If my DAW wasn't connected to the Web, I'd never read the forum.  :P

Craig, after reading a SOS article by Martin Walker questioning the need to stay off line with a DAW, i am now connected 24/7 etc. but each to his/her own, whatever works etc.

I use MSE ( on Windows 7 x64 ) plus Malwarebytes Pro version which catches out regularly, in a live situation, some "reliable" sites that try and change your browser opening page etc.

So far ( last 3/4 years ) nothing caught.

Of couse, as echoed before, practising safe browsing is paramount !

Cheers,
Jerry

My system is for my Internet computer is as follows:
1-Netgear router with firewall
2-windows firewall
3-ME - runs a full scan at least once a week.
4-Malwarebytes Pro that runs once a day
5-Ccleaner - free version - scan once a week, including registry scan

My point about disconnecting the network cable may have been lost in the examples of noise on the wire. The network devices are usually not connected to the power filters. And therefore all the crap on the line, including lighting surges are directed into the computer bypassing the UPS and filters. Hence the need to pull the plug.

A client recently got zapped via the phone/fax line conntected to the printer/fax connected to the computer via USB. Nuked the printer, computer's mainboard, wireless card, and the monitor.  The computer was off.
 
Internet stuff: Most of my clients do not surf to stupid sites. Most have not had infections of any type. And many call me if they spot an email/website that does not make them feel happy.
 
I have not had an issue with this computer since it has become general purpose about 9 months ago. Not being connected is not as much of an issue as it was because we are more aware.
 
AND:::::   disconnecting the network cable, and disabling the network card does NOT stop the auto-run/timer-based apps from auto-running. The network browser will constantly attempt to determine who is the master. The AV programs, user experience tasks, license verifiers,... all will continue to run and often add errors to the event list. Some of these can be disabled. Some of them require Cyclopsian strength and perseverance to find and squash. And some cannot be stopped, merely thwarted.
 
And: as it is by design by the MS jerks that the network interface is ALWAYS powered, even when the computer is "off," the only way to remove the network interface from the system configuration is disabling through BIOS.
 
But, how many of us have the patience to review all of this regularly as the MS dudes change settings via updates?
 
Good thing I can blame the sound card drivers for any Sonar problems.

What does "browsing" mean?  General browsing? Like reading Google news?
 
I search for and browse websites.  I DO NOT download much stuff cuz I got all I need.  I do get PDF files and the such. And applications from websites I trust, such as KVR, XLN, CW,...
 
Should I have not downloaded to this computer the item i purchased yesterday from the CW store?  Maybe not. Given that MS defender may not have scanned for all the items that could have infected the CW server before anybody knew about it.
 
Thought I was doing OK. But ya'll gots me nervous now.
 
So I will scan with Malwarebytes, and SuperAntispyware, and maybe run the Kaspersky tool overnight.
 
"Oh, what a world, what a world."
 
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It amazes me so many people still use MSE and think they are protected with it.
 
The best/easiest thing to do would be to get a good virus scanner such as Avira, Avast, Bitlocker or Kaspersky and set the active real time protection off as well as every other feature it offers that would be using resources. This means you won't be protected if something hits the hard drive but if you actively scan the system every night or so, say when you sleep, you wouldn't really have to worry about it and those resources that would normally be used for AV real time protection will be freed up for audio work.

Had my DAW connected to the Internet since dial up. Never ever had a problem. Never understood why people think it's such an issue.

I don't keep my DAW plugged into the net.  I do plug it in for updates and such.  Never had a problem and see no reason to change.  I've always had an "office" computer for writing and browsing and porno or whatnot.   The biggest downside is anytime I do plug into the net MS has a million updates before I can even get to the musical ones.  So I've got a couple of updates just waiting until I have time to wade through all that junk first.
 
@

I think there is a level of paranoia in all of this discussion.  Don't forget, advertising and fear, probably invented by The Nazi's or at least improved on by the Nazi's-is a way to get people to buy their products and in this case anti-virus software. 
 
I honestly think this is what we are seeing here, nothing more nothing less.  Let's make people fear the big bad virus in the corner, sounds a bit like the Christian ethos and if you have sex or masturbate, you will die and Satan will have your mortal soul...of course no one has come back yet to tell us if this is so.
 
Perhaps were also seeing an interesting psychology experiment, the plodders vs the devil may care attitude. 
 
Honestly the best argument against virus software and problems being connected to the internet is me.  If I have had one virus in 14 years...actually I think it was malware and it was my fault for accidently opening a dodgy email, then in the immortal words of Peter Sellers "we must stop worrying and learn to love the bomb" ok maybe not Peter Sellers, and for all of you over 10 and don't know who Peter Sellers is or the movie, then please educate yourself.
 
But if you want to be the epitome of the paranoid nerd and not plug your computer in because of fear...or you want to fill the coffers of the guy who came up with Norton, who coincidently is now broke, and arrested in South America somewhere for "accidently" killing someone, he was paranoid...he thought someone was trying to poison his dog, or something crazy like that...you go for it.  I'm going to love the bomb.  Remember...
 
"A life lived in fear is a life not lived at all"
 
Ben   

konradh
Well, I had a virus twice in a row that set me back months and, having worked in IT for years, I knew not to open strange execs from unknown emails.  These were both (I believe) from innocent-looking links of Facebook.
 
A major corporation where I consulted just had a virus that shut down its entire help desk/customer operation for three days.
 
So, people may be overly paranoid, but these things do happen.
 
