Why wasn't I told about Mcafee security?

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@tvan001 wrote:

You cannot blame ATT for that issue.  I always tell my friends and family to install a virus and internet protector.  Mcafee is a option which I would not recommend.  I love using Bit Defender and have been with them for the last 3 years.  I would never used a virus scanner that is offered for free.  

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Why?  Just because it's free doesn't mean its not good.  There is no reason to spend money for an anti-virus program when the ones I listed previously are all very good and perform as well and in some cases better than pay programs.  I have not paid for an anti-virus program in about 8 years and refuse to do so.  I've also been using MSE since that time and have never had a virus. 

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@skeeterintexas wrote:

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@oufanindallas wrote:

Thanks skeeter.  As a computer technical support agent, I NEVER recommend McAfee.  Out of all the ones that are available, it's the least user friendly and a huge resource hawg.

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Norton is another resource hog.  When we had Comcast, they offered Norton and I used it when I didn't know any better.  I didn't realize how much it slowed my computer down until I ditched it a went with MSE.

 

To the OP....I'm a technologically challenged and there's a lot to learn out there.  I'm still learning.  Sometimes we have to learn the hard way.  If that means an infected computer, so be it. 

 

Consider this situation as a lesson learned.

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This response is kind of late, but. Norton has really changed over the years. It doesn't even take up 1% of my CPU on task manager and I can barely tell it's running/scanning. It barely makes a large difference in how fast my computer runs. It's also one of my lowest memory usage programs running. I can also say myself that Norton blocked items that Malwarebytes didn't. I think that Norton and Malware Bytes work well together. Norton is a very decent program nowadays and is no longer a resource hog and actually has decent enough protection.To be honest, I actually liked it more than Avast. I don't know why Avast gets such high praise most of the time(I haven't tried MSE yet). In my experience, Avast didn't really "catch" anything and only liked to detect false positives and random items that weren't even harmful. I used to have a computer with a nasty infection and Avast did nothing about it, even AVG did better than it.

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@Darknessrise wrote:

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@skeeterintexas wrote:

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@oufanindallas wrote:

Thanks skeeter.  As a computer technical support agent, I NEVER recommend McAfee.  Out of all the ones that are available, it's the least user friendly and a huge resource hawg.

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Norton is another resource hog.  When we had Comcast, they offered Norton and I used it when I didn't know any better.  I didn't realize how much it slowed my computer down until I ditched it a went with MSE.

 

To the OP....I'm a technologically challenged and there's a lot to learn out there.  I'm still learning.  Sometimes we have to learn the hard way.  If that means an infected computer, so be it. 

 

Consider this situation as a lesson learned.

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This response is kind of late, but. Norton has really changed over the years. It doesn't even take up 1% of my CPU on task manager and I can barely tell it's running/scanning. It barely makes a large difference in how fast my computer runs. It's also one of my lowest memory usage programs running. I can also say myself that Norton blocked items that Malwarebytes didn't. I think that Norton and Malware Bytes work well together. Norton is a very decent program nowadays and is no longer a resource hog and actually has decent enough protection.To be honest, I actually liked it more than Avast. I don't know why Avast gets such high praise most of the time(I haven't tried MSE yet). In my experience, Avast didn't really "catch" anything and only liked to detect false positives and random items that weren't even harmful. I used to have a computer with a nasty infection and Avast did nothing about it, even AVG did better than it.

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There's a reason why Norton, or any other anti-virus program will catch things that Malwarebytes doesn't catch, they are looking for two different signatures.  I have used the combo of MSE and MWB for 7 years now and have (knock on wood) never had any infection on my computer.

While you can't blame ATT for a virus they should have told you about their antivirus software when you signed up. This is part of what you pay for when you buy ATT and you should be told. (They don't tell you to save them money from licences?) this is normally a $60 a year program that you get when you purchase ATT internet  and its part of what you pay for. 

Obviously the ATT fanboys with 3000 posts know about this as they are... ATT fanboys... comparing your knowledge's to the OPs and then saying they should be at your knowledge level is somewhat insulting since they are just a basic consumer. And to add insult to injury you tell them you reported them. Not a great way to make a dismayed customer happy.

