Computer Security Guide
In this blog post I will have two sections; One will be how to perform a quick infection removal from your computer and the second section is what kind of security software I recommend. Click any of the options below to view the required information.
View quick infection removal guide...
The Quick Fix
- All software featured here is 100% free.
- On your Windows computer:
- Go into Control Panel then into Add/remove programs
- Look for any of the following programs and uninstall them as they will conflict with the free applications I am recommending: Norton, McAfee, Kaspersky. (These are paid anti-virus programs but the free programs can be more efficient, faster and are of course FREE!)
- Go into Control Panel and then into Security and make sure your firewall is turned on.
- Download Avira.
- Install Avira.
- Download Malwarebytes Anti-Malware.
- Install Malwarebytes.
- Open up Avira and update the program. When it has been update start a full system scan (This can take anywhere from 1-4 hours). Remove any infections it finds.
- When finished with Avira open up Malwarebytes and update that program. Then run a full system scan (This can take anywhere from 1-4 hours) and when it finishes remove any infections it finds.
- If you use Internet Explorer 6 there are possible security issues so try to use internet browsers such as Internet Explorer 7/8, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome or Opera.
To Future Protect the Computer
- Practice safe browsing and stay away from Limewire, websites with keygens, screensavers etc.
- If you want to fileshare/download music/movies learn how to use torrents ( Not endorsing file-sharing, just educating!).
- Download updates for your operating system (ie. Windows Vista, Windows 7).
- Keep your new software updated and run scans every other week. Just small scans needed.
- If your computer is still slow look into other programs such as CCleaner and Auslogics Disk Defrag.
View security software recommendations...
Note: If you're here because your computer is slow then read this great article first as this may explain and fix a few things for you.
Anti-Virus Software
You can only have one anti-virus program running on your computer. I recommend uninstalling your Norton and McAfee anti-virus software as they can consume large amounts of your computer's memory and may slow your computer down. Recently, Norton and McAfee anti-virus software has improved immensely but still require a yearly subscription. The software listed below are 100% free and do the exact same job. So install just one of these. Update it (and update regularly) and run a full preliminary scan.
- Avast! Anti-Virus
- AVG Anti-Virus
- Avira Anti-Virus ** Recommended **
- Microsoft Security Essentials
Anti-Spyware/Malware Software
You can have multiple anti-spyware programs running on your computer. But if you ensure safe surfing and update and scan your PC often then there will only need to be two anti-spyware programs on your computer, one scanner and one real-time protection. It's not recommended to have more than one anti-spyware real-time protection programs on your computer as they can interfere with each other. Update and scan often.
- Ad-Aware Anti-Spyware
- Malware Anti-Malware ** Recommended **
- Spyware Blaster Anti-Spyware
- Spybot - Search & Destroy
- SuperAntiSpyware ** Recommended **
Firewall Software
You can only have one firewall on your computer. Multiple firewalls can lead to cross-interference. If you have Windows Vista or Windows 7; the built-in firewall is adequate. Just make sure it's turned on. :D
Internet Browsers
An internet browser is the program you use to access and view internet pages. Generally speaking, all internet browsers are okay for browsing but some are more secure than others. It is recommended that you change your internet browser if you still use Internet Explorer 6 as it is the most used and the most security exploited browser.
Browser Add-Ons
You can use the McAfee Site-Advisor on both Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox. This handy tool enables you to see what websites are safe on your internet searches.
Cleaning your System
Sometimes you're computer being slow can be attributed to a general clogging up. Loads of files that are hanging around on your computer can be deleted. For example, files in your recycle bin and temporary internet files can be deleted. The disk defrag program will free up space on your hard drive and speed access times up.
- CCleaner ** Recommended **
- Glary Utilities
- Auslogics Disk Defrag ** Recommended **
Update your Operating System!
Security vulnerabilities are becoming more and more frequent and the only way to ensure your operating system isn't the weakest link in your security system is to update it regularly.
Online Scanners
If you are having trouble with scanning your computer for whatever reason, these free online scanners can be extremely helpful.
Hope this helps :) If these quick guides helps at least one person then it was worth the time writing it.
DISCLAIMER: If you attempt the above tutorial(s) then you do so at your own risk. Please note that you can make mistakes and delete important files or edit important settings. Read the tutorial thoroughly and everything should be okay :)