Ever wished that you could have some quick summary of a website's safety BEFORE actually going into the website?

*Drum rolls*

Your simple solution: McAfee Site Advisor!

They may sometimes be a little confusing, i.e. some bad sites stated as good, but at least it's better than blindly clicking on links while searching Google.

To learn more, visit www.siteadvisor.com

did you just SERIOUSLY suggest a mcafee program for ANYTHING?! :eek:

leave now, and never return.

McAfee doesnt rule in security. and SiteAdvisor doesnt protect your computer. it just ADVISES.

McAfee doesnt rule in security. and SiteAdvisor doesnt protect your computer. it just ADVISES.yes, but if you can't tell what you're going to based on the google description, you shouldn't be going to a site.

MySiteAdvisor: don't click on crap you don't know about.

MySiteAdvisor: don't click on crap you don't know about.

That's kind of like the "don't talk to strangers" rule, though, isn't it -- it'll keep you safe but you won't ever make any friends.

With an updated adware, popupblocker and whatnot you should be able to click any website in the internet without a problem.

With an updated adware, popupblocker and whatnot you should be able to click any website in the internet without a problem.

Or, use a browser other than IE and a half decent virus scanner and you don't need any of that rubbish.

It's amazing the amount of crap people will write, pay for and install just so they can use the world's most insecure software safely, despite the fact that several far better alternatives exist and are free.

I don't trust sites which mostly rely on user experience. You get gems like this:
User Analysis Summary for google.com
This site is good (1054)

This site sends unsolicited advertising (27)

Adware, spyware or virus (37)

Excess pop-up windows (5)

Phishing or other fraudulent schemes (14)

Bad shopping experience (13)

Browser exploration (18)

McAfee should be burned and obliterated from this universe - I've had nothing but problems with it.


The best way to stay safe online is to quite simply not go online. If you can't exercise simple common sense, then you shouldn't really be surfing t'internet. Simple as that.

McAfee should be burned and obliterated from this universe - I've had nothing but problems with it.


The best way to stay safe online is to quite simply not go online. If you can't exercise simple common sense, then you shouldn't really be surfing t'internet. Simple as that.

why do people criticize mcafee, they have been great for me, and yes the site advisor thing is good, although norton does this as well now. But norton to me is much worse than mcafee as it embeds itself on your pc like a virus does.

The best solution though is to just get a decent computer and web browser built in, of course i'm talking about getting a MAC.:cool: which is practically virus free.

why do people criticize mcafee, they have been great for me, and yes the site advisor thing is good, although norton does this as well now. But norton to me is much worse than mcafee as it embeds itself on your pc like a virus does.

I agree that Norton is worse than McAfee, but every machine I've had to tend to that has had McAfee on it has been having some problem that was promptly cured by uninstalling McAfee and installing a less resource-hungry antivirus/protection system. Heck, I've had the McAfee installer crash on me on two separate occasions, and the uninstaller crash on god knows how many.

The joys of tech support...

The best solution though is to just get a decent computer and web browser built in, of course i'm talking about getting a MAC.:cool: which is practically virus free.

Surely getting a MAC is the one cause of viruses, etc? Without a MAC address you wouldn't be able to go online, would you?

Macs will get viruses sooner or later - in fact there is a trojan spreading around nicely out there already. Just because you're running OSX doesn't make you immune. And I hope you turned your firewall ON, as Apple always default it to "Off" when you install the operating system. What Antivirus software do you use on your Mac? If you don't use any, go and get some now.


Every computer connected to t'internet should have a decent firewall, popup blocker and decent antivirus software. That, and a touch of common sense is all you really need to stay safe.

I agree that Norton is worse than McAfee, but every machine I've had to tend to that has had McAfee on it has been having some problem that was promptly cured by uninstalling McAfee and installing a less resource-hungry antivirus/protection system. Heck, I've had the McAfee installer crash on me on two separate occasions, and the uninstaller crash on god knows how many.

The joys of tech support...



Surely getting a MAC is the one cause of viruses, etc? Without a MAC address you wouldn't be able to go online, would you?

