Topic: Anti-Virus and Malware help

[Lazlo]

24/03/11

Viruses and malware affect everyone, they're a pain and will cost you. The best way to combat this is to watch where you surf, surf in the gutter and you will become unstuck.

I'm not trying to tell you what you view on the web btw but preventative is always better than cure, so that's where we will start.

Make sure you have a valid anti-virus application, there are lots. The paid ones are generally better but there are free alternatives, there is always a lot of discussion on which is the best to which my response is that anyone can recieve a day 0 virus despite what they have installed on their machine, although some do pick up more than others.

Anyway off to the free stuff.

Avira anti virus: http://www.avira.com/en/avira-free-antivirus
Avg anti virus [http://free.avg.com/gb-en/homepage
Avast anti virus http://www.avast.com/free-antivirus-download
Microsoft security essentials http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/


Malware:

This is the stuff that infects your computer then promises a fix if you pay a fee ( for an example), most anti virus manufacturers disclaim against these claiming that they're not actually viruses, so you may not be protected against these sort of threats. They should but these sort of threats are a lot more prevelant and harder to keep up with and we can deal with these to some extent below.


Free stuff:

Malware bytes http://www.malwarebytes.org/
Superantispyware http://superantispyware.com/

My advice would be to have a valid anti virus app on your machine, if you got a free trial that's fine but it will expire !, this and malware bytes installed. If you have an anti-virus app and a malware app installed on your pc you will stand a much better chance of recovering your data should you get infected.

Just watch where you go, sites will say things like 'you need xxx player to view this, do you want to install' , once you click yes you're foooked.

Windows firewall is adequate a believe as firewalls go, everything can be done on there should you need to block stuff as can on a third party app like zone alarm.

Sometimes you will not find a resolution to your problem because spyware mutates all the time you may need a dedicated 1-2-1 solution.
Sites like http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/ or www.majorgeeks.com will be able to help you. It is hard to diagnose over a forum.

[indi]

Spyware Blaster:

http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html

Spyware Guard:

http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareguard.html

[Wullie]

Nice one. Stickied.

[Chrissy Bee]

http://www.siteadvisor.com/

An excellent plugin for firefox and IE (and possibly other browsers in the future). It helps advise you which results for google/yahoo etc. searches have any malicious content (such as spyware, malware, etc.).

Excellent for anyone, especially the more naive amongst us who expect a search for 'free screensavers' to magically yield excellent results.

[Dave]

Good spot, might get that myself.

[Crumpy Gunt]

Whats best to delete Trojans?

[sh0ttie]

a lot of Greeks?

[Crumpy Gunt]

a lot of Greeks?

Good retort - but 8 months of thought went into it so it had to be better than average.

[elbee909]

If anyone's running XP Pro x64 (64-bit edition) then I can heartily recommend the following free firewall:

http://www.comodo.com/

In fact they do some other quality free stuff and all seems great so far.

[Thespence]

http://www.comodo.com/

I got the firewall from them yesterday it is ideal for non-geeks as one of there support guys logs onto your pc & does the lot.

[elbee909]

http://www.comodo.com/

I got the firewall from them yesterday it is ideal for non-geeks as one of there support guys logs onto your pc & does the lot.

Yep.  They're really going for it, Comodo.  Easily the best free firewall out there too.

[Adam^]

www.avast.com virus scanner, firewall, etc - proper class.

[AfroP]

Microsoft security essentials
Free anti-virus,antmalware and spyware.

seems pretty decent so far.

http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/


review of it
http://arstechnica.com/microsoft/news/2009/09/first-look-microsoft-security-essentials-impresses.ars

[AfroP]

How To Remove Antivirus Live and Other Rogue/Fake Antivirus Malware

http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/8693/how-to-remove-antivirus-live-and-other-roguefake-antivirus-malware/

good little article with screenshots and links to other removals

[MW]

How much would it set me back to buy a proper anti-virus package, that will properly scan my whole computer and get rid of a load of s*** on it, as well as stop s*** getting back on it? Fed up of trying all sorts of free ones that just don't solve anything

[SEMTEX]

We've got Symantec Endpoint Protection at work and plenty of s*** seems to get past it, I don't see a great advantage over a freebie option. I still use Malware Bytes at work to get at the crap that Symantec missed.

[MW]

Alright I'll give that a go

[MW]

K i downloaded that malware thing, I can trust it 100%? has found 10 infections after 11 minutes have to beware as half the virus things out there are viruses themselves. this resident shield w***** i had a few months ago is telling me i have infections, just ignoring it atm will this malware thing get rid of it?

[SEMTEX]

You can trust it, but sometimes things that are found may be intrusive but not necessarily destructive/malicious. Saying that, I'd still get rid of everything that Malware Bytes finds, making sure to ensure System Restore is on and has made a backup of your PC, in case Malware Bytes has to mess with registry crap.

http://download.cnet.com/Malwarebytes-Anti-Malware/3000-8022_4-10804572.html

Oh, and it's a perfectly trustworthy application if that's what you're asking.

[MW]

Tah

[Super Duper Branko Strupar]

MSE keeps finding HackTool:Win32/Keygen. Keep removing it but keeps showing.

Am I right in saying this is just a key generator I've downloaded, rather than malware? If it is it's probably from my failed installation of a cracked office. If I remove Office will it go?

[neesy111]

MSE keeps finding HackTool:Win32/Keygen. Keep removing it but keeps showing.

Am I right in saying this is just a key generator I've downloaded, rather than malware? If it is it's probably from my failed installation of a cracked office. If I remove Office will it go?

Yeap, any key generator goes down as that.

[Super Duper Branko Strupar]

Ta

You sure you know about IT?

Spoiler

[close]

[Anderson]

What's the best free Anti-Virus about at the minute? Avast?

[Dave]

Just get MSE.