Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Unsticking Yourself From Your Security Application

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the i-can't-even-unstick-from-their-spam-lists dept.

Ant writes "In Scott Dunn's Windows Secrets, he describes his informal tests of well-known computer security vendors when it comes to subscriptions and renewals. These days, most antivirus and other security products come with a subscription to update your virus definitions. He also explains ways to opt-out, users' comments, etc. Seen in EGeezer's Broadband/DSL Reports security forum thread. Always read those end user license agreements (EULAs)."

4 of 97 comments (clear)

  1. Re:But why do we need these in the first place? by Flibberdy · · Score: 2, Informative

    I agree with you on the front of not downloading useless 3rd party applications (User education is paramount to stopping malware) but not installing Windows updates is completely ridiculous. Sure, waiting for bugs to be ironed out is one thing, but leaving your already flaky copy of Windows with unpatched vulns is ridiculous.

  2. Re:But why do we need these in the first place? by StonyCreekBare · · Score: 3, Informative

    I didn't say I leave it unpatched. I just don't allow Microsoft to decide what patches I need or when I need them.

  3. Re:But why do we need these in the first place? by Creepy+Crawler · · Score: 4, Informative

    I'd say that is inadequate.

    Ive got mod points, but comments are more important than mods.

    1. First thing I do is disable all call-home nags from Windows, along with setting my timeserver to something local. As a default configuration, my machine has no need to go to the net. I also free up unused services that gobble ram (desktop switching gunk).

    2. I then install any sort of device drivers that I might need. These include for me are: VNC video driver, Daemon Tools (for mounting isos and other images).

    3. Then I install AVG and run it as non-resident. I know what to scan and what not to scan, so I target objects that are questionable. I also might download a decent firewall, but I'd like something with the rulesets like ipfw or iptables. I will also get AdAware for busting the few things I might get.

    4. Lastly, I then install the utility apps. Thats my biggest time right there. Ill give a list.

    a. Open Office
    b. Firefox, Thunderbird, necessary plugins
    c. Abiword (much quicker version of "open office")
    d. portaputty
    e. XMing
    f. VNCserver (if I hadn't already installed it)
    g. Winamp Pre-AOL version
    h. VideoLAN
    i. TOR
    j. Bunch of emulators with plenty-o-roms. NES/SNES/N64/MAME/PSX sure beats 'web games'.
    k. Azureus/BitTyrant (both really good bittorrent clients and servers)
    l. Video Codecs and a hacked version of VirtualDub (watching corrupt vids)
    m. DVD shrink (for sneakernet of a vid I like)
    n. Possibly Cygwin (mainly for RSYNC and DD for tough to deal with problems). Scripting in a GUI environment doesnt work well. Instead, use VBscript.
    o. Something to read PDF's. I prefer Ghostscript.

    Thats it in a nutshell.

    --
  4. Just use a 'one-time' credit card number. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    That's how I handle subscription services when I want to try them out. I just generate a temporary credit card number for x months, good for the amount I need to cover that timeframe, and use that. Once the time is up, no more autorenewals, no cancellation hassles, no fuss, no muss. They can't bill me anymore, so they ax the subscription. If I find something I want to stick with, I change my billing to a permanent card before the temporary card dies.

    I imagine you could also do the opposite if you become dissatsified with a subscription service, and easily cancel by changing your billing method from a permanent credit card number to a temporary one, though I've never had to use that tactic.

    ~Philly