Re: Anti virus

From: Richard Urban (richardurbanREMOVETHIS_at_hotmail.com)
Date: 05/09/04 

Date: Sun, 9 May 2004 09:23:34 -0400

Hope you copied this encyclopedia so you can use it again (-: 

-- 
Regards:
Richard Urban
aka  Crusty (-: Old B@stard :-)
"Shenan Stanley" <news_helper@hushmail.com> wrote in message 
news:OTPchCbNEHA.636@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
> Garry f wrote:
>> Can anyone advise which is the best or cost friendly
>> anti virus software to purchase (i have no experience with
>> such things yet)
>
> Advice!  That I got.. Read through here - there is an AntiVirus section, 
> but
> you NEED more than that.  And you can pretty much outfit (secure) your
> entire system with just Windows XP and a bunch of FREE (yes - actually 
> FREE)
> applications!
>
> Suggestions on what you can do to secure/clean your PC.  I'm going to try
> and be general, I will assume a "Windows" operating system is what is
> being secured here.
>
>
> UPDATES and PATCHES
> -------------------
>
> This one is the most obvious.  There is no perfect product and any company
> worth their salt will try to meet/exceed the needs of their customers and
> fix any problems they find along the way.  I am not going to say Microsoft
> is the best company in the world about this but they do have an option
> available for you to use to keep your machine updated and patched from
> the problems and vulnerabilities (as well as product improvements in some
> cases) - and it's free to you.
>
> Windows Update
> http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/
>
> Go there and scan your machine for updates.  Always get the critical ones 
> as
> you see them.  Write down the KB###### or Q###### you see when selecting 
> the
> updates and if you have trouble over the next few days, go into your 
> control
> panel (Add/Remove Programs), match up the latest numbers you downloaded
> recently (since you started noticing an issue) and uninstall them.  If 
> there
> was more than one (usually is), install them back one by one - with a few
> hours of use in between, to see if the problem returns.  Yes - the process
> is not perfect (updating) and can cause trouble like I mentioned - but as
> you can see, the solution isn't that bad - and is MUCH better than the
> alternatives.  (SASSER/BLASTER were SO preventable with just this step!)
>
> Windows is not the only product you likely have on your PC.  The
> manufacturers of the other products usually have updates as well.  New
> versions of almost everything come out all the time - some are free, some
> are pay - some you can only download if you are registered - but it is 
> best
> to check.  Just go to their web pages and look under their support and
> download sections.
>
> You also have hardware on your machine that requires drivers to interface
> with the operating system.  You have a video card that allows you to see 
> on
> your screen, a sound card that allows you to hear your PCs sound output 
> and
> so on.  Visit those manufacturer web sites for the latest downloadable
> drivers for your hardware/operating system.  Always (IMO) get the
> manufacturers hardware driver over any Microsoft offers.  On the Windows
> Update site I mentioned earlier, I suggest NOT getting their hardware
> drivers - no matter how tempting.
>
> Have I mentioned that Microsoft has some stuff to help secure your 
> computer
> available to the end-user for free?  This seems as good of a time as any.
> They have a CD you can order (it's free) that contain all of the Windows
> patches through October 2003 and some trial products as well that they
> released in February 2004.  Yeah - it's a little behind now, but it's 
> better
> than nothing (and used in coordination with the information in this post,
> well worth the purchase price..)
>
> Order the Windows Security Update CD
> http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/cd/order.asp
>
> They also have a bunch of suggestions, some similar to these, on how to
> better protect your Windows system:
>
> Protect your PC
> http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/
>
>
> FIREWALL
> --------
>
> Let's say you are up-to-date on the OS (operating system) and you have
> Windows XP..  You should at least turn on the built in firewall.  That 
> will
> do a lot to "hide" you from the random bad things flying around the
> Internet.  Things like Sasser/Blaster enjoy just sitting out there in
> Cyberspace looking for an unprotected Windows Operating System and jumping
> on it, doing great damage in the process and then using that Unprotected 
> OS
> to continue its dirty work of infecting others.  If you have the Windows 
> XP
> ICF turned on - default configuration - then they cannot see you!  Think 
> of
> it as Internet Stealth Mode at this point.  It has other advantages, like
> actually locking the doors you didn't even (likely) know you had.  Doing
> this is simple, the instructions you need to use your built in Windows XP
> firewall can be found here:
>
> http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=320855
>
> If you read through that and look through the pages that are linked from 
> it
> at the bottom of that page - I think you should have a firm grasp on the
> basics of the Windows XP Firewall as it is today.
>
> But let's say you DON'T have Windows XP - you have some other OS like
