generalnmx
Playful/Fascist Mod
For those of us that must maintain Windows computers with Internet Explorer installed, and must use IE on a regular basis, there are still ways to help protect our computers, even if you are not an experienced user. However, just in case you don't know what a virus or spyware is:
"A virus is a piece of software designed and written to make additional copies of itself and spread from location to location, typically without user knowledge or permission. Such stealth qualities are now found in both viruses infecting files and those infecting boot areas. There are computer viruses that were written for several operating systems like DOS, Windows, Amiga, Mac, Atari, and UNIX. Macro viruses are a new class of viruses that do not infect boot areas or files with the .EXE or .COM extensions. Instead, they infect documents; when Word loads the document, it executes any "autoexecute" macro in the file. (see Macro Virus) Some viruses cause damage, but not all do. More than 20,000 have been identified, and 250 new ones are created every month, according to the International Computer Security Association. With numbers like those, it’s safe to say that most organizations will deal regularly with virus outbreaks. No one who uses computers is immune from viruses." ( http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=...&q=define:virus )
"[Spyware is] a general term for a program that surreptitiously monitors your actions. While they are sometimes sinister, like a remote control program used by a hacker, software companies have been known to use spyware to gather data about customers. The practice is generally frowned upon." ( http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=...=define:Spyware )
You may want to pass this on to your computer-illiterate friends, as it is made especially for them, from my experience with my parents and their computer (which was so malware-ridden that I had to use my last resort - reformat). All the links shown are free solutions.
Brief Summary for a more secure Computer
- Get a Virus Scanner (recommended free solution: Avast)
- Get a Firewall (recommended free solution: Sygate Personal Firewall)
- Visit WindowsUpdate frequently, don't enable Automatic Updates
- If you have Windows XP, download and install Service Pack 2
- Download, install, and run Ad-Aware Personal SE
- Download, install, and run Spybot: Search and Destroy (w/ TeaTimer)
- Download and install SpywareBlaster
- For NT/2000/XP/2003, don't use an Administrator Account for normal use
1. Get a Virus Scanner dammit.
If you don't want to buy one, I suggest using Avast. If your computer is too slow to handle a virus scanner always running in the background, then use Trend Micro's web-based solution (which only scans your computer when you go to the site).
Avast (recommended): http://www.avast.com/eng/down_home.html
AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition: http://free.grisoft.com/freeweb.php/doc/2/
Tend Micro's House Call (single computer scan from Internet for slow computers): http://housecall.trendmicro.com/housecall/start_corp.asp
2. Get a Firewall.
Why You Need A Firewall: http://www.cisco.com/univercd/cc/td/doc/pr...ser/scf4ch2.htm
There are two different ways firewalls can protect you - outbound traffic (going from your computer to the Internet) and inbound traffic (going from the Internet to your computer). I recommend Sygate's Personal Firewall for all outbound traffic (also called "blocking applications from accessing the internet"). Routers give restrictions on inbound traffic through NAT, so if you are using a router, you don't need to worry too much about inbound taffic (also called "blocking ports"). If you don't have a router, try XP's built-in Firewall or ZoneAlarm.
Sygate Personal Firewall (with router or Windows XP Firewall): http://www.sygate.com/firewall/
ZoneAlarm (no router): http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/comp...d=staticcomp_za
3. Visit Windows Update frequently.
Don't activate Automatic Updates - you know one day they're going to hack it.
http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com
4. Download and install SP2 if you have Windows XP.
This gives a nice Pop-Up Blocker, allows you to disable/uninstall IE Plugins, notifies you when programs are downloading or want to run, etc. You don't need the Firewall or Automatic Updates - in fact, you should disable checking for Firewall, Automatic Updates, and Virus Scanner (since you already dealt with them per these steps).
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details...&displaylang=en
5. Download, install, and run Lavasoft Adaware SE Personal.
Run it every now and then, updating your definitions before so. First time downloading it, run a "Smart Scan" and delete/quarantine everything it finds. Don't worry, your computer won't die if you delete spyware.
http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/
6. Download, install, and run Spybot Search & Destroy.
Use "Immunize", and enable TeaTimer (just place a shortcut to TeaTimer.exe in your Startup folder). TeaTimer protects against malicious processes (programs running "silently" or "in the background") and registry changes (the registry is like "where Windows stores what it remembers about your computer").
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/index.html
7. Download and install SpywareBlaster.
It protects against IE's ActiveX exploit problems and Tracking Cookies (type of Spyware).
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html
And finally, don't use an Administrator account for normal use!
- Under XP Home, make a Limited/User Account and run all programs under that. Install programs in C:\Documents and Settings\Username\Program Files instead of the default path. If the program must be installed and run as an Administrator, then right-click the shortcut and use "Runas" when you need to run it. There are also "Runas" scripts you can use.
Now under a Limited Account, there may be stuff (like moving files) that you want to do as an Administrator. You can use an alternative Command Shell for this, using "Runas" to run it as an Administrator. I prefer Total Commander, but that's not freeware.
