Am I just lucky or are there not many computer viruses out there? -

[stares at error messages]

This might sound like an advert, but does your computer have viruses? Do you keep getting infected? Do you think the sites you visit are sketchy or not?

It seems like viruses aren't as big a deal as they were 20 years ago. Of course there's ransomware, but other then that and the rarely discovered fed-op, the last computer virus scare seem many years old.

 

[Bilbo is Saggin]

It's because you're not retarded. Ignoring obviously sketchy shit is just second nature now, but you gotta remember that there are still little kids and boomers that fall for it every time.

 

[Toolbox]

If you use adblockers, avoid clicking on the pretty download link on every shady website and every popup ad for dick pills you are pretty much never going to get a virus unless someone just straight up comes to your house and injects it.

 

[inception_state]

Browser and OS security improved massively, making old exploits less effective and new ones a lot more expensive. Also they've effectively forced auto-updates in most popular consumer software. That makes a shotgun approach a lot less profitable. Nowadays the main game plan of those folks seems to be spearphishing clueless HR people at random companies and collecting ransomware payouts.

 

[Joe Swanson]

Google over the last few years have essentially made it so you can't accidentally get a virus just from common searches, so that's cut down on a lot of viruses being downloaded

 

[Disheveled Human]

Most virus will just tax your hardware in a non-obvious way, A long ass time ago I got hit with a keylogger (this was before credit/debit combo cards) hailing out of vietnam and PayPal reversed it a day later, I do not even think my bank knew about it. If my computer is infected its not on the hardware level if at all it is some kind of internet based bullshit.

 

[BlueSpark]

Things are more secure today. Windows and Mac have new security measures built in, browsers scan files you've downloaded, sites that host files scan them for malware, applications are sandboxed and people in general aren't downloading random crap and running it.

 

[The Repeated Meme]

It's pretty easy to not get computer viruses if you have even a modicum of understanding of online security.

 

[Radical Cadre]

It's because you're not retarded. Ignoring obviously sketchy shit is just second nature now, but you gotta remember that there are still little kids and boomers that fall for it every time.

I was watching a coworker just the other day blindly clicking through popups on a work terminal without reading them because they were in her way. She deferred two franchise updates indefinitely and installed a toolbar. On a work terminal. And normally you wouldn't be able to do such things, but for the fact that she has elevated access due to her job title.

Fucking hell.

 

[Tookie]

Remember that if you are posting here you're probably fairly technically adept among internet users as a whole nowadays. Almost everyone on the planet has internet access now and there is some boomer lady in Africa running Windows XP with no adblock or antivirus clicking on an .exe attachment right now.

If you have some shred of common sense and are not running a pile of shit with a 15 year-old copy of Windows you are doing better than hundreds of millions of users.

 

[shoplifter7]

I was watching a coworker just the other day blindly clicking through popups on a work terminal without reading them because they were in her way. She deferred two franchise updates indefinitely and installed a toolbar. On a work terminal. And normally you wouldn't be able to do such things, but for the fact that she has elevated access due to her job title.

Fucking hell.

holy shit a toolbar you just brought back a memory i didnt know i had, when i was 13 and my friend's computer had like 6 toolbars and i didn't have a computer so i was just thinking " i never seen a computer with so many tools"

 

[Asshole Extermination]

No there are still computer viruses. Shit just got more secure in recent years. You no longer get malware from an MP3 someone on the internet sent you.

Also if you're at the very least somewhat knowledgeable at a basic level of computer security (I.E. Not clicking that shady download link or following the instructions of that indian microsoft guy on your phone) it's basically impossible to get viruses these days.

 

[DDBCAE CBAADCBE]

I’m pretty sure all computers are required to get their vaccinations before going to retail which is why it’s so hard for them to get viruses. The vaccine works guys.

 

[Battlecruiser3000ad]

No big loss, the viruses are not even as cool as they used to be. Instead of an ambulance running over your screen it's mining or paying some pee pee poo poo coins.