Which computer utilities, Anti-virus, Anti-spyware softwares to use?

vanity | 30 December 2005 | NZerFromHK

[NZerFromHK]

I'm running an one-year old Compaq Presario P4 2.8 GHz with 512 MB of RAM and a nVIDIA GeForce FX5200 with 128 MB video RAM. Currently I have NSW (Norton Sys Works) 2005 installed for Anti-virus and system maintenance works, ZoneAlarm for firewall, and Spobot, Ad-aware, and Spyware Blaster for spyware removal programs.

I'm wondering whether this is the best choice I'm using? Is there anything else I should add (preferably free) or I should use in place of any of these utilities so to have the best protection?

Thanks in advance.

[A CA Guy]

Run a simple firewall and stay off the porn sites and you will run into little trouble.

[Malsua]

The Microsoft Anti-Spyware program is pretty good. It was "giant antispyware" rebranded after Microsoft bought the company. It will get almost everything. Coupled with spyware blaster, you're pretty good to go.

http://www.microsoft.com/spyware

[Clock King]

I was a Norton customer until NIS 2004. That bloatware slowed my system down so bad it was unusable.

[NZerFromHK]

It does make sense. I have a 120 GB HD and only use about 1/4 of space for programs and data storage. It takes NAV nearly 2 hours to complete scanning the whole HD whenever I run a scan on everything.

[HairOfTheDog]

I'd say you're already loaded with more freebie scareware than anyone needs. :~D

I've only ever used MS antispyware, and a commercial antivirus, currently Trend's PC Cillan. I've not had ~any~ spy or malware problems, ever. (one exception that was my fault)

I think the rest are at best overkill, and at worst, potentially the source of all evil. :~D

[Fiddlstix]

BTTT

[HAL9000]

Which computer utilities, Anti-virus, Anti-spyware softwares to use?

Mac OS X. It has excellent security, and it's the superior operating system compared to Windows or Linux for desktop and laptop computers.

[backhoe]

Here's my "updated, but not fully checked" set of links:

---

These are some recommendations that will significantly decrease the chances that you will have problems with malware in the future:

1) Regularly go to http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com and download all the "critical updates" for Windows, including the latest version of Internet Explorer. This can patch many of the security holes through which attackers can gain access to your computer. You should also turn on the Windows automatic update feature.

2) In order to protect yourself against spyware, you should consider installing and running the following free programs:

Ad-Aware SE
A tutorial on using Ad-Aware to remove spyware from your computer may be found here.

Spybot-Search & Destroy
A tutorial on using Spybot to remove spyware from your computer may be found here. Please also remember to enable Spybot's "Immunize" and "TeaTimer" features.

Microsoft Anti-Spyware

SpywareBlaster
A tutorial on using SpywareBlaster to prevent spyware from ever installing on your computer may be found here.

SpywareGuard
A tutorial on using SpywareGuard for realtime protection against spyware and hijackers may be found here.

Keeping these programs up-to-date and running them regularly can prevent a great deal of spyware hassle.

3) Please consider using an alternate browser. Mozilla's Firefox browser is fantastic; it is much more secure than Internet Explorer, immune to almost all known browser hijackers, and also has the best built-in popup blocker (as an added benefit!) that I have ever seen. If you are interested, Firefox may be downloaded from here:
http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/

4) Also make sure to run your antivirus software regularly, and to keep it up-to-date.

5) Finally, consider maintaining a firewall. A good free firewall is ZoneAlarm.
A tutorial on understanding and using firewalls may be found here.

Please also read Tony Klein's excellent article: So how did I get infected in the first place?

 

Things you need(all FREE)
Anti-Virus
AVG

Avast
Firewall
Kerio(Direct Download)

Zone Alarm
Misc.
IE Spyads SpywareBlaster Spyware Guard
Windows Update
get all CRITICAL Updates

Things you want(Still Free)
Mozillia Firefox
Google Toolbar (stops pop-ups)
Ad-Aware
Spybot S&D
MS MVP Hosts file

 

Run a hardware firewall-- with today's LAN's, it's easy. You need a hardware firewall.

---

OK, the links appear to work- this is a cut & paste from a couple of sites I belong to.

