Good freeware backup software?

Fightsback

anotheruser wrote: »

I don't use any security, apart from what Windows supplies.
But then I would happily have none at all.

Find someone who really does know about computers and ask them to partition your drive. Keep Windows on one drive, documents and things on another.
Most ransomware will encrypt Windows folders but won't bother looking at others, although it's only a matter of time before they change.

Go and stand in the naughty corner, ransomware can encrypt anything you have write access to, even your cloud/unmapped network folders.

edit, quick google example:

https://blog.knowbe4.com/new-ransomware-cryptofortress-encrypts-unmapped-network-shares

takman

anotheruser wrote: »

I don't use any security, apart from what Windows supplies.
But then I would happily have none at all.

Find someone who really does know about computers and ask them to partition your drive. Keep Windows on one drive, documents and things on another.
Most ransomware will encrypt Windows folders but won't bother looking at others, although it's only a matter of time before they change.

I think you should take your own advice and find someone who knows about computers if you think having no security is a good idea!.

Plus putting a backup on a separate partition of the same hard drive is a daft idea!. It doesn't protect you from the hard drive failing or anything else that would cause data loss!. Many viruses will affect all files no matter where on the computer they are stored!

esuhl

JohnB47 wrote: »

Oh and to ask again, would having good security (in my case Avast) have stopped the ransomeware attack? Or would it still have gotten through by clicking on a link in an email (something I avoid)?

I would hope so, but there's no guarantee.

As an aside, some of the default installation options in Avast are just bloatware, or (in the case of SSL-forging) are inherently unsafe. I have the "shields" installed, with very few of the other options. I posted a description of the installation options here, if you're interested:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=70585801&postcount=9

I also use SpywareBlaster. It blacklists known malicious sites, so web browsers won't be able to connect to them. Well worth having, in my opinion. Just make sure that you close any open browsers before you apply any new updates. Oh, and during the installation, disable the options for a "free trial" of the paid-for version. It'll only nag you to pay for an upgrade!

https://www.brightfort.com/spywareblaster.html

If you ever get infected, MalwareBytes' Anti-Malware and adwCleaner can often clean up anything your antivirus misses. Some malware will prevent you from installing or updating anti-malware software, so I keep MalwareBytes installed and up-to-date so it's ready to use if I ever need it. Again, download the free version and disable any offer of a trial for the paid-for version.

https://www.malwarebytes.com/mwb-download/
https://toolslib.net/downloads/viewdownload/1-adwcleaner/

If you have a really bad infection that you can't get rid of, the Avast Rescue Disc works well, even when a normal scan with Avast doesn't get rid of everything. You need to use a non-infected computer with Avast installed, and create a Rescue Disc (a CD or USB stick). Boot the infected computer with that and run a scan.

You often need to use multiple anti-malware programs to get rid of an infection. No one piece of software does everything.

Hope that helps :-)

esuhl

takman wrote: »

Plus putting a backup on a separate partition of the same hard drive is a daft idea!. It doesn't protect you from the hard drive failing or anything else that would cause data loss!. Many viruses will affect all files no matter where on the computer they are stored!

Absolutely. But it can be worth using separate partitions for the OS and personal data, just because it potentially makes running backups easier.

Jivesinger

Windows' built-in backup is indeed clunky. For instance it doesn't let you save to a sub-folder, it just uses the root directory.

I lost faith in it totally when Microsoft removed some of the Backup functionality when Windows 8 went to Windows 8.1. It came back in Windows 10, but for how long?

I use Macrium Reflect Free.

And having a backup is well worth it. Even if there was such a thing as perfect anti-malware software, it won't save you when your hard disk dies.

jshm2

Had a business client who got encrypted with locky. She had the full bells and whistles Avast and not a peep from it.

Get yourself a real Antivirus package. Also set up software policies to ensure No exe files run in "%username%\\Appdata\\Roaming\\*.exe"

This will help prevent crap hidden in attachments, ads and extensions from running as well. You'll stand a far better chance of not catching it.

As for good free backup - there is none. the free packages are all basic tools. But Aomei backupper is probably the best you'll get for free.

GunJack

jshm2 wrote: »

As for good free backup - there is none. the free packages are all basic tools. But Aomei backupper is probably the best you'll get for free.

rubbish... use a full-disk imaging prog like Macrium Reflect free, and run it at least monthly, if not weekly, and put an extra copy of important docs/pics on a removable drive daily(especially if the machine is used for business purposes)

anotheruser

takman wrote: »

I think you should take your own advice and find someone who knows about computers if you think having no security is a good idea!.

Or just make sure you know what you're clicking on and opening...

Infections can't download themselves without user interaction.
I don't visit websites that are infected - those I do visit would be very unlucky to be infected, like the BBC, this website...

JohnB47

esuhl wrote: »

I would hope so, but there's no guarantee.

As an aside, some of the default installation options in Avast are just bloatware, or (in the case of SSL-forging) are inherently unsafe. I have the "shields" installed, with very few of the other options. I posted a description of the installation options here, if you're interested:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=70585801&postcount=9

I also use SpywareBlaster. It blacklists known malicious sites, so web browsers won't be able to connect to them. Well worth having, in my opinion. Just make sure that you close any open browsers before you apply any new updates. Oh, and during the installation, disable the options for a "free trial" of the paid-for version. It'll only nag you to pay for an upgrade!

https://www.brightfort.com/spywareblaster.html

If you ever get infected, MalwareBytes' Anti-Malware and adwCleaner can often clean up anything your antivirus misses. Some malware will prevent you from installing or updating anti-malware software, so I keep MalwareBytes installed and up-to-date so it's ready to use if I ever need it. Again, download the free version and disable any offer of a trial for the paid-for version.

https://www.malwarebytes.com/mwb-download/
https://toolslib.net/downloads/viewdownload/1-adwcleaner/

If you have a really bad infection that you can't get rid of, the Avast Rescue Disc works well, even when a normal scan with Avast doesn't get rid of everything. You need to use a non-infected computer with Avast installed, and create a Rescue Disc (a CD or USB stick). Boot the infected computer with that and run a scan.

You often need to use multiple anti-malware programs to get rid of an infection. No one piece of software does everything.

Hope that helps :-)

Thanks for this. I've taken a copy of it and book marked the page for future reference (which I hope I'll never need).

Gillor

anotheruser wrote: »

..Infections can't download themselves without user interaction...

Really?
Never heard of “'drive-by-downloads” where malware is delivered simply by visiting a website? You don’t need to click or accept anything, the malicious code automatically downloads in the background.

anotheruser wrote: »

Or just make sure you know what you're clicking on and opening...I don't visit websites that are infected - those I do visit would be very unlucky to be infected, like the BBC...

It’s no longer that simple.
Google Security detects around 42,000 new malware infected sites each week.
80% are so called legitimate/main-stream web sites which have been compromised by hackers, as opposed to “dodgy” sites or ones set up solely for distributing malware.

You’d hardly consider sites like The London Stock Exchange, New York Times, Seagate, eBay and Autotrader as risky but all have been compromised in the past in one way or another. Even the BBC’s 6 Music, 1Extra and Radio 3 have been compromised by malicious code.