Just looking for an educated opinion here

[Reverend]

I've been reading that antivirus programs are becoming a thing of the past.

The logic being that most users go to the same handful of safe sites like IMDb or youtube, year after year and most users know not to open suspicious attachments which rarely get through the providers defenses. It doesn't even behoove a porno site to give you a virus.

I've had two really good viruses in 40 years! One of them even restarted my machine and my Internet connection after I'd killed both. Apart from that it's been PUPs and Trojans that never seem to do anything, or there's no one listening.

What do you guys think?

Thanks - rev

[fink]

Disagree completely. First I don't believe the premise that most users only go to the same "safe" sites and just as importantly a lot of malware infections come from compromised ads that appear on mainstream sites. Ad blockers help with that second issue as well.

[Reverend]

Ah, yes that's different. It must be hard for the advertising industry.

>First I don't believe the premise that most users only go to the same "safe" sites
That was my premise because that's what I do.

Frankly, I don't understand where or how the virus creators get their jollies. If it was me, I'd want to see the faces of my victims or try to sell something (those I understand) but to simply create something malicious that you don't benefit from in any way mystifies me.

If you were stridently political about technology ruining the world, like the Una Bomber, there would be satisfaction in seeing the whole world drop its pants but most of it is badly written and there doesn't seem to be anyone following up.

For years, I kept a file called 'passwords' and despite Trojans nothing's ever been compromised that I know of. Do browser hijackers really believe you're going to buy a product from the page they're redirecting you to!? I guess there's one born every day.

My brother fell for 'Chinese millionairesses dying to meet you' and my dad fell hook line and sinker for the Nigerian Diplomat Scam (which has some very clever psychology). He gave out his passport, driver's license and bank account numbers and I only just managed to stop the whole thing in time. Once again there didn't seem to be anyone on the other end, they had everything they needed clean my parents out but they took no action.