Securing your computer And actually making it run :-P

Okay, this little guide will show you how to:

1) Lock down your computer (secure it)

2) Possibly make it even faster.

 

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Since the days of the web, in 2000 your computer would be attacked within a good 15 to 30 minutes. Nowadays its merely 15 seconds and BAM! Your computer has been hit by the sasser worm and all kinds of gunk and worms from the internet.

Why did I write this guide? Well locking down computers is an important aspect of daily computing. Would you like your computer participating in the next DoS (Denial of Service) attack where it could bring down major websites? Would you like your computer to be in control of a hacker?

I think not...

 

There are several ways a computer can get very unstable. These causes could be:

1) Spyware/Adware downloaded onto your computer without your knowledge (or you didn't know it). These programs for example are adware: KaZaa, Download Accelerator Plus and these programs for example are spyware: Gator, GoZilla!

The difference between spyware and adware is that spyware is a program that intently does harmful things to your computer. They may steal your personal information and transmit it back to a server for example.

 

To remove spyware I would highly recommend getting an adware/spyware removal utility.

ALTHOUGH MCAFEE ANTI VIRUS AND SYMANTEC ANTI VIRUS CLAIM TO REMOVE SPYWARE, THEY ARE NOT THAT EFFECTIVE YET. I DO NOT RECOMMEND THEM TO BE USED FOR SPYWARE/ADWARE REMOVAL

https://www.safer-networking.org/
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https://www.safer-networking.org/

Spybot Search and Destroy 1.3 is the best freeware adware/spyware removal tool I have seen on the net. Download it and follow the easy to use instructions. And get rid of that spyware!

NOTE: Some programs may not work after removing adware/spyware. (Who ever said anything was free??)

 

2) Fragmentation on your computer

Fragmentation happens. Files are not stored contigously on the Hard Disk. They are placed EVERYWHERE on the hard drive. The File Allocation System determines how many chunks and their sizes will be on a HDD. For example on a 40GB FAT32 HDD the cluster size would be 32KB whereas a 40GB NTFS HDD the cluster size would be 4KB.

NTFS will allow for better efficent use of space, however it is considerably slow compared to FAT32 if your HDD is slow. Let's say you had a 32KB file for example.

For NTFS, It would need to divide the 32KB into 4KB chunks, so it would be 8, 4KB chunks. FAT32 will only need 1 32KB chunk. Reading files in this case would be significantly faster. However then there is efficiency of space.

If there was a 4KB file, it would take only 1 4KB chunk. Whereas on FAT32 it would still take up 1 32KB chunk. Another 32KB chunk will be used when the file goes over the 32KB size.

Okay anyway, now think of fragmentation like this. You have a file cabinet filled with folders (folders of course) and paper (files).

You take a folder out, read the paper and put it back in anywhere you liked it. out of order.

Now do this repeatedly and you'll get a very disorganized folder. Nothing is alpabetical and it will take a very long time to find the folder you want. This is what's happening on the HDD every day and its impossible to eliminate.

BUT it is possible to reduce!

Do not use the Windows Defragmenter. It is slow and hardly does anything. I highly recommend this defragmenter:

http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/ https://l''>https://l'>http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/ https://l

Diskeeper Lite is based on the Diskeeper 7 defragmenter. It contains the DK7 defrag core tech without the fancy stuff like automatic defragging and such. but it does get the job done very well.

 

3) Errors on your disk.

Time to time your compy will freeze and you'll have to do a "cold boot". Now if you do this frequently, you'll start to get a LOT of write errors on your disk. Your HDD, OS, CPU will need to take time trying to interpret the rather damaged file. Running disk check will correct the errors and thus no need or the computer to think waht the file says everytime!

Start> Run> C:\ > Right Click> Click on Properties> Tools> Error-Checking> Check Now

and restart your computer after it says it'll need to reboot in order to check.

 

Locking down your computer

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Firewalls

There are two main types of firewalls out there for the hoome user. The more practical and cheap to deploy assuming you update your software regularly software firewall and the hardware firewall which I will explain in a moment what it does.