It doesn't hurt to run an online scan sometimes- they may catch what another misses-- google ewido, panda, kaspersky, and house call ( trend micro ) for scanners. Most look for spyware and security holes as well.

[JoJo Gunn]

Y'all help me out here, since I don't run XP, but it's my understanding XP's firewall blocks incoming, but not outgoing, which makes it pretty useless against trojans or other programs wanting to phone home.

I use ZoneAlarm, which will warn you whenever a program is trying to access the net, (such as "Works Update", which I've found has tried to connect a couple of times even though I selected it not to after reinstalls).

[JoJo Gunn]

Uh, never mind. I kept reading after posting and see he knows, per post 17.

[Viking2002]

Amen to that. AVG is the best freeware antivirus I've found. We have it on all our home network PC's.

[Casloy]

I use nothing, I have a MAC.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Get rid of your Norton/Symantec anti-virus software - they are viruses in itself plus it is very expensive.

What type of ISP do you use?

If you're using a DSL such as SBC Yahoo!, they already have free anti-virus software. Microsoft also has free anti-spy ware that is very effective. Otherwise get the Defender 5 in 1 package.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Futhermore, you don't need to buy a firewall if you have Windows XP. Windows XP (get the Professional edition, the Home edition sucks) already has a built-in firewall and you can only use one firewall anyway.

[ThePythonicCow]

Here's my "updated, but not fully checked" set of links:

That's an impressive list. Is it your's? Are you the author? If so, then excellent work - thanks.

If not, then it would be a good idea to give the links to the places where you found this, perhaps one of the following:

• this post on forums.tomcoyote.org
• helperatwork's post near the bottom of this spywareinfo.com page

[Spiff]

AVG Anti-virus works well, is updated constantly, and is FREE. Grisoft AVG Antivirus.

Microsoft Anti-Spyware works well, is updated constantly, and is FREE. Microsoft Anti-Spyware

Zone Labs ZoneAlarm Firewall works well and is FREE. Zone Labs ZoneAlarm.

Now, if you pay for any of this stuff you're nuts. The free stuff works great.

[ThePythonicCow]

From the links I maintain at the bottom of my freeper home page ThePythonicCow's Best Sites for Computers, Networking, and HTML:

• The best site for keeping your PC safe from spam, viruses, spyware and other security hazards on the internet is FirewallGuide.com

• The best checklists of security recommendations for Windows XP are:

  • LabMice.net's Windows XP Security Checklist,
  • CITES Windows Security Checklist, and
  • Digital Dave's Setup and Secure your PC and Network once and for all.

I am currently running:

• Linksys hardware router
• Webroot SpySweeper
• Hostsman
• Counterspy
• Look 'n' Stop (personal firewall)
• Firefox
• AVK antivirus
• Windows XP SP2 with automatic updates

[ThePythonicCow]

The free stuff works great.

There are two things worth paying money for:

• a hardware router/firewall between your PC and the web, and
• a couple of the best anti-spyware programs you can find.

None of the anti-spyware programs detect more than about 50% to 60% of what's out there, and the free ones don't keep up quite as well as the best commercial ones. It takes a couple of commercial ones working together to get 80% or 90% coverage.

The best of the free software firewalls and anti-virus tools are quite good.

[Malsua]

If not, then it would be a good idea to give the links to the places where you found this, perhaps one of the following:

Perhaps, you might want to do a FR search for SPYWARE and examine Backhoe's posts. I'd be tempted to suggest YOUR links were taken by readers of Backhoe, My homepage as well as other extensive spyware threads here on FR.

[ThePythonicCow]

I have built up my collection of links one link at a time by considerable searching, reading, and years of experience. No doubt some of these fine FR posts contributed to that list. But the collation I did.

The list that backhoe posted above is a literal quote of something that has appeared on a couple of other forums in the last few months, as backhoe suggests in his post. Someone did the initial collation of that particular list. Perhaps it was indeed backhoe who did that, and posted it to those other forums, or had his work posted there by others.

Certainly backhoe is quite capable of doing such a collation of links.

Or perhaps backhoe just cut+paste a good post on this subject that he found on these other forums (the ones I link to a post above). If the latter, then I recommend that he give credit where credit is due, and link back to the source of his post.