Regardless of $$$, What's best spamblocker/anti hijacker software?!??!

[Techie333]

I am so sick of this, what is the best thing out there that will block all this spyware, hijacking of browser/computer, etc?? Or best combination of softwares?

 

[Nothinman]

Debian =)

 

[Schadenfroh]

Text

 

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: Nothinman
Debian =)

Hehe

Assuming you want a Windows solution, start by using a Limited-class account rather than a Computer Administrator-class account, at least for IM'ing, browsing and email. If your Limited-class account gets subverted, the malware will be on a short leash as to what it can actually accomplish.

Back that up with Kaspersky Labs' Personal Security Suite maybe, Kaspersky releases virus updates hourly and spam updates as often as every three hours. Their virus detection is known to be among the best too. In the antivirus component of the suite, go to Threats & Exclusions and make sure to enable the Extended Databases.

Supplement Kaspersky's firewall with a router and lock down all the ports on the router that you don't have a known use for.

Other than that, keep Windows and Office and your other software patched, and don't be sto0pid and install warez/etc or play with P2P. Use your Limited account for browsing, IM'ing and email.

More knowledge in the Consolidated Security Thread edit: if the system's already infected, then start with a squeaky-clean installation of Windows, following safe practices

 

[jjones]

mechBgon, I read a bit of your suggestions on your site and I have a question about System Restore. I use SR all the time, primarily for restoring the system to a previous state after I've tried a software and decide I don't like it. I'll uninstall the software and then use SR to set the system back to the point just before I've installed.

You, and I've seen many others as well, recommend turning off SR completely because of virus and malware. My question is, can previous SR points become infected even though when you made those restore points there was no virus or malware on your computer at that time. Are some types of virus and malware able to get into your previous uninfected SR points and infect those too?

 

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: jjones
mechBgon, I read a bit of your suggestions on your site and I have a question about System Restore. I use SR all the time, primarily for restoring the system to a previous state after I've tried a software and decide I don't like it. I'll uninstall the software and then use SR to set the system back to the point just before I've installed.

You, and I've seen many others as well, recommend turning off SR completely because of virus and malware. My question is, can previous SR points become infected even though when you made those restore points there was no virus or malware on your computer at that time. Are some types of virus and malware able to get into your previous uninfected SR points and infect those too?

That would be a question for bsobel but my scratching-at-the-surface-with-a-Popsicle-stick guess is "no you probably don't have to worry about that."

edit: what I would expect could happen, is that Windows might disagree with your antivirus software, and pulls out a spare copy of the malware that your antivirus software deleted when the system reboots, since SR is enabled and it has that option. I'm sure it's no coincidence that Symantec, McAfee, etc frequently instruct that SR should be disabled before attempting to remove malware.

I was just reflecting today upon the complete uselessness of SR to me personally, but it just goes to show everyone is different hehe...

 

[jjones]

Originally posted by: mechBgon
edit: what I would expect could happen, is that Windows might disagree with your antivirus software, and pulls out a spare copy of the malware that your antivirus software deleted when the system reboots, since SR is enabled and it has that option. I'm sure it's no coincidence that Symantec, McAfee, etc frequently instruct that SR should be disabled before attempting to remove malware.

Not sure I understand what you are saying here. I've only ever experienced a browser hijacker that I stupidly allowed on my computer one time when those things were just getting unleashed on the internet. I just did a SR and that took care of the problem.

But from what I've understood is that Symantec and the others recommend disabling SR because that will delete all of the old restore points and they are just surmising that you may have made those restore points while the virus was on the machine. Just to be safe, delete all of the old restore points, is what they are saying. That is the way I have interpreted it anyway.

I was just curious if there was a definitive answer as to whether that is just a precaution, or that in fact there are viruses and such that can infiltrate and infect your old restore points.

I still don't understand what you are trying to say though about Windows deciding to install malware if the malware does not exist in the restore point. Wouldn't Windows just do its thing regardless of any anti virus or anti spyware program? Or an I getting this backwards?

Anyway, like I said, I do like SR and use it frequently enough to make it worthwhile having it enabled but I can see why others might not. I just find it to be a useful tool because I am forever futzing around on my machine and buggering things up.

 

[mechBgon]

I don't think malware will bother to go and retro-infect old SR points. You could PM bsobel for elaboration, he would know 1000x more about it than I would.

 

[n0cmonkey]

Originally posted by: mechBgon
I don't think malware will bother to go and retro-infect old SR points. You could PM bsobel for elaboration, he would know 1000x more about it than I would.

It would make sense to me, whether they currently do it or not. Think about all of the viruses and spyware that currently install themselves in multiple locations or whatnot to ensure that they will not be removed without digging through a good deal of the system looking for the occassional needle. Why not infect SR points too, and have that avenue to ensure infection too?

Like I said, they may not do it yet, but I wouldn't be surprised to see it in the future.

 

[yosuke188]

I don't get how people just get so much viruses... If you have the latest updates on Windows and have a decent AV software, I don't see how you could get big problems unless you go into IE clicking on everything you see... Use firefox, get NOD32, and a hardware firewall, this will almost guarantee that all your problems will be gone. Also if Ad-Aware doesn't seem to work, use Housecall.