> Windows 95, 98, 98SE, ME, NT, 2000.  Well, you don't have the nifty built 
> in
> firewall.  My suggestion - upgrade.  My next suggestion - look through 
> your
> options.  There are lots of free and pay firewalls out there for home 
> users.
> Yes - you will have to decide on your own which to get.  Yes, you will 
> have
> to learn (oh no!) to use these firewalls and configure them so they don't
> interfere with what you want to do while continuing to provide the 
> security
> you desire.  It's just like anything else you want to protect - you have 
> to
> do something to protect it.  Here are some suggested applications.  A lot 
> of
> people tout "ZoneAlarm" as being the best alternative to just using the
> Windows XP ICF, but truthfully - any of these alternatives are much better
> than the Windows XP ICF at what they do - because that is ALL they do.
>
> ZoneAlarm (Free and up)
> http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/company/products/znalm/freeDownload.jsp
>
> Kerio Personal Firewall (KPF) (Free and up)
> http://www.kerio.com/kpf_download.html
>
> Outpost Firewall from Agnitum (Free and up)
> http://www.agnitum.com/download/
>
> Sygate Personal Firewall (Free and up)
> http://smb.sygate.com/buy/download_buy.htm
>
> Symantec's Norton Personal Firewall (~$25 and up)
> http://www.symantec.com/sabu/nis/npf/
>
> BlackICE PC Protection ($39.95 and up)
> http://blackice.iss.net/
>
> Tiny Personal Firewall (~$49.00 and up)
> http://www.tinysoftware.com/
>
> That list is not complete, but they are good firewall options, every one 
> of
> them.  Visit the web pages, read up, ask around if you like - make a
> decision and go with some firewall, any firewall.  Also, maintain it.
> Sometimes new holes are discovered in even the best of these products and
> patches are released from the company to remedy this problem.  However, if
> you don't get the patches (check the manufacturer web page on occasion),
> then you may never know you have the problem and/or are being used through
> this weakness.  Also, don't stack these things.  Running more than one
> firewall will not make you safer - it would likely (in fact) negate some
> protection you gleamed from one or the other firewalls you ran together.
>
>
> ANTIVIRUS SOFTWARE
> ------------------
>
> That's not all.  That's one facet of a secure PC, but firewalls don't do
> everything.  I saw one idiot posting on a newsgroup that "they had
> never had a virus and they never run any anti-virus software.  Yep - I 
> used
> to believe that way too - viruses were something everyone else seemed to
> get, were they just stupid?  And for the average joe-user who is careful,
> uses their one-three family computers carefully, never opening unknown
> attachments, always visiting the same family safe web sites, never
> installing anything that did not come with their computer - maybe, just
> maybe they will never witness a virus.  I, however, am a Network Systems
> Administrator.  I see that AntiVirus software is an absolute necessity. 
> You
> can be as careful as you want - will the next person be as careful?  Will
> someone send you unknowingly the email that erases all the pictures of 
> your
> child/childhood?  Possibly - why take the chance?  ALWAYS RUN ANTIVIRUS
> SOFTWARE and KEEP IT UP TO DATE!  Antivirus software comes in so many
> flavors, it's like walking into a Jelly Belly store - which one tastes 
> like
> what?!  Well, here are a few choices for you.  Some of these are free 
> (isn't
> that nice?) and some are not.  Is one better than the other - MAYBE.  I
> personally love Symantec AV.
>
> Symantec (Norton) AntiVirus (~$11 and up)
> http://www.symantec.com/
>
> Kaspersky Anti-Virus (~$49.95 and up)
> http://www.kaspersky.com/products.html
>
> Panda Antivirus Titanium (~$39.95 and up)
> http://www.pandasoftware.com/
> (Free Online Scanner: http://www.pandasoftware.com/activescan/)
>
> AVG 6.0 Anti-Virus System (Free and up)
> http://www.grisoft.com/
>
> McAfee VirusScan (~$11 and up)
> http://www.mcafee.com/
>
> AntiVir (Free and up)
> http://www.free-av.com/
>
> avast! 4 (Free and up)
> http://www.avast.com/
>
> Trend Micro (~$49.95 and up)
> http://www.trendmicro.com/
> (Free Online Scanner:
>  http://housecall.trendmicro.com/housecall/start_corp.asp)
>
> Did I mention you have to not only install this software, but also keep it
> updated?  You do.  Some of them (most) have automatic services to help you
> do this - I mean, it's not your job to keep up with the half-dozen or more
> new threats that come out daily, is it?  Be sure to keep whichever one you
> choose up to date!
>
>
> SPYWARE/ADWARE/POPUPS
> ---------------------
>
> So you must be thinking that the above two things got your back now - you
> are covered, safe and secure in your little fox hole.  Wrong!  There are
> more bad guys out there.  There are annoyances out there you can get 
> without
> trying.  Your normal web surfing, maybe a wrong click on a web page, maybe
> just a momentary lack of judgment by installing some software packages
> without doing the research..  And all of a sudden your screen starts 
> filling
> up with advertisements or your Internet seems much slower or your home 
> page
> won't stay what you set it and goes someplace unfamiliar to you.  This is
> spyware.  There are a whole SLEW of software packages out there to get rid
