, 2004-11-26
Some of the largest anti-virus companies have virtually ignored the spyware problem because there is no profit incentive for them to do otherwise. Meanwhile, spyware companies make millions.
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Get one of the top Anti-Virus products you can reasonably afford. I personally use McAfee, which is powerful enough for some major technology companies. I helped a friend of mine that had 18 viruses that Norton didn?t even see, & McAfee found them all. However, even after removal, the integrity of his machine?s Windows operating system was already broken. I had to buy a new drive & re-install Windows. For some reason Windows could not successfully re-format the drive & install itself. I didn?t have any tools to repair the boot-sector, but I didn?t throw away the drive. I used it as a data back-up. Just because the drive can no longer boot, doesn?t mean you have to throw it away.
One of the nice things about McAfee is that it runs in the background, & while you are browsing the Internet, it updates itself. In addition, the McAfee ?Firewall? besides being very easy to use, because of the default Intelligence built into it, it logs all of the activity going through your Internet connection. If you see something suspicious in the log, you can right-click on it & trace it. It has an interactive map that will show you all of the intermediate stations all over the world. In addition you can have it automatically send the data to a site that collects it & performs analysis & can therefore track computer attacks.
For SpyWare, I have been pretty successful w/ Bazooka, which is free to download & use indefinitely. Bazooka doesn?t remove the SpyWare but it tells you how to manually remove it. It is interesting enough for those that can do these things themselves. It keeps you honest. However, you just have to be able to understand the instructions, in addition to be able to use common sense, when there is either an error, or something missing from the instructions. Common sense still works for me.
Take the time to install an Anti-Virus software w/ a ?Firewall? (these days you can not afford to be surfing the net & not have a Firewall ? it?s just suicide & it?s going to be a slow death). Remove any Viruses your machine may have. Then install a SpyWare detection/removal tool & get rid of those too. Then make sure you don?t go into questionable sites, as for example, ironically, porno-sites are known to introduce viruses & spy-ware into your system. Don?t answer to any automatic installation of software onto your machine, especially those that you don?t personally inquire for or request. This is usually the case when you get one of those windows asking you if you TRUST the provider. Remember, if you go into a Web page & all of the sudden you are being asked to answer to download some software from a company they are asking you to TRUST, but you never looked for, or asked for it yourself, then, that?s when the Spy/Ad-Ware is going to introduce itself onto your system. Beware of the SpyWare.
Also, mass mailed junk mail, including jokes that people read & re-forward are another source of potential viruses. Basically, if you stay away from dubious sites & e-mail, & only go to sites that you are looking for, & are attended by a credible host, & only look at e-mails that you know who the sender is, whether a friend, or a response to a job search you initiated, you should be somewhat safe. However, if you are like my dad, that thinks that because he got an e-mail sent to his computer it must be something important, you are in trouble. Use your head, not literally, but apply your common sense. And don?t TRUST everyone.
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Link to this comment: http://www.securityfocus.com/comments/columns/278/29245#29245