PC protection utes

[rootbeer]

My computer is a year old a month from now. The subscription to Norton Internet Security 2005 and eTrust Pest Patrol will be expiring on/about May 7. I am tending to think there are better utilities out there that will do a better job of stopping spyware and adware (and trojans) than the aforementioned two. I just ran a free webroot.com spyware scan as offered on the Kim Komando Radio Show. It found half a dozen spywares and two adwares.

So now I'm thinking I want something better. I tried a free shot with Zone Alarm, but got nowhere with it. What do you guys use? I want to avoid having to spend $30 on each of umpteen different utilities. I want my email address book protected, I want my webtracks erased, I want all cookies and any other crumbs sent into the ether and I want any/all URLs obliterated-- I don't want anybody to know where I've been or who I spoke to when I was there. I want so much protection I can't remember myself where I've been or who I am.

Thanks.

[congo]

Zonealarm Security Suite does everything.

There are freeware as well.

Nothing will stop you from being tracked, your IP is identifiable at all times and there is no way around this unless you use someone else's internet connection.

I have excellent security software in place but my IP practically gives out my home address, a very poor state of affairs indeed.

[rootbeer]

So you're saying I can get Zone Alarm Pro and throw away everything else that claims to protect against this threat but not that threat? My machine takes almost three minutes to boot. I suspect there are a dozen, two dozen-- maybe more,  processes running in the background. I want to get rid of all the clutter, but don't know what I need and don't need.

[congo]

ZA security suite is a firewall, antivirus, antispyware, mail protector, cache cleaner, web filter all in one thingy.

It is the only thing I allow to run in my startup.

http://www.securetecdownloads.com/files ... 001_en.exe

It's not free, you need a license key after 21 days.

Their basic firewall is free.

It's a good idea to have at least 2 or 3 antispy programs.

[congo]

You probably have more stuff running in the background than you could imagine.

Hijack This! is a clever little program and there is plenty of support forums to analyse the logfile for you.

http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/downloads.html

I log about 6 lines, you may be in the hundreds....

[rootbeer]

If you buy protection utilities through Kim Komando, you can get two years for the price of one. She offers several items on her website like that. I guess I'll have to wait until a later time for more of those abacus publications software goodies. I wanted EZ-VFR so I could just look down and see where I was, but I gotta protect my machine, you know...

Well, I went to the link you supplied and saw more stuff than I can understand in a month of Sundays. What's my next move?

[congo]

Do you mean the Hijack This! link ?

Would I assume you downloaded and ran it and found the log?

If so, google Hijack This! log help or similar and you'll get into a forum somewhere where it can be analysed and recommendations can be made.

Depending on your knowledge you could scan it yourself.

If you delete items for the sake of it, some software may not function correctly.

Personally, If the software requires automation and pre-run routines, I won't use it unless absolutely vital, there are usually alternatives.

You could email me the log if you want, and I'll go thru it and send it back with my recommendations based on my limited PC software knowledge and a view to some severe culling....... up to you.

[rootbeer]

No; I saw so much stuff that I didn't know what I was looking at. What I saw was not on my computer; it was all the things available at that site. I didn't know which one to choose or even where to start. Remember, I am a trucker-- not a computer scientist.

[congo]

Scroll down to Hijack This! and a download link.

[rootbeer]

OK...

Well, I saw at least 100 lines of gibberish with recognizeable words in there, like "Windows" and others that didn't seem out of place. I do not understand what I saw by any stretch of the imagination. Ther may have been more than 100; I didn't take the time to count them...

[congo]

Well, that would explain your long loading times.

I'll edit this with my log here and you'll see that I have few open processes and few startup plugins.

I can't see why it needs to be cluttered with 100 or so items, it's just insane. My PC works fine without it all.

Logfile of HijackThis v1.99.1
Scan saved at 5:06:58 PM, on 10/04/2006
Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v6.00 SP2 (6.00.2900.2180)

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\Program Files\Zone Labs\ZoneAlarm\zlclient.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\ZoneLabs\vsmon.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\IEXPLORE.EXE
S:\000_Program Bin\Hijack This\HijackThis_1.99.1.exe

R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Local Page =
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Local Page =
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Zone Labs Client] C:\Program Files\Zone Labs\ZoneAlarm\zlclient.exe
O17 - HKLM\System\CCS\Services\Tcpip\..\{A00C8D57-C3E4-4810-95BC-57F3E43B11E5}: NameServer = two

[Fozzer]

I have AVG and Norton constantly scanning my PC for Virus's.
...and they seem to work OK...
For Trojans and Spyware programs I run Spybot and Adaware daily, to detect and remove any of them.
The only thing I cannot stop, however, is Spam E-Mail entering my "In Box" every day....
....I think everyone has the same problem... ...!

It just seem a fact of life that every morning we all have to spend time deleting dozens of useless Spam E-Mail.
My Service Provider filters them all out for me in advance, but I am still left with having to delete them all every day... ...!
...it's annoying, more than anything else...!

I would love to know how these annoying Spammers get my address, who posts it, and where it is all posted from......!

Fingers crossed, it's a long time since my 'puter was infected by something really nasty...  ;D...!
Maybe the trick is to immediately delete all suspicious incoming E-Mail, and stay away from "Dodgy" Sites....whatever they are... ...LOL...!

Cheers all... ...!

Paul... ...!

Hi Congo....
Note that I still haven't installed Win XP Service Pack 2 yet as I'm not experiencing any major problems at present, and the fact that the SP2 Firewall is not installed (or a Router) means that I dont have any problems running "Multiplayer" which other users experience.... ...!

[rootbeer]

congo...

What I saw looked just like what you show. Mine is a factor of 10 or 20X longer, though. I also didn't take the time to to read many of them. I am not sure I can get it back; maybe I'll just have to do it again and save it somehow at that time.


Fozz...

Everybody gets spams. I get about a dozen a day, but my ISP sends them straight to my Bulk folder, where they sit until I come along and blow them away. I don't even bother to read them. I see the subject is usually a few words that are unrelated and that's the Kiss of Death for that one. I'll see "dog fin yacht" and it's sent by someone I've never heard of. It's "Bye bye" for that one!!

[congo]

I get zero spam. Hotmail is all I use.

[Fozzer]

I get zero spam. Hotmail is all I use.

Congo....
...let us in on your little secret for not getting E-Mail Spam... ...!

My E-Mail is handled by my ISP, Freeserve, via my Firefox browser, who filter the Spam and throw it into my Junk Folder ready for me to delete..!
I don't use E-Mail for sending anything out,  so how come I get so much Spam in my In-Box...
My "proper"incoming E-Mail is just info from a few "Trusted Sites" which I register and sign up to...eg: The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, KRON4 news, BBC news,.....and similar "sensible" Sites...LOL... ...!

One thing I take great care not to do is publish my Internet Address in any "Profiles" etc, on any of the Sites which I use... ...!
...(That's where "Phishers" get our details from)......!

So, why do we, (apart from you!), get all this annoying Spam in our Mail Box... ... ...!

Your secret is eagerly awaited, Congo...LOL...!

Paul...I hate Phishermen... ...!
LOL... ...!


....root...
..If you are getting E-Mail Spam in the depths of the Nevada Desert then there's not much hope for the rest of us... ...!
LOL... ...!