[sdw2003] Managed Anti Virus?

[Joe Lagreca]

Karen,

Windows updates are not nearly enough.  All the other software that
touches the internet needs to be updated as well (ie. flash, adobe
reader/acrobat, etc.)

The safest usable system I have setup is XP on a PIII with no anti
virus, running Microsoft SteadyState.  All data is stored on another
partition that isn't locked down.

I realize this type of system isn't for everybody, but in a foster
home where all kinds of kids are using the computer, it works great!

Joe LaGreca
Founder & Owner, BIG Net Online
619-393-1733 x200 Office
619-318-3246 Cell
www.BIGnetOnline.com



On Tue, Jan 19, 2010 at 10:15 PM, Karen Christian <kchristian at nctg.com> wrote:
> There are 3 key components to client safety/protection:
>
> * AV
> * Windows updates
> * User education
>
> Be sure you charge more for break/fix clients and keep promoting a support maintenance plan that makes sense.  As we like to say: 'Pay me now or pay me later.'  If this is not a potential client for maintenance it may not make any sense to continue to deal with them (and only you can decide that from a business perspective).  Now... after several years we do hardly any break/fix.
>
> Karen Christian
> North County Technology Group
> 760.734.4315
> www.nctg.com
> -----Original Message-----
> From: sdw2003-bounces at mattware.com [mailto:sdw2003-bounces at mattware.com] On Behalf Of Josh Tays
> Sent: Tuesday, January 19, 2010 6:47 PM
> To: San Diego Windows 2003 User Group
> Subject: Re: [sdw2003] Managed Anti Virus?
>
> Joe,
>
> I am a big proponent of patching machines but unfortunately the company I
> consult with right now has been pretty bad on pushing updates with our
> clients in the past so the majority of our clients are a hard push on
> getting them to sign off on spending any money on making sure their machines
> are properly patched.  There are also some that have never wanted to spend
> any money on that from the get go.  No matter what I say to most of them
> they usually aren't interested in doing any workstation maintenance more
> than once a year, if that.  It's usually break/fix but the thing that most
> of them ask when they get a new computer is "did you put anti virus on it?"
> They are programmed to want and need anti virus.  If this was my network to
> do with what I please machines would be patched often.  It's a hard line to
> ride when it's not my money and everything has to be sold.
>
> On Tue, Jan 19, 2010 at 3:14 PM, Joe Lagreca <joe at bignetonline.com> wrote:
>
>> Josh,
>>
>> Anti Virus is only part of the equation.  The other part is keeping
>> software patched and up to date.  You may want to look into:
>> http://secunia.com/vulnerability_scanning/
>>
>> or some other patch management software.
>>
>> Joe LaGreca
>> Founder & Owner, BIG Net Online
>> 619-393-1733 x200 Office
>> 619-318-3246 Cell
>> www.BIGnetOnline.com
>>
>>
>>
>> On Tue, Jan 19, 2010 at 2:46 PM, Josh Tays <josh.tays at gmail.com> wrote:
>> > Unfortunately I can't tell my clients to not run Anti Virus.
>> >
>> > The biggest problem is Windows XP machines with malware and rootkit
>> > infections.  It brings me income, but I am getting tired of cleaning the
>> > same crap off of workstations day in and day out lately. When I say anti
>> > virus I believe that it should encompass traditional virus protection
>> with
>> > malware, etc... but with the least resource impact possible.  I
>> understand
>> > that no single product will have 100% detection but something out there
>> has
>> > to be better than SAV with XP machines.
>> >
>> >
>> > On Tue, Jan 19, 2010 at 2:36 PM, Tracy Reed <treed at ultraviolet.org>
>> wrote:
>> >
>> >> On Tue, Jan 19, 2010 at 01:44:02PM -0800, Josh Tays spake thusly:
>> >> > Any recommendations for a good centralized anti virus product with a
>> >> > good detection rate and small footprint?
>> >>
>> >> Is Windows based antivirus really worthwhile anymore? I don't have a
>> >> firm opinion one way or another but a lot of folks do:
>> >>
>> >> http://www.google.com/search?q=antivirus+is+dead
>> >>
>> >> Especially in light of Google's incident this past week it seems
>> >> antivirus is useless against spearphishing so all we can do in that
>> >> case is hope nobody takes an interest in us. And so many viruses and
>> >> variants are coming out that they are nowhere near keeping up with the
>> >> latest.
>> >>
>> >> The question is not what is your antivirus catching but what is it NOT
>> >> catching and is that acceptable?
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> --
>> >> Tracy Reed
>> >> http://tracyreed.org
>> >> _______________________________________________
>> >> sdw2003 mailing list
>> >> sdw2003 at mattware.com
>> >> http://lists.mattware.com/mailman/listinfo/sdw2003
>> >>
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> > --
>> > Josh
>> > _______________________________________________
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>> > sdw2003 at mattware.com
>> > http://lists.mattware.com/mailman/listinfo/sdw2003
>> >
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>
>
>
> --
> Josh
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