Symantec’s SMB director for the Pacific Region Steve Martin says crooks have duped millions of customers into buying fake security software products. And the middlemen peddling the dodgy wares have grown fat on the proceeds.

At best the programs do nothing to protect computers from viruses and other threats. However, some of the fraudulent applications on offer contain malicious code which can give crooks access to data or worse.

Martin warns the companies selling these programs online have a plausible-sounding sales pitch. In some cases they place advertising with Google and other ad networks. But more often visitors to web sites stumble across pop-ups delivering what looks like a legitimate message telling people their web site security needs updating.

Perhaps the most frightening aspect of the scam is the way people are lead to a safe-looking payment page asking for credit card and other details. Many unwitting consumers who have handed over these details find their private information is then passed on to other crooks who can extract more money from their accounts.

Symantec’s warning stems from an internally produced study report on rogue computer software.

Microsoft Security Essentials

Ideally I would like to try Microsoft’s new free Security Essentials, but I’m in New Zealand and locked out from the official download site. Yes, I know there are ways around the lock-out, but I’m aiming to stay ethical. If you know how I can get hold of a legitimate copy please leave a comment or use the contact page.

Avast

When I installed Windows 7 RC on my computers I loaded Norton Internet Security 2010 beta on the desktop and a free desktop security application from Avast on my Thinkpad. We also tried AVG’s free anti-virus software on my wife’s Thinkpad.

Both free anti-virus programs are fully functional and seem to handle most everyday security requirements. We’re behind a NAT firewall and we keep out machines clean, so our security needs are basic. The features not included in the free versions of the programs are of no interest to me, however I would like the ability schedule Avast to scan my laptop at regular intervals.

Avast appears to do a better job at hunting down problems, but AVG has a better user interface. Nevertheless, we’ve now standardised on Avast on our laptops because the software appears easier to deal with and, let’s face it, when it comes to this kind of work a good brain trumps a pretty face.

Both programs impose less of a performance overhead than Symantec’s Norton Internet Security 2010 beta – but that wouldn’t be hard. Their overhead is so small it is barely noticeable.

Downside of free anti-virus

There are downsides to the free anti-virus programs. Both are surprisingly difficult to find and download. That’s because to some extent they are hidden behind paid-for products from the same companies. And both tend to nag about updating – in ways that send you off to pay for versions of the software.

Of course, developers have to eat. I’m not complaining, the price of free security software is a small annoyance. Or to put it another way, there’s no such thing as a free lunch. On a point by point basis Avast seems less of a problem than AVG – but this could be perception and not reality.

One downside of the free software asking for updates and not automatically scanning is it  feels as if the PC lacks proper protection. For some reason this appeared to be more the case on my desktop than on my less frequently used Thinkpad.

Panda Cloud Anti-virus

For now I’m sticking with Avast on my Thinkpad and we’ve switched from AVG to Avast on my wife’s Thinkpad. But Avast didn’t feel satisfactory on my main desktop, so I searched for an alternative and discovered Panda Cloud Anti-virus.

Panda Cloud Anti-virus looks and feels very different from all other security software. Rather than chew up your computer’s performance doing all its anti-virus processing Panda is a software-as-a-service application that sends data about dangerous looking files to its own servers for closer inspection. This means there is no perceptible performance overhead. It also means the checking database is always bang up-to-date.

Panda is still a work in progress. Or more to the point, a beta. But unlike Symantec’s beta, it seems fully functional. I’ve run Panda Cloud Anti-virus for roughly one month without any problems. My biggest fear is I never hear from the program, so I need to check to see it is running – which it always is.

Given the ease at which Panda slips into the background, to the point where it is unnoticeable, I’d have to say this is the most promising security tool I have found so far.

See also:
Norton’s Windows 7 beta – security update

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Norton Internet Security has been my main PC protection in recent years. I’ve a few minor criticisms, but for the most part it has done a good job guarding my desktop, laptop and my wife’s laptop. The computers run Windows XP and Vista.

One problem worth mentioning is PC performance drops a few percent while the program is running – which is all the time. A small performance hit really doesn’t matter when I’m surfing the web or using Microsoft Word. It is noticeable when there’s heavy duty video, audio or Photoshop processing. Read the rest of this entry »

CEO magazine reports on survey by the Ponemon Institute and sponsored by Symantec says 59 percent of sacked workers admitted stealing company data and a whopping 67 percent used their ex-company’s confidential information to help secure a new job.

