Vista - Best anti-spyware/clean bill of health?

I just wanted to ask anyone's thoughts on the best software or checks to use
to ensure that nothing untoward is running on my Vista computer. I have
Norton and Windows Defender, of course - what else would you recommend
(preferably free)?

Ian Pace wrote:
> I just wanted to ask anyone's thoughts on the best software or checks to
> use to ensure that nothing untoward is running on my Vista computer. I
> have Norton and Windows Defender, of course - what else would you
> recommend (preferably free)?
>

Both Norton and Defender are very poor choices. NOD32 or Avast for your
AV and Adware, Spywareblaster, Spywareguard, Spybot, Search and Destroy
and Spy Sweeper are good choices. NOD32 and Spy Sweeper are not free;
the rest are.

Alias

If you have Norton Internet Security then it is a horrible slow bloated bit
of software and you'd do well to get rid of it and install somethign faster
like AVG.

"Ian Pace" <ian@ianpace.com> wrote in message
news:J3ZFh.4335$hR3.3086@newsfe2-win.ntli.net...
>I just wanted to ask anyone's thoughts on the best software or checks to
>use to ensure that nothing untoward is running on my Vista computer. I have
>Norton and Windows Defender, of course - what else would you recommend
>(preferably free)?
>

"Ian Pace" <ian@ianpace.com> wrote in message
news:J3ZFh.4335$hR3.3086@newsfe2-win.ntli.net...
>I just wanted to ask anyone's thoughts on the best software or checks to
>use to ensure that nothing untoward is running on my Vista computer. I have
>Norton and Windows Defender, of course - what else would you recommend
>(preferably free)?
>

Gristoft's AVG Antivirus is free and better, IMHO, than both Norton and
Windows Defender.

Ian Pace wrote:
> I just wanted to ask anyone's thoughts on the best software or checks to
> use to ensure that nothing untoward is running on my Vista computer. I
> have Norton and Windows Defender, of course - what else would you
> recommend (preferably free)?
>

I would never recommend anything from Symantec (Norton) or McAfee.
Recommended antivirus programs are Kaspersky, NOD32, and Avast if you
want to go with a free av.

As for antispyware, I'd be extremely cautious with third-party
antispyware programs at this point. Unless the program version is
specifically designed for Vista I wouldn't install it.

It is extremely early days with Vista and those of us in the field don't
know how things will shape up re malware on Vista. At this point, unless
you know that you aren't going to practice Safe Hex (see links below)
I'd be inclined to just leave Windows Defender on there and not install
third-party antispyware programs. Windows Defender is not my choice of
antispyware protection on XP, but we just haven't seen enough Vista
installs in the wild to say that something else would be better on the
new OS. YMMV.

Safe Hex:

http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=27971 - So How Did I Get
Infected Anyway?
http://www.getsafeonline.org/
http://wiki.castlecops.com/Malware_R...:_Introduction
http://www.claymania.com/safe-hex.html
http://www.aumha.org/a/parasite.htm - The Parasite Fight
http://msmvps.com/blogs/harrywaldron.../05/82584.aspx - MVP
Harry Waldron - The Family PC - How to stay safe on the Internet
http://www.spywarewarrior.com/rogue_anti-spyware.htm - Eric Howes on
Rogue Antispyware Programs


Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User

On Fri, 02 Mar 2007 17:22:49 GMT, "Ian Pace" <ian@ianpace.com> wrote:

>I just wanted to ask anyone's thoughts on the best software or checks to use
>to ensure that nothing untoward is running on my Vista computer. I have
>Norton and Windows Defender, of course - what else would you recommend
>(preferably free)?

AVG is totally free, gets updates by itself and installs them.
Products like Norton you have to buy and then constantly renew, for a
fee of course. Thanks, but no thanks. Kicked the Norton habit years
ago. Peter's made a ton of money already.

You are aware it is impossible to ever be fully protected. NO product
ever has or even claims to offer total protection. No such thing.
Hackers are constantly writing some new virus, worm, trojan or
something. Common sense is your best friend.

