List of free top rated Windows anti-malware/security protection/detection software

marcusmac

This list might be of some use to all the MSEs out there after a bit of browsing...

After an unexpected virus or something, my system refused to start and to cut a long story short my PC had to be rebuilt from scratch.Luckily I have had PCs for years so it was, at most, a pain.

I did some research on how to prevent it happening again using the best FREE software. I saved a packet and wanted to share this - some highly rated freeware is currently available and is worth snapping up to protect against viruses etc. The way i seems to work is, you can donate to the product if you wish but the software listed below here has no trial and is fully funtional.

For those looking for good free anti-virus/firewall/protection apps.
1. Independent quarterly reviews of paid vs free anti-virus programs:
http://www.av-comparatives.org/
also
http://www.av-test.org/
Article: http://www.virusbtn.com/news/2008/03_13a.xml

AVIRA Anti-vir Personal is free and beat a lot of commmercial packages in second place, the first place is also suggested to slow down the machine its on:
http://www.free-av.com/en/download/1/download_avira_antivir_personal__free_antivirus.html

Other top product (Donationware): Webwasher
http://www.cyberguard.com/products/webwasher/webwasher_products/classic/download/index.html?lang=de_EN

2. Add a behaviour blocker to the anti-virus arsenal (doesnt work on a file recognition but is the next generation and detects high risk behaviour as opposed to known (old?) threats):
Threatfire FREE has won many awards - do a google:
http://www.threatfire.com/download/

3. Independent reviews of paid vs free PC firewall products to replace the Windows firewall:
http://www.matousec.com/projects/firewall-challenge/results.php

The top pick is FREE - Comodo Firewall
http://www.personalfirewall.comodo.com/download_firewall.html
All Comodo's other downloads are highly rated AND mostly free, their memory firewall (which will be part of a future version) is FREE and worth downloading; as is their FREE Anti-Malware (a previous commercial product that used to be branded BO Clean but is more CPU intensive than Threatfire (2) but is similar - an either/or situation).

Alternative - Online Armor FREE (not released for Vista and incompatible with F-Secure at time of typing)
http://www.tallemu.com/free-firewall-protection-software.html

4. (Optional as included in 3 - the Comodo firewall includes a HIPS D+ component) FREE Host Intrusion Prevention System (HIPS) - basically a deeper system level firewall - controls privileges of internal applications to prevent worms or viruses from using them to do damage to the system eg open a internet session without your permission to transmit unknown data etc.
Geswall: http://www.gentlesecurity.com/

Switch to safer browser
5. Run a different internet browser to the normal MS Internet Explorer, switch to the FREE Mozilla Firefox and run the FREE NoScript and Keyscrambler Personal extensions. NoScript allows you to "allow JavaScript, Java, Flash and other plugins to be executed only by trusted web sites of your choice (e.g. your online bank)" permanently or temporarily. Keyscrambler works at the system level to encrypt your keystrokes bypassing keylogging viruses.

Firefox: http://www.mozilla-europe.org/en/products/firefox/
NoScript FREE Firefox extension: http://noscript.net/
Keyscrambler Personal FREE firefox extension: http://www.qfxsoftware.com/

Safe Web Browsing
6. Do all internet browsing/banking/shopping inside a virtual "clean" internet session ("sandbox") away from the symptoms of any viruses/malware on the system. Likewise any malware/viruses picked up are contained within the space until the session is closed when the space is deleted. Very neat.

Free recommeded application: Safespace personal Edition
http://www.artificialdynamics.co.uk/content/products/register-personal.aspx

Other similar FREE recommended application:
Sandboxie FREE: http://www.sandboxie.com/ - nice diagram explanation of the sandbox technology
Retrunil Personal FREE: http://www.returnilvirtualsystem.com/index_files/rvspersonal.htm

BACKUP
7a. Back up the system and registry regularly so you can recover from a crash or virus infection. I've learnt (at my peril when I cant boot to the desktop) that scheduling backups of your data, with the FREE Karen's Replicator is mega important:
http://www.karenware.com/powertools/ptreplicator.asp

7b. Also back up (or even better schedule a regular) backup of the Windows registry with the FREE ERUNT, Emergency Recovery Utility NT (works with NT/2000/2003/XP), it allows a complete backup and restore of the Registry, as well as providing an auto-backup capability, for example at Windows startup.
http://www.download.com/Emergency-Recovery-Utility-NT/3000-2094_4-10069122.html

7c. You might want to back up the master boot sector of your main hard disk with the FREE Boot Sector Explorer in case absolute hard drive D Day strikes:
http://www.diamondcs.com.au/freeutilities/bootsectorexplorer.php

