Stand-alone security apps VS All-In-One apps

I am on Win XP SP2.

 

I’ve been using the following combination of security programs for as long as I can remember: SpySweeper, ZoneAlarm Free and Norton AntiVirus.

 

While each of these applications is very good, I recently noticed that they take up a lot of resources, especially SS and NAV.

 

Do you guys think that it would be better to switch these applications to a single app security suite such as Norton Internet Security (which has AV, spyware and firewall protection)?

 

Do you think this type of app will be lighter on my system (as compared to the combined load of the other 3 apps), while offering the same type of protection as with the other three apps?

 

Please advise.

 

Thanks.

ender, here I have to disagree with you, working in IT for a fairly large company and dealing with users that 'think' they are hot stuff and know how to use a computer and that they will never get a virus, etc, I can tell you that our corporate network detects and stops viruses on about 10% of our remote users home office PCs that connect via VPN (when coprorate policy enforces real time virus scan before the vpn connection is allowed.)

I also get called in when any of my friends manages to corrupt their PC with some virus or other, generally not a major issue, but the slim resources used by a decent security program are well worth the safety it allows an average user.

In my experience a decent firewall and anti-virus pair in fact virtually any of them, I have used over my many years Trend Micro, Panda, Norton, Mcafee, Webroot, One Care, and any one of them is reasonable. I tend to stay away from Norton 360 it is a hog of a program, but most anything else has proven to be quite decent and a reasonable deterrent to accidental infection.

As far as your malicious attack comments, any sufficiently skilled attacker yes can compromise a system, but that still does not make it right to hand over the keys to your computer to anyone that walks by either.

Just like your house, you lock the door. You realize, that a motivated criminal is going to kick the door in, but you lock it to stop the opportunistic thief.

Just my 10 cents.

Dave


Edited by Kliebor2 - 16 Jul 2008 at 11:44am

Those are all fine.

I have heard plenty of people swear by them.

I use OneCare because I like the centralized management console (I run a home network that includes Pcs for my kids and wife) and none of them are especially careful so I like the fact I can remove management options from them easily and control all aspects of network security from my PC instead of running PC to PC in the house performing updates.

Dave

Thanks for the replies guys.

ive been down this road on a much older thread about passive/subscription virus control. and as far as being a hotshot thinking that i can get by without a background program, i did get a degree in computer networking, its possible i know a thing or two about security.

Like I said ender, think they are hot shots, which is 80-90% of those that think they are computer gurus reading these forums.

The sort that think they know best and really don't are the reason I always recommend active suites. Those that are clueless and know it, usually listen to advice from people that seem knowledgable and I would hate to steer one of them to a solution that requires mircro maintenance and some knowledge they may not have, and I certainly do not want to lull a relative newbie into complacence by suggesting a simple monthly or weekly virus scan is enough.


There are some of us who have been in the industry for 26 years, which are few and far between. and then those who think because they are 21 immortal and grew up in the computer age they know everything there is to know.

Because it is impossible to judge anyones experience and modern computers can easily run an active virus scanner with little or no hit to performance especially with somewhat modern quad cores, there is no reason to take the risk, however small.

A little prevention and intelligent web use is always wise, but it never hurts to have an active defense.

Dave

Sounds great.

I have heard a lot of folks here use CCleaner is what it was called.

I tend to be leary of many registry cleaners but I am considering downloading this one due to the people here saying they thought highly of it.

Dave


Edited by Kliebor2 - 17 Jul 2008 at 9:57am

Thanks Tyler, I have always been a little uncertain about registry cleaners, but it seems the opinion of most people including software review sites (I checked PC World and C-Net) seem to be in agreement that CCleaner is a registry cleaner that errs on the side of caution in registry edits and I always take the option to make a back up of the files being changed if I am given the option.

Dave

Thats my suite as well.

Wow, way to hijack my thread guys! :D

I have found Kapersky to be a great program.