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pschmid

pschmid

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Dec 7, 2005
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Spyware and adware have have emerged as a more pervasive and insidious threat than worms and viruses, which previously ruled the highways and byways of the Internet as sources of chaos and ruin.. Without some kind of software protection in place, no one active on the Internet is safe and sound.
 
Good question. I use avast! home edition for viruses and Windows Defender for spyware/adware. Then again, I'm running Vista RC2 so I don't have much of a choice.
 
funny, i never had such things like spy/ad/malware

W2k + Sygate + Firefox (NoScript) protects me perfect...perfect
Click to expand...

Yeap, that's one of the safest combo for windows. But anyway, i use an even better protection when surfing: Linux instead of windows ...

Without some kind of software protection in place, no one active on the Internet is safe and sound.
Click to expand...

The above statement is false, that's only for windows hell. After a linux install, you can have all the "unprotected sex" you want with the internet.

MAIA
 
Meh, if you want to boot back and forth be my guest. I don't want to restart my computer every 10 minutes when I decide to stop surfing the web and do something more productive.

Best Anti-spyware is would probably be Webroot Spysweeper.
Best Free Anti-spyware is Lavasoft Ad-Aware.
Best Anti-Virus is Bitdefender.
Best Firewall (and free) is ZoneAlarm.

Thats enough to protect all computers from nearly everything. A hardware firewall also helps a bunch (i.e. anything your router has). Disable UPNP always. There are also some other programs that kills some other vulnerbilities such as Windows Messenger and others. I like www.GRC.com since they have a bunch of little tools. Also security updates whenever they come out. Thats about all you can do, and all you need to do.
 
Even if you don't want to go into any heavy details on programs, I think mentioning some popular spyware protection examples would be appropriate...

I use McAffee Virus Scan which chatches most of it, but I just installed the Spy Sweeper Trial and I'm pretty impressed with it. It was able to tell even when I was going a website that was full of trouble and blocked the website. (Though outright blocking the website, while protecting me seems a little overkill. It shouldn't have to do that to stop the ad/spyware, imo.)
 
I'm lucky enough to have 3 machines, a machine for work, my wife's laptop, and a third machine for music, video editing, etc, all with a boatload of security software. I only use my office machine for work, purchasing on-line only from trusted sites, and financial stuff. If I'm randonly surfing, want to try new software, etc I always use the 3rd machine. While not full proof, it significantly reduces the possibility of malware on the office machine. Also before any on-line purchase or financial stuff on-line always do virus and malware scans, the lattter with Spysweeper, Adare, and Spybot Search and Destroy.
 
I live in a small town and have alot of Friends/Customers that call about about Malware(if the know that have it or not) so I have become good at removing most. I use

ad-aware se ( picks up most )
Spy-bot SnD (picks up the rest), I have the tea-timer running.
AVG free
and windows defender

my XP home box is behind a router at all times.

and I have seen some infections that have rendered systems completly unusalable!

did one a couple of months ago that would take 45min - hour to boot
and took me about 8 hours of hard work with all my tools to put it right. the customer would not let me do a reinstall due to buisness data on the machine (no backups)
 
Ha...that was a funny article. "The world is going to end because of spyware and we're all doomed! Want to know how to protect yourself? Too bad, I'm not telling."

WEll I imagine anyone on Tom's already knows about spyware and how to prevent/remove it so why they bothered with that article I don't know.
Anyway...I only use Firefox + Spybot + Ad-Aware...That's it. I have no anti-virus nor firewall on my computer (besides the one built into the router). I tried Windows Defender...But it never found anything that Spybot didn't soo....why have it? Thats usually the same story with Ad-Aware too...Spybot seems to find more.
At this point in time, if you just use Firefox and do a Spybot scan every day...you should be perfectly fine. I've heard good things about Spysweeper and have used the demo before....But...Have to buy it. :-(
 
The biggest problem I have with add/spyware is that is can really slow me down.

Common solution: Install virus protection and 2 or 3 addware detection softwares: which will really slow me down.

My solution.
For my home use I don't use virus or add/spyware proction on my windows machine.

Instead I do 3 things.
1. Use tools that identify processes and where they come from, what started them. Learn what all of your running processes and startup apps are.

