For the past seven years I've watched the influx of spyware, adware and malware become a daily problem for my customers and co-workers and one question has always troubled me. "how did I get this?" After quizzing the already frustrated user about e-mail, downloads and websites I would always assume game downloads or porn sites. Before chucking the problem up to one of these reasons, read this article by avast.
My suggestion to all of my customers has always been
- Always use a good antivirus software. The most expensive one at the store may not be the greatest, the one with the best known name may not be the greatest. Top 5 antivirus programs to purchase are Viper, Bitdefender, Kaspersky, Panda and Norton. Top free antivirus programs are AVG, Avast and Avira.
- Always use a antispyware program. Isn't this the same as antivirus? No. Doesn't antivirus do the same thing? NO. Doesn't my antivirus take care of this too? YOU AREN'T LISTENING. NO, NO, NO!!!! You can not rely on your anti-virus software to take care of anything more than viruses which leave you wide open to all kinds of malware. The best one I've found that specializes in root-kit attacks is SuperAntispyware (programmed by geniuses and named by a 5 year old, i'm sure)
- If you have an anti-phishing filter (not to be confused with NO FISHING) on your browser please keep it turned on.
- Quit reading mail from people you don't know and quit sending the chain mail. To all my readers, you will not save little timmy's leg, there is no little girl saving the deer with water from her hand, there is no stalker in the wal-mart parking lot under your car, there is no gang initiation waiting for you to flash your headlights, or any of thousand other ridiculous chainmail stories that just aren't true, and you'll for sure not find a thousand dollars from Bill Gates, true love, world peace, or anything else at the end of these insane e-mails. Get an education at snopes.com for God's sake.
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