If you secure your computer and maintain it, use smart choices in the programs and habits you use, your computer will last longer than the 3 - 4 years it's designed to last.
Let's start from the outside in -
Router
This works like a hardware firewall. The router doesn't respond to most of the "are you there?" tactics hackers use. If some hacker's scanning for victims and manages to find you despite the security ... they'll see the router not your computer.
If it's a wireless router - secure it, secure it, secure it! Change the admin password. Put an encrypted password to connect. Look up all the ways to secure your particular router. Write down the settings.
Computer
Firewall
You need one. Yes, you do. And no, Microsoft's is NOT enough. Get Zonealarm, it's free.
Browser
This is how most people see the internet. There's a high chance you're using the "blue e" aka Internet Explorer. This is not a good habit as IE hasn't been worked on (beyond fixes to problems people complain loudly about) in YEARS. It's big, slow, out-of-date, allows all kinds of nasties in, insecure, inflexible, and a major target for hackers.
Get Firefox - it's also free, sleek, faster, more secure, blocks pop-ups, is very customizable, easy to use, and once you start using tabs... you'll get frustrated with IE.
There are also very simple ways to NEVER see a banner / iframe / image ad again - it's an add-on to Firefox called Adblock Plus. I also recommend the automatic filter for Adblock - Filterset.G Updater. All free
Other programs that find stuff on the net (file sharing, instant messengers) are also a security risk. I don't know what you have / use, so I'd recommend looking up "securing thenameoftheprogram" on google.
Get and install all updates to all your programs - Windows, your browser, your anti-virus, your anti-spyware, your router, you name it.
Ok, now we get to do the clean up part:
Anti-virus
Viruses can look through your computer, send your info to nasty people, fill up your hard drive, fry your computer... the list is endless.
I recommend AVG
Anti-spyware
Spyware / Adware / Malware are under the same category. Spyware watches what you do and sends the info to someone else. Adware shows you pop-ups regardless of your security settings. Malware is all of the above and more.
Ad-aware, Spyware Blaster and Spybot Search & Destroy are my recommendations and the Uninstall programs you don't use.
Download "CCleaner" to find the files that are just clutter (temporary files, browser histories, browser caches, etc)
Get into the habit of defragging and checking your disk for errors (both are options under "My Computer", right click on your hard drive, choose "properties", click on the "tools") twice a month. You may want look up how to automate this through Scheduled Tasks.
Protect your computer from yourself and others:
Make each user on your computer their own Windows profile - and only give them (and yourself) limited accounts.
The only time you need full (admin) access is to install programs.
Make each person password protect their account.
Get into the habit of changing ALL your passwords once a month. Don't write down your passwords in a place others can find / use. Make passwords that use both numbers and letters and that are hard for anyone else to guess - I recommend keyboard patterns.
Do yourself a huge favour and get a UPS - uninteruptable power supply. This goes one step beyond a power surge protecter and gives you time to shut down the computer, saves your router, etc from losing their settings or being fried by power fluctuations.
I have a legal and moral obligation to keep my pc 100% clean. And I use an antivirus/spyware program out of Beijing, China.
http://www.filseclab.com -- This program has kept me 100% clean for the past nine years.
Twister Anti-Trojan Virus is absolute state of the art technology that has a real time scanner
that really works. Will scan your memory on start up and continues to run in the background
while you use your pc. Plus this software uses very little CPU resources.
Some examples of how great this program is. If you open a webpage and there is a virus or
spyware embedded in the webpage the scanner will catch the virus in a second and clean.
If you download any type of file including music or a zip file and there is hidden embedded
virus in the file the download will stop and the Twister will clean and stop the download.
I had an experience where the software I download the company used another installer other
then their own. The installer had hidden embedded virus in the installer program. Twister found it and cleaned, plus ended the installation and traced it back to the installer software.
(I wrote the original software company and they now use their own installer).
What is really great is that you only pay a small one time fee for life. You will get frequent
large signature updates,excellent support and they never charge you for any new versions.
There are many other features as auto downloads, and the ability to fix all type of problems with your registry or windows.
The chinese don't believe in the annual fee or paying of new versions like most of the other software companies want to be paid over and over for the original purchase.
I use Zone Alarm free firewall (http://www.zonealarm.com). As a backup even though I have ADSL. I use ewido antispyware / malware. www.grisoft.com --Ewido was purchased by AVG. Ewido is free and will protect you from rogue dialers.
