Printable View
Hello,
Off late, I realized that there can be several other threats to my laptop besides viruses- like AdWare, Trojan horses etc.,
Now, I use Symantec AntiVirus but what additional steps should I do to really secure my laptop ?
Also, besides installing some new tools for future protection, how do I know if there is already tons of adware or trojan horses on my laptoop ??
thanks.
Welcome to 'AO' kautilya
We have a forum just for such a question, the 'Adware and Spyware' forum: HERE
But as a quick answer to your question -- download the following 'free' applications, update them, and then run them in 'Safe Mode'.
Spybot-S&D
Ad-Aware SE Personal
And then download and run SpywareBlaster (be sure to update it also)(and its free also) as it works to help keep spyware/adware from even being loaded into you equipment.
SpywareBlaster 3.2
That should take care of your more common malware problems.
Everyone keeps suggesting to download & install 3, 4, 5, 6 ****ing anti-nastyware programs... and you know im really tired of people repeating themselves. Oh and me doing the same by reminding people of programs like hijackthis!, something like regprot, other file/sys auditing tools, and also that good policies in general as a start might help :p.
But the difference is with my suggested programs is this... with a little bit of brains on what you should or should-not remove, if you actually know whats going on with your system, this will prove to be much more effective than turning to one after the other alternative or downgraded program for anti-virus(ish) solutions... hopeing that the next product, the one after that, and yet another after that will detect something that the other does not. This is the idea and "solutions" of programs like spybotSD, adaware, & (ect)
You would be surprised what wonders file/sys auditing, sniffers, and generally getting to know your OS can accomplish when compaired to haveing to worry if all those repetitive AV and FW products are doing your job for you. Also, don't be the 99.9999% of people out there who do everything with full admin or root priviledges... thats just stupid and I really don't understand why everyone would do that when most just want to check their mail and look at porn. They complain about what can't be run on certian systems... then complain agian when a problem happends due to their own idiocy. :mad: I pity da' fool!
Oh and I might as well mention this... update, update, update... people who were infected with sasser or MSblaster are idiotic scumbags, modern-day barbarians, the scum that sticks to showers... whom shouldn't even own a computer yet alone be allowed to walk around and attempt to grasp concepts of fire and the invention of the wheel, what else can I say, they should be sent to concentration camps.
Really???
Well lets see......if I were to suggest to a newbe to computers (and I don't know this persons level of knowledge) to get Hijackthis and then tell him to delete all the programs and files he don't know, just how long do you expect his computer to keep functioning.
Hijackthis is an excellent program, and there are other registry editors that are just as good, but would you let someone who was not well versed in your os edit your registry???And how would I know if he actually has any idea of what is going on with his system......its his first post here. Its like giving a loaded 357 magnum to a small child and hoping he knows enough to not play with it.Quote:
with a little bit of brains on what you should or should-not remove, if you actually know whats going on with your system, this will prove to be much more effective than turning to one after the other alternative or downgraded program for anti-virus(ish) solutions
I completely agree, but I would think we should give him a chance to learn a little about his system before we push him off the deep end.Quote:
You would be surprised what wonders file/sys auditing, sniffers, and generally getting to know your OS can accomplish when compaired to haveing to worry if all those repetitive AV and FW products are doing your job for you.
Now granted, I could have just pointed him to the forums and told him to read and find his own way. Or I could have said go away and come back when your more knowledgeable so I can tell you about the more advanced methodes of spyware/malware removale.
But I gave him an answer he can use now, no matter what level his knowledge of computers is.
TheSpecialist it one thing to tell me that I should be using "regprot, other file/sys auditing tools" and completely anouther to tell some one who is reletively new to computing that. If you are going to rant about how we answer a question in the forums, then take it to addicts and aim it at the people who should know their os's and what they are doing.
I would agree that I need some magical tools to start with - something is better than nothing. As far as it comes to being placed in a concentration camp, I assure you that I will become the army major for the military that organizes that camp. And after that, I will train the members of the camp and absorb into my military. The value of a human lies in making other humans valuable.
I will start with spybot and paralelly 'study'-'reverse engineer' what it does to understand the system internals. As far as it comes to a low profile, restricted user mode, I operate that way only and rarely do I get into the Admin mode.
Therefore, knowing your system and applying a smart guideline in your level of operation has nothing to do with whether or not do you take the help of tools.
I have several things to do that implies that I need tools.
However, if you know of a overview document for starters - do point to it.
Hi kautilya, and welcome to AO :)
Moxnix has given you the links to the two most common spyware removal tools and the link to the forum that specially deals with those sorts of problems. I would follow his advice.
I personally use those tools because I tend to be asked to fix computers that have had a build up of spyware over a period of time. The tools will remove most if not all of those, and will only take a few minutes rather than hours to fix.
I like this because I cannot realistically charge the hours that it would take to do the job manually, and it does not waste my time doing boring and repetitive tasks.....................I , for one would rather charge a reasonable price and spend the money drinking beer :D
Yes, there are a lot of people with computers who do not understand them thoroughly, there are even more with motor vehicles..............but mechanics do not mind.
I have never heard of a dentist complaining about people having teeth, an optician complaining about people having eyes, or a doctor complaining about people getting sick..............that is how they pay for their beer ;)
Good luck