Virus Protection

Today I'll be giving a few tips on how to prevent virus infections on your computer.

The best defense against infections are up to date anti-virus software. If you don't have an anti-virus program, you can download one for free.

Avast Home Edition offers their home version for free for non-commercial & home use and includes ANTI-SPYWARE protection, certified by the West Coast Labs Checkmark process, and ANTI-ROOTKIT detection based on the best-in class GMER technology.




You can see below the different resident scanners for instant Messaging, internet mail, Network Shield, and Microsoft Outlook.



And here are the rest of the resident scanners, P2P (peer to peer), Standard and Web Shield.





AntiVir Personal is free anti-virus that constantly and rapidly scans your computer for malicious programs such as viruses, Trojans, backdoor programs, hoaxes, worms, dialers etc. Monitors every action executed by the user or the operating system and reacts promptly when a malicious program is detected. It detects and removes more than 150,000 viruses and includes 7 different resident shields which protect a user's PC, with minimal impact on system performance.


Here are some of the categories Antivir will scan for you:




And this is what the scanner interface looks like.





AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition is trusted antivirus and antispyware protection for Windows (Xp, Vista and Windows 7)free for home use. It includes a new LinkScanner® Active Surf-Shield which checks web pages for threats at the only time that matters – when you're about to click that link.




And here is is during a scan:




If you already have anti-virus software, make sure it has updated virus definitions (this is the database of known virus infections used to scan your computer). Most programs have an option to automatically update and scan on a daily or weekly basis and give you the ability to set your scan for a time when the computer is not in use (like the middle of the night). Keeping your anti-virus updated and scanning on a regular basis is very important.


Also, be sure to install Windows Updates whenever they are available. These updates can be downloaded for free from Microsoft and will patch known security holes in your software, as well as adding new features. Windows Update can be configured to install updates automatically, ensuring that a computer is always up-to-date and not vulnerable to computer worms and other malware.

This is what Windows Update looks like if you use Windows XP. It can be reached by going to the Microsoft Windows Update website



If you use Windows Vista or Windows 7, the web site is no longer used for selecting and downloading updates. Instead, enter the control panel and select the Windows Update icon.



Here you can check for updates, configure automatic updates, and see if there are any extras available for your operating system.




Although these tools provide good protection against most average virus infections, some infections are severe and may require professional service.

Spyware Protection

There are dozens of good anti-spyware programs on the market, but I'm going to highlight a few that I prefer because they are free and easy to use.

SpywareBlaster doesn't scan and clean for spyware - it prevents it from ever being installed. It will also stop malware from communicating with its host server. This helps to stop popups and malware from functioning and further spreading the infections.



Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware can detect and remove malware that even the most well known anti-virus and anti-malware applications fail to detect. Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware monitors every process and stops malicious processes before they even start.



SUPERAntiSpyware features a highly advanced Real-Time Protection to ensure protection from installation or re-installation of potential threats as you surf the Internet. Used in conjunction with their First Chance Prevention and Registry Protection, your computer is protected from thousands of threats that attempt to infect and infiltrate your system at startup or while shutting down your system.




Spybot S&D searches your hard drive for so-called spy- or adbots; that is, little modules that are responsible for the ads many programs display. Many of these modules also transmit information, including your surfing behavior on the Internet and possibly your personal information. If it finds these modules, it can remove them. In most cases your computer still runs fine after removing the spyware/adware.

Here you can see the feature that allows you to immunize important files and folders:


And one of my favorite things about this program- once it finds infections, it gives you valuable information about them.



No matter which program(s) you choose for spyware protection, make sure you update and scan often (at least weekly). Severe spyware infections can require professional service to be completely removed.