jono300

iTrader: (8)

Anyone recommend whats best amongst the current spyware / malware detector / remover type programmes just now ??

ad-aware ??
spybot search and destroy ??
spy emergency 2007 ??

cheers

bob269

I'd use Nod32 assuming you are not already infected, prevention is much better than a cure.

myblackwrx

iTrader: (1)

For free i use ad aware 2007.

Free Software Downloads and Software Reviews - Download.com is worth having a look at various ones.

jono300

iTrader: (8)

thought Nod32 was antivirus protection as opposed to the detection / removal off spyware and such like ??

bob269

It prevents it ever infecting you in the first place, hence my aslong as you are not already infected comment,

you could try tds-3 which is good, altho not sure what restrictions the demo version has.

jono300

iTrader: (8)

Okay cheers, actually running Nod32 here on which I have been for a good while now but a quick check with a just d/loaded "Spyware search and destroy " programme has just found three traces off spyware that had to be removed, still think a dedicated spyware detection / remover programme will work out better than an all in one virus etc scanner.

appreciatte your reply, thanks again.

16vmarc

I've used Ad Aware too.

Alan C

Adaware & Spybot S&D are the best Free tools (IMHO).

Run them both regularly..

D16GER

I use a combo of Norton (2005) for my AV/Software Firewall and Spybot, Spywareblaster for my Malware Protection. Works pretty darrn well for me. Never **touches wood** had anything slip through the net yet. And I often run an online check with the likes of TrendMicro and Kaspersky just to confirm nothing has got through.

StickyMicky

ad aware and spybot together IMO

Silver Scooby Sport

iTrader: (15)

Try this one as well, I run it along with all above.

AVG Anti-Virus and Internet Security - Products

DesR

C:\delete *.*

DesR

... the previous post was a joke by the way... I dont actually recommend typing that in.

David Lock

Will using Adaware & Spybot S&D clash or interfere with Norton which I have? dl

Alan C

Ah... I just did.... what wil happe............................................. ........................................zsfgzdfbzd fbzbb

Markus

David,
It shouldn't do. I've run Solo Antivirus, Spybot Search & Destroy and Ad-Adware on the same machine at the same time and I did not see any conflicts. It did slow things down (this was a fairly old machine though) but then when you have three things scanning the disk, I'd expect a bit of a slowdown.

David Lock

Thanks Markus

With the Norton I have I can't find a temporary "disable" option on the damn thing. Used to be a right click on icon option but this went when I did a minor upgrade to Norton 2007. dl

Alan C

There are other threads here all giving the same thumbs down to Norton products as a whole.

I know it's personal preference to a large degree, but the general feeling is that many of the other prodcuts do exceed the 'old guard' now.

David Lock

Fair enough. In fact my Norton subscription is just about to expire. So what do you recommend instead.

I work at home with a standalone PC and my sole purpose of Norton or similar is to avoid infecting my PC with something. I am reasonably sensible about not opening attachments and I am not allowed to watch ****

I am not a PC whizz kid so need something fairly straightforward to install, preferably from a disc, and, ideally, with a word filter that I can personalise. Limited budget. Windows XP.

It would help if the licence allowed me to use the product for other computers in the house as my daughter is now finished at uni and the virus protection service she used at uni is no longer available.

Alan C

David. What Norton product do you have?

Get some indication if you need a 'security suite' of Firewall, AV / Malware detection, email protection etc etc...

David Lock

Alan, I just have a standard version which was updated and I think now nominated as Norton Anti-Virus 2007.4

It checks e-mails and websites and has an add-on pack which shoves spam into a folder. It has an ad blocker and pop up blocker although the ad blocker screws up looking at SN. I think it has a Firewall but TBH I don't really know what that does.

I don't even know how to check an attachment for a virus without opening it - I am that stooopid

Does this help? David

David Lock

Any thoughts on this? I've never heard of it

It has a 3 user agrement which is attractive for me

CA ANTIVIRUS 2007 CA ANTIVIRUS 2007 - Buy cheap Antivirus software and security software at PC World.

bushiwarrior

spyware doctor is rated highest in most pc mags

myblackwrx

iTrader: (1)

We use a version of this at work and it seems very good

Shark Man

There is no single package solution:

The three I use atm are :

Spybot S&D
Adaware (free edition)
Nod32

and I also use CCleaner (slim) to keep things tidy.

Alan C

Shark Man... I use exactly the same setup....(though I have the Beta 2 version of CCleaner)

David. I'd also agree with SM that one product is not going to give you a decent setup.

It's a tough call getting it right for you as the right product depends on your Internet surfing habits. This includes how much time you spend online, how much you download (all content known and unknown), where you go, the amount of email you get (legit and spam) and the sort of documents you'd receive.

There's no hard and fast rule and, like our cars, it all comes down to personal preference. Therefore you can't go wrong with the top 3 or 5 products.

My job means that I can visit some dodgy sites, so you'll find a series of layered defences on my box, but what I can say is that from experience, the list Shark Man came up with is pretty much OK for the majority of surfing you'd probably do.

So.. IMHO the list would go like this for low level surfing and general Internet usage.

I'd look to purchase NOD32. £23 for a year (£35 for 2) and it will protect your machine, email and documents against the main threat from viruses (No product is 100% effective). It is a definite top performer and is light on resources and quick in detection.

For Spyware, I'd then install both Adaware (Free version) and Spybot Search and Destroy (Free) which I'd run weekly. If you have a legit copy of Windows, Windows Defender (from Microsoft) is also free and sits in the background, updates automatically and protects you real time. However, it's not got good reviews, hence the other two for backup.

