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Overview
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Based on your answers you have been rated as an experienced technical user of Windows 2000/XP who engages in high risk computer activities. As a high risk user your PC needs very solid protection so we have recommended products that will provide that protection that are also appropriate to your skill level. However we strongly suggest that you also consider reducing your overall risk level by following the safe computing practices outlined at the end of this page. |
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The Wizard recommends:
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Security Product Suggestions
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Anti-virus Scanner
For your anti-virus protection we recommend Avira AntiVir [4], a free, feature reduced version of the powerful commercial anti-virus scanner AntiVir Premium. And it's more than an anti-virus scanner; it offers anti- spyware capabilities as well. Also missing from the free version are web and email scanning capabilities but otherwise it offers the same outstanding protection against virus, worms and other threats.
The lack of email scanning is not a critical loss as AntiVir will still detect email borne viruses should they become active.
These reservations aside, Avira AntiVir offers class leading malware protection for free.
For alternatives to AntiVir, see here [5]. For installation tips click here [6].
Anti-spyware Scanner
We recommend the free version of Malware Byte's Anti-Malware [7]. It offers fast scanning, superb detection rates and first class infection cleaning. The free version lacks the real-time protection, automatic updates and automatic scheduling of the paid version but the scanner is identical.
To use Malware Byte's Anti-Malware you need to start a scan manually ( called an "on-demand" scan) but that's simple to do. Before you do a scan we suggest you manually initiate an update of the malware signature file to ensure best detection. We suggest you scan your PC at least once a week.
For alternatives to Malware Byte's Anti-Malware see here [8]. For a video covering installation and usage click here [9].
Browser Protection
To protect your PC from attack while accidentally visiting a hostile website we recommend you surf using the free Sandboxie [10] program.
Sandboxie works by creating a special area of your PC ( a "sandbox") that is totally isolated from the rest of your PC. If you browse inside the sandbox any infection you get from a hostile website is confined to the sandbox and cannot infect the rest of your PC.
Even better, the infection can be completely removed with a click of button by deleting the contents of the sandbox.
But the sandbox has other uses. You can test any program you download by installing it in the sandbox. If the program is infected you will receive a warning from your anti-virus security software. You can then delete the contents of the sandbox and all traces of the program you installed will dissappear from your PC. However if there is no warning, you are free to install the program on your real PC outside the sandbox confident in the knowledge that the program is safe.
For alternatives to Sandboxie see here [11]. For usage tips click here [12].
Firewall
There are two great choices available to you for your firewall:
The first is the free Comodo Firewall. [13] This provides outstanding protection against inbound and outbound attacks. However this wonderful protection is only fully realized when Comodo is installed with the "Proactive Defense+" mode enabled. In the default installation, it is disabled.
Your second choice is the free version of the class leading commercial product Online Armor [14]. The free version is missing a number of features found in its commercial big brother including the web shield, keylogger detection and DNS spoofing detection but it still provides potent protection.
Despite recent improvements, both products still generate a considerable number of security warnings that require user response and to be honest, only very experienced users are capable of responding appropriately. That's why these products are not suitable for average users. Indeed such users may be better off with a simpler, less demanding firewall.
For alternatives to the these firewalls see here [15]. For a video installation and usage tutorial for Comodo click here [16]. A guide for installing Online Armor can be found here [17].
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The Most Important Security Advice of all
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The task of protecting your PC from infection is similar to crossing a busy road unharmed. There are two, very different ways of crossing that road: The first way is to be very careful about where you cross and to be watchful and aware of the dangers. In other words, make sure you don't get hit. The other approach is to protect yourself with something like an army tank and cross anywhere, anytime. If you get hit, you rely on the tank to protect you. Now no sensible person would adopt the latter approach to crossing a road, yet when it comes to computer security that's exactly what many folks do. If you want real computer security, you need to adopt safe computing practices rather than rely totally on security products to protect you. No security product or combination of products can or ever will, provide perfect PC security just like no car can provide you with perfect road safety. With both cars and PCs you need to be careful in your own behavior. Like the rules of road safety we teach our kids, the rules for safe computing are simple and well known: 1. Be very careful where you surf. To help you stay away from bad sites install a website rating browser plug-in like WOT [18] and make sure you only visit websites rated "Green" by the plug-in. 2. Never click on email attachments from unknown sources however tempting and attractive such attachments may seem. 3. Only download files from trusted sources. These include:
4. Never install programs obtained from P2P networks including BitTorrent, eMule, LimeWire and others as many of these files are infected with malicious programs. Some of these malicious programs are so powerful they are capable of overwhelming all your security defenses. 5. Never install programs that friends give you on removable media unless you have verified that they are clean by submitting them to free web based file scanning services such as Jotti [20] or Virus Total [21]. 6. Never accept free toolbars, media players or other unsolicited software offered to you by a website. 7. We recommend using an alternate browser to Internet Explorer such as Mozilla Firefox [22], Opera [23] or Google Chrome [24]. With Windows XP/2000 all these are more secure browsers than Internet Explorer and are arguably superior browsers as well. 8. You should seriously consider creating a fresh installation of Windows and then back up your PC using a drive imaging program. Then if in the future your PC ever becomes infected you can use the drive image to restore it to a pristine, infection free condition. You can find a number of free drive imaging programs here [25]. By following these simple rules the chances of your PC becoming infected will be dramatically reduced. Combine these practices with the security software suggested above and you are well on the way to safe, secure, infection-free computing. |
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