Software reviews: NOD 32 Antivirus – Part 4
There are so many anti virus software out there that some people might even confused as to which one to use. I have tried Norton Anti Virus, McAfee and Kaspersky but now I’m just using NOD32. I dropped Norton for the most obvious reason. It is too bloated. Now, I’m very content with NOD32. Its Live Update haven’t fail me yet. Not even once. Besides that, it scans the website that I visit in the background without inteffering with my surfing. Even my downloads are scanned throughly. Its Internet Monitor and File System Monitor is the best that I have seen. I have set it to do a daily full scan of my hard disk everyday at 5am. It only takes about an hour more to complete the full scan with my full hard disk. ESET really did a good job when they came out with NOD32. I won’t be changing to another anti virus software anytime soon. This is the best I have ever used so far. NOD32 Antivirus System, has provided me a well balanced, state-of-the-art protection against threats to my PC. I’m so pleased with it that now I don’t have to worry too much about Viruses, Spywares and Trojans. Try it out yourself and you will understand what I’m talking about and get rid of the CPU resources hungry, bloated Norton Anti Virus.
Basic Steps To Optimize Your Internet Security
After seeing many people complain about their weak Internet security I decided to write down some things that will help you for your Internet security.
First, here are some tips to make windows safer :
For basic security and update patches install Service Pack 2 for Windows XP or Service Pack 4 for Windows 2000.
Once a month use Windows Update so you can get the latest pacthes.
When you download software from the Internet make sure you download it from the original website.
Always run anti Trojan and anti virus software.
Even if you don’t use it you have to make your Internet Explorer as safe as possible.
When you access the Internet you are browsing the web using a browser such as Internet Explorer.The Internet Explorer contains several security vulnerabilities. You should make it as safe as possible or switch your default browser to an alternative. You will have to set some options from the Manage Add-Ons in the Internet Options. You will see a list of add-ons that can be activated or deactivated. If you see any unusual entries just deactivate them so you can be sure you don’t have a trojan/worm.
Under Internet Options -> Security -> Internet -> you will see the Edit Level.You should set it to high in order to disable most of the security threats.
Your Web Browser should be ok now. Let’s see what we have to do from our email point of view.
Because it’s built-in in their Windows system lots of users like to use Outlook Express for emailing. But it’s a fact that it contains many security vulnerabilities so I advise you to use alternatives. If you use a web based Email (you can browse your email with your web browser) you can delete viruses even if you don’t download them to your PC.
Make sure you have installed an Anti Virus for 100% virus protection. One that I’ve found to be very good and never disappointed me is the AVG Anti virus. If you take the time to regularly update it you will be safe enough with it.
Lots of people install Firewalls because they belive their Internet security will be higher. I personaly disagree. If you do not know how to best configure it, and you have to know much about the tech behind it to do so, it will just make your PC slow and software not working.You can just use the Windows XP SP2 firewall for basic security.
All this tips should make your PC safer. I browse the Internet every single day for some time now and they worked great for me. I haven’t met a virus/worm for some time now.
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Common computer maintenance mistakes
PC users make many mistakes in using their computers. Most of them are caused out of simple lack of care. Ignorance is also a vital reason.
The most common preventive maintenance measures that PC owners fail to take are:
1. Routinely scanning and defragmenting their hard-drive(s).
2. Correctly uninstalling software.
3. Routinely updating their anti-virus software signature files.
4. Not taking proper care of hardwares.
Scan Disk and Defrag are two commands which are made to keep the PC healthy. Scan Disk may be performed once a week. Defrag may be used once in two months. These two programs significantly improve the PC performance. Most of the people complain that their PCs are not running as smooth as used to be. When I ask them whether they use Scan Disk and Defrag, they reply that they even don’t know about them.
To perform Scan Disk and Defrag, right click on any of the drives and select PROPERTIES. Now go to TOOLS tab and you will see two buttons called CHECK NOW and DEFRAGMENT NOW. Perform whichever you want.
The second mistake is to not removing programs correctly. Many people simply delete the folder of the program or game but that’s not the way to do it. Because, there are external files of that program which are not deleted. These files make the computer heavy over the time.
Uninstalling in a proper way is the way to overcome this problem. Whenever you want to remove a software or game, go to START> CONTROL PANEL and double click on ADD/REMOVE PROGRAMS icon. This will list the programs installed in your computer. Now select the program and click on REMOVE button.
Many viruses come out every day, every week. So, installing an antivirus does not suffice. You need to constantly update it. Because whenever a virus comes out, the antivirus makers invents a cure and offer a free download for the antivirus owners. I personally prefer Kaspersky Antivirus as it has a rich library of virus.
If you own a pen drive, you may insert and remove it from an USB port of your computer. You may not know that, for this reason, your Pen drive deteriorates over time. There is a certain way to do it. Also, eating near keyboard, using wet cloth to clean the PC is mistakes the user often make.
You Can Stop Computer Viruses
Hardly a day goes by when you don’t hear about a computer virus in the news or from someone you know. As a matter of fact, there are well over 8,000 active computer viruses in the world in any given twenty-four period and 5 new viruses are introduced daily. The majority of computers will catch a virus through an e-mail attachment or link. Most viruses will use an infected computers address book to distribute themselves, so you are much more likely to receive a virus from someone you know rather than a total stranger.
