August 1, 2007

It's been a while since we discussed viruses and spyware, so it's time for a little refresher.

The proliferation of viruses seems to have slowed down now that spyware and adware have entered the picture.  As far as I'm concerned it is just semantics, any of these are bad news, regardless of what they are called.  The only difference is what types of programs you need to keep them from infecting your computer.

Not long ago, all we had were antivirus programs.  Pretty straight forward, and only one additional program to worry about and keep updated.  Now, everything you see is a security suite.  Do they work?  Well, supposedly yes, but there are trade offs involved.

Keep in mind that this discussion is only my opinion, so I may not be totally accurate, I am just applying common sense along with the things I see every day.  In my opinion the only way to make sure you don't get viruses or spyware/adware is to use common sense in your Internet browsing and email usage. There is no antivirus or spyware/adware program which will protect you 100%.  You are your best defense.

First of all, let's discuss email issues.  To help eliminate spam, see this past discussion regarding getting an email address to use when you are looking into travel plans and car rentals (many of these companies sell your email address).  NEVER open any email attachment unless you know exactly what it is and who it is from.  This is where a lot of malware comes from.  Some of the viruses and other programs are getting smart enough to evade detection from your virus and spyware programs, and once on your computer, they will disable your antivirus software and go to work.  Click here for more email information.

If you are using Road Runner, you MUST HAVE A FIREWALL.  If the modem plugs directly into your computer, install a program such as Zone Alarm to protect you.  You are networked with up to 500 other people and I guarantee you will have invasion problems if you don't have a firewall in place.  If you are connected through a router, it is basically a firewall and should provide all the protection you need.  Click here to test your vulnerability.

I am finding a lot of problems with security suites slowing computers down and sometimes, getting them to work properly.  I won't mention any names, but the two or three you hear about the most are real problems.  Another source of irritation is that when I first started doing work on Maui (1995) and annual virus subscription update cost $4.00.  Today it is up to $30 to $35 and then, they will only update for two years.  After that you have to pay the additional money for a new version of the program.  All is not lost, however, since there is a totally free alternative for the antivirus, AVG Antivirus.

I don't recommend spyware or aware programs due to the fact, that it has been my experience, their usefulness in stopping infestations is not very good, and again, they also help slow your computer down.  If you want something to check for spyware or adware, try Spybot and AdAware.  Again, both are free and work relatively well.

REMEMBER you are the only one who can prevent an infestation.  You have to use your head and be selective where you browse to and what email you open.  Also keep in mind that if bad enough, you may lose everything you have or you may have to do a system restoration, which means backing up all your data, then reinstalling everything on the computer.