 

Sure but most of us have two computers, one that fits into our hands.  This is the computer I tend to open most Facebook links on and emails.  Your in IT so your bound to be more of a target too...those of us who aren't only need to avoid dodgy websites and emails.  I knew the email I was opening was dodgy, it was obvious, as I was about to open another email I clicked on the dodgy one...or something along these lines.  So again 14 years one problem, that I caused.
 
Ben

Jeff Evans
I think there is a lot you can do as a user in terms of avoiding many issues regarding unwanted emails and attachments etc.  But there is still a level of danger to a certain degree as well.  One very knowledgeable IT and Windows guy told me the moment you go on line with your Windows operating system it is being compromised.
 
I tend to agree.  Also if you are running a serious business and you are getting paid regularly  (to which people like Ben are not so always be wary of advice from non charging work people)  then there is no way if you are serious you have your main audio machine on line ever.   Every top studio and composer here in Melbourne works the same way too, funny about that.  Main machine is NOT on line, period!
 
The best approach is a second computer handling all the internet stuff.  My main audio machine can go on line via a slick USB modem that just plugs in but I only have to do that rarely for a just a handful of VST's or programs which really need to be online to update etc.  But for nearly everything else it is possible to download on another machine and check for viruses first before transferring over and updating/upgrading.
 
The advantages are great for the non internet machine.  Once a reasonable amount of Windows updating has taken place you can switch all that off and never be hassled with that again.  You can turn off tons of useless background processes that run on Windows.  (And things that are probably causing half or more of the problems that a lot of DAW people see)  It all adds up to a better audio working experience as far as I am concerned.
 
I know because I can work for hours, days weeks and never have an issue with the computer doing something other than what I am doing with it. ie it just does not suddenly stop me and say my version of QuickTime is about to be updated!  I decide on all that and when.
 
The trouble with the internet these days is for some reason everyone who makes software or anything for that matter feel they have the right to go into your computer and change stuff without your knowledge.  I say BS to that.  No they don't. And sometimes what seems like harmless intervention from the outside can cause major changes in your audio system and put you out of action for days while you sort it out.  The sort of thing that cannot happen when you are being paid well to do something quickly.  The two don't work well together.
 

Ah but Jeff, I may not get paid but I have deadlines to meet, in regards to my work...work not submitted on time, no degree.  Actually just finished submission for Honours, 2 weeks in front.  So again, why so paranoid??
 
Ben 

BenMMusTech



Ah but Jeff, I may not get paid but I have deadlines to meet, in regards to my work...work not submitted on time, no degree.  Actually just finished submission for Honours, 2 weeks in front.  So again, why so paranoid??
 
Ben 

+1 Ben and I hope I was not devaluing the concept of getting project deadlines done for study too, of course.  Just as important I would say.  I am not paranoid about it just careful.  All I know is the way I have been treating this has resulted in years and years of totally trouble free operation from my computer system and that speaks for itself.

My thinking and motives are a bit different than what people have discussed here. I have a laptop that I use to access the internet. I go everywhere with it. The computer I use to record my music is a desktop. I only access certain types of sites with the desktop machine. I use it to access sites like the cakewalk store or my bank account. Things of that nature. I update the machine with all the latest updates.
 
When I record music everything is streamed to an external hard drive so in the slim chance that I do get a virus or something happens to my computer, I don't lose my work. I also backup my projects to another external hard drive in the event that my other external hard drive crashes. I have backups for my backups and I don't use a cloud service for backing up my recording projects.
 
Now before record music I disconnect from the internet via device manager. I also take the time to turn off all the programs that run in the background that are not needed while I am recording music. This includes programs that start up when I turn on the computer. Programs like Microsoft security, virus software, Google chrome, Roxio CD burning software ect. are all turned off
 
Then I turn off services I don't need that run in the background. This is anything that is internet related and things like disk defragmenter. It is really disappointing to record music and have things like this go off in the background. Then I reboot my computer.
 
The main reason for going to all this trouble is because it frees up the processor and ram. This action provides me with more system resources to do the things I want to do. By taking the time to do this I can use more effects and I don't need to freeze tracks because my processor can now handle everything I throw at it. Projects that have 50 tracks or more respond better when all the system eating resources are turned off.
 
As far as viruses go I don't go to sites where I would get a virus. My other computer is used for my main internet surfing and things like skype.
 
Every year I will re-image the hard drive and restore everything. I usually do this before I upgrade to the next cakewalk product. The end result is my machine works great and my projects are protected. I get a better performance from my processor when I record, mix, and master my music. when I am done recording I turn everything back on again.
 
This system has worked very well for me and while some people may find it unorthodox it does work well for me. I do the same thing when I edit videos.
 
On another point if your recording computer is connected to the internet have some fun with it. I named my router YourDogPoopsInMyYard. All my neighbors know who I am. It comes up every time they search for a wireless connection. Recently I changed the name to NSAsurvellanceUnit. I figured that would keep the neighbors away. Of course, these routers are password protected.

I now use a separate PC (a small laptop) for non-music stuff.
 
I guess my main point is that I like MS Security Essentials for its low demand on the system.

johnnyV
And it's not about being paranoid, it's about optimizing for audio. 

I totally agree Johnny, That is exactly the reason why I don't connect to the internet when I am working with Sonar. The less system resources that are used for those things like internet and other applications the more effects and tracks I can use. I don't have an i7 so for me it is about performance more than it is about fear of viruses.