However, the best way to identify whether or not any attachment could be a potential virus hazard is by looking at the extension (suffix) of the attached file. Hazardous file attachments are .pif, .exe, .com, .vbs, .bat, .bin, .dot, .reg, .js, .scr, .xlm and .dll. While this list is by no means exhaustive these are the definite ones to be on-guard for. In case you’re wondering, catching a virus by file sharing is the second most popular way to get infected. File sharing whether you use removable disks, CDs, DVDs, memory cards/sticks or even synch cables can make your “never connected to the Internet†computer, vulnerable to catching a virus.
Protecting your computer from a computer virus infection is relatively easy if you follow these simple steps:
1. Put anti-virus software on all your computers whether they are Internet connected or not.
2. Don’t open or download file attachments (attached files) in your e-mails. Especially the ones with the extensions .pif, .exe, .com, .vbs, .bat, .bin, .dot, .reg, .js, .scr, .xlm and .dll.
3. Don’t click on links in the body of your e-mails.
4. Don’t download software from web sites that you do not know.
5. Never install software on your computer unless you know where it came from.
6. Run a manual anti-virus scan for every 24 hours you use your computer.
7. Be sure that your anti-virus software is up-to-date. All anti-virus software products usually provide updates every 2 – 4 weeks and this service is free of charge to registered users for up to a year.
8. Received an e-mail from someone you know but didn’t expect them to send you a file attachment? Call the person first, before downloading or opening the file attachment to confirm that it really came from them. Some virus programs are very good at making it look like they are just files sent to you from someone in yours or your friends e-mail address book.
9. Put firewall software on all your computers that are temporarily or permanently connected to the Internet.
If you follow these simple steps you should be able to stop a virus before it infects your computer.
Copyright © 2005-2006 Dr. Robert Ing, www.drroberting.com
Computer Viruses – The Real And Present Danger
If you’ve never been the victim of a computer virus, you may think that all of the uproar over these nasty little programs is making much ado out of nothing. You may even be thinking that computer security experts and anti-virus companies are using scare tactics to sell anti-virus software. After all, the bigger the problem, the more software people buy. Today, the anti-virus business is worth several billion dollars and it shows no sign of slowing down.
So, with all of this money at risk, you are certainly justified in wondering whether computer viruses really are as big a problem as the industry says they are.
Unfortunately, the answer is that they absolutely are. If you get a virus, you could actually lose your money, your identity and your computer’s hard drive. With new viruses being developed constantly, the problem continues to grow. While many viruses are more annoying than destructive, even a “harmless” virus can use up valuable resources. The worst viruses can spread worldwide in a few days and wreak unbelievable havoc. The damage from one infamous virus can mean billions of dollars in lost business opportunities and damaged equipment.
With all of this bad news, is there any good news for computer users? Take this quick risk quiz:
1. Does your computer have antivirus software installed on it?
If you can say yes, you are much less a risk than people that don’t have antivirus software. If you say no, than it is only a matter of time until you find out about viruses personally.
2. Does your computer have a firewall installed on it?
If your response is yes again, you can relax a bit. You’re doing all you can do software wise to keep your computer safe from a deadly virus. If you say no again, you are leaving your computer wide open for an attack.
Despite all of the media attention paid to antivirus software, people still have the “It can’t happen to me.” mentality. They laugh off warnings to protect their computers and say that they are working just fine. They think that because they never actually initiate a file download or send and receive files with friends, they are safe. A few months go by and suddenly they can’t get their computers to boot up forever and then when they finally do start, they plod along at a snail’s pace.
To make things worse, quite a few of these computer users who leave their computers unprotected are actually taking classes for computer related careers. They are completely at sea when they have to try to repair the damage caused by a virus filled computer. Perhaps a basic class on computer care and repair is in order!
You are probably wondering how viruses develop anyway. Hackers are the people creating these nasty bugs, right? Actually, while some hackers may decide to create computer viruses, most of them spend all of their waking hours attempting to break in to the most secure and top secret systems they can find. People who write viruses are people with an ax to grind. They want to send a wake up message or show people that they are superior to them. Today, many people are concerned that computer viruses could be used as a terrorist weapon.
If you do get a computer virus, will you lose everything on your hard drive? It actually is rare for this type of virus to spread very fast or far. Annoying viruses that stop you from starting your computer or using windows or those that mail spoof emails to your entire email address book are much more common. The hard drive is usually recoverable when the computer has one of these viruses.
What about your financial and personal information? Are viruses really likely to swipe them from the computer. Absolutely. This is a common reason that viruses are created and spread.
Is there any way to keep your computer virus free? While no anti-virus software is foolproof, installing one of these programs can provide some protection. While there are anti-virus software programs that provide better protection, any of them will help somewhat. Even free anti-virus programs are actually able to ward off at least some viruses.
After reading this information on viruses and anti-virus software, you have probably resolved to get protection for your computer right away. If so, you won’t be sorry. Dealing with viruses after you are infected is frustrating and time consuming. It is so much easier to keep a disaster from happening instead of trying to reconstruct a ton of missing data and worry about identity or financial thefts after the fact.