- Under NT/2000/XP Pro/2003, use a Power User account. Although for full security, you may want to use a Limited/User account.
Be safe
"A virus is a piece of software designed and written to make additional copies of itself and spread from location to location, typically without user knowledge or permission. Such stealth qualities are now found in both viruses infecting files and those infecting boot areas. There are computer viruses that were written for several operating systems like DOS, Windows, Amiga, Mac, Atari, and UNIX. Macro viruses are a new class of viruses that do not infect boot areas or files with the .EXE or .COM extensions. Instead, they infect documents; when Word loads the document, it executes any "autoexecute" macro in the file. (see Macro Virus) Some viruses cause damage, but not all do. More than 20,000 have been identified, and 250 new ones are created every month, according to the International Computer Security Association. With numbers like those, it’s safe to say that most organizations will deal regularly with virus outbreaks. No one who uses computers is immune from viruses." ( http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=...&q=define:virus )
"[Spyware is] a general term for a program that surreptitiously monitors your actions. While they are sometimes sinister, like a remote control program used by a hacker, software companies have been known to use spyware to gather data about customers. The practice is generally frowned upon." ( http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=...=define:Spyware )
You may want to pass this on to your computer-illiterate friends, as it is made especially for them, from my experience with my parents and their computer (which was so malware-ridden that I had to use my last resort - reformat). All the links shown are free solutions.
Brief Summary for a more secure Computer
- Get a Virus Scanner (recommended free solution: Avast)
- Get a Firewall (recommended free solution: Sygate Personal Firewall)
- Visit WindowsUpdate frequently, don't enable Automatic Updates
- If you have Windows XP, download and install Service Pack 2
- Download, install, and run Ad-Aware Personal SE
- Download, install, and run Spybot: Search and Destroy (w/ TeaTimer)
- Download and install SpywareBlaster
- For NT/2000/XP/2003, don't use an Administrator Account for normal use
1. Get a Virus Scanner dammit.
If you don't want to buy one, I suggest using Avast. If your computer is too slow to handle a virus scanner always running in the background, then use Trend Micro's web-based solution (which only scans your computer when you go to the site).
Avast (recommended): http://www.avast.com/eng/down_home.html
AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition: http://free.grisoft.com/freeweb.php/doc/2/
Tend Micro's House Call (single computer scan from Internet for slow computers): http://housecall.trendmicro.com/housecall/start_corp.asp
2. Get a Firewall.
Why You Need A Firewall: http://www.cisco.com/univercd/cc/td/doc/pr...ser/scf4ch2.htm
There are two different ways firewalls can protect you - outbound traffic (going from your computer to the Internet) and inbound traffic (going from the Internet to your computer). I recommend Sygate's Personal Firewall for all outbound traffic (also called "blocking applications from accessing the internet"). Routers give restrictions on inbound traffic through NAT, so if you are using a router, you don't need to worry too much about inbound taffic (also called "blocking ports"). If you don't have a router, try XP's built-in Firewall or ZoneAlarm.
Sygate Personal Firewall (with router or Windows XP Firewall): http://www.sygate.com/firewall/
ZoneAlarm (no router): http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/comp...d=staticcomp_za
3. Visit Windows Update frequently.
Don't activate Automatic Updates - you know one day they're going to hack it.
http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com
4. Download and install SP2 if you have Windows XP.
This gives a nice Pop-Up Blocker, allows you to disable/uninstall IE Plugins, notifies you when programs are downloading or want to run, etc. You don't need the Firewall or Automatic Updates - in fact, you should disable checking for Firewall, Automatic Updates, and Virus Scanner (since you already dealt with them per these steps).
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details...&displaylang=en
5. Download, install, and run Lavasoft Adaware SE Personal.
Run it every now and then, updating your definitions before so. First time downloading it, run a "Smart Scan" and delete/quarantine everything it finds. Don't worry, your computer won't die if you delete spyware.
http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/
6. Download, install, and run Spybot Search & Destroy.
Use "Immunize", and enable TeaTimer (just place a shortcut to TeaTimer.exe in your Startup folder). TeaTimer protects against malicious processes (programs running "silently" or "in the background") and registry changes (the registry is like "where Windows stores what it remembers about your computer").
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/index.html
7. Download and install SpywareBlaster.
It protects against IE's ActiveX exploit problems and Tracking Cookies (type of Spyware).
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html
And finally, don't use an Administrator account for normal use!
- Under XP Home, make a Limited/User Account and run all programs under that. Install programs in C:\Documents and Settings\Username\Program Files instead of the default path. If the program must be installed and run as an Administrator, then right-click the shortcut and use "Runas" when you need to run it. There are also "Runas" scripts you can use.
Now under a Limited Account, there may be stuff (like moving files) that you want to do as an Administrator. You can use an alternative Command Shell for this, using "Runas" to run it as an Administrator. I prefer Total Commander, but that's not freeware.
- Under NT/2000/XP Pro/2003, use a Power User account. Although for full security, you may want to use a Limited/User account.
Be safe
