Re: Is AV software necessary?

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Date: Thu, 27 May 2004 16:18:47 -0500

john wrote:
> For some time I've been questioning the use of AV software. I work in
> IT support and I really couldn't count the number of perfectly good
> Windows installations I've seen borked by Norton AV or any of the
> other bloated virus suites. The performance hit from installing these
> things with always-on protection is lamentable, both in terms of boot
> up time and the general responsiveness of the OS, and for what?

Agreed, if only partially. I have seen perfectly good installs "borked" by
many of the different AV suites. In my experience it usually floats back to
something else that was installed along with the OS, some application that
somehow doesn't agree with the restrictions of (or worse yet - shares some
of the files with) the AV suite in question.

The performance hit (in amount of memory used if by no other measure) is
significant. As for what - well, quiet simply put - one of the following:

- Inability to learn.
- Lack of desire to learn.
- Forced distribution of said software due to the fact most people see the
computer as a tool and a toy for distraction at the workplace and system
admins have better things to do than do the work of dozens to thousands for
them on the upkeep of their personal workstation.

> Thesedays, viruses spread faster than the AV companies could hope to
> spread updated virus definitions. So for a critical length of time, AV
> software is completely powerless to protect your system when any
> particular worm or virus is at its peak on the Internet.

Very true. In fact, in the last round the patch was the only thing that
would prevent SASSER (or a firewall) for the first hours, in which time the
damage COULD BE enormous.

> AV has disappeared from my home machines and - guess what? - no
> viruses. This is because
>
> (1) I login to the systems as a limited user, not the administrator
> (2) I don't open email attachments
> (3) I don't download, install or run software from disreputable
> websites (4) I don't use IE or OE - these programs are virus
> distribution clients (5) I use an ADSL firewall router and not an
> ADSL modem
>
> My opinion is that AV software fixes nothing that common sense
> couldn't fix. Common sense has the additional advantage that it
> doesn't turn my 512MB P4 system into a 64MB P2 with an endlessly
> grinding hard disk.

You get no argument about your statements here. What I do argue is that not
everyone has (or wants) common sense when it comes to computers. Again -
for most people these things are tools or toys. They don't know how to fix
their own car, why should they know how to fix their computer. They have
better things to do - and that is likely true. If I had the choice of my
doctor knowing the correct procedure to remove my appendix or just winging
it because he kept his computer secure by reading up on the latest threats,
patching his machine, securing any flaws in his Internet Browser, and making
sure the firmware for his hardware firewall was up to date - I choose my
appendix.

> Nevertheless, at work, I still have to deal with the endless problems
> caused by AV software. I still have to knowingly cripple nice, clean
> installations by installing Norton bloatware. I still have to mess
> around ensuring that the AV definitions are up-to-date, even though
> essentially they will always be out of date when it really matters.

Welcome to your role in the world. To fill in the emptiness left by people
who do not understand the importance of the tool or toy they are using until
it is too late. You could try to educate your users. You could try and
tell them "opeing attachments is bad" - but they will get that one email
from Aunt Beatrice (who is sweet, kind, makes great lemon pie and wouldn't
harm a fly) and they will consider it safe. What they don't know is that
Aunt Beatrice has Netsky and didn't even really send this email.

> Is AV software necessary? IMO, no. It should be avoided like the
> plague.

Agreed. But only in-so-far that it is practical. People in general are not
going to use the common sense you tout. Wish they would.. Then I would have
more time and their computer would seem faster and I would get the credit.
As it is - I'll continue to distribute AV software at work until everyone
has as much common sense about computers as they do about touching the hot
stove.

-- 
<- Shenan ->
-- 
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• Previous message: Mary Sauer: "Re: Lost Word where can I find it."
• In reply to: john: "Is AV software necessary?"
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