Thanks for your help. So that I understand what you are saying I take it I
will still need Norton Anti Virus in addition to one of the free listed
software packages.
I don't need all three.Is this correct?
regards
Blair
Blair,
Actually, you need as much protection as possible.
Both spyware and virus detection is a reactive process - you can only identify
and remove the known exploits. The bad guys will always come out with new
exploits, so no security product can catch everything.
You absolutely need one antivirus product with real-time protection - to examine
files that you download, get in email, etc. You can't use more than one
real-time virus scanner - they interfere with each other. But having a second
antivirus scanner, backing up the first, may save your ass one day.
I always recommend one or more of these free online virus scans, which should
complement your current protection:
<
http://www.bitdefender.com/scan/license.php>
<
http://www.pandasoftware.com/activescan/com/activescan_principal.htm>
<
http://www.ravantivirus.com/scan/>
<
http://security.symantec.com/ssc/home.asp>
<
http://housecall.trendmicro.com/housecall/start_corp.asp>
In addition to antivirus, you need totally adware / spyware protection. Adware
and spyware hits you totally different from viruses, and currently no antivirus
package protects you against spyware like AA / HJT / SSD (IMHO). Symantec has
supposedly put spyware protection into NAV 2004, however, the experts on the
spyware forums all agree that they are NOT there yet.
Fortunately, Adware / Spyware protection is currently where Virus protection was
5 (10?) years ago - most of the good stuff is free. And most of what's
advertised as sold online is crap.
<
http://spywarewarrior.com/viewtopic.php?t=3022>
Harden your browser. There are various websites which will check for
vulnerabilities, here are three which I use.
http://www.jasons-toolbox.com/BrowserSecurity/
http://bcheck.scanit.be/bcheck/
https://testzone.secunia.com/browser_checker/
Harden your operating system. Check at least monthly for security updates.
http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/
Block possibly dangerous websites with a Hosts file. Three Hosts file sources I
use:
http://www.accs-net.com/hosts/get_hosts.html
http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm
(The third is included, and updated, with Spybot (see above)).
Maintain your Hosts file (merge / eliminate duplicate entries) with:
eDexter <
http://www.accs-net.com/hosts/get_hosts.html>
Hostess <
http://accs-net.com/hostess/>
Secure your operating system, and applications. Don't use, or leave activated,
any accounts with names or passwords with trivial (guessable) values. Don't use
an account with administrative authority, except when you're intentionally doing
administrative tasks.
Use common sense. Yours. Don't install software based upon advice from unknown
sources. Don't install free software, without researching it carefully. Don't
open email unless you know who it's from, and how and why it was sent.
Educate yourself. Know what the risks are. Stay informed. Read Usenet, and
various web pages that discuss security problems. Check the logs from the other
protection regularly, look for things that don't belong, and take action when
necessary.
My rule of thumb is to add protection until you run out of resources (money or
system resources), or paranoia about possible problems. With modern computers,
system resources is not a problem. As I said, most adware / spyware protection
is free - everything I listed above is anyway.
My paranoia has no end - I read alt.comp.virus, alt.computer.security,
comp.security.firewalls, microsoft.public.security, and other forums. And every
day when I think I'm too paranoid, I see another discussion that makes my hair
stand on end (if I had hair)
.
Cheers,
Chuck
Paranoia comes from experience - and is not necessarily a bad thing.
