Security software seems much easier for the average user than changing their OS.
Granted - but the problem with all security software is... it doesn't catch new stuff... first the virus has to be documented and a definition distributed for it... before the AV software is able to prevent an infection.
Just an example:
In the past 6 months there's been a FBI virus going around - it took all of 2 weeks to get a good def written and now all major AVs block it. About a week after that, the makers changed the methods used and updated it say DOJ instead of FBI... that one took almost a month to define and about 2 weeks later they pushed a new version (changed DOJ to ICE). And there still isn't a good removal method for that one.
fbi - wasn't present in sm. infection was a rundll.exe loaded item in a temp folder - and had a shortcut in windows startup folder.
doj - is present in sm (and causes reboot to normal mode). also loading through a runonce entry. removal be booting to smcp and creating a temp admin user that could then be logged into to remove.
ice - present in sm (and blocks use), breaks the machines ability to boot into smcp, recovery console and system restore partitions. Only way is recovery console off a cd/dvd or pulling the drive and cleaning it on another machine.
All of these virus ask for moneypak in varying amounts and threaten arrest and prosecution for illegal activity (child porn) if the user doesn't 'pay the fine'
The big 3 AVs (yes there are only 3 legit av networks and they all shares defs with each other):
Norton: can catch FBI & DOJ but can't stop ICE.
Mcafee: can catch FBI but not ICE or DOJ.
Eset: active methods got FBI and DOJ. was able to remove FBI even without a def. Doj was a able to stop it from loading (but wasn't able to remove until defs came out). ICE still flys right by it tho.
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my whole point is - there's lag time between when a new virus deploys and the AVs catch up. The only really secure way is via a USB bootable optical media with wallet already on it - or a handheld device that has never done and will never do anything else.