Big changes in Security Starter Kit 2010
Black Friday is almost upon us, and the steep hardware discounts mean new computers for many. To help you during these tough economic times, we've refreshed the Download.com Security Starter Kit for 2010. Although nothing can replace common-sense browsing, this collection of freeware security tools will help you protect new machines and old from pernicious threats, large and small. Longtime readers will notice that in addition to changing up our recommended antivirus program, we've fleshed out the Web browsing safety category, and made other changes as well. If you're looking for more than freeware security programs, check out the CNET Download.com Windows Starter Kit for 2010.
In this year's version, you can expect to see Avast chosen ahead of AntiVir as our most favored antivirus app. Despite its odd interface, Avast scored higher than any other freeware antivirus in a third-party test, and it doesn't skimp on protection, either, with e-mail, network, rootkit, and behavioral guards along with its top-rated virus protections.
We're still recommending Malwarebytes Anti-Malware for spyware removal, but we've also added PC Tools' standalone ThreatFire as an excellent way to strengthen behavioral detections and prevent spyware from infecting you in the first place. Recent improvements to the program have made it incredibly light on resources, and in our days of empirical testing we didn't notice it slowing down our computers at all.
New this year is the expanded in-browser security category. We've recommended five browsing tools that are available as add-ons, and we took care to make sure that they applied to as many of the major browsers as possible. However, Firefox's deep add-on toolbox makes it naturally the browser with the most diverse collection of security tools, so expect to see it heavily, although not exclusively, represented.
PC Tools' ThreatFire.
(Credit: Screenshot by Seth Rosenblatt/CNET)Firewalls used to be the forefront of security, but now they're just another tool you should have. Microsoft has made the native Windows 7 firewall impressively useful, but we realize that not everybody has Windows 7, and even those who do might want an alternative. This year, Online Armor joins Comodo on the list.
In Encryption, TrueCrypt remains the gold standard. The Thunderbird extension Enigmail joins it as a must-have tool for keeping your private e-mails as you intended them--away from prying eyes. In Parental Control, we've added OnlineFamily.Norton. It's not strictly desktop based, although to use it you must use its desktop hook, called Norton Safety Minder. Symantec has created what looks to be a unique and free approach that includes an emphasis on parental education and attempts to foster parent-child communication about how to use the Internet safely. We're of the opinion that anything that helps parents realize that browsing the Internet is far more than a TV with options is a good thing.
If you disagree with our security and safety choices for the Security Starter Kit, please let us know in the comments below.
Seth peers into the deep, dark corners of software so that you don't have to. He has yet to suffer a single nightmare about OS/2. You can follow him on Twitter. 
A lot of software is Windows 2000 or Windows XP and up now. Hardly anything left for Windows 9X. Can CNet and Downloads.com do an article for Legacy Windows Systems that run Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows ME and software like Unhackme, Avast! Home, Spybot: Search and Destroy, etc for Windows 9X systems that are Legacy Windows Systems. Some people also do Retrocomputing in running old operating systems and hardware, and you'd be amazed that those who still use MS-DOS and Windows 3.X and refuse to upgrade, but hardly any security software still exists for the 16 bit Windows and 16 bit DOS environments anymore.
Just that nobody seems to support Windows 9X via web browsers, shockwave/flash players, PDF readers, Java runtime updates, or even Office software anymore. I think that there may be a market for the commercial software developers to tap into the Legacy Windows Software market, because many Legacy Windows users use IE 5 or 6, or old versions of Netscape, Mozilla, Firefox, etc that don't work with modern web standards. Since the Internet and WWW is supposed to support everyone, the Windows 9X users feel left out in security software, Internet software, and even application software. Can't even get the media players to play the new media formats for Windows 9X, ouch!
They invested time and money into it and are either not in the position or frame of mind to move onward and upwards. I know people who have this frame of mind, and I currently work at a company that is locked into this frame of mind.
I can assure you, they probably don't even know that CNET exists.
On the flip side, I imagine they are probably much safer from viruses and hackers, who won't bother writing code for such ancient machines any longer.
People who choose to stay technologically deficient shouldn't complain about their choice. If you want to use Windows 9X, fine.... just don't complain that the rest of the world has chosen to move on. You lay in the bed you made.
It's sad to think, but within the next 3 to 5 years XP will be too old and will be in the same situation that Win95/98/ME/NT/2000 is.
