Re: [Harp-L] best programs I've found... [long]

[Michelle LeFree <mlefree@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

The Iceman writes:
> Here are three free programs that you should run regularly on your computer to keep it virus, spam, and hijacker, and spambot free.
>
> AVG anti-virushttp://free.avg.com/us-en/get-basic-protection
>
> Malware Byteshttp://www.malwarebytes.org
>
> Spybot S&Dhttp://www.safer-networking.org/en/mirrors/index.html

As usual, Iceman serves up some sage advice! These programs are what the 
pro's use.

Here are a few more tips for keeping your Windows-based computer free of 
malware (virii, worms, trojans, rootkits and the like):

1) Don't get infected in the first place!
    ~ Be vigilant in maintaining your operating system and any other 
software you use by applying any updates as soon as they become 
available. Use Windows' automatic update feature.
     ~ ALWAYS run an anti-virus program, period! AVG Free as Iceman 
suggests is probably as good as any of them. The key to using any of the 
malware prevention or removal tools is updating them each and every time 
you use them. Use "auto-update" features whenever possible.
    ~ Steer clear of web sites known to cause problems, namely music or 
video sharing sites, "adult" entertainment sites, gaming sites and so forth.
    ~ Be wary of the use of "social engineering" methods to lure you 
into clicking on something that you'll wish you wouldn't have. These 
include any means that relies on human weakness or curiosity to invite a 
user into situations that will infect their computer. A good example is 
the old e-mail attachment trick. NEVER click on an e-mail attachment 
unless you are sure it is from a valid sender (who has scanned it for 
viruses) and avoid opening e-mails from unknown sources no matter how 
inviting they may seem. Turn off the "preview" feature of your e-mail 
client as that opens all e-mails automatically.
    ~ Be very wary of responding to any suspicious or spurious pop-up 
message that may suddenly appear as you are browsing the web or at any 
other time. This is a very good indication that your system may have 
already become infected. Don't respond in any way to a message that 
says, for example, that your computer has become infected and you can 
"click here to remove it." Most often, clicking on a message like that 
will: a) only install even more invasive malware; and b) if you descend 
further into the trap and purchase whatever "Super Killer Virus Removal" 
tool offered you will have given the cyber-crook your credit card number 
for a bogus virus removal that won't work. 'Nuff said.
   Because malware authors are very good at mimicking valid pop-ups and 
even making very precise copies of pop-ups from legitimate software, you 
shouldn't interact in any way to a suspicious pop-up or message. You 
can't even trust the familiar "X" box to stop a program as malware 
authors can even mimick that and connect it to an unwanted program. The 
best way to stop one of these suspicious programs is to invoke the 
Windows "Task Manager" by right clicking the system bar at the bottom of 
your desktop and selecting it from the list. When the Task Manager is 
running, the Applications tab will list all running Tasks. Select the 
suspicious Task from the list and click the "End Task" button at the 
bottom right of the widow.

2) Both the free version of Malware Bytes and Spybot are tools that are 
effective in removing malware should your system become infected. Even 
if you follow the above preventative measures, your system can still 
become infected as the cyber-criminals who write this malicious software 
are continually devising new methods to infect it. All preventative 
software is by definition reactive in the sense that it cannot respond 
to a threat before it emerges. That's why it's so important to keep them 
updated with the latest versions of the software as well as the most 
recent virus definitions.
   If you should ever notice any new toolbars in your browser, any new 
software that starts on start-up, any strange activity or noticeable 
slow-down in your system, your system may have become infected. Even if 
you don't notice any of these symptoms, you still may be infected and 
not even know it. So you should periodically, say once or twice a month 
or more often if you are suspicious of any new or previous activities or 
just particularly judicious, run both MalwareBytes and Spybot on a 
routine basis. Periodic deep scanning with your anti-virus program is 
also a good idea as an extra measure to stop short any unwanted software 
from running on your machine.

3) Google is your best buddy. When in doubt, "Google it." Strange 
pop-up? Google the name of the program or any other pertinent  
information. Rule of thumb: "Google first, click second."

Bottom line, like the Iceman suggests, running AVG, Malwarebytes, and 
Spybot regularly will help ensure a trouble- and malware-free system. 
But, just like in human medicine, "an ounce of prevention is the best cure!"

Sorry to have been long-winded, but this subject demands some keen 
attention by anyone brave enough to connect to the internet. That 
includes all Harp-L'ers!

Happy and trouble-free computing!

And thanks for bringing the subject up, Larry.

Michelle