The story has a lot of information about the nature of the data theft — CDs, memory sticks and sending out emails. It also talks about their job descriptions and industry sectors. At a guess I’d say all the respondents were in the USA, although this isn’t made clear any where. I’d like to know the nature of the stolen information. Are we talking customer databases, financial details etc or is are people pinching minor things?

Incidentally it reminds me of something I learnt as a young journalist in my first job. If you purchased your own address book (I had a leather-bound Filofax) and used that to store all your contact details, then it wouldn’t be regarded as theft when you left your job. On the other hand, if you put your contacts in a company-owned book or card index it would have to stay behind. Of course, a journalists’ contact book is one of his or her most valuable possessions.

CIO > More than half of fired workers steal data on way out.

Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2009

Although at NZ$55* for a downloaded version it is one of the most expensive standalone antivirus programs on sale in New Zealand, Kaspersky is the most effective. The company is also quickest off the mark when it comes to delivering updates to protect customers against the latest emerging threats. The program is one of the easiest to use with a polished user interface and clearly labelled options – though you’ll have to set up its scheduled scan yourself. I’ve not tested Kaspersky’s Internet Security 2009.

* When I visited the online store points New Zealand customers to an Australian site where the download price is A$55.

http://www.kasperskyanz.com.au/

Symantec Norton Internet Security 2009

The best-known name in PC security combines a first-rate antivirus program that also pounces on spyware with a solid firewall in its security suite.

All the security functions are accessible from a control centre which clearly shows when something’s wrong – clicking this will normally fix things in a jiffy. If you run a home network, you can inspect the security settings of all computers from a single screen.

Norton Internet Security 2009 will slow your machine a tad, but in practice I find it far less disruptive than McAfee’s products and a noticeable improvement on earlier versions of the Norton software. Norton also stays out-of-the-way when you are working. At A$99 or NZ$99 to protect three home computers the price is good too.

http://www.symantec.com

Trend Micro HouseCall

If you’ve been slack with your computer security and suddenly feel under threat Trend Micro’s Housecall (http://housecall.trendmicro.com) is a free web-based antivirus and spyware service that can check your system for problems and then fix them. It works with both Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox, you simply download some code and then set it to work in your browser while you get on with other tasks. It works just like any other antispyware product and is at least as good at finding nasty software. While using HouseCall isn’t as safe as having security software running on your machine, it is a great quick fix.

Kaspersky offers an alternative online scanner at http://www.kaspersky.com/virusscanner. It works fine, but can be  tricky if you’re running Windows Vista as you have to open your browser in administrator mode. That’s a non-trivial road block.

McAfee Total Protection 2009

In the past McAfee’s security tools haven’t been the best. I’ve found them to deliver less than first-rate protection while slowing down my computer and getting in the way of everyday work. What’s more, the company seems heavy-handed about extracting money from customers with pop-ups and constant email reminders.

And to cap it all, McAfee’s products are expensive. Total Protection 2009 costs A$130 in Australia and NZ$130 for customers buying direct from the web site. Computer stores often sell it for less but the rival programs are cheaper and have a better track record so why risk it? While I haven’t had the chance to test McAfee Total Protection 2009 personally, the marketing blurb says its simpler to user and uses fewer resources. It’s not the product I’d choose, but there are people who swear by McAfee.

http://au.mcafee.com/

Avast Antivirus

Avast is free for home users. It’s a price you can’t argue with. Business users are expect to pay, but prices are low in comparison to other antivirus options. It’s a light program and uses hardly any computer resources which means it won’t slow you down. It’s also simple enough for non-technical people to use without being bamboozled. You’ll get regular automatic updates as required too.

http://www.avast.com/

AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition 8.0

As the name suggests, the price tag on AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition 8.0 is a big fat zero. Unlike Avast, AVG makes the free version harder to find on its web site and goes to great lengths to persuade you the paid for products make more sense, but in reality it’s a good anti-virus tool at keen price.

http://www.avg.com.au

Comodo Firewall

Don’t be lured into a false sense of security by the firewalls built into Microsoft Windows Vista or Windows XP, you need better protection. The paid-for internet security suites all include robust firewalls, Comodo is widely regarded as the best free option. You might find it a bit annoying at first when it keeps asking you about programs, but after a while it’ll settle down and keep the worst malware at bay.

http://www.personalfirewall.comodo.com/