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:: Computer Survival - Keeping your system safe ::
SurvivalRing * Computer Survival * Page
Highly Recommended Downloads, Tools, Firewalls, and Recovery Programs
* USE AT YOUR OWN RISK *
NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGE TO YOUR SYSTEM THAT USING THESE TOOLS MAY CAUSE. If you are not sure about any of these programs, PLEASE feel free to GOOGLE them yourself and do your own research before downloading and using them.
Spybot S&D is one of the two most popular malware detectors. The latest version includes a memory-resident (always running) protection tool that actively blocks attempts by malware to modify the system Registry.
Ad-Aware 6 is the other of the two most popular malware detectors. Its scanner is very exhaustive/comprehensive. Ad-Aware is best used in conjunction with Spybot S&D as one will catch what the other misses.
Arguably the most thorough malware detector, Pest Patrol finds things even the potent Spybot/Ad-Aware combo might miss. However, the free version doesn't remove any malware, so you'll have to buy this one for full functionality.
A-squared is a powerful trojan/keylogger detector. It will search every file on a drive if you want it to, and includes a memory-resident (always running) protection tool that actively blocks trojans and keyloggers and other assorted malware from installing.
Bit-Defender is a potent free antivirus suite that incldues automatic AV signature updates. Its disadvantage is the lack of a resident scanner - unless you buy the more advanced version, of course. Still, it makes a good backup scanner.
The current favorite for best free antivirus software. AVG includes scheduled operation and free updates, and unlike Bit Defender it has a memory-resident (always running) protection tool that monitors files as they are run.
CWShredder finds and removes many variants of the CoolWebSearch browser hijacker, one of the more pervasive adware creations one can encounter. This tool is best run from Safe Mode with NO browser windows open, and severe infestations may require several run-reboot sessions.
H.T. is an EXTREMELY powerful tool for rescuing badly hijacked systems. It detects and lists EVERY autorunning application, service, tool, and component on the system and can be used to remove any or all of them so they aren't reinvoked at the next boot. This power comes with a pretty big caveat, though - you can use it to unload critical system processes and make your computer not boot properly, or at all, so be careful what you remove with it. On the upside, the Security Forums Dot Com mesage boards has a section devoted to helping users of Hijack This in delousing their systems - it can be reached here.
DSOstop is a small utility that disables Data Source Object access to web-enabled parts of Windows, like Internet Explorer. This effectively closes a security hole that has been used by some types of malware to infect Windows systems without your having to run ANYTHING. (DSO-exploit malware applications can infect computers directly through the Internet connection without requiring any user intervention.)
HTAstop plugs another security hole in Windows by ordering Windows to not execute HTA (HyperText Applications) like it does EXE files. This prevents another type of auto-deploying, no-user-intervention-needed malware from working.
Proxomitron is arguably the most powerful (and among the smallest) popup-blocker there is. It can block popups, pop-unders, various types of script, DHTML, web bugs, banner ads, META REFRESH auto-reload timers, onload/onunload script, and tons of other things. Plus, as it functions as a web proxy, it works with practically any web browser. Couple Proxomitron with Mozilla Firefox or Opera and you may never see a popup again, ever.
It will prompt you for permission anytime a program tries to install a 'RUN' or 'RUN ONCE' key in your registry. It runs in the background, but uses hardly any resources at all.
Windows XP has a "barely good enough" firewall built in, just learn how to enable it. It's much improved after you upgrade to Service Pack 2. Check out the Protect Your PC section on Microsoft.com for more, which also includes info on firewalls and security for other versions of Windows
Uses a heuristic approach to detecting attacks and violations of your computing environment. Unlike traditional security programs, WinPatrol doesn't scan your hard drive searching for previously identified threats. Instead a snapshot is taken of your critical system resources and WinPatrol alerts you to any changes that occur without your knowledge. You'll be warned immediately while others wait to download new definition files.
The most comprehensive, award-winning file undelete and data recovery utility for NTFS volumes on Windows XP®, Windows 2000® or Windows NT®. File Scavenger™ can recover files accidentally deleted, including files removed from the Recycle Bin, in a DOS window, from a network drive, from Windows Explorer with the SHIFT key held down, provided that recovery is attempted before the files are permanently overwritten by new data. File Scavenger™ supports both basic and dynamic disks, NTFS compression, alternate data streams, sparse files, Unicode filenames, etc. Except in severe cases, both the file and the folder path leading to the file can be recovered. English and German versions are available.
Recover My Files™ data recovery software will recover deleted files emptied from the Windows Recycle Bin, or lost due to the format of a hard drive, virus infection, unexpected system shutdown or software failure. Recover My Files™ is fast and easy. No technical or data recovery software skill is required. Use Recover My Files™ to perform hard drive data recovery, or recover deleted files from floppy disk, zip drive, compact flash, smart media or other removable media.
See your deleted files before you decide to purchase!
You don't need to waste your time and money on other data recovery software wondering if you can recover deleted files. Download Recover My Files™ data recovery software, run the program and view your deleted files. If you can see your deleted files then data recovery is quick and easy.