System scanning
8. Clean out the system of old traces of unused uninstalled programs that might still be on your system (and in the registry) slowing it down. FREE CCleaner:
http://www.ccleaner.com/
http://www.ccleaner.com/download

9. Check for vulnerabilities in your current outdated software versions for the future:
Secunia Personal Edition PSI Free: https://psi.secunia.com/

10. Run a check on the integrity of your Windows 2000/XP system files in case any have been compromised with the Windows XP System File Checker:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310747
[START] Run > sfc /scannow

Virus/Malware/Rootkit scanning
11. After getting working backups (6a,b,c), scan for existing viruses/malware using these FREE highly rated apps:
Superantispyware FREE: http://www.superantispyware.com/superantispywarefreevspro.html

Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware FREE:
http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php

Spybot Search & Destroy FREE
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/index.html

Ad Aware:FREE
http://www.lavasoftusa.com/products/ad_aware_free.php

Dr Web CureIt:FREE (Standalone scanner and fixer - redownload to update)
http://download.drweb.com/drweb+antivirus+free+services/

Rootkit detection
GMER
http://www.gmer.net/index.php

Sysinternals (Microsoft owned) RootkitRevealer
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-gb/sysinternals/bb897445.aspx

IceSword
http://www.antirootkit.com/software/IceSword.htm

F-Secure Blacklight:online scanner, download utility
http://www.f-secure.com/blacklight/

[FONT=Segoe UI, Arial][FONT=Segoe UI, Arial] RootKit Hook Analyzer
http://www.resplendence.com/hookanalyzer

[/FONT][/FONT]
12. Ensure you visit only safe web sites by installing FREE McAfee Suite Advisor:
http://www.siteadvisor.com/
Similarly:the FREE Linkscaner Lite does a similar job displaying the results within the browser listings:
http://www.explabs.com/products/lslite.asp

Encrypt valuable data against theft
13 Encrypt sensitive data (in a file, USB flash disk, complete hard disk) with the FREE Truecrypt
http://www.truecrypt.org/

14. Recover lost files on MP3 players, camera memory cards, deleted from the Recycle Bin or by viruses with the FREE Recuva
http://www.recuva.com/

Speed up your PC boot time (see 8 also)
15. Defragment your Windows hard disk with the FREE Defraggler
http://www.defraggler.com/

16. Defragment memory
FreeRAM XP Pro
http://www.yourwaresolutions.com/software.html

Monitor PC processes
17. Process Monitor: monitor real time file and process activity
http://www.download.com/Process-Monitor/3000-2094_4-10603966.html

18. Replace the Microsoft Task Manager with the more detailed Sysinternals (Microsoft owned) Process Explorer:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896653.aspx

19. Find out what internet connections are currently in use and by what programs:
Sysinternals' TCP View:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb897437.aspx


Free giveaways of licensed commercial software:
http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/

Further reading - Wilders Security Forums
http://www.wilderssecurity.com/index.php


OK think thats about it for the moment, I hope this wont mean you either have to buy a new hard drive or faster computer as a result ;-) it should mean you have a few options to protect yourself online without breaking the bank.


Best regards:beer:
marcusmac

Jake'sGran

Thank you Marcus but how did you have the patience to type all that?

Anyway, I want to keep the list which is why I am posting this. Thanks, Di

cornishmanc

Thanks for the time spent putting this together. I have just bought my granddaughter a Dell laptop so I am preparing a to-do list before she starts using it and this thread is very helpful. BUT...

Apparently there is a conflict between the COMODO firewall and the Safespace product

http://forums.artificialdynamics.co.uk/messages.aspx?TopicID=42



I myself am a Mac user so feel both incredibly smug and bewildered with all these layers of protection.

marcusmac

cornishmanc wrote: »

Thanks for the time spent putting this together. I have just bought my granddaughter a Dell laptop so I am preparing a to-do list before she starts using it and this thread is very helpful. BUT...

Apparently there is a conflict between the COMODO firewall and the Safespace product

http://forums.artificialdynamics.co.uk/messages.aspx?TopicID=42



I myself am a Mac user so feel both incredibly smug and bewildered with all these layers of protection.

Ah, well spotted!

You are v secure with just Comodo Firewall (with D+ enabled), AntiVir/Avast antivirus complimented with BO Clean/Threatfire on a clean system, running sandboxed internet sessions (firefox with keyscrambler and no script extensions). I have this set up on my parents laptop and am happy to leave them to it.

Scanning at least once with at least SuperAntiSpyware free and MB AM free first to establish a clean system is a good move.

Almost but no cigar then!