Macs will get viruses sooner or later - in fact there is a trojan spreading around nicely out there already. Just because you're running OSX doesn't make you immune. And I hope you turned your firewall ON, as Apple always default it to "Off" when you install the operating system. What Antivirus software do you use on your Mac? If you don't use any, go and get some now.


Every computer connected to t'internet should have a decent firewall, popup blocker and decent antivirus software. That, and a touch of common sense is all you really need to stay safe.

woo hang on a minute (checks mac osx) :eek: dang how do i turn on my firewall? my safari was pre installed i think. I don't use any antivirus software:-/ why should i? I know macs aren't immune but i thought it was safe enough kinda thing.

woo hang on a minute (checks mac osx) :eek: dang how do i turn on my firewall?

On Tiger (10.4): Apple menu --> System Prefs --> Sharing --> Firewall --> Make sure it says "Firewall On".

Not sure where it is in Leopard - apparently it was moved.


Ya'see, Macs aren't as safe as everyone says - Apple don't even ship them with the firewall turned on by default, even in Leopard.

my safari was pre installed i think.

Safari comes pre-installed on every Mac that's been sold in the last 5 - 6 years.

I don't use any antivirus software:-/ why should i? I know macs aren't immune but i thought it was safe enough kinda thing.

All computers that use t'internet should have antivirus software. Above all, if someone inadvertently (or purposely :p) sends you a file with a virus in it and you don't realise and forward it to someone, your antivirus should kick in. Just because you're on a Mac doesn't mean that all viruses are blocked by your computer - you can easily pass a Windows virus onto a Windows user without even knowing. Mac AV software even picks up Windows viruses.

Let's put it this way - if you're riding a bike, do you wear a cycle helmet on the off-chance that you do fall off it will hold the contents of your brain generally inside your head, or do you not wear one because you think "it's safe enough" and you probably won't fall off? The day you fall off, you'll either be glad you were wearing a helmet or wish that you'd worn one (if you're still capable of such thoughts :p). Same with the day a huge virus hits the Mac platform - you'll either be thankful you took sensible precautions or wish you had taken them earlier before all your files were erased.

right, so you're saying i need a helmet? Okay.

That's kind of like the "don't talk to strangers" rule, though, isn't it -- it'll keep you safe but you won't ever make any friends.not quite the extreme to what I meant. what I was saying was that 90% of all information on the internet has a large, brand-name site that you should be at least vaguely familiar with when looking up information. if those sites aren't an option, then it depends on what you're looking for. for instance, general information can be found on encyclopedia sites, .edu sites, or sites specifically named for the information you're looking for. those sites are nearly always safe because they get high amounts of traffic. obviously those sites will occassionally be comprimised, but that's the risk you run of being online. the lesser known sites are generally less safe than the big-name sites, so if you're going to a site that isn't a "brand name" site, then you have to first take the precautions of having a virus scanner, firewall, etc. but you should know to be prepared before going to those sites.

obviously there are exceptions to what I'm saying, and some subjects in general don't provide any sites that are safe to travel through, but for the most part I've found my rule to be accurate. unless of course you're still stupidly using Internet Explorer, in which case you pretty much have to use nonsense like site adviser because even .edu sites get you spyware with IE.

Every computer connected to t'internet should have a decent firewall, popup blocker and decent antivirus software.

Norton's not even decent. YES, NORTON IS CRAP! stupid memory leech. slowed my computer like hell. heck, even having 3 different antiviruses and one antispyware running on my computer is wayyyyy faster than having norton antivirus alone.

p.s. yes, i have 3 antiviruses: kaspersky (superb bugger which detects trojans which most other AVs dont), Avast! and AVG Free Edition. And one AVG antispyware expired trial version (that means i dont have resident protection :( although my kaspersky and avast have)

and oh, my advice to all those planning on avast! home edition, dont get it unless you are some small kid easily amused by a virus alert warning which pops up and greets you with a siren sound and a voice saying "Warning. A virus is detected." and some text which reads "Please do not panic. Avast! is trying to repair the virus."

