Re: popups

Tech-Archive recommends: Speed Up your PC by fixing your registry

From: Leftbrain (Leftbrain_at_discussions.microsoft.com)
Date: 07/11/04 

Date: Sun, 11 Jul 2004 00:31:02 -0700

Wow - very thorough response. I printed your post for future reference.

You sound like you're very knowledgable so I'm wondering if you've had much experience with Norton Internet Security 2004. I understand the importance of using a firewall and having anti-virus software, but I find Norton a very annoying solution. As I have already spent the money for this product, I would like to use it. However, despite reading through the manual (yes, I really did) and checking out the online support at www.symantec.com, I seem to spend most of my time on the computer, trying to dicker around with the settings so that I can surf without interruptance. Any thoughts? I also have Spy Sweeper on my system and find this product extremely easy to use and understand (in case anyone was wondering).

Any feedback you have would be much appreciated. 

-- 
Leftbrain
"Shenan Stanley" wrote:
> hibby1 wrote:
> > still getting popups telling me i have spyware installed, even though
> > i run spybot daily, what else can i try, steve
> 
> 
> If only one solution covered all spyware, then you would be good to go.
> 
> Go through this advice.  In the Spyware section, make sure you run at least
> the first THREE on your computer.  A firewall and disabling the Windows
> Messenger Service can go a long way to alleviating your issues as well.
> (It's in this spill, yes.)
> 
> If you don't wish to follow all of the advice immediately, just want to
> get rid of your current dilemma, then you are welcome to scroll down to
> the section titled "SPYWARE/ADWARE/POPUPS", where your problem as
> stated should be resolved by the applications and suggestions found in
> that section.  If this helps solve your problem then I again HIGHLY
> suggest you follow the rest of the advice below (matter of fact, I
> suggest it either way.)
> 
> 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.  One thing to note RIGHT
> NOW - if you have AOL, you cannot use this nice firewall that came with
> your system.  Thank AOL, not Microsoft.  You HAVE to configure another
> one.. So we continue with our session on Firewalls...
> 
> 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/
>  ( Tutorial: http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/htlogtutorial.html )
> 
>  SpywareBlaster (Free!)
>  http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/
> 
>  IE-SPYAD (Free!)
>  http://www.staff.uiuc.edu/~ehowes/resource.htm
> 
>  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 (Set to Manual) 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.  Be CAREFUL what you set to manual, and take heed and write
> down as you change things!  Also, don't expect a large performance increase
> or anything - especially on todays 2+ GHz machines, however - I look at each
> service you set to manual as one less service you have to worry about
> someone exploiting.  A year ago, I would have thought the Windows Messenger
> service to be pretty safe, now I recommend (with addition of a firewall)
> that most home users disable it!  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! (or if you have to go back and re-enable things..)
> 
>  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 ->
> -- 
> The information is provided "as is", with no guarantees of
> completeness, accuracy or timeliness, and without warranties of any
> kind, express or implied.  In other words, read up before you take any
> advice - you are the one ultimately responsible for your actions.
> 
> 
>
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