2. Don't use IE or Outlook.

3. Do frequent disc re-imaging / or reformatting. I find a good imaging / re-imaging plan works wonders . I like to have an image that I re-image and update, then save once a month. After I save an image I can always run some virus and spyware detection programs just to be safe, then remove them knowing my image is clean. But I tipicly don't bother with that.

And with a frequent imaging / restore plan it's also fun to run speed testing before and after just to compare.
 
Here's another question...If u have an infected hdd/OS...Don't you just have to slave it to another computer and run spyware/virus scans on it? Usually the problems arise when viruses use processes in the background so you can't delete them normally. But if you were to slave it, its now on a different partition that your OS so it can't run its processes therefore you can simply delete them. Is this not true?

PS (Oh if I ever do get virus issues, I just goto housecall.trendmicro)
 
Memo to all the Malware and Spyware programmers. Read this thread to find out what people use and program a spy to bypass so you can get your stupid adverts seen! Huzzah!

Ad-Aware, Check. Firefox, Check (hehe, this one has been on the list for awhile! Finally we have conclusive evidence people use it!!!) Windows Defender, Check.
 
Screw windows defender. There are much better free software out there.

I guess my own personal software firewall is redundant with the hardware router firewall, but I'm running a laptop so when I connect elsewhere its a lot more useful.

Adware and spyware are the biggest problem. Hopefully IE7 will fix a lot of it. I'll give Firefox 2.0 a shot also and see how it is. People are going to start targeting Firefox more and more, so it's going to lose part of its secuirty allure from IE...
 
Screw windows, there is much better free software out there. Linux.

Reimaging is fun and easy? You need your brains examined.

Bill Gates has you all brain washed, slap, slap, WAKE UP!!!

I have run Ubuntu for 2 years without any antivirus and have never had a problem. I have never reimaged. Dump WinBlows and get a real operating system.
 
Because you know Windows is soooooo evil, Bill Gates just wants to ruin your lives by forcing you into becoming clones to do his evil bidding. Sh!t man I like Linux as much as the next person, yeah it's a great open source OS but that doesn't mean Windows is tripe. I'm sick of fan boys like you.
 
Me too. If you can make a better OS, than do son. Otherwise, stop bitching and complaining. Windows is a perfectly fine OS, gets things done for nearly every consumer out there. Yes, there are lots of holes and problems with it, but what is ever perfect? (Except for Zelda: Ocarina of time... that game is synonymous with perfection)

I'm not a big Windows fan, but I'm a fan of, if it works, good for it, I'll use it. If something is better, than I'll switch. But so far, nothing even comes close.
 
Me too. If you can make a better OS, than do son. Otherwise, stop bitching and complaining. Windows is a perfectly fine OS, gets things done for nearly every consumer out there. Yes, there are lots of holes and problems with it, but what is ever perfect? (Except for Zelda: Ocarina of time... that game is synonymous with perfection)

I'm not a big Windows fan, but I'm a fan of, if it works, good for it, I'll use it. If something is better, than I'll switch. But so far, nothing even comes close.
Click to expand...

I have to agree, people always compalin about Microsoft and the bigger companies. Sure there are other companies that do the same things, there has to be. If one company puts out a product its only a matter of time till another one puts something similar out to rival it. So windows is not 100% perfect, not many software programs or hardware are. I use IE 6 as IE 7 is taking some getting used to. I have windows Defender and spybot and Lavasofts ad-ware scanner thing. I uses avast as my Virus scanner. I have had no problems with my machine. Just to make sure i have installed other software of these types to check and they have never found anything. Back to the previous poster as they said if you can make a better OS do it, if not shut up. I have been using windows since 3.1 and some DOS before that. Sure there are issues, with software there are always issues. But i am not about to change to something else. Why? I trust Microsoft, yes shocking but true. I have 15 years of experience using their products and im happy with them.
 
funny, i never had such things like spy/ad/malware

W2k + Sygate + Firefox (NoScript) protects me perfect...perfect
Click to expand...