Also oufan all the "free" antivirus softwares you listed are not stellar. Microsoft security essentials has the lowest rate of finding viruses this is due to every major hacker testing their virus against it. The others you listed all have paid for versions and lock out most features to free users and bombard you with ads, the last thing isn't even a antivirus and none of those come with a firewall plus you want anti malware not just antivirus. What we are promised with our subscription is Mcaffe Internet Security. This is important because just antivirus like you provided does NOT protect you from things downloaded from websites and malicious emails and sites plus the added benefit of a real firewall (the microsoft one is bad). For gods sake McAffee is the 3rd best rated internet antivirus of the year on Toms Hardware and they rated it BEST FOR EASE OF USE. That's  pretty impressive. None of your free antivirus programs even made it on the top list of PC World Magazine. I've been dealing with computers for years and I would take McAfee Internet security over Microsoft Antivirus in a heartbeat. 

I don't know where the OP lives but for a single jobless mother of 3 if you live near me I would for free come and fix your pc. For the future I would install the McAffe and be sure to monitor what your kids and you are installing to make sure it doesn't happen again. I can't make ATT do anything but I sure would not want to be sending a message like this to my customers. The ATT fanboys need to really filter what they say as it normally comes off as offensive and anti consumer. It sure would not make me want to stay with att and I don't think this is what ATT is going for.

If you want any real help removing your viruses further feel free to pm or contact me and I can give in depth instructions on how to remove them.

@Ozfer 

I've been dealing with computer for almost 30 years now and I wouldn't give McAfee to some I didn't like let alone someone I worked for. MSE is given 5 Stars by CNET, a name I trust more than Tom's Hardware.

While you say the "free" anti-virus" programs are loaded with ads and block functionalilty, the ones I listed are rated as the best free ones by CNET, not Tom's Hardware.  PC Magazine also rates them extremely high.  Also they do not have their functionality crippled.  There is no need to spend any money. 

@oufanindallas

Dude go take another look over at CNET MSE has bombed so many security tests it’s sad and that review is from many years ago heck even Microsoft recommends other software above MSE. Still none of your free ones made it on the top list at top 10 reviews either and toms hardware is a very legitimate site... and still none of your free ones come with a better firewall, anti malware, or internet security and that’s just a fact. Also McAfee hasn't been around for 30 years so it’s hard to say you have 30 years of experience with it…(Do you work for ATT?)

As for your pc magazine link no duh out of free antiviruses they are the best.... that’s a review of only free antivirus software not just antivirus software. Go look at the same websites rating for the best antivirus of 2014 in general and McAffe comes in fourth and none of your free ones make it on the top 5. And the fact still remains the free ones have ads and do block out features and most have paid for versions that try to get you to buy the full version the whole time you use them. I have used avira, avast, avg, bitdefender, Norton, Kaspersky, and many others I know what they are like. 

Furthermore I never said that their functionality was crippled they do exactly what they are supposed to, just be simple free antivirus software to get you to buy the full version. I noted that they are not as good as other software’s and many times the paid for version of the free antivirus is a very good product. The free version isn't sold as an internet security program it’s just a basic antivirus utility they have for free to get you to buy the real product that has firewalls, anti malware, and much better protection.

I completely agree, there is no need to spend money with what we pay ATT per month we are given a copy of McAfee Internet security a $60 a year program that we are given through our ATT subscription. McAffee is a fine program and there is no need to get anything else. I don’t understand your prejudice against McAfee when it clearly is a good program and makes it on every top list of antiviruses for 2014. You said it doesn’t have ease of use and it has been praised on multiple sites for having the best ease of use of all antivirus software.

I do remember AVG's nag popups without fondness, but it was/is a good free AV product.

While MSE gets a bad rating from the tests, in my experience, I've seen 4 infections on machines that had McAfee properly installed on them, and only ZERO on those that had MSE on them.  So... my testing shows MSE to be far better than McAfee.

AT&T's marketing materials clearly mention that McAfee is included, as does the support site.

oufan

Dude go take another look over at CNET MSE has bombed so many security tests it’s sad and that review is from many years ago heck even Microsoft recommends other software above MSE. Still none of your free ones made it on the top list at top 10 reviews either and toms hardware is a very legitimate site... and still none of your free ones come with a better firewall, anti malware, or internet security and that’s just a fact. Also McAfee hasn't been around for 30 years so it’s hard to say you have 30 years of experience with it…(Do you work for ATT?)

