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BASIC
INFORMATION
What is a virus?
A computer program loaded on to your computer with the intent of
doing some damage to your system. A virus "piggybacks"
on top of some other program or document in order to execute. Once
running it replicates and is able to infect other programs or documents,
perhaps even wiping out the entire contents of your hard disk. Often
spread through e-mail attachments and browser vulnerabilities. More
info..  Menu
What
is a worm?
A computer worm is a self-contained program (or set of programs)
that is able to spread functional copies of itself or its segments
to other computer systems. The propagation usually takes place via
network connections or e-mail attachments. More
info.. Menu
What
is a Trojan horse?
A Trojan horse is a malicious program or code that performs unexpected
or unauthorized actions. The main difference between a Trojan and
a virus is that a Trojan cannot replicate. Trojans cause unexpected
system behavior and compromise the security of systems. Often spread
through e-mail attachments and browser vulnerabilities. More
info.. Menu
What
is spyware?
Spyware is a software application that monitors a user’s computing
habits and personal information and sends this information to third
parties without the user’s authorization or knowledge. It is
often downloaded inadvertently as part of a "free" offer.
More
info.. Menu
What
is browser hijacking?
Increasingly common, browser hijacking is caused by malicious code
which can alter your browser settings without your knowledge (for
example; permanently changing your home or search page). Browser
hijacking exploits browser vulnerabilities. More
info.. Menu
PROTECTION TIPS
Security check
A good place to start is to find out how vulnerable you are to
attack, and determine your Internet security needs from there.
Symantec offers a free System Security Check which will test your exposure to a wide range
of online threats. Free online virus checking is also available
at the site. Perform
check Menu
Anti-virus
software
 Install
an anti-virus program. This program will scan any file or attachment
you get over the Web for known viruses, and warn you if any virus
is detected.
Correctly
configure the anti-virus software so that it performs as designed.
Improperly configured anti-virus software can be as good as no software.
Update
your virus definitions regularly - viruses spread so quickly
that it is wise to check for new virus definitions every day
if possible. Configure your software to update automatically if
the feature is available.
Enable
the automatic virus scanning feature if available. All Web and
e-mail communications will be scanned.
Configure
your anti-virus software to start automatically on start-up
and run at all times. In case you forget to boot up your anti-virus
software, configuring it to start by itself will ensure you are
always protected.
Free
anti-virus software is available below Menu
Firewalls
Install
firewall
software. This program will screen out many types of malicious
traffic and attacks.
Correctly
configure the firewall so that it performs as designed. Again,
improperly configured software can be as good as no software.
Configure
your firewall to start automatically on start-up and run at
all times.
Free
firewall software is available below Menu
Spyware
Detection
Install
a spyware
detection/removal program. You may inadvertently be sending
personal information to a third party without your knowledge. Apart
from this, spyware can slow your system down significantly.
Free
spyware detection/removal programs are available below Menu
Download
Managers
Install
a download manager. These programs are not actually intended
to improve security, but they can. Download managers integrate with
your browser and let you schedule downloads and resume them automatically
if a connection is lost and restored. These programs can be configured
to download all files of certain types rather than let your
browser download those files automatically.
Configure
your download manager to download all .exe (executable) files
and you can avoid a lot of troublesome programs being installed
on your system without your knowledge.
Free
download manager software is available below Menu
Browser
Hijacking
Install
browser hijacking prevention. These products will protect
your browser settings and (hopefully) prevent your browser from
ever being hijacked.
However, if you have already been infected, you will need
software specifically designed to remove this sort of garbage so
that the problem is solved completely.
Free
hijacking prevention/removal tools are available below Menu
E-mail virus protection
tips
Identification
- Understanding the nature of attachments is the first step
towards safety. Any executable attachment has the potential
to be infected.
(By default, Windows hides file extensions. Click
here for instructions on enabling file extension viewing.)
Intent
- An executable attachment should not be opened unless it was specifically
requested or expected. Since e-mail worms are sent to addresses
found on infected users' machines, just knowing the sender is no
proof of intent.
