Neat security software

[Smith6612]

Well, for those of you who are up to date on the news, you should already know that current methods of fighting Malware real-time is starting to become obselete, and of course, defeated easilly. I came across a program called GeSWall which is basically a mix between an anti-malware program such as MBAM, and a sandbox such as Sandboxie. The neat thing is, what it's primary purpose is for is to isolate untrusted programs such as web browsers, e-mail clients and IM programs, and of course download managers from the system. What this does is, should you come along something that is malware infested and you execute it, or it executes on it's own, because it is isolated and marked as "untrusted", the malware will fail to run entirely, as it has no rights what so ever. Also, should it remain running, you can terminate isolated applications on the spot.

You guys should try checking it out and seeing how you like it. The free version will work great, but of course the paid version offers a bit more protection and a few other tools.

http://www.gentlesecurity.com/

If you guys want any nasties to throw at this program, try throwing some Malware such as Antivirus 1. Just take note, that if you do download some nasties, you should only try them on a machine that has a clean install of Windows after a multi-pass zero fill format (to make sure everything that used to be on the drive is completely corrupted) from Darik's Boot and Nuke (DBAN), and is isolated from the network. Much of the malware these days will in fact gather data from My Documents and transmit it to a server, and some of the ones out there will modify every system file possible (including boot.ini, NTLDR, etc). If you want me to link you to some nasty files, I can find a few and send them to you.

 

[zen-r]

Thanks Smith6612, I'll give this a look sometime.

 

[steronius]

sounds interesting.... i'll give it a go. Thanks!

currently i'm adding WOT and AdBlock Plus to firefox (WOT avail for IE too), plus running ThreatFire, Sandboxie, and <enter favorite anti-virus here> as my measures of security. ...and MalwareBytes.org

OH WAIT i FORGOT, LINUX AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE.

 

[Sharky]

I run Avast and the rarest of all anti-malwares: commonly known as Common Sense.

 

[zen-r]

.. the rarest of all anti-malwares: commonly known as Common Sense.

I tried using that once - it was sadly lacking in all departments!

 

[ichwar]

Any one ever tried SpyWare Nuker? That's about the best winDos protection I've found so far?

 

[steronius]

i searched Spyware Nuker, and WOT showed red circled all over the place.

 

[ichwar]

Interesting. I used it a while ago and it did quite a good job.

 

[Smith6612]

Common Sense is the ultimate tool to use for defending people's computers the best. Obviously I use it since I am the one having to deal with these on a regular basis on other PCs I'm asked to clean up (going to take a look at one tonight that I got called up about at 8PM last night). Common Sense would or should at least tell anyone to 1: Use Firefox, 2: Get Ad-blocker, 3: Use a HOSTS file to it's advantage, and of course 4: Don't do anything stupid unless you know how to fix it and know the risks!

 

[steronius]

Yes well you and I are computer literate and use common sense, everyone else, priceless:nuts:.

 

[Smith6612]

Yes well you and I are computer literate and use common sense, everyone else, priceless:nuts:.

Free Malware infested PC Cursors/Smiley Packs/Video Codec/Video Converting software anyone? :biggrin: I for a matter of fact got home last night from cleaning up a PC which had modified PC cursors, Smiley Packs, and some other software that was giving the PC malware. Every piece of that software got removed as it turns out, the owner of that PC didn't install those and their relatives wound up installing those. Not to mention I found a registry cleaner (ugh), a rogue anti-virus program and a useless "PC Tune-up" program.

 

[xav0989]

Common Sense is the ultimate tool to use for defending people's computers the best. Obviously I use it since I am the one having to deal with these on a regular basis on other PCs I'm asked to clean up (going to take a look at one tonight that I got called up about at 8PM last night). Common Sense would or should at least tell anyone to 1: Use Firefox, 2: Get Ad-blocker, 3: Use a HOSTS file to it's advantage, and of course 4: Don't do anything stupid unless you know how to fix it and know the risks!

I used that technique for so many years with my computer and never got a problem. I don't even think I had a firewall installed!
But then I had to trow my computer away and we ended up with a single computer for the whole family, I had to install all the junk commonly called antivirus, anti-spyware, anti-... as my younger brothers were not as aware of the risks as me.

 

[Smith6612]

That is unfortunately what happens when there is only one PC in a home and it is a family PC. You need to use preventative measures on those things as you have done. Here, I have more PCs than humans in my home (10 PCs) which all have network access, as well as a bunch of internet enabled devices. My gaming PC, laptop and PSP are mine; aka you touch it without asking and you die. Everyone though insists on only using one PC though besides all of these PCs, but they ask me about things before they install.

 

[lhyman]

you also now have:

Microsoft Security Essentials Beta

http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/

 

[xav0989]

That is unfortunately what happens when there is only one PC in a home and it is a family PC. You need to use preventative measures on those things as you have done. Here, I have more PCs than humans in my home (10 PCs) which all have network access, as well as a bunch of internet enabled devices. My gaming PC, laptop and PSP are mine; aka you touch it without asking and you die. Everyone though insists on only using one PC though besides all of these PCs, but they ask me about things before they install.

The problem with my network at home is that I am not allowed to buy a wireless router or actually any router at all. I have to use the modem/router given by my ISP which has one single port. This means that I can only have one thing connected at the same time (Wii, PS2 or computer - I choose computer). However, since my aunt is moving and changing computer, router, printer, etc. She said she would give computer and router to me. If she actually does, I'll install Linux on the computer and set up the router (it's wireless). This way I'll be able to leave the windows computer to the family and use common sense on Linux.

 

[Smith6612]

The problem with my network at home is that I am not allowed to buy a wireless router or actually any router at all. I have to use the modem/router given by my ISP which has one single port. This means that I can only have one thing connected at the same time (Wii, PS2 or computer - I choose computer). However, since my aunt is moving and changing computer, router, printer, etc. She said she would give computer and router to me. If she actually does, I'll install Linux on the computer and set up the router (it's wireless). This way I'll be able to leave the windows computer to the family and use common sense on Linux.

Who is your ISP? For what I know the ISP modems these days either go into bridge mode which can allow you to direct connection a PC and a router, or the modems themselves are routers. Honestly, the ISPs don't care, even though you can buy their equipment for networking and they can smack you with a little fee if they do that. Here, I have Verizon DSL as my ISP. The modem they gave me is in fact a wired DSL modem/router that takes both USB and Ethernet, however, I have the modem in a bridged mode (which means it's only taking the DSL signal, converting it to usable data and sending it over Ethernet for my routers to take care of and authenticate my account), and from there it goes into a Linux router which is the meat and potatoes of my network. From there, just a bunch of gigabit switches and a Wireless N access point.