The Computer Thread

Also, A Vs often do more harm than good, so it's a double edged sword. The best defense is to avoid shady websites and downloads in the first place.

And on the topic of avoiding shady websites, I'd like to recommend the Web of Trust browser extension. It does have its limits though, someone has to rate a website's trustworthiness/safety first.

If its a lap top, or even a desk top always make sure it can breath, overheating is a big PC killer.

The best defense is as stated above only visit trustworthy websites, but then again even that can screw you over with adds.

As for basic computer things?

Uhhhhh, you can ask here when there is a problem since I am bad enough with English and don't know how to explain these, but always remember to restart the computer first.

Seriously, this may be seen as a joke but that stuff is not a joke, it really does fix about 90% of all computer problems due to the way they work. >.<

Yes, but you can be my girlfriend who does not like using an ad-blocker since it cuts funding to websites.

Sooo, I feel it is kinda important to note that adds are bad for your computers health.

Ads per se aren't bad for your computers health at all. The worst thing they can do is hijack the website they're placed on if the site doesn't handle security properly, but there's no lasting damage short of an actual security vulnerability in the browser.

Tell that to the ads on TVT here that in that past have given me and multiple other people malware. :/

If you feel that you can trust the ads on a site, you can whitelist them manually.

Never run a computer on the internet without and anti-virus program. It's like driving without a seatbelt.

"Avoid shadydownloads"? Um, friends can give you a virus if they have one, even a trusted site can have malware in it's ads (as seen on TVT) due to hacks or links other sites. Even trusted sites can have programs loaded with adware/malware due to 3rd parties sneaking crap into their programs. I know because I got one from cnet.com back in 2004. I run my AV past all document and executable files so that never happens again.

An AV program is just common sense if you plan on using a computer on the intenet.

Apropos of nothing, I've finally gotten up enough spare money to upgrade, focusing on immediate speed boosts: Samsung 120GB SSD, 8GB (2x4GB) RAM (for total of 16), and nVidia GTX 750 Ti (2GB).

Still working with an AMD FX-6300, but it's an AM3+ socket motherboard system, so I can only go so much faster in that regard, and the other stuff is replacing what looked from speed testing to be the major source of bottlenecks.

edited 20th Feb '15 9:49:22 AM by Nohbody

"Tell that to the ads on TVT here that in that past have given me and multiple other people malware. :/"

Only if you let them install software.

Rule number three ^note  Rules one and two are "Do not talk about /b/ and Do NOT talk about /b/, respectively of the internet- If you get a pop up telling you you have spyware/adware/avirus, and you need to download this to if it IT'S LYING TO YOU. DON'T CLICK IT.

If you follow that rule, Ads can't hurt you, and you don't need to steal the website's income by installing adblock. That's how they make their money. It's just as bad as piracy from small bands(and in general but people care more about stealing for poorer people, generally)

I don't downloaded anything that's not from sites I know for a fact are OK.

edited 20th Feb '15 10:29:44 AM by Joesolo

Yes they can, I am not a fucking idiot, and have never installed something I dont trust.

But here is the thing, not every one runs there computer with java, flash, and all that stuff disabled, because it is a pain in the ass to re-enable them every time you need them.

And guess what, they have security vulnerabilities that adds can and do exploit, Hell I bet the basic browsers do too since there coded by human hands, but thats not something I feel like testing at the moment.

Did you ignore Taira Mai as well? Just sticking to things and places you trust is not fool proof, it is just the best start.

edited 20th Feb '15 10:31:01 AM by Imca

Well I'm speaking from my experience. Maybe I've just lucked out. Haven't gotten malware just from looking at ads though.

edited 20th Feb '15 11:23:01 AM by Joesolo

I have yet to acquire malware from teh interwebz that wasn't blocked by my antivirus, but the rare few times something has tried to sneak through, I was happy that I had an AV running. I keep plugins in "ask permission" mode in Chrome mainly due to crappy Flash ads that pretzelize my CPU, not because I'm worried about viruses. And frankly, other than pop-up/unders and redirects, I've never experienced an attempt to damage my computer via scripting.

edited 20th Feb '15 12:15:32 PM by Fighteer

Speaking of weird popups, any ideas on what could be causing me to constantly be getting low memory errors in Windows 7? This computer has 8 gigs of RAM, and this hasn't been a problem until relatively recently. It will keep giving me the popup warning, then suggest particular programs to close (usually web browsers), and then eventually stuff will simply crap out (Chrome in particular will give me the broken tab message).

Whenever I've checked the Resource Monitor, I've never seemed to be running particularly low on anything.

I've seen this on occasion; often it's something that's sitting in the background that's invisibly hogging resources. Skype is my first target to force-close in these situations — the app leaks memory all over the place; sometimes it's Chrome and you have to kill the whole process tree via the Task Manager.

edited 20th Feb '15 1:32:12 PM by Fighteer

An AV program is just common sense if you plan on using a computer on the intenet.

I wouldn't say that necessarily. Windows style AV software has real dangers too.

It's like driving without a seatbelt.

