Fed up with getting viruses/Malware

kerrypn

Thanks for that, another poster has suggested ubuntu, but I have touchscreen apps that the children use that I don't want to lose, but we did try and install ubuntu on the old laptop last night and it wouldn't do it.

I am really happy with how I have things now

Im_just_careful

I also suggest open DNS for a partial solution to blocking problem sites but you need to then set it to do what you want.

Visit http://www.opendns.com/home-solutions/parental-controls/ and follow the "Free" link.

If you are able to set OpenDNS on the router it will cover all computers and other devices you have, otherwise you set it up on each computer.

prikklypear

I'm not entirely sure where you're going wrong? I haven't had a problem with viruses/malware for about 4 years - it's just not something I struggle with, mostly because I take a few precautions. I think you just need to do a little bit more research on maintaining a safe computer, you're definitely on the right track however!

I use Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) for my security which is free. Don't pay for your security, it's just not necessary for the average home user.

Emails!! This is a tricky one, you can never be sure what's legit and what's not (but 99% of the time is easy to tell). I use 2 email addresses to protect myself from spam - if for convenience more than anything. I use one main and permanent email that I give to relatives/friends and use another entirely different email (another provider too, one with gmail.com one with zoho.com) for signing up with things on the internet and I set this secondary email to forward everything to my primary email address. This gives me 2 levels of anti spam protection from things I've signed up with on the internet. It also means that when my junk inevitably begins mounting, it's probably coming from my secondary email. At that point, I create a new secondary account (about once a year) and move my accounts that I want to keep over to the new secondary email. This means I don't also have to update my friends/relatives with a new email. My primary always stays the same but solves my junk/risk problem.

Although annoying, make your primary email address convoluted. Eg thisisjohndoe1967465@... whatever and use a less popular provider such as zoho. This is because spam can start coming in even without signing up to anything because the spammers randomly generate emails and try sending emails to it eg they start at johndoe1@... and try right up to johndoe99999@... but they are less likely to try something that's more convoluted. With this solution my primary email never gets spam and I just replace my secondary when it does start receiving it.
Check your spam once a week, but filters are so good these days you'll rarely need to open anything.

When you get a new computer, download and install something called decrapifier and use it to uninstall EVERTHING that isn't essential. This is called bloatware on your new computers that comes pre-installed. They are security risks. So remove the backup solutions, the trial antivirus and firewalls, the microsoft office trials, the games trials (normally from Oberon media), the toolbars, the speed up programs... everything. Not sure if you should remove it, google it and find out about that program decide if you need it, if not; remove it. Then run windows update restart, update again and keep going until there is no updates left. Run ccleaner and its registry cleaner and reboot again. Make sure windows defender is installed and updated and this should solve many problems from the get go. If you know how (and only if you know how) I have a copy of Windows on CD that I use to install a clean copy of Windows when I get a new computer that doesn't have all the bloatware that comes with factory installed Windows. I just install it, then download all the drivers I need from the computers support site. Only do this option if you know what you are doing or have experience installing Windows from scratch!!

Never install anything without googling it first and reading reviews from other users from different websites to see if it's recommended - can't find a review or security rating? Simple... DO NOT INSTALL IT.
This is important MOST FREE SOFTWARE (even reputable software) WILL COME WITH AN OPTION TO INSTALL AN EXTRA TOOLBAR OR OTHER PROGRAM. SO READ EVERY PAGE ON THE INSTALLER AND DESELECT ANYTHING THAT ISN'T THE PROGRAM YOU WANT TO INSTALL. These extra programs will open security risks in your computer.

Run regular scans using MSE and use ccleaner and you'll be fine.

This is all I do, nothing extra, nothing fancy, I don't pay for any magical security software and I run regular (weekly) maintenance and I haven't had an issue for quite a few years.

Hopster_2

prikklypear wrote: »

I'm not entirely sure where you're going wrong? I haven't had a problem with viruses/malware for about 4 years - it's just not something I struggle with, mostly because I take a few precautions. I think you just need to do a little bit more research on maintaining a safe computer, you're definitely on the right track however!

I use Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) for my security which is free. Don't pay for your security, it's just not necessary for the average home user.

Emails!! This is a tricky one, you can never be sure what's legit and what's not (but 99% of the time is easy to tell). I use 2 email addresses to protect myself from spam - if for convenience more than anything. I use one main and permanent email that I give to relatives/friends and use another entirely different email (another provider too, one with gmail.com one with zoho.com) for signing up with things on the internet and I set this secondary email to forward everything to my primary email address. This gives me 2 levels of anti spam protection from things I've signed up with on the internet. It also means that when my junk inevitably begins mounting, it's probably coming from my secondary email. At that point, I create a new secondary account (about once a year) and move my accounts that I want to keep over to the new secondary email. This means I don't also have to update my friends/relatives with a new email. My primary always stays the same but solves my junk/risk problem.

