What is the best "standard build" for security software

[nitrofish]

I have read the tutorials and threads on this and have noted your remarks on "competing tools". More is less and all that. I would like to know what is the best recommended subset of tools (a) if you are trying to rely mainly on freeware of low-cost software and (b) if you are prepared to spend a little on commercial security and performance tools. I have situations where both are appropriate.

At the moment here is the alphabet stew I run with. I'd like to know what I should chuck out and what I should stick with.....

Free stuff. Ad aware, Spybot Search and Destroy, CCleaner, WinPatrol and Spyware Blaster. I assume the last two run all the time. I use and update the rest regularly.

Bought stuff. Zone Alarm 8 and System Mechanic 6.

I haven't had any security problems for a while (A handful of tracker cookies get through occasionally) however the performance of the system is pretty erratic and I get unpredictable freezes.

Perhaps I over re-acted the last time I had a nasty virus experience but this combination is clearly OTT. Do I keep Zone and System Mechanic and ditch the rest or are there a couple of "belt and braces" freeware tools I should add to cover all the bases without confusing my system? For my business PC's I am happy to pay for stuff if it includes good support. (That way I don't have to pester you all the time!)

However, can you remind me what the best freeware combination is for my friends and student kids who want to do things well but at minimum cost. I the best route just to go with the standard set recommended by Osc in his "Read this first" post of 14/4/2008?

Thanks,

[nitrofish]

Forgive my ignorance but is this the wrong sort of post? I have looked at the standard tutorials and guides but assumed that my question was still valid, especially regarding how popular freeware might clash with popular commercial offerings.

Maybe I'm a bit foggy on the finer points of thread etiquette!

[nitrofish]

Actually let me try and start the process on answering this question myself....

I get the impression that the H2G preferred H2G freeware build is :-

CCLeaner (CCleaner - Home)
Superantispyware (SUPERAntiSpyware.com - AntiAdware, AntiSpyware, AntiMalware!)
Malwarebytes AntiMalware (Malwarebytes.org)

I assume this set would negate the need for any of the "old favourites" I have and which used to be recommended in the past. (AdAware, Scotty, SpywareBlaster, Spybot Search and Destroy). So answer is replace all of above with your standard set. Correct? I also assume that this would help you diagnose any problem that might occur, backed upcomplemeneted by HiJackThis runs as and when necessary.

Turning to a continuously running anti virus tool,the freeware of choice for you seems to be AVG Antivirus. This would complete the standard freeware set. (Small point but doesn't this leave the firewall side uncovered? I seem to recall that there are some doubts about relying on the standard Microsoft offering but I may be wrong.)

For people with commercial options your standard freeware set is still a good bedrock but (in my case for example) I would substitute Zone Alarms for AVS Antivirus. This would also give me solid firewall offering. Would that be me set?

Finally I use System Mechanic because it seems like a good all round performance optimisation tool for those tasks I don't feel too confident about. However to avoid double-counting with the above "standard build" should I disable the anti-spyware, anti-virus parts?

Hope this is a useful contribution.

[Canuck]

Sorry you haven't had much of a response on this nitro, but in defence of our overworked spyware fighters (as you can note, we are lucky to have Evilfantasy on a fairly regular basis and once in a while Clark will drop in). They need to concentrate their limited time with us on helping members rid themselves of viruses etc. Unfortunately there seems to be no let up in this area.

I'll transfer your post to the Community forum where I'm sure you'll get feedback from some of our very informed members.

[MrDarn]

You done a good job of answering your own question there, as the finer points of which you dont cover are personal choice of each member. I.E:

i use Avast, not AVG.
i use the programs you mentioned, PLUS other ones, as i believe from a spy/addware point of view, the more databases you cover, the better.

as i'm sure you are aware, you should only be using one AV at a time. Avast is a program i've never had trouble with.

I'm sure others will have a point of view eventually, but as mentioned, the time of year, timezones, and the number of posts being submitted are all factors.

[Osc]

Hi,

I wish there was a perfect software trifecta, but things are changing all the time. Just a few months ago, I would have suggested AVG + SuperAntiSpyware.

Now, my personal preference has become Avast + SuperAntiSpyware + MalwareBytes. If you get the free versions of SuperAntiSpyware and Malwarebytes, I would supplement them with a memory resident program along the lines of WinPatrol.

For firewall, it's personal preference, but ZoneAlarm is a solid choice.

Adaware and Spybot are past their prime - the newer tools do a much better job in my opinion.

Hope this helps!

[tallin]

Greeting to all,

Preventative Maintenance program to avoid Hijackthis log submissions.

The following are my suggestions. As it is very successful for me I thought I would share it.

Firstly keep your Windows Updates current at all times

Definitions of all installations must be kept up to date at least weekly if not daily.

Please follow the advice given here to avoid having your computer attacked by Malware and in turn to avoid asking for volunteer expert help to analyze your logs.

Firstly you need one Firewall - Zone Alarm Free or Comodo Firewall Pro - both free

Download and install the following programs.

One Anti-virus software program only as more than one will conflict. Avast Free Edition

Free Malwarebytes' Anti-malware scan cleaning utility

Several Anti-spyware programs run manually, randomly, and not enabled at Start up.

SuperAntispyware Free Edition
Spyware blaster
Spybot Search and Destroy
A_squared free

AVG Anti-Spyware Free

Temporary Internet File Cleaners and other Cleanup Utilities.

Here are three I suggest for you to choose from, however please choose only one.