Necessity
- The simplest rule: If you do not need the attachment, don't
open it. Delete the email instead.
Update
your system (Windows) - Ensure Windows is fully patched
against any known security vulnerabilities. Visit Microsoft's
Windows Update
site. The site will automatically scan your system
and provide a list of recommended updates specific to your operating
system.
Microsoft
Outlook (not Express) - disable the "Automatic Preview"
feature. You can find this option under Tools > Trust Center. Menu
General
tips
Always
download files from well-known, trusted sites
Back
up your files on a regular basis
Disconnect
from the Internet when idle Menu
FREE PRODUCTS
All
the products listed below are highly recommended and free for non-commercial
use.
To keep your system protected these products must be correctly
configured and regularly updated.
| ANTI-VIRUS
SOFTWARE |
PLATFORM |
SITE |
Avast!
4 Home Edition
Scans for viruses, worms, and Trojan horses (including e-mail).
Virus definitions updated at least twice a week. Real-time protection.
Free for home use after registration. |
Windows |
Information page
Download page |
AVG
Anti-Virus
Automatic virus definition updates, real-time scanning, e-mail
scanning. Free for home use. |
Windows |
Information/
Download page |
BitDefender
Centralized management console allows virus scan, scheduler,
automatic virus definition updates, quarantine, reports. |
Linux/
Windows/
Palm |
Information/
Download page |
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| FIREWALLS |
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Sygate
Personal Firewall
Protects against Trojans, spyware, worms and other known &
unknown threats. Prevents unauthorized or malicious applications
from bypassing the firewall.
*No longer available direct from
Sygate - link goes to Tucows download |
Windows |
Information/
download page* |
ZoneAlarm
Login authentication, trusted applications, MD5 signature support,
customizable security levels, limited e-mail protection. |
Windows |
Information/
download page |
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| SPYWARE
DETECTION/REMOVAL |
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Ad-aware
SE Personal
Scans your memory, registry, hard, removable and optical drives
for known datamining, aggressive advertising, tracking components
and hijackers. |
Windows |
Information/
download page |
Spybot
- Search & Destroy
Scans your memory, registry, hard, removable and optical drives
for known datamining, aggressive advertising, tracking components
and hijackers. |
Windows |
Information page
Download page |
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| DOWNLOAD
MANAGERS |
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Download
Accelerator Plus
Advanced management of downloads with comprehensive information
of downloaded files and sources. Configure DAP to capture all
incoming executable files. |
Windows |
Information/ Download page |
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| HIJACKING
PREVENTION |
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SpywareGuard
SpywareGuard protects your system from browser hijackers and
spyware that alters your Internet Explorer settings. |
Windows |
Information
page Download |
SpywareBlaster
Protects spyware from being installed on your system. |
Windows |
Information/
download page |
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| HIJACKING
REMOVAL |
|
|
Ad-aware
SE Personal
Scans your memory, registry, hard, removable and optical drives
for known datamining, aggressive advertising, tracking components
and hijackers. |
Windows |
Information/
download page |
Spybot
- Search & Destroy
Scans your memory, registry, hard, removable and optical drives
for known datamining, aggressive advertising, tracking components
and hijackers. |
Windows |
Information page
Download page |
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| MACINTOSH
PRODUCTS |
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McAfee
VirusScan for Mac
VirusScan offers non-intrusive, effective protection against
viruses, worms, trojans, and other malicious code, enabling
peace-of-mind for Mac users.
Note: This
product is no longer free, but a trial version is available
prior to purchase |
Macintosh
OS X
(10.1.3 or later)
Power PC G3
(or later) |
Information/
download page |
MacScan
MacScan is designed to detect, isolate and remove spyware,
keystroke loggers, Trojans, and bring awareness to remote
administration type applications which could have been maliciously
or inadvertently installed on your Macintosh.
Note: This
product is no longer free, but a trial version is available
prior to purchase |
Mac OS Classic
Mac OS X |
Information page |
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Today
it is 
What
is a virus?