In my opinion, Microsoft Security Essentials is a really great AV and should also be on the list.
cvonfeldt
(install only one):
1. AVG Free
a. A simple interface (easier to use than Avast! and Avira)
b. Can detect about 82.82% of viruses
Cons: low virus detection
2. Avast!
a. Real-time protection
b. It has an option to delete a virus once found
c. Can detect about 87.46% of viruses.
Cons: Too many icons and confusing user interface
3. Avira AntiVir
a. It can detect malware better than Avast and AVG
b. It?s cute umbrella icon
c. Can detect about 94.26% of viruses
Cons: A very sluggish update
I advise against Norton anti-virus, it?s bloated software that slows your computer down. The best anti-virus available is Kaspersky or NOD32 (recent tests at av-comparatives.org).
Conclusion: The opposite of false positive is false negative. Why over bloat your system, when you can use MSE and Windows FIrewall and leave it at that.
It's time to grow-up and move on to real computing as defined by Mac or Linux. The days of Microbloze are numbered!
Please stop being so ignorant. You're like the average 80 year old trying to talk about the internet. Just stop.
You are like the average 10 year old trying to talk windows when you don't know anything about programming. Simply put: you are totally wrong.
First I want to talk about Apple's lower market share. Macs make up 10% of all computers. PCs make up 90%. Yes that is small, but not that small. If Macs have that much less security embedded in them, then why wouldn't everyone just attack them? After all, the chance of breaking into a Mac are supposedly way higher than cracking a PC.
There are two reasons. The first reason is what you said, but there is also another, better reason for why Macs are safer: Macs are far more close-sourced than any other OS. Not anyone can just make a program for a Mac. To say that if everyone switched to a Mac means that there would be tons of viruses for it is a lie. After all, internet security is only one aspect, which is what you are thinking of. But it is so easy to make a program for Windows and for Linux. Everything is so mainstream and reviewed with Macs that you can trust every program you are running because it isn't just a random program. This is not so for Windows.
So although Windows has way better security than Macs (which is finally changing), Windows is a more intriguing target. It has easier tools to make an app, it has greater returns, and the challenge is intense.
What? you are so full of it.
The mac is a pc its not the hardware that stops viruses,the only difference its the OS inside,its UNIX based,with the free BSD code that apple started to sell without giving any support to opensource.
Mac OSX is not more secure than windows,its a matter of where the money is,and the way the OS works,OSX and Linux are more secure in some way because windows lets anything to install without restrictions,on Linux(that i use) unless you give root access for something to install nothing will harm the system,and OSX its the same(but not on the same level as Linux).
But there is always vulnerabilities that Crackers or Hackers can explore with exploits and user stupidity.
Besides windows is where the money is,if you are going to waste your time,money and possibly freedom,its better to take the money from where you will be sure you will get success.
If OSX would have in the future more market than windows you would see a big jump on UNIX malware.
And one more thing the most secure OS its Linux,not just because of the system itself but because all the software you download its from reposytories,that are checked before they put them there.
Thinking that an OS is unbreakable its naive and stupid,but yes i can agree Unix systems are more secure in some way,but they are not unbreakable not even close.
1)avira antivir free - antivirus
2)comodo - firewall
3)malwarebytes - antispyware
4)ccleaner
and you're good to go
I run a computer store and this is what I tell all my customers, not to worry about any garbagey security software and to concern yourself with making sure your data is backed up, because that is the only thing on your computer that is irreplaceable.
I have recently installed Microsoft Security Essentials on customer's computers, because it is very lightweight, non harrasive, and counts as an antivirus so Windows security center stops popping up.
Why has there never been an article on CNet that tells this truth of how security software is mind games full of false peace of mind. Oh, probably because they'd #&%&-off their numerous advertisers that have taken people's money for years with promises of "security".
Your first mistake is using IE. The thing should be tagged malware in all these antiviruses as far as I'm concerned. But what you talk about is actually possible. Just get the NoScript firefox add-on, and you'll limit most of these intrusions you talk about. Oh and switch to a decent email client like Gmail.
And the reason to back up your files, is not to avoid hackers etc. The reason is to avoid being screwed when your harddrive crashes.
-Andrew
Founder
http://styleguidance.com
- by terrawarra November 30, 2009 7:19 PM PST
- Haven't any of you heard of "sandboxie",.. it kinda makes all of this top security software unnecessary.
- Like this Reply to this comment
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(35 Comments)Trying to get everybody agreeing on the "best" antivirus, firewall or anti-spyware product is near impossible. It's like asking a Ford man to change over to Toyota or vice-versa. Seriously, if you're happy with your security set- up, then let it be. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.