Vista and Defender

[Seth]

Vista comes equipped with the AntiSpyware application called Window's Defender.

 

As such, do you think we'll encounter less infected systems as consumers migrate to Vista?

[RandyL]

That depends seth. It was available for download for XP.

 

By default in Vista, Windows Defender is turned on as well as autoupdate. In addition it is set to scan without prompt.

 

But since when did protection stop a computer from being infected? So many infections are ALLOWED through.

 

Windows Defender is not an antivirus program but an antispyware program so either way I think you will still have plenty of work to do here.

[Seth]

That depends seth. It was available for download for XP.

 

Yet most XP users don't know about it, or didn't bother to download it.

 

But since when did protection stop a computer from being infected? So many infections are ALLOWED through.

 

That depends on the quality of the antimalware application.

 

Windows Defender is not an antivirus program but an antispyware program.

 

The problem with that statement is that over the last few years, the line between antivirus and antispyware has become significantly blurred; to the point that the general term "malware" has become prevelant. Virtually all computer users and most web sites incorrectly label Trojan Horses and worms as "viruses". On infected systems, an actual "virus" is relatively rare.

 

In my testing of Defender, I found it to be on par with Spybot and Ad-Aware. I discontinued use of all three in favour of Ewido, SAS, MB, and Eset.

[RandyL]

I understand seth. All good points. My only point is that I don't think Windows Defender in itself just because it's on Vista will stop the need for your malware skills here. So don't go running off. OK.

[Seth]

Ok, but I was only thinking about my busine$$:D

[maynardvdm]

Ok, but I was only thinking about my busine$$:D

 

There will always be people who go to sites where they can easily be infected with malware. And we all know what sites that is.

 

So dont worry Seth :D

[petef]

Vista comes equipped with the AntiSpyware application called Window's Defender.

 

As such, do you think we'll encounter less infected systems as consumers migrate to Vista?

 

Well Seth, Vista has been out for 1.5 years now, and judging by the

my lack of malware cleaning business on Vista PCs I'd say that all the

anti-malware measures in Vista makes it less prone than XP.

 

As a matter of fact, comparing the damand for malware cleaning

services in 2006 versus 2007, I'd say that consumers are learning

how to avoid malware in the first place and also how to clean it

themselves.

 

In my business, I notice the malware trends changing. It used to be

I'd encounter an infected PC with hundreds of malware that eventually

slowed the computer to the point where they'd call me to clean it and

cleaning was relatively easy. Lately, I'm encountering malware infected

PCs that only have a few types of malware but they are getting much

harder to remove. I rarely get calls to clean Vista PCs.

 

So, I think it's true that as people migrate to Vista or whatever new

OS that Microsoft come out with and as people get more educated

about avoiding malware and cleaning it themselves, we will see much

less business related to cleaning malware.

 

---pete---

[Guest Wolfeymole]

My daughter runs a vista box Pete and she called me.

 

http://extremetechsupport.com/forum/malware-removal-hijack-av-firewalls-etc/2096-problem.html