Cleanup 4.5.2
CCleaner
ATF Cleaner by Atribune

Shop, search and browse with confidence

Also go to

• Start
• Settings
• Accessories
• System Tools
• Disk Cleanup and follow the prompts

Defragmentation Utilities

Use the Windows default defragmenter program this way:

• Start
• All programs
• System tools
• Defragmenter

OR

IObit Smart Defragmenter
Auslogics degragmenter Free

JavaRa .exe keeps your Java Runtime Environment up to date, run it occasionally

1.Scan for Adware, Spyware and all Malware WEEKLY/DAILY
2.Clean your 'Temporary Internet files' and 'History list' every 3 Days
3.Clear your SSL state every 3 Days.
4.Clear your Java files in your Java console every 3 Days
5.Empty the Recycle bin every 3 Days.
6.Defrag your hard Drive every 5 Days. (I actually analyse mine and only defrag when necessary)
7.Scan for Viruses and Trojans every 4 Days.
8.Degauss your monitor by turning it off completely and back on, every 5 days
9.Completely turn off' your machine every 5 Days. This is different than re-starting.


When you re-start, it does not shut down 100%


Now I suggest you open "control panel" and then "Internet options." With the 'internet options' open, you will see the general tab. Next click on the "content" tab. You will see "clear SSL state." This normally is performed automatically but I have come across old data left in here. While you are here, you should clean the "auto complete" as well. There is a lot of data stored here that can breach your security and privacy. It is best to un-check all three boxes and never use this feature, however if you like this feature, keep it.

To just clean the stored data, enable "auto complete" button and then the "clean passwords" then OK. Then enable the "clear forms" and then OK. It will wipe all of the stored information.

Now let's move on to the Java files. Open "control panel >settings and find "java plug-in" and click on temporary internet files >settings >delete files >enable Applications and Applets, and Trace and Log file > okay.

Now while we have it open, let's adjust the size from 'unlimited' down to "maximum 4 MB" and you will be ready to go.

Another item that seems to get overlooked on today's maintenance routine is the "C:\windows\temp" folder. You should delete everything that is in this folder, BUT not the folder itself. If you have never done this, it will have a ton of stuff in it. So run your disk cleanup, defrag, delete cookies etc often. There are other variations of these utilities available although I have yet to find a problem with the ones that Windows provides.

To flush DNS cache click start, run, type cmd, and type ipconfig /flushdns and press enter. (Note the space between the g /)

DNS = Domain Name Server, the cache referred to is where Windows stores all IP addresses it collects as you surf typing the IP to the domain name to surf to, this cache can grow large over a period of time causing a slowdown on your computer surfing and interaction.

I hope the above is of some help and if followed particularly by new members may alleviate the necessity of posting a HJT log. If you have the above installed, run those very necessary update definitions once a week before using the tools, I have found I rarely have to post if ever to my selected HJT forum for help.

One last thing to make the above practice easier, make a New Folder on the Desktop name it Maintenance Folder, put a short cut of all Maintenance Programs installed, (not your Firewall and Antivirus software) in it, then carrying out that once a week housekeeping chore is made even more simple.

This program looks complicated and long to use, but soon after doing it several times it becomes second nature to do it once a week without following the above information.

Top 5 Tips for keeping your Security Un-compromised

• Never give out your IP address. This is one of the most important things to remember if you don’t want to get hacked. If you give out your IP to someone you don’t know and if they know how to hack, they can see files on your computer that you might not want to be seen by other people. Just remember, don’t give it out to ANYONE.
  
  
• Don’t download any program if you don’t know what it is. If it says, free computer virus scan and it looks fake, it probably is. The reason is in those programs some people put key loggers so they can store everything you type. If you type in your email address and pass word, they can see that data and use it to get access to your email account. Remember, if you don’t want to get hacked, don’t download anything without knowing what it is or what it does.
  
  
• Secure your Wi-Fi Network if you have one. Today, most houses have Wi-Fi and about half of those are unsecured. I went driving around my neighborhood and found 32 Wi-Fi networks, of which only ten were secure. If you have an unsecured network, people who have access to your network could hack into your computer and access you private data. This gives an experienced hacker control over your computer if they know what there are doing. If you don’t want to get hacked, secure your network. Use a hard to guess password that contains a mix of numbers and letters, and change it frequently.
  
  
• Make sure you log off your account you have on your computer before logging out, this is especially important when using shared computers. If one of your friends is visiting and they use your computer right after you, without you previously logging off, they have access to your personal data, including important items, such as your email. So remember to LOG OUT before you log off on a shared computer. Some sites have a feature whereby they can save your login information, on a shared computer don’t us that feature.
  
  
• Keep a secure password for everything. Make a password that is long and hard to guess. People you know may attempt to hack into your accounts, including PayPal. If they know your email address and know you well, they may have a chance of guessing your password. If this were to happen, they could post your Password and email to any number of sites for hackers to utilize. Always create a long password with a mix of numbers and letters so that NOBODY can easily guess it.

[Steph]

What a brilliant post Tallin!

Following H2G recommendations, I personally already have quite a few of the programs you've recommended but I've printed out your post and am implementing it as I type - there are quite a number of suggestions that I wasn't following (and didn't know to do) and that look really useful.

Thank you - I'm sure lots of people will find it really helpful.

Steph

[MrDarn]

Great advice Talin, however...

...
Firstly you need a Fire alarm - Zone Alarm Free.
...

Do we really need a fire alarm??

[arraknid]

Sometimes maybe.



I thought it was running hot!