Also,you can use:
free
anti spyware blocker
spybot search & destory
spyware blaster
http://www.download.com
free
Windows Defender
http://www.microsoft.com
free
anti spyware firewall<<
http://www.download.com/
15day free try
ZoneAlarm internet security suite
all in one firewall / anti virus/ anti spyware
no1 auto virus killer that will kill off a virus
as the virus try to download on to your system
when you open your explorer and search on the net
there are virus on websire that will auto download
this all in one firewall/anti virus/anti spyware
will kill the download link fast and auto kill the virus
http://www.zonelabs.com/
not free
ad-aware se professional 1.06 /ad-watch
http://www.lavasoft.com/
ad-watch block's all pop ups
not free
ewido anti-spyware 4.0
http://www.grisoft.com/
not free
spyware doctor
http://www.pctools.com
not free
XoftSpy 4.22 is the Latest and Most Advanced Spyware Detection and
pop up spyware
Spyware
W32/Spybot
Browser Hijackers
Adware
Malware
Keyloggers
trojans
worms
back door trojans
Malicious mobile code
MALICIOUS SCRIPTS
toolbar trojans that dont show up
download xoftspy422 and install it then run it stop the scan and click on scan settings tick every box and click on where it says>>click here to select a folder then tick the (c) thats your hard drive if you have 2 hard drives tick the 2 of them then click ok then click start when the scan is done click on remove tab.
http://www.paretologic.com/
all of them are the best among the best
Before attempting to remove malware you must switch off System Restore as back up files will be hiding in there, and it will just restore itself. Go to Start - programs - accessories - system tools - system restore.
Run Avast and Ewido in Safe Mode. To get into Safe Mode repeatedly press the F8 key after the bios screen loads but before Windows loads. You'll know if you made it because the screen will be at 800 x 600 and your pc will be slow.
Then beef up your security. Its easier to prevent malware getting on to your sytem in the first place rather than trying to remove it.
The Windows firewall doesn't stop malware on your pc from dialling out. Either of these firewalls are free for personal use and stop unwanted incoming and outgoing traffic. You choose which programs are allowed to access the internet. They are both fairly easy to use and updated regularly.
http://www.zonelabs.com Zone Alarm firewall
http://www.kerio.com Kerio firewall
Shields Up security site, check your firewall works
https://www.grc.com
http://www.mozilla.com/ Firefox web browser
http://www.opera.com/ Opera web browser
Instal both these web browsers, turn off javascript on one and use that browser for vising unknown websites. They don't support Active X so thats one less way for problems to get on your pc.
Winpatrol is a handy utility that tracks cookies on your pc and stops unwanted changes to your startup folder.
http://www.winpatrol.com
Spywareblaster works with Internet Explorer and Firefox. It won't uninstall spyware that is already on your pc, but it will prevent hijacks and other malicious changes to your browser.
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com...
http://www.siteadvisor.com -Site Advisor warns about malware on sites you are about to visit.
http://www.avast.com - Avast Antivirus
http://www.trendmicro.com/vinfo/... - Trend Micro online virus guide
http://housecall.trendmicro.com/... - Trend Micro PCillin online scan
http://www.ewido.net - Ewido anti trojan
Ad-Aware SE Personal anti adware
http://www.lavasoft.com
Spybot Search and Destroy anti spyware
http://www.safer-networking.org...
http://spywarewarrior.com/rogue_anti-spy... - The Spyware Warrior site identifies fake anti spyware programs.
http://www.bitdefender.com -BitDefender can be used as a second, on demand anti virus.
For online AV scan, try the websites below:
GFI E-mail Security Testing –
http://www.emailsecuritytest.com/...
Port Scan Security Check -
http://www.sdesign.com/securitytest/inde...
Shields UP! -
https://grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2...
Sygate Online Services -
http://scan.sygatetech.com/
VMon -
http://home.ahnlab.com/english/...
Panda ActiveScan Security Check -
http://www.pandasoftware.com/activescan...
Online Malware Scan -
http://virusscan.jotti.org
eTrust AntiVirus Web Scanner -
http://www3.ca.com/securityadvisor/virus...
BitDefender Free Online Virus Scan -
http://www.bitdefender.com/scan8/ie.html...
Symantec Security Check -
http://security.symantec.com/sscv6/defau...
For online spyware,malware & trojan scan:
Trend Micro Anti-Spyware For The Web
http://www.trendmicro.com/spyware-scan
X-Cleaner Online Spyware Scanner
http://www.spywareguide.com/txt_onlinescan.html
Spyware Info Online Spyware Scanner
http://www.spywareinfo.com/xscan.php
Ewido-Anti Spyware and Anti Malware Solution
http://www.ewido.net/en/onlinescan
Tenebril Online Spyware Scan
http://www.tenebril.com/scanner/189062_start.php
Trend Micro Free Online Scan
http://www.trendmicro.com/spyware-scan/free_spyware_scan.asp
Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool
http://www.microsoft.com/security/malwareremove/default.mspx
Microsoft Safety Live Security Center
http://safety.live.com/site/en-US/default.htm
FutureSoft: Online Malware Scan
http://www.futuresoft.com/products/antispyware/webscan.htm
Free Online Trojan Scanner
http://www.trojanscan.com
Remember to update and run all of you anti malware programs at least once a week.
Maybe you should print off this list and check it once a month...
2006-10-19 16:42:36
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answer #5
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answered by wan 3
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