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Most Users Think They Have AntiVirus Protection, While Only Half Do

Posted by Zonk on from the watch-yourself-in-this-neck-of-the-woods dept.

SkiifGeek writes "A survey carried out by McAfee and the NCSA found that while more than 90% of users believed that they were protected by antivirus or antimalware products that were updated at least once a week, only 51% actually were. 'Even with significantly growing awareness by everyday users of the need for efficient and effective antivirus / antimalware software, and the increasing market penetration achieved by the security industry, the nature of rapidly evolving Information Security threats means that the baseline of protection is outstripping the ability of users to keep up (without some form of extra help).' The study is available online in PDF format. What sort of an effect does this sort of thinking, and practice, have on the overall security of your systems, networks, and efforts to educate?"

8 of 294 comments (clear)

  1. Re:How is this new? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

    modding the fp redundant is my favorite pastime

  2. I don't understand... by Spy+der+Mann · · Score: 5, Funny

    I downloaded this antivirus from this webpage that told me "YOUR COMPUTER IS INFECTED! DOWNLOAD FREE ANTIVIRUS!".
    Why do I keep getting popups? :(

  3. To be fair... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Etch-A-Sketch doesn't actually need anti-virus.

    1. Re:To be fair... by Dunbal · · Score: 3, Funny

      Etch-A-Sketch doesn't actually need anti-virus.

      If your Etch-A-Sketch is shared between 2 or more kids, you can bet that viruses will be shared among them. There's nothing more infested than a toddler.

      --
      Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
  4. I never run any anti-virus... by Lost+Penguin · · Score: 5, Funny

    I can't get that stuff to run under WINE.

    --
    I am the unwilling control for my Origin.
  5. Re:How can that be? Easy by Dunbal · · Score: 4, Funny

    My wife's computer at work has a secretary account and an administrator account.

          So tell, me what will happen the day you catch the secretary account in bed with the administrator account??? This sounds better than a soap opera!

    --
    Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
  6. Re:How is this new? by Hal_Porter · · Score: 2, Funny

    I remember seeing this article a week ago. So yeah, how IS this new? That was the trial version of the article. Now we need to pay or stop talking about it.
    --
    echo -e 'global _start\n _start:\n mov eax, 2\n int 80h\n jmp _start' > a.asm; nasm a.asm -f elf; ld a.o -o a;
  7. Re:TAG IT: WINDOZE by mdwh2 · · Score: 2, Funny

    No worries on Linux or Mac OS X.

    No worries on Linux or Mac OS X or Commodore 64.

    Anyway, my home systems of 3 Windows boxes are sitting fine without worry too. In fact, I've never had a virus on Windows.