As for your pc magazine link no duh out of free antiviruses they are the best.... that’s a review of only free antivirus software not just antivirus software. Go look at the same websites rating for the best antivirus of 2014 in general and McAffe comes in fourth and none of your free ones make it on the top 5. And the fact still remains the free ones have ads and do block out features and most have paid for versions that try to get you to buy the full version the whole time you use them. I have used avira, avast, avg, bitdefender, Norton, Kaspersky, and many others I know what they are like. 

Furthermore I never said that their functionality was crippled they do exactly what they are supposed to, just be simple free antivirus software to get you to buy the full version. I noted that they are not as good as other software’s and many times the paid for version of the free antivirus is a very good product. The free version isn't sold as an internet security program it’s just a basic antivirus utility they have for free to get you to buy the real product that has firewalls, anti malware, and much better protection.

I completely agree, there is no need to spend money with what we pay ATT per month we are given a copy of McAfee Internet security a $60 a year program that we are given through our ATT subscription. McAffee is a fine program and there is no need to get anything else. I don’t understand your prejudice against McAfee when it clearly is a good program and makes it on every top list of antiviruses for 2014. You said it doesn’t have ease of use and it has been praised on multiple sites for having the best ease of use of all antivirus software.

@Ozfer 

No, I do not work for or with AT&T. I provide technical support for a different company and I didn't say I've used or worked with McAfee for 30 years, I said I've been working with computers for 30 years.  I've been using MSE along with Malwarebytes for 7 years now and have never had an infection of any type.  I've worked with Norton, McAfee, AVG, Avast, ESet and many other A/V programs and in my years of experience McAfee is the hardest to set up. Sure if you want to just install and forget then it's fine, but when you are dealing with A/V programs, especially ones that can cause false positives or interfere with other software, McAfee is a bugger to setup.  The company I work for has had issues with Norton, Avast, Trend Micro and AVG.  Each have caused major issues with our software until you set up exclusions.  But to each their own.  If you like McAfee, more power to you.  As for free, you're right, the link I sent was for the best FREE anti-virus software programs out there.

Most of the other fluff (like the firewall) in these Internet Security Suites are not worth the trouble.  The Windows Firewall is quite adequate, assuming you need a firewall. 

And, I see a mention of Trend Micro... one of the worse infections I've had to remove occurred on a machine with an up-to-date copy of Trend Micro on it.  I replaced it with MSE.  No infections on that machine since.

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@JefferMC wrote:

Most of the other fluff (like the firewall) in these Internet Security Suites are not worth the trouble.  The Windows Firewall is quite adequate, assuming you need a firewall. 

 

And, I see a mention of Trend Micro... one of the worse infections I've had to remove occurred on a machine with an up-to-date copy of Trend Micro on it.  I replaced it with MSE.  No infections on that machine since.

 

 

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Yep, completely blocked an update to our program.  Since I support professional tax software, being able to get updates regularly is extremely important. AVG thought one of our files was a virus and we had to call their hq in the Netherlands on a Sunday.  One of our specialists had to send them the file,  mind you this was April 12th, at first AVG was like, we should be able to get an update out in a week.  We were like, in a week filing deadline will be over and it won't be as important.  They had an update out within 12 hours of us calling.  We're supposed to be white listed with the major a/v programs, but it doesn't seem to matter most of the time.

Several years ago, I had AVG suddenly report that a file on a 3 year old manufacturered game CD was infected.

I sent them the file, told them what pressed CD it came from.  They stood by their position it was malware.  I ran three other scanners on it, none of them had an issue.  Sometimes...

Having an anti-virus program is crucial, and needs to be installed asap, anoither thing that gets overlooked almost as much is a good firewall.

The free anti-viruses listed (AVG, Avast, Malbyes, etc.) only have the firewall option if you upgrade  to the pay version.

At the very least, if you use those, and I agree, they are good, make sure that you enable Windows Defenderr. It is not the best firewall out there, but it is pretty good, is free, usualy already in your windows operationg system, and WAY better than nothing.

And note: not to be comfused with windows security essentials. essentials is anti-virus, not firewall.

My thoughts, use as you see fit.

That is why some files that show false positives get white listed. Some of the folks who make the aniti-virus apps try to charge the folks to whitelist, so, not all do, and the false positives persist.