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EaglePrince

Security while buying on internet

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Hey, guys, I meant to ask this one question, to hear what you think. I do realize we were speaking about these stuff before in another topic, but that was the tread for a specific treat. This time I want to ask you, what you think about what should someone do while buying something on internet regarding his\her security.

 

For example, I use Avast Free antivirus, and now and then I clean the PC using Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and Emsisoft Emergency Kit, and I tend not to visit untrusted websites, but still - I'm not the only one using this computer.

What are the exact dangers on the internet that might do us some harm, when we want to pay something online? Are those mostly untrusted websites that want to misuse the information we give them, and are viruses that try to steal our credit card info a relatively common as well?

What do you think that one should do, in order to buy things on internet more safely, and not worrying too much if he has some malware on his computer, that might steal those important information?

 

I believe I am the one who is the most skeptical about this matter here. :) The reason I am asking this, is because I was thinking this way: if I buy Stronghold Crusader 2 from Steam, or at any other reliable place, am I still in danger, and how much? What do you think - should someone who buys stuff online use a paid version of antivirus instead of free, and how much would that help? How much do you guys pay for your security (if you don't think it wouldn't be smart to write on internet what protection you use, you don't have to tell me that. Or you can tell me that over personal message)?

 

Regards!

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That is a good question that has many answers, I will give you my opinion.

 

The main threat from the internet is from your own computer, if you do not have good uptodate security and do a full scan weekly you could get infected, you should also have more than one type of security software, I use "System Explorer" and "UnHackMe" they both monitor the PC all the time, when I want to do some thing online like banking or making a purchase or checking an account for a service that does have my personal info, I will run those 2 programs to do a quick check first.

 

The internet is full of dangers, you do have to be cautious where you go, but if you have updated security you should be fine.

 

If you want to use a credit card to make purchases then I recommend using a bank service like "PayPal" I used PayPal to buy SHC2 from Steam, or an "ewallet" like "Netteller", This way you only give your personal info out once, not every time you use your credit card.

 

That's what I do and I do not have any problems, Thank You for that!

 

 

Edit- I don't believe in free security, but Windows does come with a good security built in, "Microsoft Security Essentials" it's what I use. Windows is not free but the security comes with it.

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Having multiple anti viruses on your PC does not benefit you in the way you think they would - they tend to conflict with each other. This explains a bit more, note that this is only one paragraph from three.

 

The primary concern with using more than one anti-virus program is due to conflicts that can arise when they are running in real-time mode simultaneously. However, even when one of them is disabled for use as a stand-alone scanner, it can affect the other. Anti-virus software components insert themselves into the operating systems core and using more than one can cause instability, crash your computer, slow performance and waste system resources. When actively running in the background while connected to the Internet, they both may try to update their definition databases at the same time. As the programs compete for resources required to download the necessary files this often can result in sluggish system performance or unresponsive behavior.

 

Source: http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/t/186533/is-it-bad-to-run-multiple-antivirus-programs/?p=1046121

and are viruses that try to steal our credit card info a relatively common as well?

 

Viruses are very explicit in what they do; the whole purpose of a virus is to destroy things on your computer and cause damage. Therefore, they're very easy to notice. Malware is what you should be concerned about. Malware is the main thing that you get on your PC. When people say "I've got a virus on my PC", nine times out of ten, it's malware. Malware is much more sly than Viruses, it tends to do things so that the user won't notice them.

 

if I buy Stronghold Crusader 2 from Steam, or at any other reliable place, am I still in danger, and how much?

 

It depends. And it's very hard to tell. A site does not often jump out saying "Hey, I'm a malicious site" to you. But it isn't just malware - it's whether the site itself is vulnerable to SQL Injection. It's hard to explain without getting complicated, but essentially, data is stored in a database. To get data from that database, you need to use SQL queries. Some sites that don't validate what the user posts to them correctly are susceptible to this because the queries can be modified by an attacker (don't ask how, it gets pretty complex). If this is the case, then all the information in the database (such as names, addresses, emails, phone numbers.etc) will be available to the attacker.

