Re: Virus/adware/spyware -- is there all-in-one protection in one

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Date: Fri, 23 Sep 2005 16:45:01 -0700

ewj
"Sharon" wrote:

> Shenan:
> I, too, do nearly ALL these things you've taken great care to outline in
> your posting.. Last October, while updating Norton religiously, I got the
> Blaster worm on one home pc and THEN, just o P*** me off, the other one
> contracted a Backdoor Trojan! As the Norton rep told me way back then, "we
> don't do trojans".. I exploded. All that money and you DON'T DO TROJANS?!
> Okay, so I don't do Norton anymore then!
>
> I went to Trend Micro's PC-CILLIN Internet Security program, once I got rid
> of the little nasties [and lost every darn think I had on both pc's in the
> process of cleaning up] -- it's the ONLY AV program that could identify the
> trojan and get rid of it, out of many that I tried. It does spyware too..
> double bonus. I also run SpyBot, it never catches anything anymore, because
> PC-cillin has already gotten to it first - but I run it anyway just to be
> sure. I have 6 computers scattered around town [mom, sis's, and 3 of my own]
> so I have to have a dependable set of programs to keep them safe. As an AV
> backup, I'm using the free AVAST! antivirus software, too - it's also on duty
> and never catches anything, due to PC-cillin being such a bulldog.
>
> SO.. to make a long story short[er].. What you've outlined in your posting
> is EXCELLENT ADVICE -- well-put, with a sense of humor to boot! Hey
> People..!! You need to print this advice and adopt it as your religion!!
> Because if you think ANY of these hackers who write these trojans and other
> viruses are EVER gonna back off, you are VERY much mistaken. It's only gonna
> get worse every hour of every day. It is a pain in the ***, but if you love
> using your pc, and hate spending $$$$$$ to get it fixed every time it gets
> attacked, these protective programs are absolutely NECESSARY. Set the
> programs to update automatically, and you'll not even know it's doing its job!
>
> THANK YOU, for taking the time to put all these recommendations in writing
> for those who don't have a clue, or those who are looking for a clue! I have
> never seen it spelled out anywhere so well. Bless you for caring! And let's
> hope and pray that some of the people reading this will install and eternally
> update their pc's, so that the rest of us don't keep getting infected by
> them! JUST DO IT, people.. you'll not regret taking the time. ..Sharon..
>
> "Unknown" wrote:
>
> > Absolutely amazing that people who DO NOT install and run AV programs and DO
> > NOT get viruses but do avoid all the problems caused by AV programs are called
> > idiots.
> > "Shenan Stanley" <news_helper@hushmail.com> wrote in message
> > news:evNtK6yVEHA.4048@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> > > John Blaustein wrote:
> > > > Having had to deal with a virus that my AV program didn't find, I am
> > > > curious if anyone has found an "all-in-one" program to prevent
> > > > viruses, adware, spyware, etc.?
> > > >
> > > > I have been using AVG Free Edition and today discovered a virus on
> > > > one of my computers. The first symptoms were that my AV program
> > > > didn't load at startup (and I couldn't run it at all), and I was not
> > > > able to access some sites on the Internet. I discovered that my
> > > > hosts file had been overwritten. In addition, AdAware discovered two
> > > > registry entries that were causing the AV program not to load.
> > > >
> > > > I used System Restore to roll back to a restore point a few days ago,
> > > > and that seems to have worked. I deleted the bogus hosts file.
> > > >
> > > > At the suggestion of Bruce Chambers -- see my thread "Task Mgr &
> > > > Registry locked! AV won't load!: -- I ran several online scanners
> > > > and the McAfee scanner found "New Malware.b" in a "bogus" file called
> > > > iexlore.exe. It's now deleted and my system seems to be OK again.
> > > >
> > > > So, here's my question: Is there one security program out there that
> > > > will do the equivalent of scanning (and real-time protection) for
> > > > viruses AND also protect from the things that AdAware looks for? It
> > > > seems that AVG, NAV, etc. look for viruses, and AdAware looks for
> > > > other items. Is there a program to do it all?
> > >
> > > No.
> > > There is not.
> > >
> > > 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/
> > > http://www.iwsec.co.uk
> > > 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
> > > http://www.iwsec.co.uk/frontpage.htm
> > > 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
> > > http://www.iwsec.co.uk/oscommerce.htm
> > > 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
> > > http://www.iwsec.co.uk/links.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!
> > >
> > > Two side-notes: Never think one of these can do the whole job.
> > > Try the first 5 before coming back and saying "That did not work!"
> > > Also, you can always visit:
> > > http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm
> > > For more updated information.
> > >
> > > 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/

• Previous message: David H. Lipman: "Re: PC shuts off on Virus Scan"
• Maybe in reply to: Thomas Karer: "Re: Virus/adware/spyware -- is there all-in-one protection in one"
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