Free anti-virus and firewall software

[NightbladeXX]

Currently running Vista Home Premium
Kaspersky Internet Security
adn the MUST HAVE TOOL Sandboxie
basically all you need as Sandboxie contains everything in a virtual sandbox where you can go grab your downloads from and just delete everythign else like the spyware dont believe it works run your scans on it your sandbox after a couple days of heavy surfing and laugh at the malware piling up

[snagel]

re: chewy

well since I gave up on fixing xp after installing MP 11, it was too deep in the registry, I deleted the system partition and did a clean install with xp/sp2
did the integrated updates with a few tweaks(no more mp11)

only 16 processes running and 400+ megs free out of 512

there's a new spybot now, will review it on this virgin install

http://www.safer-networking.org/en/spybotsd15/index.html

change log is very impressive

just tried the new Spybot Search and Destroy 1.5. when I push on the Immunize button I get a reading saying that there are
394 unprotected items
68,275 protected items
68,669 total items
the 394 unprotected items are all in the category IE SOFTWARE (plugins) it says at the top of the page that immunization allows you to take preventive measures against spyware by methods with in my browsers. I currently have IE6 and Mozilla Firefox installed. How can I get the category changed to zero on IE SOFTWARE (plugins) unprotected items, or is it possible.

[NightbladeXX]

sometimes you need to reboot to get all the Spybots immunizations to take

another tool is Javacools Spyware Blaster

Does nothing but block IE and Firefox from going to known bad sites

Simple and effective

Easier still Sandboxie

[Chewy]

when you open immunize, and it says those are unprotected just hit immunize button at the top

you will have to do it in this order after any update

[MilesAhead]

snagel, more than the spyware I'd be concerned about malicious code. With IE the big danger is something will latch on as a BHO. Then it can run executable code on your machine. Pretty much all bets are off then!! I feel a bit safer now running Firefox with NoScript and using Avast! http filtering. Also I use default settings to attempt to deny access to IE.

NightbladeXX do you have to shut sandbox off to do stuff like system backup and disc burning? If so is it easy to toggle? Do you notice performance lags or funky side effects?

[NightbladeXX]

nope it runs seperately just like any other program yes there is a slight overhead compared to just running IE, but aint nothing to fret about

I love Sandboxie, just like running a Virtual Machine without the BS

Personally, I think it should be the the Best Software of the Year Award Winner

You can also use to run any other program, so if you DL soemthing and just wanna try it u can run it in a sandbox too.

I first tested on a Virtual Machine, ran it surfed all the free porn sites I could find for a couple of hours, did a AV scan with AVG, Bit-Defender, Spybot, AVG AS, Spyware Sweeper, Panda, and Ad-Aware, they all found tons and tons and tons of Mal-ware in the sandbox. Shut down the sandbox (right click on the Taskbar icon) terminate all open sandboxes, and then deleted all the content, and scanned the Virutal Machine for any Mal-ware and BAM ZEROOOO showed up, just like I thought.

The only pain being when u DL something u have to go dig into the sandbox and grab it i.e.: C:\Nightblade\App Data\Roaming\Sandbox\DefaultBox (this is where it auto takes u to) then u click on \User\current\Downloads - as IE defaults in Vista to User\Nightblade\Downloads location then u can drag and drop the file to wherever, but this lil pain is a hell of alot easier than running multiple Mal/ware programs that may crash your system as these Mal/wares are getting so damn nasty they're getting hard to disinfect.

Im training my customers to use this, and hiding the real Icons for IE, but you still need to make your Bookmarks in the Real version of IE, so I cant completely hide it from them.

so the only thing extra you have to do is basically
1. Run the real version of IE to make bookmarks and install BIOs, ActiveX scripts, and like flash
2. Use the Sandboxed Mode you can tell by the "#" signs before and after the title on the IE or Firefox like [#]Newegg.com[#]
3. Explore the Contents of the Sandbox to recover any Downloaded Files and move to Desktop or where ever (right click off icon in system tray)
4. Terminate the sandbox like once a week as it ll grow pretty big fast (right click off icon in system tray)
5. Delete the contents of the the sand box (right click off icon in system tray)
NOTE: You lose your history once you terminate and delete contents
6. Enjoy piece of mind that malware aint trashing your system, worrying if the malware u scrubbed with X Removal Program trashed your Winsock.dll, and etc.

Hell I might nominate Ronen Tzur, the author, for Time's Man of the Year! That how much I love Sandboxie

Now I just use Kaspersky Internet Security, and guess what it hasnt found anything yet, cept whats in a sandbox

Note: I said earlier or elsewhere that he takes donotions this is incorrect he sells a lifetime license for $25 U.S.C (US currency)

Sandboxie works better than M$ Virtual 2007 and VMware Server

[Chewy]

too bad about the softpedia tho, that set me off right away, they are on my "watch list"

trojanhunter and norton's said it was clean tho

[NightbladeXX]

yeah i hear you with softpedia hate them but ive scrubbed it with everythign Ive had

AVG AV Registered
AVG AS Registered
AVG Anti-Rootkit
Blacklight Defender
Ad-Aware 2007 Registered
Spybot S&D (Donated)
Webroot Spysweeper Registered
Zonealarm Pro Registered
Kaspersky Internet Security (TRIAL)
Bit-Defender Total Security 2008 (Trial)
Neuber's Security Task Manager + SpyProtecter (Registered)

most came back with some hits on the program, but all benign due to the nature of the programs access to the registry and system memory access.

