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

From: NoNoBadDog! (no__at_spam_verizon.net)
Date: 08/28/05 

Date: Sat, 27 Aug 2005 14:19:21 -1000

There is no such ting as an all-in-one solution that catches *EVERYTHING*.
If you are placing your confidence (and computer) in the effectiveness of
one product, you are guaranteed failure. You must use a reputable base of
products, and use an alternative in each category to make sure.

Bobby

"kendall sorenson" <dr_surgeon_head8@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:ejcwxjsqFHA.332@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
>
> i know a program that is an all in one protection. i have it on my
> computer.
> its called Panda Platinum Internet Security. if anything bad gets on your
> computer it finds it and gets rid of it. it catches EVERYTHING that tries
> to
> infect your computer, including trojans. it is an antivirus,an anti
> spyware,
> a firewall, and it scans your email for spam. Plus it has a program that
> protects against some "unknown" viruses.
>
> the downside is, of course, the price. it costs around $80. but it
> worth it.
> "Sharon" <Sharon@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:CB0B0EB4-F082-4219-A6FD-992E46211282@microsoft.com...
>> 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/
>> > >
>> > > 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!
>> > >
>> > > 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/
>> > > ( 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://www.kephyr.com/spywarescanner/index.html
>> > >
>> > > 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
>>
>
>
>

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