For a firewall (makes you invisible to the Internet and/or prevents people getting on to your machine). I'd simply switch on the XP version of your firewall. Again no product can be 100% safe, but I use this alongside my Broadband router firewall settings and I've never had any issues. If you have a Broadband router, then the default settings alongside the Windows firewall should be sufficient. If you haven't, or are not confident in setting up a firewall at all, then the free copy of Zonealarm is an excellent choice (though this still needs some tweaking to get right).

Finally, get a copy of CCleaner (free) and run this against your disk and registry weekly (again dependent upon the amount of surfing you do) and it will tidy the crap (the C in the CC) out of the various nooks and crannies. There are hundreds of products vying for your attention, but again CCleaner seems to keep cropping up as a good, safe choice (won't inadvertently destroy your PC by fiddling too aggressively with the Registry).

With that in place, you'll have spent £23.

HTH!

David Lock

Alan, that is so helpful and much appreciated.

In general terms I use a stand alone PC using Windows XP for a small mail order business and general surfing. I have had a website for 11 years now and my e-mail address was quite well known and attracted a lot of spam mail at one time (about 200 mails a day) But my ISP (Plusnet) seems to have much better filters now and spams are down to around 20/day. Trouble is a mail can be sent to anyone@davidlock.co.uk and so I get a pile of stuff to x22adz@davidlock.co.uk I get around 20 - 30 genuine e-mails per diem.

I also have a particular hate of the drug and ***** stuff coming through so I do like to have a word filter I can use. I find I still have to check my spam folder before deletion to see if a genuine business or personal e-mail has been put in the folder in error.

My surfing is very bland. A few sites like SN and car related for my business and my interests in music. Also for general household stuff like gardening and world news. My grown up-ish kids will also surf for jobs and music/rock related. I guess that the dodgiest sites would be music downloads and any odd ball sites where someone has sent a link. I do have broadband.

I had been using Adaware (but the icon seems to have dissapeared) and Spybot. I have turned on my XP Firewall and. as stated, have been using Norton 2006 which I upgraded to 2007 (free on-line).

So my plan is:

Take your advice and buy NOD32 (probably the 2 licence version so my gal can use on her laptop with wireless connection) and then download Adaware keeping the Spybot I have. I then need to completely uninstall Norton.

I'll also think about the CCleaner.

I am sure I can find where to buy NOD32 but have you got a decent link for this product? I prefer a hard copy rather than a download.

Finally I am paranoid about opening attachments. How do I scan one if I think it is legit before opening - or it that best not asked at this stage

My thanks again, David

Edit to ask. If I get the 2 user version of NOD32 would the fact that I use XP and my daughter uses Vista make any difference? i.e would the product cover bother Windows operating systems?

Edit again to say. Spoke to a very helpful gal at ESET who supply NOD32. It doesn't yet have a mail anti-spam facility whiuch I wanted but they are planning one in a few weeks. She is mailing me a 2 licence 30 day trial version

===========

Alan C

David. No probs at all. OK;

The NOD32 package will protect your machine from email viruses, but you're right, it doesn't contain Anti Spam. This type of utility is more likely to be found in the bundled 'security suites' (MCafee, Norton etc.).

I am aware that there's a Beta version of ESET's 'Smart Security' suite that contains Antispam facilities and I look forward to taking a look at it when it comes out.

Again, there's plenty of Anti spam or mail washing software you could go for, so again, this is just one of many suggestions.

If you use Microsoft Outlook, then you could turn up the inbuilt Antispam / Junk filter. This is a fairly coarse approach, but may work better than a lower setting (or even if you currently have it switched off!!). You can find it under Tools, Options, Preferences in the top Email section. Click the Junk filter button and you select the various settings and even tweak the Safe / Block senders (White & Blacklists)... this may solve a lot of your issues.... otherwise, you could try.... a prog I've briefly used called Mailwasher... Mailwasher Spam Filter Software: The Reliable Free Spam Blocker | MailWasher

You simply load in your email settings and it logs in to your account and downloads your mail and filters it for you.Try it or and Google the free alternatives (Mailwasher is free, but has Ads) and see if you can get something to suit.

Alternative is just wait out for the ESET version....

General opinion is, if you don't recognise the sender, the title is something unfamiliar and it has an attachment then delete it (permanently: by holding the shift key down when you press the delete key). If all else fails and you do open it... then the Virus detection should quarantine / warn you about the infection. That's what it's there for. In the extreme cases, which can happen to any of us, you could get 0 day virus which has no known protection.

Just make sure you keep XP's auto updates switched on and install every patch it wants and the Operating system will be in good shape to avoid being penetrated by some older Virii...

Good luck on the trial...

Thunder77

Sounds like you have one of your main email accounts set-up as a "catch-all" account. If you have access to your hosting/email accounts via a control panel you should be able to take the catch-all off and stop those emails. You will then only get those directly addressed to <<yourname>>@davidlock.co.uk.

David Lock

Many thanks again guys.

I spent some time uninstalling Norton to load up my trial NOD32 only to find that the Password and Code they sent me wasn't accepted! Of course I discovered this 2 mins after their helpline closed - you can't win can you....?

I'll look at the other Spam mail software but I do get business mails from new addresses that I want. Sometimes these may have an attachment which is genuine (like a product order) which I want. If I save these to a floppy A: can I scan and see if it is clean or does saving a dodgy attachment risk catching a virus even if saved to A: ??

Thunder - yes you are right. I want to end up with about a dozen recognised "names" before davidlock.co.uk like "info" "order" "david" "kids names" etc with anything else beiing binned.

Struggling on with your help david