The other big popular one is Avast ( <a href="http://www.avast.com/eng/download-avast-home.html" target="_blank">http://www.avast.com/eng/download-avast-home.html</a> ). I have been using it for a few years without any issues and the boot time scan is quite nice for PC's with troublesome infections.
I majorly f-ed up my folk's PC this past weekend (I didn't realize their av had expired!)
I got whatever virus / malware it is that makes it seem like you have a fake spyware detecter and finds a bunch of crap then asks for your credit card # to remove it all. (Glad *I* found it, my mom would have pulled out her wallet).
Anyways, I downloaded Malwarebytes from CNET ( <a href="http://download.cnet.com/Malwarebytes-Anti-Malware/3000-8022_4-10804572.html?tag=contentBody;mostPopTwoColWrap" target="_blank">http://download.cnet.com/Malwarebytes-Anti...stPopTwoColWrap</a> ) and that completely took care of the issue. (it's free to scan your computer - you'd have to pay for the real time scanning though).
So in short. Avast as a good free AV, and if you let me F-up your computer, Malwarebytes does a good job :)
OSX. But on all the PC's I work on regularly, Malwarebytes catches 99.9% of any infections, even those that prohibit it from running (some malware look for the MBAM exe or installation, if you try to run it and it won't open, rename the EXE, and it'll open fine).
I generally use Spybot Search and Destroy and Spywareblaster for persistent protection, with AVG for A/V, then only install/scan with MBAM as needed.
But as said above, simply avoiding malware by safe internet habits will keep you clean. Also, use Firefox, not IE, that helps alot too.
I use Avira Anti-Vir as antivirus and that's it. I never felt the need to have a Spyware/Malware scanner always installed. Sometimes I'll install one just for a scan, and they'll mostly never turn out anything except saying I should empty my cookies folder.. But my choice would be Ad-Aware (which you don't want anymore) or Malwarebyte. These always help me clean friends computers.
I think most would agree common sense is the best protection, but the fact I don't tend to get infected may be because I'm pretty much the only one using my computer and I've got enough experience to know what will and will not get my computer infected. Sharing a computer with a family or many coworkers however can quickly become a nightmare.. But since some people never seem to learn even after telling them 1000 times what not to do and what to watch out for, I guess anti-spyware/malware do serve their purpose.
For manual removal I use: <a href="http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896653.aspx" target="_blank">Process Explorer</a> to look for strange processes <a href="http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb897437.aspx" target="_blank">TCPView</a> to look for strange connections <a href="http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb963902.aspx" target="_blank">Autoruns</a> to remove startup entries <a href="http://www.google.com/ncr" target="_blank">Google</a> to query for names of processes/files I don't recognize <a href="http://free.antivirus.com/hijackthis" target="_blank">HijackThis</a> to look at strange browser objects
But I've heard <a href="http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php" target="_blank">Malwarebytes</a> is very good at cleaning stuff automagically.
For malware prevention I use Firefox + NoScipt + Adblock Plus (though the latter is more anti-ad than anti-malware) And a decent AV, in my case <a href="http://www.free-av.com/en/index.html" target="_blank">Antivir Personal</a> with heuristics on max.
Anyone know what PC setting/s might prevent me from downloading from cnet? I download the file using FF and the popup box says "cancelled - download.com", and the actual file download is "not a valid application. I also have issues with cnet using IE.
SpoogeThunderbolt missile in your cheeriosJoin Date: 2002-01-25Member: 67Members
Try downloading from MajorGeeks instead: <a href="http://majorgeeks.com/Malwarebytes_Anti-Malware_d5756.html" target="_blank">http://majorgeeks.com/Malwarebytes_Anti-Malware_d5756.html</a> In my experience, CNET is a swamp.
<!--quoteo(post=1731787:date=Oct 12 2009, 09:43 AM:name=Spooge)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Spooge @ Oct 12 2009, 09:43 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1731787"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Try downloading from MajorGeeks instead: <a href="http://majorgeeks.com/Malwarebytes_Anti-Malware_d5756.html" target="_blank">http://majorgeeks.com/Malwarebytes_Anti-Malware_d5756.html</a> In my experience, CNET is a swamp.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> Hmmm, same results, either browser. Could AVG be responsible?
Weirdness indeed. I am able to download plugins off of nsmod.org, flash games off of arcade sites, etc. It seems files with "exe" extensions are giving me fits.
Comments
I got whatever virus / malware it is that makes it seem like you have a fake spyware detecter and finds a bunch of crap then asks for your credit card # to remove it all. (Glad *I* found it, my mom would have pulled out her wallet).
Anyways, I downloaded Malwarebytes from CNET ( <a href="http://download.cnet.com/Malwarebytes-Anti-Malware/3000-8022_4-10804572.html?tag=contentBody;mostPopTwoColWrap" target="_blank">http://download.cnet.com/Malwarebytes-Anti...stPopTwoColWrap</a> ) and that completely took care of the issue. (it's free to scan your computer - you'd have to pay for the real time scanning though).
So in short. Avast as a good free AV, and if you let me F-up your computer, Malwarebytes does a good job :)
Used Avast! and Malwarebytes on other computers.
I generally use Spybot Search and Destroy and Spywareblaster for persistent protection, with AVG for A/V, then only install/scan with MBAM as needed.
But as said above, simply avoiding malware by safe internet habits will keep you clean. Also, use Firefox, not IE, that helps alot too.
Have heard decent reviews of Avast! and malewarebytes.
Chrome is pretty shiny most of the time, dunno how much more secure it is than Firefox. I just like the features.
I think most would agree common sense is the best protection, but the fact I don't tend to get infected may be because I'm pretty much the only one using my computer and I've got enough experience to know what will and will not get my computer infected. Sharing a computer with a family or many coworkers however can quickly become a nightmare.. But since some people never seem to learn even after telling them 1000 times what not to do and what to watch out for, I guess anti-spyware/malware do serve their purpose.
It had to be said, now ignore me.
Not surprised no one recommended Lavasoft's garbage.
I've lost count of how many times MalwareBytes has saved my ass ^_^
<a href="http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896653.aspx" target="_blank">Process Explorer</a> to look for strange processes
<a href="http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb897437.aspx" target="_blank">TCPView</a> to look for strange connections
<a href="http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb963902.aspx" target="_blank">Autoruns</a> to remove startup entries
<a href="http://www.google.com/ncr" target="_blank">Google</a> to query for names of processes/files I don't recognize
<a href="http://free.antivirus.com/hijackthis" target="_blank">HijackThis</a> to look at strange browser objects
But I've heard <a href="http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php" target="_blank">Malwarebytes</a> is very good at cleaning stuff automagically.
For malware prevention I use Firefox + NoScipt + Adblock Plus (though the latter is more anti-ad than anti-malware)
And a decent AV, in my case <a href="http://www.free-av.com/en/index.html" target="_blank">Antivir Personal</a> with heuristics on max.
Thanks.
In my experience, CNET is a swamp.
In my experience, CNET is a swamp.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Hmmm, same results, either browser. Could AVG be responsible?
I"ll PM you with a link that will work.
Depot, you must have malware that is preventing you from getting anti-malware stuff. How brilliant!
Thanks for sending me the file Zaggy!
avg is quite a drag