Public Service Announcement (Free PC protection)

[DoctorDRAG0N]

Hello KoA!
This is a public service announcement brought to you by your friends @ KoA Staff.

I bought a brand new pc last year & these (Free) products were recommended to me by 1 of our resident IT guys (Thanks Oobz!) Over a year later & I can't say enough good things about these services! AVG (anti-virus) scans links before they are ever displayed on your search engines & displays a green "check" for good links & a red "X" for sites that you want to stay away from.... and even stops you before visiting a potentially malicious site (you can choose to ignore this warning & continue to the site if you wish) & let's you surf the WWW in confidence.

Malware Bytes is a Free (updated daily upon running the program) Anti-Malware/Spyware tool that quarantines & removes virus's, infected registry files, keyloggers, trojans, root-kits & even ad-ware from your pc! These 100% FREE programs are a must for any on-line gamer or web afficianado. (And no I do not work for these companies) :lol:

Upon installing AVG be sure to select the "Free" version (not the 30 day free trial) It is the same as the paid version (without live tech support which is totally unneccesary)

If you already own anti-virus/malware,spyware then by all means continue to run & scan often, if you do not... WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? THESE PROGRAMS ARE FREE! Do not wait until your RS account is hacked, get protection now!

Anti-Virus protection
http://download.cnet.com/AVG-Anti-Virus ... 20142.html

Malware/Spyware protection
http://www.malwarebytes.org/
(Click "Download now" not "Buy Now" Buy now is for pro version & again the only added benefit is live tech support)

Thank me later & Safe Surfing KoA!

[Tamal]

I thought that there was a key logger recently that AVG didn't find (I could be confusing AVG with avast).

Also I've heard that Microsoft/Windows Security Essentials is great.

[DoctorDRAG0N]

Thanks Tamal, both programs (AVG & Malwarebytes) are best when used together. AVG is more of a preventative tool (Warning you before visiting malicious sites or downloading harmful files) & Malwarebytes cleans up anything that may have (already) slipped through. If you already own anti-virus/malware programs by all means continue to use them! If you don't then you have
EVERYTHING TO LOSE & peace-of-mind to gain by utilizing these free services.

Cheers-DD

[Deep_Pain]

I thought that there was a key logger recently that AVG didn't find (I could be confusing AVG with avast).

Also I've heard that Microsoft/Windows Security Essentials is great.

Yeah I always used AVG free, but thought I'd try something new when i switched to windows 7.

I've been very happy with security essentials, microsoft really do seem to have upped their game.

re the keylogger I think they all miss something every so often, and all the free ones have shuffled position in the detection rates over the last couple of years.

[Jerry Ousity]

i just use 1 program i do not have antivirus software on either pc but a controlled firewall and a program called ccleaner which i run daily i never have used an antivirus on my studio set up because it dont go online but my new alienware laptop i do go online with it but ive never had a problem yet (taps on wood) but thanks doctordragon for the public service announcement its a good tip. i dont know much about windows but this is good to know.

[Deep_Pain]

I would STRONGLY advise you get some antivirus software Jerry.

[Moonballz]

Thanks! My computer is new so I have still have free PC protection. I plan on downloading these once my trials are up:)

[Sky_Armada]

I love Microsoft Security Essentials also.

thanks for the tip, double D

[Jax]

i just use 1 program i do not have antivirus software on either pc but a controlled firewall and a program called ccleaner which i run daily i never have used an antivirus on my studio set up because it dont go online but my new alienware laptop i do go online with it but ive never had a problem yet (taps on wood) but thanks doctordragon for the public service announcement its a good tip. i dont know much about windows but this is good to know.

CCleaner won't protect your computer it only cleans your browsers history, latest computer activities (documents and files you open are usually remembered), empties temp folder, recycle bin and removes some of the dead registry entries.

I use only 'Microsoft Security Essential' and have also 'Microsoft Fix it Center' (I usually try to fix computer related problems myself). In addition I have also CCleaner but as I said thats more for cleaning rather than protection.

About virus protections, there isn't a perfect program only some are better than others and usually the reason why people get viruses are themselves. Why I use 'Microsoft Security Essential' is rather simple first it dose the job as basic protection and second it doesn't take much resources.

[Diplomatt]

I would STRONGLY advise you get some antivirus software Jerry.

Yes, Yes Yes!

Jerry, Dude! Do you know how devious the people who write virus, worm and malware threads are! I even wrote one once (under controlled conditions on a UNIX course) just to see if it could be done. Needless to say, the instructor wasnt very happy when 'We' had to reload the complete UNIX network and 20 computers!! (He was also monitoring me and my endeavors to write a virus on a system that was supposibly 'unvirusable' and was interested in what I was doing). To the computer geeks in the clan, it wasn't a real virus, but I managed to chock up every bit of disc space and crash the system!

I have used lots of different programs and have seen how they slow your system down. Thats why I plug for Microsoft Security Essentials.................they are the people who know exactly how windows runs and exactly how to integrate the anti-virus into the programing with minimal slowing down etc etc. I also reccomend it.

Saying this, your anti-virus is only as good as the updates you receive and every day, your network connection is 'pinged' by 'nasty' people for holes and chinks in its armour just to make a buck out of you or trash your system for a laugh. The best anti-virus in the world can still let stuff through if it's a brand new thread that hasn't been seen before!

Get one loaded Jerry!

Andy

[buzzsaw100]

MSE is beast, my family used to use McAfee that we got for discounted prices through work, but ever since a few viruses got through (and McAfee tried and failed at removing them) we tried MSE, and it both removed the viruses and haven't had anything happen since. To top it off, I've tried removing McAfee like 5 different ways, but its stuck in my system >.< and still attempts to update.

[Jax]

MSE is beast, my family used to use McAfee that we got for discounted prices through work, but ever since a few viruses got through (and McAfee tried and failed at removing them) we tried MSE, and it both removed the viruses and haven't had anything happen since. To top it off, I've tried removing McAfee like 5 different ways, but its stuck in my system >.< and still attempts to update.

Have you tried this link for removal: http://support.microsoft.com/fixit. Helped me once with Ad-aware (couldn't remove it also).

[Zaijal]

AVG is a great free antivirus program, i've used it for years and years now. Only reason I don't use security essentials is because the majority of "fake" antivirus programs mimic security essentials and get users to run fake scans which actually infect their computer. So be careful if you use that program it's happened to a few friends of mine.

[Deep_Pain]

Yeah that's my one worry with mse that microsoft is always going to be the biggest target for exploits etc.. But with that specific problem (fake MSE) if u download mse from microsoft u wont have any problems like that.

[Megacarlos3]

Tahnks man !! free >not free without a fee!