[MilesAhead]

The only pain being when u DL something u have to go dig into the sandbox

Ah yeah, I did try this awhile back because it was recommended on 46 best ever freeware utilities page. I'll give it another shot though. btw that drilling way down in folders in Explorer I hate so much I wrote a little utility to launch your frequently used folders. If I ever get my web page going I'll host it as a freeware. It's the first anything useful I wrote in C#

[snagel]

re: Chewy

when you open immunize, and it says those are unprotected just hit immunize button at the top

you will have to do it in this order after any update

Chewy, I did run the immunize feature several times. It did not work.


But I'll tell you what will work. Found this on Spybot's forum it worked for me.
There is an easy fix for this.
Don't ask me how or why it works... but I discovered this by accident. After you immunize everything, right click somewhere in the immunization window beside all your checked items. Select de-select all items. All checked items should now be BLANK with NO checkmarks in any box. Now simply check the one box that is not being immunized properly.

I have 19 objects on the fourth line (internet explorer 32 bits/ software (plugins)

In your case it would be the above item. Now click UNDO at the top of the window beside immunize. Now, click immunize and those 19 objects should now say 0. If so.... you are completely immunized and protected.

[NightbladeXX]

I currently have IE6 and Mozilla Firefox installed. How can I get the category changed to zero on IE SOFTWARE (plugins) unprotected items, or is it possible.

You really should upgrade IE6 to IE7 while IE7 still has vulnerabilities its alot better than 6

[snagel]

looks like no more AOL Active Virus shield it is now changed to McAfee Virus Scan plus Virus Special Edition.

http://www.activevirusshield.com/antivirus/freeav/get_started.adp

[NightbladeXX]

oh dear lord more McAfee, eeekk run

[snagel]

re: NightbladeXX

oh dear lord more McAfee, eeekk run

I am not running McAfee or AOL Active Virus Shield. The last time I ran either was over a year ago while I had AOL dial up. I used it because it came as part of the AOL service. I had problems during a update with their Safety and Security center. It took several hours download, uninstall, install, customer service etc....... I then uninstalled it again and went to AVG virus. I was curious about the Active Virus Shield because I had seen good reviews on it. When I went to look at it today it said it was no more......

I am wondering if they will continue with updates for those people who currently are running it. I wonder if they will receive update through Kapersky or if they'll have to uninstall and find something else soon.

[Chewy]

Ok guys, I tried a another new "fix technique" last night, problem is my computer is too damn clean. That's ok it will be good practice for trying to fix another computer some day.

this is from a global mod over at bleepingcomputer, he's a msmvp secuity expert


download these 2 selfcontained programs, do not use them yet!!!!!!!!

http://www.atribune.org/ccount/click.php?id=1

ATF Cleaner

http://www.freedrweb.com/cureit/

DrWeb Cureit

I would save these files and make a new text doc with instructions and put them all in a folder where you can find them

because all this has to be done is safe mode and when all those icons won't fit on your desktop? I put mine in my docs and then hit show details after getting into safe mode and opening my docs

Double-click ATF-Cleaner.exe to run the program.
Under Main "Select Files to Delete" choose: Select All.
Click the Empty Selected button.
If you use Firefox browser click Firefox at the top and choose: Select All
Click the Empty Selected button.
If you would like to keep your saved passwords, please click No at the prompt.
If you use Opera browser click Opera at the top and choose: Select All
Click the Empty Selected button.
If you would like to keep your saved passwords, please click No at the prompt.
Click Exit on the Main menu to close the program.
Note: On Vista, "Windows Temp" is disabled. To empty "Windows Temp" ATF-Cleaner must be "Run as an Administrator".

Scan with Dr.Web CureIt as follows:
Double-click on cureit.exe to start the program. An "Express Scan of your PC" notice will appear.
Under "Start the Express Scan Now", Click "OK" to start. This is a short scan that will scan the files currently running in memory and when something is found, click the Yes button when it asks you if you want to cure it.
Once the short scan has finished, Click Options > Change settings
Choose the "Scan tab" and UNcheck "Heuristic analysis"
Back at the main window, click "Select drives" (a red dot will show which drives have been chosen)
Then click the "Start/Stop Scanning" button (green arrow on the right) and the scan will start.
When done, a message will be displayed at the bottom advising if any viruses were found.
Click "Yes to all" if it asks if you want to cure/move the file.
When the scan has finished, look if you can see the icon next to the files found. If so, click it, then click the next icon right below and select "Move incurable".
(This will move it to the C:\Documents and Settings\userprofile\DoctorWeb\Quarantine folder if it can't be cured)
Next, in the Dr.Web CureIt menu on top, click file and choose save report list.
Save the DrWeb.csv report to your desktop. (You can use Notepad to open the DrWeb.cvs report)
Exit Dr.Web Cureit when done.
Important! Reboot your computer because it could be possible that files in use will be moved/deleted during reboot

.

I did find 2 trojan downloader, but they have been in norton's quarentine for months