Although annoying, make your primary email address convoluted. Eg thisisjohndoe1967465@... whatever and use a less popular provider such as zoho. This is because spam can start coming in even without signing up to anything because the spammers randomly generate emails and try sending emails to it eg they start at johndoe1@... and try right up to johndoe99999@... but they are less likely to try something that's more convoluted. With this solution my primary email never gets spam and I just replace my secondary when it does start receiving it.
Check your spam once a week, but filters are so good these days you'll rarely need to open anything.

When you get a new computer, download and install something called decrapifier and use it to uninstall EVERTHING that isn't essential. This is called bloatware on your new computers that comes pre-installed. They are security risks. So remove the backup solutions, the trial antivirus and firewalls, the microsoft office trials, the games trials (normally from Oberon media), the toolbars, the speed up programs... everything. Not sure if you should remove it, google it and find out about that program decide if you need it, if not; remove it. Then run windows update restart, update again and keep going until there is no updates left. Run ccleaner and its registry cleaner and reboot again. Make sure windows defender is installed and updated and this should solve many problems from the get go. If you know how (and only if you know how) I have a copy of Windows on CD that I use to install a clean copy of Windows when I get a new computer that doesn't have all the bloatware that comes with factory installed Windows. I just install it, then download all the drivers I need from the computers support site. Only do this option if you know what you are doing or have experience installing Windows from scratch!!

Never install anything without googling it first and reading reviews from other users from different websites to see if it's recommended - can't find a review or security rating? Simple... DO NOT INSTALL IT.
This is important MOST FREE SOFTWARE (even reputable software) WILL COME WITH AN OPTION TO INSTALL AN EXTRA TOOLBAR OR OTHER PROGRAM. SO READ EVERY PAGE ON THE INSTALLER AND DESELECT ANYTHING THAT ISN'T THE PROGRAM YOU WANT TO INSTALL. These extra programs will open security risks in your computer.

Run regular scans using MSE and use ccleaner and you'll be fine.

This is all I do, nothing extra, nothing fancy, I don't pay for any magical security software and I run regular (weekly) maintenance and I haven't had an issue for quite a few years.

Nice post, like yourself a haven't suffered any Malware for years and keeping a clean, maintained pc is king, especially a Windows based pc.

Many pc's i repair are less than 18 months old and you wouldn't believe the state they are in.
They are bloated with trialware, usually have 30+ programs on their start menu, Gigabytes of temp files, never defragged and a big heavy security program running and they wonder why its slowed down.lol

A think both user and Microsoft need to take more action in securing their pc's.
The user needs to understand that a pc is not a toy and Microsoft need to stop promoting it as a toy.
A would change the MS commercial to "I am 5 yrs old and i click on any flash advert i see and yes to any box that appears, I am 5 yrs old and i just humped Mum and Daddys pc".

As for the Linux users who always seem to jump on these threads, come on guys, are we seriously suggesting that switching to a completely new OS is the answer?
If your having problems on a Windows based pc the chances are you will have problems on a Linux based one, its not about learning a new OS its about learning how to use the one you have properly.
A have nothing against Linux and am no Windows fanboy but last time a tried Ubuntu a thought it was a bloated mess!
It failed to install properly that required a couple of hours on the forum to troubleshoot, the simplest things took ages to figure out, it came with a bunch of programs i didn't want or need and tbh a didn't find any gain in performance.
Sure a could have found a stripped down distro but even that is a pain as everybody and their little brother has a version out.
Linux has came a long way and is better than a few years ago but its still not a viable option for your average Windoze user..

waddler_8

kerrypn wrote: »

I use IE 9 but have heard firefox is good...would consider this/would sandbox be just as good?

@gonzo lol believe me me and my DH have had many a conversation about sites etc but honestly, aside from a month ago when I did use UCAS for a uni application or very occasionally when we need to access a shop site like tescos, those sites really are all we use, and if we have been on a new site we always do a full scan afterwards.

art_for_arts_sake wrote: »

I've just spent over 8 hours cleaning up a neighbours' PC. It had a more immediate threat to deal with which I was able to manually eliminate but malwarebytes and avast found about another 20 trojans each. They claimed not to be looking at anything out of the ordinary but it was clear that it was predominantly, but not only, the males' browsing habits which had created the problem, I'm not talking about p**n BTW but relatively innocuous sites.

