Is Antivirus Software Really Necessary?
A thread on OSNews popped up recently and I was very surprised to see someone argue that he didn’t need anti-virus protection on Windows. I suggested that it’s simply not worth the risk on Windows - viruses ARE out there, and it’s plain ol’ reckless to just assume you’ll never come in contact with one. However, lots of people seem to agree with him - that the right steps make AV software unnecessary. Read on for more.
The argument started as such: if you’re behind a router and don’t use IE, you’re safe.
Well, of course, this is bunk. There are MANY ways for malware to transverse a router (or even a firewall). So I responded: “Do you use email? Have you EVER allowed an ActiveX control to run? Do you have Java installed? Do you ever run applications you’ve downloaded from the internet?” Surely, this was proof that AV software is a necessary precaution.
But apparently not. It goes on and on, here’s a clip of the thread.
Now, I know from experience that I can run XP for several years with no infection whatsoever. But the facts are there: Windows is capable of making any file “executable” via associations. Recent iPods were shipped with viruses on them! USB thumb drives are more and more common and their whole benefit is portability. Email attachments are a necessity. How can anyone be so obtuse as to believe that Microsoft Windows - a security NIGHTMARE - is somehow better off without AV protection? Furthermore, how can supposedly educated people (it’s OSNews, they probably have computer experience) be so foolish?
Folks - you’re trying to argue that your smarts keep an unprotected system protected, and the best defense is not using the computer to do anything productive. It’s like saying “It’s easy not to get a cold if you know what you’re doing.” Sure it is - provided you don’t leave the house, which makes just about everything in life pointless.
Running Windows without AV protection is irresponsible. That doesn’t mean you’ll get a virus, because if you know what you’re doing, you probably won’t. But you might. So why take the chance?
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In all honesty, my two Windows XP installs (on my laptop and on my desktop) don’t have AV software installed either. I don’t use these two installs very often (I use Linux mainly because Windows can’t have the titlebar buttons arranged MY way nor can it have doubleclick titlebar=minimise), so I never bothered with it. To be frank: I just don’t give a damn. You’re fighting an uphill battle anyway.
I do have anti spyware, though.
You don’t need AV. I think that either using popular freeware or legally-bought software will keep a Windows PC relatively healthy. Then *occasionally* run an antivirus (do not have shields on to the memory at all times), once a month run adaware’s anti-spyware app and be careful what attachments you open with OE. This strategy has kept my XP completely clean of viruses and spyware for years now.
You and I apparently have very different usage patterns. I rarely get executables as mail attachments, and when I do I certainly never run them (not even the ones from my family). I don’t download and run random apps off the internet. I have a very select list of priviledged Java apps and ActiveX controls that I allow to run (flash, online banking, vpn… off the top of my head…). Also, I’m behind a NAT router.
On the other hand, I only keep my WinXP-vmware image running for those pesky sites and programs that don’t function properly on this amd64 Fedora host (primarily youtube
). Also, I dual boot occasionally to play Counter Strike, but my point is that I could use it as my primary environment.
For the record, I don’t believe that I’m really suceptiple to viruses because I consider myself a smart user, but I don’t run without it, because I just think it’s silly NOT to use it.
I get the point. I just don’t think that “because I’m too smart to get a virus” is a good enough reason not to use it when it’s free, unobtrusive, and available.