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Does your puter wear protection?

Ozzie

Ozzie

Snow looming...run!!
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Apple Valley, Minnesota
This may be a good place to start for everyone...keeping the doors closed to the bad guys.

How do you guys protect your puter? Free programs, something you like well enough to pay for it?

There's a few good programs that are free and work well.
Spybot Search & Destroy (Teatimer option is important), AVG antivirus (free version link), etc.

I also used Adaware for a long time, but my older versions no longer update, are they switching to a paid version?
 
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I use both spybot and AVG with no issues. I used Norton for a while but my computer kept getting ill so I switched, glad I did.
 
Norton is actually getting better again from what I've been hearing, but as long as there are good programs for free, I'm a happy camper.

I was just chatting with someone about downloading Spybot. A common practice these days when you download something are attempts at what I call misdirection. You are trying to download a free file, but if you aren't paying attention, you'll click on the wrong thing. A person needs to pay close attention to what they click on and agree to.
Many programs will also try to install extra toolbars and other bloat along with it.

Say no to bloat!
 
I use Norton as I have alot of success with it, the latest version didn't allow me to modify the install, it just did what ever it wanted to, computer gets slow sometimes and Norton is always trying to do a back up....
 
SfcJones said:
I use Norton as I have alot of success with it, the latest version didn't allow me to modify the install, it just did what ever it wanted to, computer gets slow sometimes and Norton is always trying to do a back up....
Click to expand...

Thats part of my problem with Norton, its a hog, slows everything down.
 
Adaware still has a free version. You'll have to download the new version to upgrade - I don't think the software will do an automatic update to the new version.

Other helpful programs are Spyware Blaster & Hijack This - both available from download.com.

Hijack This is only recommended for experienced PC users.
 
I have Trend Micro and Webroot spy sweeper have been good so far.Other puter has the free AVG no problems either.
 
For a good freeware firewall try Jetico Personal Firewall. It always scores very well on firewall tests.
 
=======Anti-Spyware=====
Best anti-spyware program I've found is SuperAntiSpyware... that being said, I also use Spybot S&D... I run them alternately. Spyware changes so fast these days, you almost need to have 2 different programs to manage the crap.

SuperAntiSpyware is the only one that kills/cleans the dreaded WinAntiVirus hijack.
===========

========Anti-Virus=========
I run AVGfree on all of my PCs and Laptops in my home environment... it is one of only 3 ICSA-certified programs that meet the criteria I use for my network operations, and the other 2 are big-time expensive...

I also use and recommend TrendMicro's Housecall free Online Security scan ( http:www.housecall.antivirus.com ) about once a week. Housecall's online service can identify, quarantine and clean virus, spyware and malaware infections and is a good backup to my AVGfree installations.
===============

========Firewall==========
I hide behind a BlackHole NAT router at home... this, in my mind, is an essential piece of defense. If nobody knows you're there, they can't spend time knocking at your door and picking your lock. Wireless is handled through Radius/ASET WPA2.

I also hide my SSID and use a managed MAC filter to allow only certain computers access.

I like SMC and D-Link routers... you get what you pay for.
==============

========Summary=========

For the typical home install, I recommend:

-Get yourself a NAT Router. Even if you only have one computer
-Secure any wireless installation. RTFM (read the friggin manual)

Spyware: 2 versions
-SuperAntiSpyware
-Spybot Search and Destroy

AntiVirus: one installed, one web-based
-AVGfree
-TrendMicro's Housecall

These certainly aren't the only choices, and some may argue about them being the best choices, but they're MY choices.

Play Safe!
 
...it's nice to see some new players on the scene...I hadn't heard of SuperAntiSpyware before.
I do know what you mean about needing more than one program in your arsenal though,my daughter managed to get something really nasty on her puter - it took me all weekend and several different programs to stop it.
I was a heartbeat away from the nuke and pave, but she had classroom work on there and needed to save it. And that was with me putting all the protection on there that I could muster.
It still comes down to the user giving permission to something when they don't know what the consequences will be.
 
Ozzie said:
It still comes down to the user giving permission to something when they don't know what the consequences will be.
Click to expand...

Usually very true... however, that WinAntiVirus hijack is a browser hijack that just pops up on you. The only defense is to shut your machine off ... not start-->turn off computer-->shutdown, just a cold shut-off... push and hold the power button, pull the plug, whatever. Clicking damn-near anything will embed the hijack, and then you're in trouble.

Flush the cache immediately on safe mode start-up (you end up there 'cause of the crash shutdown) and re-start normally.

If you DO manage to get the WinAntiVirus exploit on your box, you'll know because you will keep getting pop-ups telling you that your computer is infected and that only the WinAntiVirusPro software can disinfect it. DO NOT click on the popup!!!!!

SuperAntiSpyware does a good job of removing it.

Jim

PS - this is specific for that issue, but there are others that behave in similar ways. Regular scans, frequent updates, and a healthy dose of fear keeps our machines clean!
 
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PS - and Ozzie... I feel for ya, man... when my kid got infected on her puter, her thesis was on it.

"You have backups, right?", I asked, fearing that I already knew the answer...

You would think that MY offspring would know better, but no... 'nuke and pave' is so much easier than 'recover, disinfect, clean and re-assemble'.
 
Backups? What's that??

That sounds like exactly what happened too...wifey and I were out of town, the kids were surfing, and next thing you know they got an infected message...click here. They did thinking they could clean it...what a mess that was. Pull the internet plug...go to the other puter and put together my arsenal on a USB stick. Safe Mode...and have at it.

I thought I had it all cleaned out, but per your suggestion, took SuperAntiSpyware down there and found 22 more instances.
Good thing I just took an external drive and transferred a bunch of files to it - I don't think I'll really be clean unless I nuke it.
 
Ozzie said:
I thought I had it all cleaned out, but per your suggestion, took SuperAntiSpyware down there and found 22 more instances.
Good thing I just took an external drive and transferred a bunch of files to it - I don't think I'll really be clean unless I nuke it.
Click to expand...

Do you have an HJT log? That will let you know if anything is running in the background.
 
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I used it but didn't print it out. That was one of the programs I used in safe mode to stop some of the activity. I had already indentified one of the culprits and isolated it. It took three programs to finally stop it, and more than that to clean it. There is no one stop shopping anymore it would seem.
 
Yeah... half the time you gotta go in and edit your registry to fix all the little bugs. Using a couple of spyware cleaners is a good start, though. The Housecall variant also cleans spyware, but it's a little slower and less particular, I find. I also like the Windows Defender for some things, but it's not as inclusive. What it DOES do is remind you about patches and updates you've been slack on...

There is no crescent-wrench for this job.
 
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