best/popular security software & ZA problem

[Tbag]

I use use AVG antivirus, ZoneAlarm Firewall and Ad-Aware and I just want to know what do other people use?



ps. when i use to click on 'check for update' in ZA a window came up say 'up to date' or it would take me to the site to update but when i click it now it says checking for update then my internet explorer window just flashes for a split second and thats it, its ver 6.5.731 why is this?

Just recently 2 porn icons just appeared on my desktop and 2 in programs but I DO NOT go to those sites, is there a lapse in my security?

[CrayonEater]

The secret to security on Windows is not to use Internet Explorer. It's an open door onto your system, what with all the bugs and the "features" that are as bad as any bug. Ditto, to a slightly lesser extent, to the other high-level Microsoft apps, that is, Outlook and Windows Media Player.

The most important security product I have is Firefox and Opera. I prefer Opera because it is faster, but Firefox renders every website I go to flawlessly every time. I disable Java in both simply because it too has all sorts of security flaws pop up, though I will enable it on an as-needed basis if I am certain I am dealing with a reputable site.

I use Kerio Personal Firewall 2.1.5 with a Sponge Type 4 Spyware Blocklist as my main software firewall. KPF 2.1.5 is too old to be a front-line firewall, but I have a router as well as a linux Snort_Inline IPS. I use Avira Anti-Vir on most of my machines though I have AVG on a few. All my machines vary somewhat due to different OS, puposes, etc. I also use a small HOSTS file from the Sponge geocities site. I used to use DNSKong and Proxomitron, but the former doesn't work well on XP (though I haven't tried the latest version) and the latter is not as important to those of us who don't use IE.

As for your porn icons, run SpyBot S&D and Ad-Aware, as well as Ewido anti-spyware. This is exactly what I'm talking about with IE - your firewall won't protect you against this stuff unless you specifically block known spyware sites (that's where the Kerio lists come in) but it's impossible to block them all. After they clean everything up they can, try running HiJackThis! and post a log just to make sure everything is sanitized. Also, if you right-click the porn icons and click properties (DO NOT double-click or launch them!), let me know what they link to and let me see how to address that specific piece of malware.

[MJA]

for risky internet users AVG sucks big time.you need something more powerful like Kaspersky.remove AVG ,and install 30 day trial Kaspersky .also try spybot like he said.just be sure to update spybot before run it

http://usa.kaspersky.com/products/

[Scorpion King]

Windows firewall is ok I suppose, I've got it active.

I'm setting behind an encrypted router and it offers some protection too I guess.

I'm running ZoneAlarm and "I" control which programs go online. This offers me a alot of protection I think.

I run Hijackthis from time to time. But I always have a clean system.

From time to time I will run AdAware. It finds a few cookies (which I set to manual by the way), but most everything else is pretty clean.

I don't use IE. Like CrayonEater, I use Firefox and I like it better.

I don't open attachments that aren't simple forward emails or photo files. If I suspect an email of being potentially dangerous I run a few simple searches with Google.com with phrases, attachment names, etc, and have found virus emails that were sent to me, unopened of course.

I don't run anti-virus software.

I'm the only uses of my system so most of my security is 'me'. 8)

[TBoneit]

I use use AVG antivirus, ZoneAlarm Firewall and Ad-Aware and I just want to know what do other people use?



ps. when i use to click on 'check for update' in ZA a window came up say 'up to date' or it would take me to the site to update but when i click it now it says checking for update then my internet explorer window just flashes for a split second and thats it, its ver 6.5.731 why is this?

Just recently 2 porn icons just appeared on my desktop and 2 in programs but I DO NOT go to those sites, is there a lapse in my security?

IMHO and Experience from work. The Porn icons indicate you have some sort of spyware in your system. Try this one to scan. Download, update then Scan.

http://www.ewido.net/en/download/ it runs full featured for 30 days, then goes to free less features mode.

[ahhaa]

I also gotta say Firefox avoids a lot of problems; and if you need an IE window for a particular site, Firefox has an extension you can add that opens IE inside Firefox!
https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/1419/

Try that, Mr.Bill!:]

[jimmalenko]

Don't let all the IE / Microsoft zealots get to you ...

IMHO IE is fine. All it takes is a little common-sense in your surfing habits - namely, porn and warez sites. These seem to be the 2 worst genres for generating spyware / virii / trojans etc etc. I use AVG and Ad-Aware (scheduled to run automatically in the middle of the night every night via command line) as well as the hardware firewall capabilities of my router without any issues whatsoever.