Seriously.

Every computer connected to t'internet should have a decent firewall, popup blocker and decent antivirus software. That, and a touch of common sense is all you really need to stay safe.
actually, hardware firewall and common sense is all you really need. everything else only gets in the way and eats up your cycles. for example, i run my browser with javascript disabled. no popups. ever. i also check my process and startup lists regularly. no worms, trojans, or malware. my router only forwards a couple of ports used by software that i know to be safe. no vulnerabilities. so why should i run an antivirus program that will not be of any help and will only take up time while it scans anything that goes in/out?

A simpler way to avoid popups is to not visit crap websites.

because you know you want to be efficient and not waste your time checking the list regularly.

then, you're not being lazy, you're being efficient.

actually, hardware firewall and common sense is all you really need. everything else only gets in the way and eats up your cycles. for example, i run my browser with javascript disabled. no popups. ever. i also check my process and startup lists regularly. no worms, trojans, or malware. my router only forwards a couple of ports used by software that i know to be safe. no vulnerabilities. so why should i run an antivirus program that will not be of any help and will only take up time while it scans anything that goes in/out?

I think you might have just answered your own question :p

A good antivirus program should not eat up your cycles unless there is something dodgy in your computer which it is eradicating. My antivirus program is currently using between 0.0 and 0.1% of my CPU (display only to 1dp) - heck, "Activity Monitor" uses about 80x the CPU that my antivirus software does :D. This means I don't have to be constantly checking my process list or have to open a port on my router every time i want to send an email or sneeze (ok, perhaps slightly extreme examples ;)).

Now a bad antivirus program (like, oh, I don't know, let's say Norton, or McAfee) - your method is probably preferable :p

and oh, my advice to all those planning on avast! home edition, dont get it unless you are some small kid easily amused by a virus alert warning which pops up and greets you with a siren sound and a voice saying "Warning. A virus is detected." and some text which reads "Please do not panic. Avast! is trying to repair the virus."It is trying to repair the virus?

If that is what it really says, I am sticking with Windows Live OneCare.

Plainplane :)

if you set it to default ;)

I agree with the McAfee being crap thing. I used to have it and had no end of trouble with it and only kept it because I hadn't discovered AVG Free. The final straw came when I updated it, and it constantly popped up saying "McAffee cannot start because ZoneAlarm firewall (yeah, I used to use that :eek:) is interfering. Please uninstall the application before running McAffee.


...


Quite obviously not a ploy to get you to buy their piece of crap firewall.

Ya'see, Macs aren't as safe as everyone says - Apple don't even ship them with the firewall turned on by default, even in Leopard.

that's because macs handle port forwarding differently than PCs, and besides you don't need a software firewall if you're behind a router
p.s. yes, i have 3 antiviruses: kaspersky (superb bugger which detects trojans which most other AVs dont)
hahahahahaha

and oh, my advice to all those planning on avast! home edition, dont get it unless you are some small kid easily amused by a virus alert warning which pops up and greets you with a siren sound and a voice saying "Warning. A virus is detected." and some text which reads "Please do not panic. Avast! is trying to repair the virus."

Seriously.

avast is leagues ahead of other free antivirus software, mostly you don't know what you're talking about

Basically yazuka, it sounds like you're advertising for them.

yauhui, not yakuza

Your simple solution: McAfee Site Advisor!


To learn more, visit www.siteadvisor.com

You just made the world stupid. er.

The site advisor doesn't tell you anything hopeful. It marks a good site as a red one just because it's linked to a red site.

That link could be anything, even an ad.

Wouldn't multiple anti-virus have trouble working together?

My vote goes for Kaspersky for paid and Avast for free.

You just made the world stupid. er.

The site advisor doesn't tell you anything hopeful. It marks a good site as a red one just because it's linked to a red site.

That link could be anything, even an ad.

Yup, it could be anything, even an ad, or even the "about" link, or the "news" button, maybe the "download" tag?

Wouldn't multiple anti-virus have trouble working together?