Lost data? Afraid that repair tools only make matters worse?
iRecover is a Windows based, read-only data recovery utility. iRecover does not repair the damaged volume or disk. Instead it analyzes the damaged source and rebuilds a "virtual file system" in memory. From this virtual file system you can copy data to an intact drive. iRecover offers FAT, FAT32 and NTFS file system support, and supports all current Microsoft Windows versions (including 2000 Server and Workstation, and XP).
GetDataBack will recover your data if the hard drive's partition table, boot record, FAT/MTF or root directory are lost or damaged, data was lost due to a virus attack, the drive was formatted, fdisk has been run, a power failure has caused a system crash, files were lost due to a software failure, files were accidentally deleted...Recover even when Windows doesn't recognize the drive-
GetDataBack can even recover your data when the drive is no longer recognized by Windows. It can likewise be used even if all directory information - not just the root directory- is missing.
Get everything back-
Advanced algorithms will make sure that all directories and sub directories are put together as they were, and that long file names are reconstructed correctly
Webroot Spy Sweeper is award-winning anti-spyware software that effectively detects and safely removes spyware and adware from your PC. Spy Sweeper protects you from spyware's negative consequences, which include a slower Internet connection, pop-up advertisement problems, reduced computer performance, or in the worst case, the loss of private information and identity theft
* Assorted Notes and Information - Please read carefully *
Actually, Zone Alarm - and ALL software firewalls - should be a tertiary line of defense, NOT THE FIRST. The first line of defense for a broadband Internet user is a HARDWARE firewall NOT a software one, and that only protects against a specific subset of all intrusion and compromise attempts. By the time your software firewall fires, you're probably already compromised.
Here's why software firewalls are now almost useless:
The latest generation of malware (MALicious softWARE) - and spy/adware in particular is doing this a lot lately - installs itself by penetrating your defenses through OS or browser exploits. Since your SOFTWARE firewall was long since told to allow your browser or specific Internet-aware portions of your OS to connect, the malware simply slips right through under its radar because it's coming in THROUGH the browser or OS component.
The HTA exploit is a classic example. A HTA file is a HyperText Application, an executable file that is intended to run as a clientside web application. Internet Explorer will execute HTA files as though they were ActiveX controls, and when that happens the HTA can make system changes such as downloading files and writing to the system Registry - but to a software firewall running on the machine only Internet Explorer is connected... the HTA is never seen as a separate process by the firewall since it's a thread running within IE's process space!
A couple years ago a software firewall was your best firstline defense option. No longer. The only real use for a sotfware firewall now is to catch malware (after-the-fact, after it has already installed itself) when it calls home.
Nowadays, proper defenses require a layered approach. You need two antivirus apps, updated weekly. You need an install detector like Spybot's TeaTimer or StopZilla. You need a trojan detector or two. You need ALL of the security fixes and patches for your OS. You still need a software firewall, but now it's to catch anything that does make it through.
I would have to urge everyone to get on board with firewall software. If everyone had a firewall, the Blasterworm and related worms would have been stopped dead in its tracks. Yes, a hardware router will protect you just as well, if not better in some cases, because it shields your computer behind Network Address Translation and blocks and ghost most ports by default. It also will usually reject PING attempts to discover the presence of your computer.
But some attacks will get through even with a router, such as worms that sneak in via web sites, and although your antivirus scanner (and trojan scanner) needs to catch those, in the meantime, it's your firewall's OUTGOING port and application blocking capabilities that is going to stop the malware from doing its worst. (Routers only block incoming attempts.)
But while always-on cable and DSL connections, the ones that routers are designed for, are most at risk, I've had family and friends with modems come under attack and fall prey to things like the Blaster Worm too, and people with modems don't buy routers. Such things aren't even commonly available for modems, at least not for home users.
So you really do need to get a software firewall to block incoming AND outgoing access to ports and any software on your computer that does not need Internet access. While a firewall can be a PITA sometimes if it keeps nagging you about whether or not a certain program should be given access, this very feature can be useful too when you KNOW you don't want to allow some adware/spyware type program to "phone home" and you haven't had an opportunity to remove it.
Found this one in Lockergnome...
Scotty the Windows Watch Dog will sniff out malicious "mysteryware" , web attacks and parasites that may assault your computer. WinPatrol puts you back in control of your computer so you'll know what programs are and should be running at all times.
Increase Speed & System Performance.
Detect & Neutralize Spyware.
Detect & Neutralize ADware.
Detect & Neutralize Unwanted IE Add-Ons.
Detect & Neutralize virus infections.
Automatically Filter Unwanted Cookies.
Avoid Start Page Hijacking.
Detect HOSTS file changes.
Kill Multiple Tasks that replicate each other, in a single step!
Stop programs that repeatedly add themselves to your Startup List!
If you grab any or all of the apps on my list, be sure to USE them, and be sure to UPDATE them REGULARLY for maximum usefulness and detect/remove capabiltiy. If you're not willing to bother with updating 'em, you're probably wasting your time using 'em to begin with and are dooming yourself to a malware nightmare in the future. But if you DO use/update them, you may protect yourself from getting malware from the very beginning.
Do it. Live it. Be it.
Only YOU can do it for yourself. I, and my friends, will help where we
can. After 9.11, you MUST take time to learn how and what to prepare
for...save yourself, save your family...by taking that time NOW.