Oooo. A walk in the garden, smiling and innocent, just waiting for a big, bad snake to rear up its head and bite. Never say never. You just don't know what's lurking in the background that you haven't seen yet.
 
funny, i never had such things like spy/ad/malware

W2k + Sygate + Firefox (NoScript) protects me perfect...perfect
Click to expand...

Yeap, that's one of the safest combo for windows. But anyway, i use an even better protection when surfing: Linux instead of windows ...

Without some kind of software protection in place, no one active on the Internet is safe and sound.
Click to expand...

The above statement is false, that's only for windows hell. After a linux install, you can have all the "unprotected sex" you want with the internet.

MAIA

Another garden walker. Either you have just been lucky and haven't been bitten yet, or you got bit and don't know it. There is no[/u] safe OS for internet use.

I used to think in a similar way. Then someone managed to break into my system and steal my credit card number. Fortunately, the credit card company and the companies that sold the products didn't hold me responsible for a cent, but I learned my lesson. A firewall went in place, plus Ad-Aware, Windows Defender when it became available (Defender found and repaired about half a dozen problems when installed) and Spybot.

And for you Linux people, keep in mind that Linux is just a branch of Unix, and there are Unix problems out there which can migrate to Linux. Nothing is perfect, and if you think you found something perfect, then a malware writer may take you down just for the challenge.
 
I run Zonealarm Pro, SpySweeper and BitDefender (XP OS) and have had few problems. AVG, LavaSoft, SpyBot S&D and every other free program I have tested miss lots. None of them are 100% and never will be. the best defense is avoid obvious risky sites (porn etal.), use the preview feature of your email client to view before opening and never accept attachments from unknow sources. Some spy/add ware issues can only be resolved by a reformat and reinstall of the entire system. The tools we use today are scanner based and depend upon the OS being able to accuratly report what is present on the drive. RootKits showed the weakness of this approach. We need to be able to scan the system from a virtual scanner without the OS being active. In the end the best situation is not to get infected in the first place.
 
Screw windows, there is much better free software out there. Linux.

Reimaging is fun and easy? You need your brains examined.

Bill Gates has you all brain washed, slap, slap, WAKE UP!!!

I have run Ubuntu for 2 years without any antivirus and have never had a problem. I have never reimaged. Dump WinBlows and get a real operating system.
Click to expand...
Linux+Gaming = No good
 
I run Zonealarm Pro, SpySweeper and BitDefender (XP OS) and have had few problems. AVG, LavaSoft, SpyBot S&D and every other free program I have tested miss lots. None of them are 100% and never will be. the best defense is avoid obvious risky sites (porn etal.), use the preview feature of your email client to view before opening and never accept attachments from unknow sources. Some spy/add ware issues can only be resolved by a reformat and reinstall of the entire system. The tools we use today are scanner based and depend upon the OS being able to accuratly report what is present on the drive. RootKits showed the weakness of this approach. We need to be able to scan the system from a virtual scanner without the OS being active. In the end the best situation is not to get infected in the first place.
Click to expand...

Looks like you've got some good stuff there. You're right, all the programs will miss some, that's why its nice to use a combination of programs. What one misses, another might detect. Avoiding questionable sites (porn or whatever) is also a good way of cutting down the risks. Would be nice to never get infected in the first place, but these days, that's getting difficult.
 
In 2004, US companies wasted (as opposed to "spent") nine billion dollars fighting spam.
These problems will continue as long as the creators and distributers of viruses, spam, adware, spyware, etc. can go on thinking it is a game.
An individual is innocent until proven guilty, but the last things a convicted malware purveyor needs to hear is a buzzer and a game-show-host style voice announcing "GAME OVER!"; assuming that the brain would have been sufficiently scrambled by a single large caliber round to be unable to perceive the sound of the shot. That would permanently deter one, and give second thoughts to others. Those living in other countries (particularly where there is not a death sentence), after conviction in absentia, would be good practice targets for covert agents. If the host country complains, cut off ALL internet traffic from that country to the USA until sufficient action has been taken.

Personnally, I protect my systems with a hardware firewall, McAfee anti-virus, and Spybot S&D. I've managed to stay clean, but at work I've encountered lots of problems with people who've loaded who knows what.

Among the most common offenders are Yahoo and Weatherbug, and I used to see a lot of "Bonzi-buddy."
 
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