> of this crud and help prevent reinfection.  Some of the products already
> mentioned might even have branched out into this arena.  However, there 
> are
> a few applications that seem to be the best at what they do, which is
> eradicating and immunizing your system from this crap.  Strangely, the 
> best
> products I have found in this category ARE generally free.  That is a 
> trend
> I like.  I make donations to some of them, they deserve it!
>
> Spybot Search and Destroy (Free!)
> http://www.safer-networking.net/
>
> Lavasoft AdAware (Free and up)
> http://www.lavasoft.de
>
> CWSShredder (Free!)
> http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/downloads.html
>
> Hijack This! (Free)
> http://mjc1.com/mirror/hjt/
>
> SpywareBlaster (Free!)
> http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/
>
> ToolbarCop (Free!)
> http://www.mvps.org/sramesh2k/toolbarcop.htm
>
> Bazooka Adware and Spyware Scanner (Free!)
> http://kephyr.sureshot.xaviermedia.net/spywarescanner/
>
> Browser Security Tests
> http://www.jasons-toolbox.com/BrowserSecurity/
>
> The Cleaner  (49.95 and up)
> http://www.moosoft.com/
>
> That will clean up your machine of the spyware, given that you download 
> and
> install several of them, update them regularly and scan with them when you
> update.  Some (like SpywareBlaster and SpyBot Search and Destroy) have
> immunization features that will help you prevent your PC from being
> infected.  Use these features!
>
> Unfortunately, although that will lessen your popups on the Internet/while
> you are online, it won't eliminate them.  I have looked at a lot of 
> options,
> seen a lot of them used in production with people who seem to attract 
> popups
> like a plague, and I only have one suggestion that end up serving double
> duty (search engine and popup stopper in one):
>
> The Google Toolbar (Free!)
> http://toolbar.google.com/
>
> Yeah - it adds a bar to your Internet Explorer - but its a useful one. 
> You
> can search from there anytime with one of the best search engines on the
> planet (IMO.)  And the fact it stops most popups - wow - BONUS!  If you
> don't like that suggestion, then I am just going to say you go to
> www.google.com and search for other options.
>
> One more suggestion, although I will suggest this in a way later, is to
> disable your Windows Messenger service.  This service is not used 
> frequently
> (if at all) by the normal home user and in cooperation with a good 
> firewall,
> is generally unnecessary.  Microsoft has instructions on how to do this 
> for
> Windows XP here:
> http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/using/howto/communicate/stopspam.asp
>
>
> SPAM EMAIL/JUNK MAIL
> --------------------
>
> This one can get annoying, just like the rest.  You get 50 emails in one
> sitting and 2 of them you wanted.  NICE! (Not.)  What can you do?  Well,
> although there are services out there to help you, some email
> servers/services that actually do lower your spam with features built into
> their servers - I still like the methods that let you be the end-decision
> maker on what is spam and what isn't.  If these things worked perfectly, 
> we
> wouldn't need people and then there would be no spam anyway - vicious
> circle, eh?  Anyway - I have two products to suggest to you, look at them
> and see if either of them suite your needs.  Again, if they don't, Google 
> is
> free and available for your perusal.
>
> SpamBayes (Free!)
> http://spambayes.sourceforge.net/
>
> Spamihilator (Free!)
> http://www.spamihilator.com/
>
> As I said, those are not your only options, but are reliable ones I have
> seen function for hundreds+ people.
>
>
> DISABLE UNUSED SERVICE/STARTUP APPS
> -----------------------------------
>
> I might get arguments on putting this one here, but it's my spill. There 
> are
> lots of services on your PC that are probably turned on by default you 
> don't
> use.  Why have them on?  Check out these web pages to see what all of the
> services you might find on your computer are and set them according to 
> your
> personal needs.  Yeah - this is another one you have to work for, but your
> computer may speed up and/or be more secure because you took the time. 
> And
> if you document what you do as you do it, next time, it goes MUCH faster!
>
> Task List Programs
> http://www.answersthatwork.com/Tasklist_pages/tasklist.htm
>
> Black Viper's Service List and Opinions (XP)
> http://www.blackviper.com/WinXP/servicecfg.htm
>
> Processes in Windows NT/2000/XP
> http://www.reger24.de/prozesse/
>
> There are also applications that AREN'T services that startup when you 
> start
> up the computer/logon.  One of the better description on how to handle 
> these
> I have found here:
>
> Startups
> http://www.pacs-portal.co.uk/startup_content.php
>
>
> That's it.  A small booklet on how to keep your computer secure, clean of
> scum and more user friendly.  I am SURE I missed something, almost as I am
> sure you won't read all of it (anyone for that matter.)  However, I also
> know that someone who followed all of the advice above would also have 
> less
> problems with their PC, less problems with viruses, less problems with 
> spam,
> less problems with spyware and better performance than someone who didn't.
>
> Hope it helps.
>
> -- 
> <- Shenan ->
> -- 
>
>

Relevant Pages

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