Software firewalls give users more control over programs and are VERY flexible. You can specify which ports to open or block as you please and you can adjust a program's internet permission if it can send data or if it can recieve data or both. The downside is that software maintenance is a must like Anti-Virus programs and they are rather annoying.

Hardware Firewalls or "routers" as they are often called are simple. They hide every computer port. How? The Router takes control of your IP's assigned IP. The router assigns an independant IP for each computer. You can call it a "mini server" if you'd like.

Anyway, the thing is, a router is NOT a computer!!! therefore it technically does NOT have any ports! Any attack assigned to the router will fail because it does not have a operating system.

 

Software firewalls, a good free one is Zone Alarm Basic. You can get it at
http://www.zonealarm.com/

 

What exactly does a firewall do?

A firewall essentially hides all ports on your computer so it looks as if your computer is not online. When a ping gets requested, the computer with a firewall will not respond, indicating a dead end for the hacker.

So how are programs able to send and recieve data? Firewalls allow certain programs access. If the request on the incoming packet indicates a program from your computer requested the data, the packet is let in.

 

Anti-Virus

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AV programs are essential for computers these days. However please do remember that an Anti Virus program is only good as how updated it is. If its outdated (without the latest definitions) it will not be able to detect and get rid of new viruses. Therefore making it useless.

They will block certain trojans and most viruses from running. Modern Anti Virus programs have a module in memory that scans a program for infection before it is ran. If the program is found to be infected, you will be denied access to the program from spreading further infection.

 

Good AntiVirus programs are: McAfee Anti-Virus, Symantec Antivirus, and Sophos Antivirus from what i've seen.

There are free AV programs out there. The only one I know of is AVG Free-Edition (and yes there are free updates for it ) I do not know its effectiveness is however. And The AVG free edition is ALWAYS the last iteration of the AVG's AntiVirus program.

 

Downloading Guide

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When you download software, just skin through the EULA and check to see the privacy statement of the program.

Read it carefully! some programs actually do state they transmit some personaly identifiable information to servers! these programs include such as Gator, GoZilla!, and Download Accelerator plus.

Also, remember nothing is ever free unless if its really free (like charityware or something).

best practice update frequently : less bugs, and also you may prevent some old virusesdo a background check of the company software before installing anything from them, most of free software company notify the users that they have to install spyware.don't visit porn site or install anything from them, watch vcd instead :)customize your browser settings also may prevent some wormsnever accept a plugins to be installed from untrusted site

I've had much spyware and adware on my system in the past and recently, it sucked up RAM like a vacuum!!

If you need to clean up spyware, I know an effective spyware remover, I highly suggest Webroot's SpySweeper. It worked for me!

Get it here! https://www.webroot.com/us/en/home/products/expired-offer

best practice

 

update frequently : less bugs, and also you may prevent some old viruses

 

do a background check of the company software before installing anything from them, most of free software company notify the users that they have to install spyware.

 

don't visit porn site or install anything from them, watch vcd instead

 

customize your browser settings also may prevent some worms

 

never accept a plugins to be installed from untrusted site

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Ahhh practices! I forgot about to add that section

Actually for patches, if you don't use WMP and IE and if you also install a firewall you should be fine without any vulnerabilities

But yes, I have to agree Patching and updating is one of the most important things you have to do

Just want to add this: choose a good hardware, something not defective. Good parts make up a good computer. Making a good computer isn't just in the software, it's kind of more balanced... Software and hardware. You can't actually run a good computer if you have defective hardware functioning on it even if you have the most updated software and security updates.

oops, sorry, i posted this a while ago.. seems the mods have since created a Windows sub-forum and put this thread in it... this post was ABout Securety on Non-windows machines.

Two popular spyware programs like Adaware and Spybot Seach & Destroy gets rid of the spyware currently on your computer. If you want to prevent spyware from being installed in the first place, you should try using Spyware Blaster. This program changes some settings in your registry so that spyware cannot be installed in the first place.