 

What do you think that one should do, in order to buy things on internet more safely

 

Lord Vetka's reply is spot on here, using PayPal is great because it doesn't mean that you have to give your details to every company you buy from, the transaction is sent through PayPal.

 

Windows does come with a good security built in, "Microsoft Security Essentials" it's what I use

 

MSE is by far not the worst, but it's certainly not the best. It's fairly average I'd say actually. I really think MalwareBytesPro is probably the best kind of thing for that - it even picked up stuff in my registry that security essentials (or windows defender as it's known in Windows 8) missed.

 

How much do you guys pay for your security

 

I pay nothing. Everything I use is free (or at least a free version, such as MalwareBytesPro) I find that free stuff is often just as good or better than commercial software.


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The fields have eyes, and the woods have ears.

⁠— Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales: The Knight's Tale

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Thanks for your explanations guys.

 

Yeah, I have already heard the same about PayPal - the recommended me in the bank already.

 

I do know about the issue with having multiple antivirus programs. Because of that it is a good thing that many of those anti-malware tools offer real time protection as well (or at least I think that).

 

Also, speaking about the website I could buy at - I should also pay attention if it doesn't seem vulnerable (if that would be even possible - so even better would be "don't buy stuff anywhere", and not to do it if you don't have to. :) )

 

Regarding MalwareBytesPro... I do use it now and then as well, only I don't keep it installed, to keep the PC working more optimal.

 

Thanks for your advices guys. :) You both gave me a detailed answers on my question. :)

 

ADDITION: Speaking of Malwarebytes Pro... I do have it, but it is MalwareBytes Anti-Malware (Free), and the only licenses offered are Free and Premium. Is it the free license you have, or there is a way to activate a Pro license another way?

Edited by EaglePrince

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I have the free version of it and it works fine.


Quote

The fields have eyes, and the woods have ears.

⁠— Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales: The Knight's Tale

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Great, so that's the same as I do.

 

Thanks for all the advices, guys. :)

 

ADDITION:

Now I went to PayPal website. This is what one could see there:

  • No charge for opening your account.
  • Low fees for receiving payments.

 

So, when someone pays using PayPal, he pays nothing for that service, while the one who is receiving the payment does? Is that the case? So, if I wanted to buy Stronghold Crusader 2 via PayPal, and it costs 34,99?, that's exactly how much I am going to pay? I pay no provision?

Edited by EaglePrince

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The free version is just fine so long as you run scans now and then. It doesn't prevent viruses/malware getting on the computer without the full version so just be wary of that.

 

I myself use Avast (Free)+MalwareBytesPro (Full Version) it seems to run fine and I haven't had any trouble with conflicting.

 

I wouldn't recommend AVG as it's very resource demanding for such little outcome.


"Gofyn wyf am galon hapus, calon onest, calon l?n."

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Just to chip in my two cents:

 

1. Make sure the site you are on is legit. Best way is to search it in Google as they take down site forgeries from their results and most likely the site you are trying to find is paying for top billing on the results. Don't follow links others give you to sites that ask you to buy or download programs. Google it.

 

2. Credit Card or PayPal for online payments if you can, it adds an additional layer of protection between the seller and your bank account. I use credit cards as I get 2% cash back on all purchases.

 

3. My AV is MSE, I used to use Comodo Firewall (the free version) which is fine for the overly cautions but most of the time it just got in the way. I'd be installing programs I new were legit and still had to allow modifications to my file system. Check it out though if you would like to fine tune your security suite.

 

4. Make sure the site processing your transaction is secured using SSL, there should be a lock icon in your browser address bar.

 

The merchant you are buying from pays all PayPal or credit card related fees, you incur no additional cost for using such services. Exception being government services.

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