It's more like taking a medical treatment that potentially has nasty complications. Whether it is worth it or not depends on your risk factors of disease and you may be better off with lifestyle changes.

"Avoid shadydownloads"? Um, friends can give you a virus if they have one, even a trusted site can have malware in it's ads (as seen on TVT) due to hacks or links other sites. Even trusted sites can have programs loaded with adware/malware due to 3rd parties sneaking crap into their programs. I know because I got one from cnet.com back in 2004. I run my AV past all document and executable files so that never happens again.

It's about balancing risks and benefits. Obviously, avoiding shady downloads doesn't prevent you from getting malware, but it does lower the risk a lot. And it's not like AV prevents malware either and AV has its own dangers.

And guess what, they have security vulnerabilities that adds can and do exploit, Hell I bet the basic browsers do too since there coded by human hands, but thats not something I feel like testing at the moment.

You know what has lots of vulnerabilities? Anti-virus software. And unlike your browser, it's running at the kernel level.

Browsers are actually some of the most secure software you'll run if you keep them up to date. Pinkie Pie was paid $60,000 each for his Chrome exploits. That's not exactly low hanging fruit.

Everything has an exploit, that doesn't mean ignoring AV software. Every PC magazine, website, blog, security expert, they all agree install and update your AV early and often. Storyyeller, you may be lucky, but the vast majority of PC users ain't.

Everything has it's "own dangers", but protection lessens the risk. Look at the Lenovo notebooks and the day zero exploit installed on purpose by the manufacturer. Many trusted sites can have malware or allow it to be downloaded. And unless you copy files from friends and co-workers by hand, you'll get it from them to it they have it.

Again, AV software is like a seatbelt. It's to help you if you get into trouble, it won't prevent trouble.

edited 20th Feb '15 9:19:45 PM by TairaMai

Yeah, that narrative directly contradicts decades of experience with browser and plugin exploits.

I've noticed that plugging in my laptop into most of the extension cords in my home tends to result in static electricity accumulating on the aluminum body panels of the laptop. It's not the charger plug that's the problem, as plugging it into wall sockets results in no static buildup.

Getting a new extension cord didn't appear to do anything, as the static buildup continued, and there appears to be no way of testing the grounding of any new extension cords. Any ideas as to what can be done?

edited 21st Feb '15 12:05:59 AM by Krieger22

Every PC magazine, website, blog, security expert, they all agree install and update your AV early and often.

And I've heard security experts say that AV generally causes more harm than good and wishing they could get people to stop using it. And these are people who actually work in cybersecurity breaking and securing software, not just writing blogs or whatever.

I mean there are cases in which AV can help, but it's certainly not a clear cut issue.

Yeah, that narrative directly contradicts decades of experience with browser and plugin exploits.

I'm talking about an up to date Chrome or Firefox, not IE 6 or whatever.

Everything has it's "own dangers", but protection lessens the risk. Look at the Lenovo notebooks and the day zero exploit installed on purpose by the manufacturer.

And what did AV do about that? Absolutely nothing.

Also to be pedantic, there were no exploits involved in Lenovo's malware.

edited 21st Feb '15 12:43:52 AM by storyyeller

I'd like to see one of those blogs that say anti-virus is "more trouble than it's worth", Sincerity Mode. Not every AV is norton, I've never had trouble with AVG free. I includede magazines, blogs and security experts in there: PC magazine, best free AV, Maximum PC, PC world tag anti-virus, Tom's Guide antivirus tag. The Other Wiki Antivirus Software.

Telling newbies not to run anti-virus is like telling new parents not to vaccinate or telling a 16 year old that seatbelts are for wimps. I'm happy that some people don't get a virus, but most new PC users should get an anti-virus and update it.

Especially if you take your work home with you. Your computer might be secure, but I've seen offices turn into a hotzone because "someone in the office" downloaded teh smexy pics or that "free game" and his machine is now patient zero.

The problems of false positives are far outweighed by getting malware.

edited 21st Feb '15 2:39:58 AM by TairaMai

Hell, the Microsoft-provided free AV software is good, for anyone running Windows. Security Essentials on XP - 7 and the built-in Windows Defender on 8/8.1.

Well you know seatbelts just put more people in the hospital when they get in car accidents.

Mind you, that's because they keep them out of the morgue.

Everything has benefits and shortfalls. You wear seatbelts to protect yourself in car accident, but you also drive at slower speeds to make an accident less likely. You take cover in a firefight to avoid getting shot, but you also wear heavy and cumbersome body armor (which contributes to widespread knee and back injuries for soldiers) to protect yourself for those times when you fail to take cover.

edited 21st Feb '15 5:44:54 AM by AFP

Telling newbies not to run anti-virus is like telling new parents not to vaccinate

If said vaccine had a real and documented risk of serious side effects.

I'd like to see one of those blogs that say anti-virus is "more trouble than it's worth"

Here's one. Note that he only investigated Sophos, but it's likely that the other 3rd party A Vs are just as bad.

This post isn't specifically anti-AV but it does talk about the potential dangers.

edited 21st Feb '15 10:35:51 AM by storyyeller