Question about Norton (and others?)

[Kali]

I know, I know I will dump it soon. I had the old version of Norton on my old (dead) computer. It was a cheapo subscription from like 2002. I had it set to do a full scan on Friday nights at 8.

Move forward to tonight. 5 day old brand new computer, already loaded with the latest sample versions of all kinds of crap I need to remove, including a 60 day run of Norton. I haven't done anything as far as settings on it. Tonight at 8 it ran a full scan. HUH?

Coincidence? Did they link to me somehow? How? My internet server?

[unhappycamper]

1. Most likely the image they used had norton set to scan at 8pm.

Vendors take a 'blank' machine (empty hard drive) and load an Operating System & all the crap they want. They then take an image (picture) of that machine using Ghost or other imaging software. After booting from Ghost (or other software,) they access their local network & copy that image to your machine.

I'd recommend you delete norton & use AVG.

On a side note, did you put on SpyBot, ZoneAlarm & get the Gibson utilities?

[Kali]

2. thanks

Spybot yes, will do the delete and add AVG (impressive when I had it for a few days last week, also a computer guy I talked to locally said that was good) what are the others? Isn't adaware/lavasoft good anymore?

While I have your attention, this machine came loaded with another browser too, Netscape. I think you or someone told me to just ignore Internet Explorer and use Firefox, but that I couldn't delete IE - what about this other one can I or should I try to remove it? (Also, I am so used to IE - having that illogical fear-of-change anxiety)

I can't believe how much crap is already on this thing - when the full scan ran there was like 100,000 plus files. I need to dump stuff but not sure how much of it yet.

[unhappycamper]

3. You cannot delete Internet(s) Explorer, but you don't have to use it.

Use the Control Panel to delete Netscape; at one time it was the only 'other' browser - that is no longer true. Firefox is head and shoulders above IE and Netscape.

lavesoft is OK, but I really like ewido for additional protection. ewido has catches things other products don't.

[RC]

4. Netscape & Firefox have the same kernel,

so how can Firefox be head & shoulders above Netscape?

I use Netscape because it has some features that Firefox does not.

[RoyGBiv]

5. Gecko is a layout engine ...

It's not a "kernel." That's actually somewhat misleading since kernels are associated with operating systems, and Gecko is designed to be cross-platform and thus kernel independent. For all practical purposes, it's a programming API and as such is suitable for the development of various kinds of software. Different pieces of software being based on a certain engine does not indicate the programs are the same, nor does it preclude a certain software package based on the same engine as another from being superior.

The primary reason Firefox is now better than Netscape is that the latter is dead technology and is no longer being developed. Gecko is designed to be standards compliant, thus the software based on it is designed to be standards compliant as well. However, the standards have evolved while Netscape has not.

Netscape is also a pig. Every feature, plus a lot more, available in Netscape is available in Firefox via an extension, which is by design. The design philosophy of Netscape was to try to throw in every feature they could imagine. This was a mistake. The members of the design team that formed the Mozilla Foundation and went on to develop the Mozilla Suite and Firefox learned from this mistake.

If Netscape works for you, that's great. I myself was a loyal user for a long time, until AOL killed it.

[RC]

6. I'll stay with Netscape for a while longer.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2327148

Microsoft's Internet Explorer and Mozilla's Firefox are both vulnerable to a new JavaScript flaw that could allow attackers to steal confidential information.

The flaw affects fully patched browsers on Windows, Linux and Mac systems, according to a posting on the Full Disclosure security mailing list.

[RoyGBiv]

7. Interesting ...

I don't run with JavaScript on all the time, so I don't worry too much about stuff like this. But that is indeed a problem.

Just to be clear, I'm not in any way trying to turn you off Netscape. (The only people I'll harass are loyal IE users. :-))
I thought Netscape was excellent in its day. It just got to be too much, and then AOL ruined it for me.

However, I would suggest you not feel too confident about that flaw if your version of Netscape is running JavaScript. Software packages that are no longer developed or supported don't tend to be mentioned in security advisories, in part because no patches are expected for them. This is the problem with dead software technology. When flaws are discovered, no one is around to fix them.

That said, I read an article awhile back suggesting that the only "safe" technology in a few years will be technology that is completely outdated. The reason is not that it is actually safe but that crackers typically no longer bother with the older exploits that would affect those technologies most severely. Thought it was an interesting way to look at it.

[BlueJazz]

8. As a Tech, I despise Norton. Norton was fairly decent at one time but...

..has evolved into a bloated "in your face" mess.
There are free programs out there (on the web) that do the same thing, don't bother you all the time,
are much smaller, work faster, better and don't try to "take over" your system files.

I say this with all conviction >> About 15 percent of the Computers brought into the shop are
"infected" and screwed up because of Norton. I can usually Fix the customers problems by uninstalling
the piece of Crap.

[achtung_circus]

9. so what

and where would you reccomend as replacements on my one week old Toshiba.

[BlueJazz]

11. Go and get these >>>

http://www.download.com/AVG-Anti-Virus-Free-Edition/3000-2239_4-10320142.html (AVG Free)


http://www.download.com/3120-20_4-0.html?tg=dl-2001&qt=spywareblaster&tag=srch (spywareblaster 3.5.1)


http://www.download.com/3120-20_4-0.html?tg=dl-2001&qt=adaware&tag=srch (adaware Personal Edition)

[RoyGBiv]

10. I agree ...

Every single computer I've cleaned of viruses and such in the last several months has had Norton on it. This isn't my main gig, so this isn't a representative sampling, but it does at least suggest that something about Norton is fatally flawed. When I install a free virus program like AVG that fixes the problems created or allowed by Norton, I don't think much more of an argument needs to be made.