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Can someone reccomend a safe anti-malware program??

R

ruby34

Member
Hello

I've just made the mistake of downloading some MALWARE at GIMPSHOP.COM WHICH IS A SCAM.. and they get reputable programs and fork/modify them and add MALWARE etc

I then google searched and found that alot of people have complained about the site and that it's a SCAM.. I should download from big sites like CNET.

I am therefore looking for a (free) program that is safe and reputable and can protect against malware etc.. and will not clash with Kasperksy (which I use).

I have heard of Malwarebytes , it has good reviews on CNET and has alot of downloads.. has anyone here used it?

If someone can recommend a good program I would appreciate it.

Thanks in advance.
 
Malwarebytes FTW! And, if you can afford $25, MBAM Premium is even better.
 
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Malwarebytes is the best and is always on sale at newegg.com where you can still get the lifetime license for < $20 on a regular basis.
 
If you haven't already found out, Cnet and many other download sites eventually get compromised by adding Adware at best and Malware at worst. You already have an effective A/V. Currently, bleeping computer is the safest place I know of to get your other software. http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/download/adwcleaner/ They have specific malware instructions also under the virus removal tab.

See http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2385787 my post #13 for a general procedure to fix malware if you want advice. The best programs to get and where to get them tends to change over time.


Jim
 
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Thanks for the help.. and I will check out Malwarebytes... I would have thought getting a program file from a big site like CNET would be safer.. but stick to safe stuff.. that's why I am being cautious.
 
CNET has all sorts of strap hanging baggage and deceptive download keys.
 
I think that is why I will be cautious where and what I download.. I will have to stick to big/safe programs.. I think a lapse of concentration resulted in this error.. but will be vigilant next time.
 
ruby34 said:
I am therefore looking for a (free) program that is safe and reputable and can protect against malware etc.. and will not clash with Kasperksy (which I use).
Click to expand...

You can buy a lifetime license for Malwarebytes Pro (live protection) for $40 on Newegg: (goes on sale for less all the time)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16832562003

If you are really concerned, then install Avast antivirus & use their virtualized Safezone browser, which is included in their free security package for 2014: (edit: scratch that, it might only be in the pay-for version, not sure)

http://www.avast.com/index

It basically goes fullscreen & lets you use a Chrome browser inside a "bubble". If you get spyware or viruses, it stays within that bubble. You can "pop" the bubble by resetting the Safezone in settings. Pretty easy.
 
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@John@Kaido

I use Kaspersky and therefore no need for AVAST etc.. I think people just need to do a bit of research before installing obscure things.. that's what I've learnt.

The other thing I would mention is this.. I was in PC World.. it's like a computer supermarket chain store in the UK.. same company that owns Currys electrical etc.. and there was a staff member who said they were repairing a customers PC which was freezing etc and it was a software problem.

He said the customer was using FREE Anti-Virus like Avast or AVG (can't recall which it was).

He said they did some sort of scan for Spyware/Malware and they found a tonne of bad stuff and he said it was from the FREE Anti-Virus he was using.. and he said NEVER use things like that cause they install Malware on your PC.

It's disgusting IF it is true.. programs that say they clean your system shouldn't screw it up.
 
I download software from either Majorgeeks or Softpedia. Both sites will give you a heads up if software comes with any extras.

If your file is 64mb or smaller you can upload it to virustotal to be scanned by multiple scanners. Please know that sometimes you will get false positives so you may need to weed out the weaker scan results and or do more research. https://www.virustotal.com/

Whenever I download anything from the internet I scan the file with virustotal or jotti, my resident AV, and a couple of other on demand scanners. Right now those happen to be malwarebytes and hitman pro. I firmly believe is downloading from reputable sources and scanning everything before I run the file.
 
ruby34 said:
@John@Kaido

I use Kaspersky and therefore no need for AVAST etc.. I think people just need to do a bit of research before installing obscure things.. that's what I've learnt.

The other thing I would mention is this.. I was in PC World.. it's like a computer supermarket chain store in the UK.. same company that owns Currys electrical etc.. and there was a staff member who said they were repairing a customers PC which was freezing etc and it was a software problem.

He said the customer was using FREE Anti-Virus like Avast or AVG (can't recall which it was).

He said they did some sort of scan for Spyware/Malware and they found a tonne of bad stuff and he said it was from the FREE Anti-Virus he was using.. and he said NEVER use things like that cause they install Malware on your PC.

It's disgusting IF it is true.. programs that say they clean your system shouldn't screw it up.
Click to expand...

Avast and AVG are not malware and are some of the top antivirus programs around. You must have misheard what they said.

Some reputable sites to download from are majorgeeks and sourceforge but some installers come with adware like opencandy junk and you have to read the fine print slowly to not install it.
 
Filehippo.com is another fairly safe place for downloads. Keep in mind however the any website can be compromised in the short-term at least and if you happen to visit during that time...

Also I'm not a fan of AVG (too bloated) but the legit versions are not malware. However there are multiple fake versions of AVG which are just that and are most likely what the guy in your local store was dealing with. Had to clean it off multiple systems myself although not as often recently.
 
For my personal computers I trust Kaspersky Internet Security.

You have to be willing to give a little time for learning HOW TO use it, but once you do, it's THEEE godzilla, eats komodo dragons for snack like popcorn. If bad guys bother you Kaspersky sends a horrendously ugly, dangerous, heavily armed triple black-belt thug to that guy's house to DEAL WITH it.

For corporate, maybe your preferred brand of antivirus had better be supplemented by some brand of Sandbox. There are many, lotta brands are piling onto this bandwagon as the "next big thing" people will PAY MONEY FOR. "Sandbox" gives those companies a new way to stay alive...a new revenue stream.

Using a sandbox presumes an IT department funded to work with it, which draws on expensive resources, mainly labor.

There are plenty of alternative brands, ranging from the hope-to-be-someday-inna-future-hey-our-release-is-in-a-few-weeks name like ThreatTrack Security ("Threatanalyzer"- which totally fails because it's only good for files that an expensive employee feeds into it discretely, and also is useless for automated filtering of UDP, TCP, FTP) across a spectrum of too-many other brands (K-Mart shoppers! the blue light special for 10 minutes is "Sandboxie") up to the Mount Everest summit of them all..the ultimate, coded by extreme hackers:
Lastline Labs sandbox.

That gains you a lot of good things, but it also costs you manpower to deal with inputting suspicious files and reading and thinking about the reported analytical results.

Anyway..."SANDBOX"..is the next big sales push for software security companies. You'll start hearing more & more about it. A year from now everybody will have some awareness that such a thing as "sandbox" exists. If you're generally interested in cyber security, then start learning about "sandbox."

I wonder if even a sandbox will keep those chinese out.
 
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