[Shop-talk] virus scanners

[eric at megageek.com]

OK, I've been involved with computer security for over 18 years.  I can 
tell you that the MOST IMPORTANT way to prevent virus is by understanding 
the threats and preventing behavior that exposes yourself.
Most importantly, not open/running apps and downloads from the internet. 
No matter how great a antivirus program you have, if you run the virus, 
they can get in.,  Many can actually defeat antivirus apps.

With that said, if this is your personal machine, MS Security Essentials 
OR AVG Free are fine.  (Note, I don't recommend more than one anti-virus 
because they can really start to drain resources.)

If it is a machine for others, then multiple AV installations are 
recommended, as well as limited rights on the machine.


One thing that EVERYONE should do on EVERY machine you have is to replace 
(or add to) your host file.  (for those on winX machines.)
I have complied a host file that eliminates all of the 
ad/virus/malicious/etc websites (there are thousands).

What this means...

When you are viewing "foxnews.com" for example.  You normally are loading 
the content from Foxnews, but you are also loading from ad sites and other 
websites.  These OTHER websites are the ones that get breached and where 
you normally get infected with viruses. 

My host file tricks your computer into thinking that all of these site are 
on the local machine and never loads them.  That means your browser only 
loads from the trusted sites.  As a side benefit, you no longer see ads on 
many pages, and you surfing speed is increased!

The host file is normally located in "windows/system32/drivers/etc" and 
the file has no extenstion.  Replacing it with my file is all you need to 
do.

Please note, the host file is a text document and this one has alot of 
comments on it so you can see what I'm doing here.

Please contact me if you have any questions...
>http://www.megageek.com/funstuff/fundoc.nsf/d601ad3d05e57888852566c00054521c/a60a238fb11251238525788c0044bcce?OpenDocument&Highlight=0,host<

Eric P
"Be as beneficent as the sun or the sea, but if your rights as a rational 
being are trenched on, die on the first inch of your territory." Ralph 
Waldo Emerson 




Peter Murray <peterwmurray at gmail.com> 
Sent by: shop-talk-bounces at autox.team.net
10/18/2012 10:35 AM

To
Tim <tputland at charter.net>
cc
Shop Talk <shop-talk at autox.team.net>
Subject
Re: [Shop-talk] virus scanners






I use AVG Free, but have started looking at others, as I have had
items slip through. ESET is at the top of my list. Avast! is good as
well, as is Microsoft Security Essentials. I do believe you get what
you pay for in this regard.

I would also recommend using Firefox (or Chrome) with the Adblock Plus
plugin. If you can deal with a little bit of additional attention, I
would highly recommend using NoScript. Javascript is one of the big
vectors for delivering a malicious payload, next to Adobe Flash and
PDF (always keep your Adobe Flash and PDF reader up to date).

-Peter