broughie config

[broughie]

Also use Macrium Refect Free and I virus/malware check all downloads nowadays with various scanners including Virus total ,then run in sandbox first before installing. No longer download free movies and PC progs via torrents after contracting Zero access rootkit & malware necessitating reinstall .Use Ccleaner and Privazer daily and StartPage ultra private homepage/ Search engine. Now use only Sandboxed Firefox browser .
Just installed Hitman Pro Alert - is it any good ? feedback appreciated plus any other security suggestions.

 

[Deleted member 178]

-Malwarebytes Pro
-Spyware Blaster
-Win Patrol

None of them needed if you have Avast, they will just eat your resources


spybot is old technology for the old school version (until v1.6), useless for the recent one

 

[WalterWolf]

You can remove:
Spyware Blaster
Win Patrol
Eset Online Scanner
Spybot
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You can add Comodo Firewall for real-time,and On-Demand you can add Hitman Pro

 

[broughie]

HI Thanks but have to disagree with your comments based on personal experience
(1) Avast, Avg, MBam and Msie do not detect low level nasties and spyware pests which I find and remove regularly from my two sons computers which are detected only by Spybot which I use to remove together with ADW cleaner .Very recent examples Ilivid, Babylon, Delta toolbars , MyWebsearch and Searchnu . I have read Spybot also vgood for stopping keylogging. (but I use virtual keyboard )
(2) Mbam Pro often flags up types of malware missed by Avast on mine and sons pc's , yesterday in fact.
(3) Win Patrol is very light on resources and unintrusive , it proactively monitors my pc and gives alerts of every programme or file trying to instal itself or any trying to change my internet homepage. Twice ive had nasties in past repeatedy reinstalling themselves despite file and registry deletion ,rebooting etc with a complete failure by AVG ,Mbam and Spybot to detect/ remove.One of these was malware opened from a notorious "Hallmark Cards" email.
Only way I could finally remove them was by using Win Patrols excellent "delete at boot up" facility.
As a heavy PC & internet user I find that employing several different types of specialist malware/spyware/monitoring programmes together with Sandboxie gives me and my family the best possible defence against the current great variety of pc infections.

 

[Ink]

Have you considered about upgrading to avast! 8?

FYI, Windows XP SP3 supports end early-April 2014, http://windows.microsoft.com/windows/end-support-help
- Consider upgrading to Windows 7 SP1 or 8.
- Consider switching to another OS (Mac OS X, Chrome OS or other Linux variants (Ubuntu)).

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Warez/Pirated software often contain malware and/or other nasties aka the Trojan-Horse effect.

Hope that was good lesson to learn from about downloading software from unknown sources.

You should enable Show Hidden File extensions before running any files.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/865219

Also about encountering spyware and PUP (toolbars), have you considered using a Standard UA, or implement stronger use of Sandboxie?

No longer download free movies and PC progs via torrents after contracting Zero access rootkit & malware necessitating reinstall.

 

[broughie]

Hi thanks Earth for suggestions , have now upgraded to Avast 8 after getting Avast pop up reminder yesterday.
Am a fan of XP & wish it would continue beyond 2014 & need Windows for what I do .Have held out because when trying my old but brilliant HP laser printer on sons Win7 PC found it not to work & HP website reported it incompatible. Also my Nero full suite paid for software which I use a lot- same situation & no doubt other progs. So lot of expense for upgrade to win7/8 plus hardware & software, to think about.
Reading your forum recently I already changed to show hidden extensions last week -very useful thanks.
Excuse my ignorance but what is a Standard UA that you suggest? also do you mean a paid version of Sandboxie or better use of free one eg using "explore contents" option?
Finally yes have learned a lesson about downloading stuff & gained lots of valuable info from the forum already .
many thanks