1. don't open email from people you don't know
2. don't open attachments unless from a trusted source
3. don't run .exe files from untrusted sources

If you download binaries check the file type carefully before clicking
on them.

Suggestion:

1. Go to Windows Explorer, folder where your downloads are
2. On Tool Bar click Organize, Folder and Search Options
3. Select View tab and scroll down and UNCHECK hide extensions
for known file types.
4. Click apply and ok.

Why?

Because a malicious person may have posted a file that pretends to be
something it is not. With the default file extenions hid option
enabled, and why it is you'll have to ask Microsoft, a file called
my-pet-rock.jpg that looks like a image file may be something nasty
that actually is a executable file that's planning on doing mischief
and just waiting for you to click on it.

By unchecking 'hide known file types' Windows should reveal the full
file name which in this example may be something like:

my-pet-rock.jpg.exe

Now you know the file isn't a .jpg at all, but actually a dangerous
file that may cause your computer a lot of harm.

Kind of funny that Microsoft prtends UAC is such a big "security"
feature when by design they disable one of their build-in security
features that reveals the actual file extensions.

Get rid of Norton (and anything else Symantec) and disable defender. I run
Nod32 and SpySweeper. If you're a belt and suspenders type load SpyBot
too - free and good.

"Ian Pace" <ian@ianpace.com> wrote in message
news:J3ZFh.4335$hR3.3086@newsfe2-win.ntli.net...
>I just wanted to ask anyone's thoughts on the best software or checks to
>use to ensure that nothing untoward is running on my Vista computer. I have
>Norton and Windows Defender, of course - what else would you recommend
>(preferably free)?
>

"PTravel" <ptravel@travelersvideo.com> wrote in message news:%23s8W$MPXHHA.1764@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> "Ian Pace" <ian@ianpace.com> wrote in message
> news:J3ZFh.4335$hR3.3086@newsfe2-win.ntli.net...
>>I just wanted to ask anyone's thoughts on the best software or checks to
>>use to ensure that nothing untoward is running on my Vista computer. I have
>>Norton and Windows Defender, of course - what else would you recommend
>>(preferably free)?
>>
>
> Gristoft's AVG Antivirus is free and better, IMHO, than both Norton and
> Windows Defender.

AFAIK, AVG does anti-virus only, not anti-spyware.

Gary VanderMolen

On Mar 2, 3:39 pm, "Gary VanderMolen" <G...@nomail.invalid> wrote:
> "PTravel" <ptra...@travelersvideo.com> wrote in messagenews:%23s8W$MPXHHA.1764@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> > "Ian Pace" <i...@ianpace.com> wrote in message
> >news:J3ZFh.4335$hR3.3086@newsfe2-win.ntli.net...
> >>I just wanted to ask anyone's thoughts on the best software or checks to
> >>use to ensure that nothing untoward is running on my Vista computer. I have
> >>Norton and Windows Defender, of course - what else would you recommend
> >>(preferably free)?
>
> > Gristoft's AVG Antivirus is free and better, IMHO, than both Norton and
> > Windows Defender.
>
> AFAIK, AVG does anti-virus only, not anti-spyware.
>
> Gary VanderMolen

Actually, it does anti-spyware, but not in the free edition. I use
Webroot SpySweeper for that (and it is certified Vista compatible).
It works great.

If you cannot afford Kaspersky, try NOD32 for Anti-Virus both of them not
free. For spyware, wait for the release of Ad-Aware SE Plus 2007. Check on
CNET.com Reviews and read which AV and which spyware those of us in the
trenches overwhelmingly recommend!

Cheers,
--
Gene


"Ian Pace" wrote:

> I just wanted to ask anyone's thoughts on the best software or checks to use
> to ensure that nothing untoward is running on my Vista computer. I have
> Norton and Windows Defender, of course - what else would you recommend
> (preferably free)?
>
>