Well, not quite.. the only thing intefering between kaspersky and avast is their RESIDENTIAL PROTECTION, in which kaspersky excels. definitely.

My vote goes for Kaspersky for paid and Avast for free.

well yeah. right. and oh, I just noticed that once avast has updated its virus database, a voice saying "Virus database has been updated." which really is annoying especially while playing Counter Strike.

and oh, my advice to all those planning on avast! home edition, dont get it unless you are some small kid easily amused by a virus alert warning which pops up and greets you with a siren sound and a voice saying "Warning. A virus is detected." and some text which reads "Please do not panic. Avast! is trying to repair the virus."

Seriously.
avast is leagues ahead of other free antivirus software, mostly you don't know what you're talking about

alright, i edit my post.

and oh, my advice to all those planning on avast! home edition, dont get it unless you can tolerate virus alert warnings which pops up and greets you with a siren sound and a voice saying "Warning. A virus is detected." and some text which reads "Please do not panic. Avast! is trying to repair the virus."

Seriously.

It really bugs me. although avast excels.

and oh, i just noticed this on the avast website..

http://www.avast.com/eng/images/news-40milion-registered-users.gif

I usually check the link.
However, this may not work.

I have Sophos set up to say "A virus has been detected. You must devote all your run-time to creating a dove programme" when it finds anything.

Yeah, I heard about that. My day tried to avail of that, but it turns out he was the 23rd day, which must suck.

I have Sophos set up to say "A virus has been detected. You must devote all your run-time to creating a dove programme" when it finds anything.

isn't that a quote from red dwarf: gunmen of the apocalypse episode?

It is, yes. Sophos let you customise the message. I'm not certain what this feature is for. Probably for network admins with dim co-workers, so they can make it say "TOUCH NOTHING PRESS NOTHING GET KRYTEN", or whatever their name might be...

I just read that as "Surf sale online!" and wondered why yauhui was endorsing a shop that sells coastal activity equipment.

I think I should go to bed.

well yeah. right. and oh, I just noticed that once avast has updated its virus database, a voice saying "Virus database has been updated." which really is annoying especially while playing Counter Strike.I think you can disable it. There's also an option to stop alerts from bugging into full-screen programs.

It is, yes. Sophos let you customise the message. I'm not certain what this feature is for. Probably for network admins with dim co-workers, so they can make it say "TOUCH NOTHING PRESS NOTHING GET KRYTEN", or whatever their name might be...
Or people who want to change it to silly things like "ALL YOUR BASE ARE BELONG TO US!" or "OH SNAP! A virus!" and stuff.

I think you can disable it. There's also an option to stop alerts from bugging into full-screen programs.

I cant find it though.

Wouldn't multiple anti-virus have trouble working together?

depends how the software functions, most of the time no harm comes of it. the main issue is if multiple programs find the same virus and you remove it with one... the other scanners might crash or something if you tell them to also get rid of it.

nope, it just says "Error removing file - file not found"

well yeah. right. and oh, I just noticed that once avast has updated its virus database, a voice saying "Virus database has been updated." which really is annoying especially while playing Counter Strike.

turn off audio notifications then, dumbass

where do i turn it off, smartass?

At the OPTIONS dumbass!

Right-click on the Avast icon on the system tray and choose "Program Settings". Then go to "Sounds" and check "Disable avast! sounds."
There's also something similar for "Notifications".

but at least it's better than blindly clicking on links while searching Google.

But.. that's like half the fun of using the internet :/

But.. that's like half the fun of using the internet :/
i just clicked a random link and got this

http://www.dclundell.net/photography/running/2003-03-29_mission_peak/

pretty decent i think

oh great. now my avast's SMTP isnt working. -.-

oh great. now my avast's SMTP isnt working. -.-
i like how you blame your own technical incompetence on the program

oh great. now my avast's SMTP isnt working. -.-
When did Avast! products ever start working?

When did your products ever start working?

nope, it just says "Error removing file - file not found"
that only occurs if the makers of the program was smart enough to take into account this issue.