I've even been redirected on a 100% clean PC to a dodgy site myself whilst browsing Gumtree recently, though a friend was honest enough to admit he had been caught out by looking at p**n, a hefty repair bill from the local computer shop meant he hadn't done so since.

Hopster wrote: »

The best bit of advice a would give is to ditch Internet Explorer mate, its a security nightmare and not a very good browser full stop.

....

You mentioned Firefox and that's a option i would look at further!

!!!!!! sites are amongst the least dangerous sites on the 'net. You'd probably be surprised at what are the most dangerous.

http://www.symantec.com/threatreport/topic.jsp?id=threat_activity_trends&aid=analysis_of_website_categories

IE isn't a "security nightmare". It has lots of security features and is more secure now than it has ever has been.

There are currently no unpatched critical vulnerabilities.

http://secunia.com/advisories/product/34591/?task=advisories

http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ie/archive/2011/03/07/internet-explorer-9-security-part-1-enhanced-memory-protections.aspx
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ie/archive/2011/03/10/internet-explorer-9-security-part-2-protection-from-socially-engineered-attacks.aspx
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ie/archive/2011/03/11/internet-explorer-9-security-part-3-browse-more-securely-with-pinned-sites.aspx
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ie/archive/2011/06/23/internet-explorer-9-security-part-4-protecting-consumers-from-malicious-mixed-content.aspx

Vulnerabilities arise in Firefox (and other browsers) much the same as IE.

http://www.mozilla.org/security/known-vulnerabilities/firefox.html

Quite often it is vulnerable outdated browser plug-ins that are primarily to blame. You only have to look at the infamous Blackhole Exploit kit's target list for proof of that - Adobe & Java being numbers 1 & 2 respectively.

http://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/exploring-the-blackhole-exploit-kit-4/

Otherwise it's the users own actions - which would be the same whichever browser they used. How many ask advices on this very board to "turn off that annoying feature". Quite often that "anoying feature" isthere to help protect them.

Keeping software updated is as important as what antivirus you have running. Close the attack vectors and the AV has nothing to do.

http://blogs.technet.com/b/security/archive/2012/07/19/the-rise-of-the-black-hole-exploit-kit-the-importance-of-keeping-all-software-up-to-date.aspx

duchy

If you have friends who send you those daft emails "If you send this to six friends good luck...blah blah" and you are clicking on the links -stop doing it.

kerrypn

I havent been clicking on chain mail, honest!!!!!

I am pretty happy now, I have backed up, I have bitdefender on aggresseive settings, using sandboxie, ccleaner and malwarebytes installed and I did the host file thing, so I am hoping for our usage that will cover 99% of threats that we have had previously.

I want to see how we get on like this before installing/changing anything else because it has been a lot to take in and dont want to start installing stuff we might not need.

Thanks very much though and if I have any more problems I will certainly com back and try some more of the things suggested.

art_for_arts_sake

waddler_8 wrote: »

!!!!!! sites are amongst the least dangerous sites on the 'net...

...Quite often it is vulnerable outdated browser plug-ins that are primarily to blame. You only have to look at the infamous Blackhole Exploit kit's target list for proof of that - Adobe & Java being numbers 1 & 2 respectively...

...Otherwise it's the users own actions - which would be the same whichever browser they used. How many ask advices on this very board to "turn off that annoying feature". Quite often that "anoying feature" isthere to help protect them.

Keeping software updated is as important as what antivirus you have running. Close the attack vectors and the AV has nothing to do.

I'd agree 100%. Despite finding no evidence of !!!!!! on my neighbour's PC, it was riddled with trojans from java exploits and had clearly been poorly maintained. I'd also agree that it's user interaction that installs most malware, which was why I made the point about how to close a browser window safely. Many people seem unaware of the dangers of clicking on unknown hyperlinks, especially in emails from "trusted" sources, and flash-based "computer security scan"-type windows and redirects seem to take many people in too.

GunJack

waddler_8 wrote: »

!!!!!! sites are amongst the least dangerous sites on the 'net.

Isn't that great news :rotfl:

But seriously, that was a very interesting analysis by Symantec, it proves that people are more at risk than they think they are when surfing "normal" sites...let's face it, who are the malware-writers going to target? stupidpornsite.com with a readership of a few hundred or ebay/facebook/etc with many hundreds or even millions of visitors and far more chance of "success" in terms of infections.... if it were me I'd go for the millions.....

Toxteth_OGrady

GunJack wrote: »

stupidpornsite.com with a readership of a few hundred

Which bit requires reading? :rotfl: