VZW Protector

mari dub

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Who uses the verizon anti virus service that comes in there phones... What is your opinion of it.

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mari dub

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Never used it; consider it bloatware and disabled it upon first setting up the phone.

It's basically Verizon's version of an Antivirus app with a premium subscription feature.

Verizon Support Protection FAQs | Verizon Wireless

Android Basic app is free to download and includes:
  • Antivirus protection, powered by McAfee , to detect viruses and malware
  • McAfee SiteAdvisor to identify and warn you of suspicious websites

Android Premium app requires a monthly subscription to Total Mobile Protection and includes:
  • All of the features available with the Android Basic version
  • App Alert to help guard your privacy from apps deemed risky
  • Mobile recovery features to remotely locate, alarm, lock or erase certain data

Thanks for the update. I figured it was some kind of bloat that i would never use.

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mari dub

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i dont remember seeing it on mine lol

I honestly always disable it as well. Just curious who has used it before and the benefits it supplies.

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Connert

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I use it (free version). It's not obtrusive at all and is supported by a company that has a vested interest in my mobile experience. It scans every download and runs a full scan once a week.

If you allow side loading, why wouldn't you protect yourself? For that matter, it's free and you hardly even know it's there. Why not? What do you use instead?

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mari dub

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I use it (free version). It's not obtrusive at all and is supported by a company that has a vested interest in my mobile experience. It scans every download and runs a full scan once a week.

If you allow side loading, why wouldn't you protect yourself? For that matter, it's free and you hardly even know it's there. Why not? What do you use instead?

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I usually don't use any type of Antivirus since the article came out about them not really providing a purpose. I generally do not like companies putting branded apps on phones which can access my information. If usually do not side load apps... Usually.

Galaxy Note 5 and what not
 

Almeuit

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I don't have the Note 5 but if I did I would disable it. I wouldn't want VZW Anti-Virus.
 

mari dub

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I don't have the Note 5 but if I did I would disable it. I wouldn't want VZW Anti-Virus.

I honestly believe there is no need for Antivirus unless you are doind illegal activities (downloading) through your mobile device.

Galaxy Note 5 and what not
 

Connert

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In 2014 mobile device usage surpassed pc for the first time for browsing the Internet. You guys do realize the reason pc is way more likely to get a virus than Mac right?

So, you have a device used to browse the Internet and it is now the most common way to browse.

You feel safe and see no reason to protect your data?

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Almeuit

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In 2014 mobile device usage surpassed pc for the first time for browsing the Internet. You guys do realize the reason pc is way more likely to get a virus than Mac right?

So, you have a device used to browse the Internet and it is now the most common way to browse.

You feel safe and see no reason to protect your data?

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I just don't see a need for virus protection. I do not go to sketchy sites, I do not download from unknown sources, and I mainly use a core set of very well known services and apps. It would be hard for me to pick up a virus. I don't use virus protection on my PC either and I haven't had a virus in years .. and I mean years .. Since I was 12?

I am smart and aware of my PC usage. I won't just click any old link :).
 

Connert

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I just don't see a need for virus protection. I do not go to sketchy sites, I do not download from unknown sources, and I mainly use a core set of very well known services and apps. It would be hard for me to pick up a virus. I don't use virus protection on my PC either and I haven't had a virus in years .. and I mean years .. Since I was 12?

I am smart and aware of my PC usage. I won't just click any old link :).

You are definitely the exception to the rule.

I have a network stretched across 7 locations with approximately 300 pc's. To protect that, I have firewalls at each location (two for each Internet connection actually), a "net nanny" system called websense, and Symantec Endpoint protection that updates every night and pushes a full scan command to every pc every night. Guess what, I still get two to three viruses a month. Some are full on attacks and some are just someone clicking on the wrong site.

A large issue today is not the traditional virus, but more spyware or adware. It isn't coming from shady sites or email attachments. It's more likely to come from legit sites or carefully constructed spoof sites.

We deal with customer personal information that would be a serious problem if stolen, so security is not something I can take lightly. I'm sure you would rather know I'm doing everything possible to protect your personal information and not taking any unnecessary chances. You would not give me your SSAN, DOB, Bank account information, home and work address, phone numbers and email addresses if I told you not to worry, I don't need anti-virus on my network.

A lot of this information is stored on your phone and someone could get it and not very many people are protecting themselves.

I wounder what you might find on your PC if you ran Spybot or Malware Bites?

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Almeuit

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You are definitely the exception to the rule.

I have a network stretched across 7 locations with approximately 300 pc's. To protect that, I have firewalls at each location (two for each Internet connection actually), a "net nanny" system called websense, and Symantec Endpoint protection that updates every night and pushes a full scan command to every pc every night. Guess what, I still get two to three viruses a month. Some are full on attacks and some are just someone clicking on the wrong site.

A large issue today is not the traditional virus, but more spyware or adware. It isn't coming from shady sites or email attachments. It's more likely to come from legit sites or carefully constructed spoof sites.

A lot of this information is stored on your phone and someone could get it and not very many people are protecting themselves.

I wounder what you might find on your PC if you ran Spybot or Malware Bites?

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And I agree -- most aren't that protective or even worry. They click on anything and everything. I was just responding to what you said.

As to what is on my PC? I would be willing to bet easily that you would find nothing. Nothing that is going to steal my SSN or w/e. Maybe a tracking cookie so I can get ads for certain things but that is about it. Again -- I do not go to untrustworthy sites where I have to worry about things like that. Spoof sites are the least of my worries as they aren't hard to verify if you know what you're doing ;).

We deal with customer personal information that would be a serious problem if stolen, so security is not something I can take lightly. I'm sure you would rather know I'm doing everything possible to protect your personal information and not taking any unnecessary chances. You would not give me your SSAN, DOB, Bank account information, home and work address, phone numbers and email addresses if I told you not to worry, I don't need anti-virus on my network.

And I do protect my information by verifying what I enter my information into -- A.k.a non-spoof sites. Again it isn't hard if you know what you're doing. In my line of work this stuff isn't really new or uncommon (Personal Info that is) -- remember you don't know my line of work :).

Also your example here is really not fitting to the situation. Of course I wouldn't give my stuff to someone who doesn't take care of it -- that would be dumb on me (not them). I trust myself and what I do to know I am not going to a spoof site or getting viruses from crazy sites -- but me entering my information or giving it to someone who isn't verified / trustworthy would be a 100% fault of my own. Also I am not sure what you mean by the "Legit sites" and relating that to stealing information. Legit sites do collect information about my browsing and stuff but a legit site will not have malware where it is in my PC stealing my SSN and bank account information for some hacker or whoever to just go rampant with my stuff / identity. Sorry .. that is from shady sites / pirating sites / etc.


[EDIT]

I went ahead and looked up Malware Bytes on Tom's Hardware (trusted site) to ensure it was legit -- downloaded it and activated the free premium trial. The results are below.
 

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Almeuit

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I have a network stretched across 7 locations with approximately 300 pc's. To protect that, I have firewalls at each location (two for each Internet connection actually), a "net nanny" system called websense, and Symantec Endpoint protection that updates every night and pushes a full scan command to every pc every night. Guess what, I still get two to three viruses a month. Some are full on attacks and some are just someone clicking on the wrong site.

And just to comment on this specifically -- What does this have to do with my browsing? You're talking from an IT perspecitve which .. I have to 100% agree with you on. You would have to be crazy to run a network with that many PCs and not have anything -- why? -- because there are TONS of "users" on those PCs that can do things they shouldn't. Hence my point earlier of "I do not use shady sites, click on random links that I do not trust, and use services I trust". Keyword in that is "I" -- It is my use for my home PC. No WAY would I trust Mr. Joe Smith on my PC unsupervised because he very well could get my PC infected.

You're going on a totally different road than what we were talking about -- we were talking about "Why do I feel I am okay?" not the road of "Do you trust random Mr. Joe Smith on your company network to not do something stupid?" -- Because I would never trust him or anyone. I can only account for myself and my actions since I know that I know better.

As for the focused attacks -- Honestly if you have some home virus protection and someone is actually going to attack you (unlikely unless you have a reason to be attacked usually) -- a home firewall isn't going to stop a hacker who knows what he is doing. Hackers attacking a company is way more in the "norm" versus them attacking little ol' me at home playing games / browsing the web... But just for the sake of this discussion let's say they DO attack me. I have absolutely nothing on this PC or my network with my personal information. I save no passwords (a.k.a remember them), ALL sites that require 2 step do not remember ANY PC I use (I have to enter it every time from the text to my phone), and there are no documents or anything of that nature on my PC or on my network. They would hack in and see my browsing history .. That I play games .. And that is it. There would be nothing for them to snag.
 

Connert

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After reading my responses and your comments, I have to say I did get a bit off track comparing mobile devices to networks.

It's so easy to get wound up with security issues these days. It also seems that security efforts have had to increase so much over the last few years. It use to be that network security was a small part of the job, but has now become a major part of maintain a network.

Just look at Target and Home Depot. I'm sure they thought they were safe.

I'm sure most people don't see a need for added security in their mobile device and maybe they don't. I think I'll take the safe approach and keep my free, and very unobtrusive system in place. I do know 3 people that have had some form of malware this year, one was very destructive and the other two were really just an annoyance, providing pop up ads every 20 or 30 minutes. In either case, a factory reset solved the problem.

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