Virus scanning

[res07tg2]

Is there an app that will let me scan a computer for viruses from cd without actually installing a program in the computer

something like trend micro has on there site to scan your computer over the net

[HAL9000]

The problem with scanning from a CD is how are you going to update your virus data sets, so no, probably nothing is available.

[morriswindgate]

The most important thing an Anti-Virus program does is realtime protection. It does you no good to find out you were infected last week. It does it's job when it stops the virus at the front door, and to do this you need the most current definitions and it running.

[res07tg2]

your right I didn't think about the need to update the pattern oh well it was a nice thought

thanks guys

[Carl Price]

What you do is make a rescue disk set with Norton's and copy each disk to a directory on your harddrive. Then burn the whole thing to a <b>CDRW</B>. Then when you update your patterns erase the disk and reburn it. Doesn't take much longer (only the erase step) than burning to a cdr.

[morriswindgate]

Yeah, Carl you can do this, but my point was that doing it this way just means that you found out that you got a virus and that it had already done the damage. Norton resuce should only be used as a trouble shooting tool. Having the virus program installed on the computer and running is the only safe way to go.
Like the computer that I just finished fixing, that although it had NOrton on it, the definitions were out of date and the realtime protection was disabled. It cost the people $80.00 for a new motherboard, plus my time, and a lot of free beer in the future, due to A CIH virus infection.
It is very important to have the Anti-virus installed and upto date, Norton gives you 365 days of free updates when you buy it, and after that it is only about $2.00 a month to maintain not only the virus definition updates, but also the software updates.

[res07tg2]

I was thinking of something to use as a diagnostic tool on other peoples puters

Thanks for the idea Carl

Jeremy

[glc]

What you need is F-Prot for DOS (http://www.complex.is) . You can put this on 3 floppies - the program will fit on a bootable floppy, and the other 2 are for the signatures and the macro defintions respectively. I suppose you could put all this on a bootable CD too, but you do have the issue of updating the definitions. This software is free.

[morriswindgate]

Yes for diagnostic s, you definitely want F-Prot. If you are putting together a set of diagnostic tools also get a Zero Fill Program for completely wiping the hard disk and the disk utilities from the drive manufatures. Also you need the bootdisks, and the little program ClearCMOS to kill bios passwords. You can get all of the above for nothing but your time and a few floppies at the links below.

http://www.europe.f-secure.com/download-purchase/tools.shtml

http://www.bootdisk.com/

http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/download.html

I didn't mean to come down on you, but the way you had it worded, it sounded like you did not want the AV program running on your computer. And since one of the biggest headaches are people who let their AV program expire, don't have one installed, or disable it instead of fixing it, who then are begging me to do something to recover their data or even repair the hardware in their computers. I did want the new people to get the idea that there was a vway around full time protection.

[res07tg2]

I always always always have my av updated and running prevention is always the best medicine also I'll say this for anyone who cares be damn sure of this if u use morpheous its probably the biggest single source of of viruses on the net and thanks for all the great software tips guys I'll check them out

[Carl Price]

I didn't mean to come down on you, but the way you had it worded, it sounded like you did not want the AV program running on your computer. And since one of the biggest headaches are people who let their AV program expire, don't have one installed, or disable it instead of fixing it, who then are begging me to do something to recover their data or even repair the hardware in their computers. I did want the new people to get the idea that there was a vway around full time protection. [/B]

Full time protection <B>is not</B> needed by anyone but the dumb and ignorant (definition=people who open files even tho they have been told not too do so countless times). I have Norton installed, with autoupdate on, in my computer but not running. I <b>DO NOT</b> have an anti virus program running on my computer unless I am downloading files. I just don't want to give up the resources that a running program takes up. I don't believe my computer has ever been infected either. If everyone was as careful viruses would disappear from the scene. I have downloaded things with viruses in them but, using common sense, I don't run them till I have scanned them. Whenever I download files I put them in one directory and scan them all before I unzip or execute them. Whenever any file is suspected I run Housecall to verify before it is deleted. You can only be infected by executing the virus-ridden file.

[Statica]

Originally posted by Carl Price


Full time protection <B>is not</B> needed by anyone but the dumb and ignorant ...

Or are at a direct risk by the dumb and ignorant :)

U forget networks or shared resources in your threat assessments

[morriswindgate]

Carl have you ever heard of JS_Exception? This is a hostile java script that will automatically execute through a Pop-up or web page just by going to the site. Now if you want to see what a java or activex script can do, go to the site below and do the java/activex tests.

[morriswindgate]

Damn forgot the link

http://www.finjan.com/mcrc/test.cfm