ubuntu Linux on it. And installed on THAT I have a few system management tools, including AVAST for Linux, which is free for non-commercial use.
When fixing computers, I look like I'm from the future when I whip a USB connector out of my watch, boot into a system environment that never fails to impress, scan the system for viruses, then restart into a virus-free Windows.
Then my beard glows, and I hover off the ground, fire a portal into the nearest wall and disappear, but not before tossing a single red rose behind, leaving the gorgeous woman I was assisting weak in the knees.