 

 

adaware

http://www.lavasoft.com/

 

spybot search and destroy

https://www.safer-networking.org/

 

spyware blaster

http://www.brightfort.com/spywareblaster.html

Two popular spyware programs like Adaware and Spybot Seach & Destroy gets rid of the spyware currently on your computer. If you want to prevent spyware from being installed in the first place, you should try using Spyware Blaster. This program changes some settings in your registry so that spyware cannot be installed in the first place.

adaware

http://www.lavasoft.com/

 

spybot search and destroy

https://www.safer-networking.org/

 

spyware blaster

http://www.brightfort.com/spywareblaster.html

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I would like to add this little nice Anti Virus software to the list ...

http://www.avira.com/en/free-antivirus-windows

 

This is a very good anti virus software that is free and u can also get the updates for free ...

 

yes.. this is free. no spyware or adware with this antivirus programm..

my combo for eternal safety:-kaspersky antivirus, greatest virusscanner ever-sygate firewall. or use the one in your router to keep the weight off your pc-spybot s & d!-mozilla firefox!!! **** internet explorer for sure!

As to quote myself in a remark to currahee's advice to get a malware killer :

All spyware/adware killers will permanently damage your system.

Spyware and Adware are only to be removed in one single way, and that is by uninstalling the program it came with. If you use malware killers, then you will damage the malware's uninstall mechanism which means, your pc will never be able to be cleaned again. Sure, they might delete some of the spyware, but you don't really believe that, do you? Companies today have plenty of ways to bypass these methods and hide themselves from these killers. C2 Media for example is practically uneradicatable. If you have some of their dirt, then using a Malware killer will make sure that you will never be able to get rid of it anymore.

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I personally have Adaware SE. But when I detect malware, the first thing to do is to check what files are really detected, as long as they're just cookies, all is fine, but when there are diffrent kind of things detected, you need to first figure out what programs they came with and uninstall those. Try reinstalling them without added sponsers. (for example, Messenger Plus! has an optional sponser included. During the setup it asks you whether you want to install it. Most people just click Yes, thinking it's a boring license agreement and click next. Let this be a warning for you all to read what the setup says, and not just click away!)

BLAH tot he quote above spy ware being removed from a program wonj't always corrupt the uninstall mechanisme for exmaple...Kazaa lite...you can remove the spyware and still have the program uninstall but kazaa ont he other hand won't allow the program to work anymore if you remove the spyware unless you have extensive knowledge of the prgram and you rewrite some of its lines....I say remove the spyware at your own risk...or you could always buy the program legally and not worry about spyware all together

You only just proved that I was right, actually. =/

For one, if it doesn't always corrupt it's uninstall mechanism, it does sometimes, and a solution that works sometimes and screws up other times, is no solution at all but only worsening.

Secondly, if it screws up the program you're working with, you're even further away from where you wanted to be. Yet again, the conclusion is, no removal.

And indeed, remove spyware at your own risk, as I stated I do, but at your own risk, meaning, if you know nothing about it, be certain that you will most likely screw things up rather than making them better.

yeah you're right, but I when I say remove spyware at your own risk I assume that you know what you're doing and have a good idea of what programs make you keep the spyware and what programs "alow" you to remove it without corrupting your files like I said before...Kazaa lite allows it...Kazaa doesn'tn btw your signature picture isn't displaying n e more

Lol, honestly, there's like, never some admin or moderator online. Yet you seem to be here quite often and as am I. I'm not saying who it should be as I don't know the people here too well, but this board sure does need more moderators. I think I shall be talking to Opaque about this.

Lol, honestly, there's like, never some admin or moderator online. Yet you seem to be here quite often and as am I. I'm not saying who it should be as I don't know the people here too well, but this board sure does need more moderators. I think I shall be talking to Opaque about this.

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yeah good idea.....I've only been here to days but this forums pretty fun and I get free webspace so I'm like meh wtf I'll do this for kicks...I just can't w8 for my webspace that way I can finaly transfer all my stuff from ym current site to this one....I hope The admins will be here soon to accept webspace requests....and I say the to of us would make good moderators although we have been abusing this topic