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[Technology] Whats the current thinking on PC protection?



Technology develops at such a fast pace these days that I thought I'd ask people who know a whole lot more about than I do (which is probably everyone on this board with the possible exception of BG :)) what they thought.

I currently have AVG free running all the time and run Malwarebytes free about once a week, and Ccleaner free when I think about it (notice any pattern here?)

Is this enough do you think or is it worth paying for something, just in case that nice Mr Putin decides to unleash cyber mayhem?

is it worth upgrading one of the things I currently use or should I consider using something else?
 




madinthehead

I have changed this
Jan 22, 2009
1,771
Oberursel, Germany
Malwarebytes plus an AV is good. Being careful is the best security. If a link doesn't look right, don't click it.
If you want to check dodgy links or websites of ill repute, use something like sandboxie.
Make sure you keep all your software/ operating systems up to date too.
Be wary of unexpected emails too..
Follow all that and you will be on the right track.
 


neilbard

Hedging up
Oct 8, 2013
6,280
Technology develops at such a fast pace these days that I thought I'd ask people who know a whole lot more about than I do (which is probably everyone on this board with the possible exception of BG :)) what they thought.

I currently have AVG free running all the time and run Malwarebytes free about once a week, and Ccleaner free when I think about it (notice any pattern here?)

Is this enough do you think or is it worth paying for something, just in case that nice Mr Putin decides to unleash cyber mayhem?

is it worth upgrading one of the things I currently use or should I consider using something else?

product-box-KTS.png :thumbsup:
 


beorhthelm

A. Virgo, Football Genius
Jul 21, 2003
36,031
if the Russians engage in some cyber warfare it will be targeting infrastructure and major companies rather than your desktop. the stuff you mention is sufficent s/w protection, the most important protection is not opening links in unsolicited email or going to dodgy parts of the internet.
 






father_and_son

Well-known member
Jan 23, 2012
4,653
Under the Police Box
Technology develops at such a fast pace these days that I thought I'd ask people who know a whole lot more about than I do (which is probably everyone on this board with the possible exception of BG :)) what they thought.

I currently have AVG free running all the time and run Malwarebytes free about once a week, and Ccleaner free when I think about it (notice any pattern here?)

Is this enough do you think or is it worth paying for something, just in case that nice Mr Putin decides to unleash cyber mayhem?

is it worth upgrading one of the things I currently use or should I consider using something else?

My experience has been that the "paid for" services are generally sub-standard when compared to any 'open-source' or free options.
I ran a bundled copy of Norton for a year and then when the renewal was due, switched to Avast!. On it's first run Avast found 6 trojans/viruses running on my machine that Norton had happily let through.

As a side note, I remain unconvinced that much of the online "hacking" activity hitting the general public isn't the result of the White Hats running some Black Hat activity to boost panic (and sales).
I just can't believe that the coders don't deliberately publish scripts they know *they* can block; propagate other trojans; if not outright start, a significant portion of the detectable surf-by hacks in order to justify their own existence.
 




Thunder Bolt

Silly old bat
Malwarebytes plus an AV is good. Being careful is the best security. If a link doesn't look right, don't click it.
If you want to check dodgy links or websites of ill repute, use something like sandboxie.
Make sure you keep all your software/ operating systems up to date too.
Be wary of unexpected emails too..
Follow all that and you will be on the right track.

Yes, I had an email which looked as though it came from Paypal, saying I had spent £144.95 on a leather jacket. I checked the email address which looked genuine. I logged into my Paypal which wasn't showing anything pending and then Googled spoof Paypal emails.
I realised it was a spoof and this was the advice

Forward the entire email to spoof@paypal.com.
Do not alter the subject line or forward the message as an attachment.
Delete the suspicious email from your email account.

I did and nothing came out of my account.
 




beorhthelm

A. Virgo, Football Genius
Jul 21, 2003
36,031
something to watch showing stylised internet attacks. cant recall how they determine an attack verses general activity, and some may be router errors spamming other systems.
 


happypig

Staring at the rude boys
May 23, 2009
8,184
Eastbourne
Two strategies: Prevention and Recovery.

Prevention is good AV software (AVG or Avast are fine), not clicking dodgy links or installing software with unknown provenance.

Recovery is having a backup strategy; get a USB hard drive (preferably two, keeping one off site) and copy all your valued stuff to it; don't use proprietary backup software, copy it "as is" so you can access it from any machine/operating system.
Download/burn a "live" linux distro so that if you lose your OS, through malice or damage, you can use the machine before rebuilding; I'd recommend mint (https://linuxmint.com/).
If you feel able/willing, you can install it to run alongside windows in a "dual boot" system; these days it is quite straightforward and doesn't really require technical knowledge.
 


BensGrandad

New member
Jul 13, 2003
72,015
Haywards Heath
I accept that IT is not my strong point:smile: but I have avast and occasionally it shows that it has come across something and asking if I wish to upgrade. I always click no but is this a free upgrade if not is it worthwhile still installing it.
 






happypig

Staring at the rude boys
May 23, 2009
8,184
Eastbourne
I accept that IT is not my strong point:smile: but I have avast and occasionally it shows that it has come across something and asking if I wish to upgrade. I always click no but is this a free upgrade if not is it worthwhile still installing it.

The free Avast is fine.
 






CheeseRolls

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jan 27, 2009
6,234
Shoreham Beach
Users of AVG free should check that they are comfortable with the Terms of Use, which were changed significantly last year.
Don't dismiss the default Microsoft options under Windows 10 Windows Defender is much improved, I use this and a paid version of malwarebytes.
Don't neglect basic security on your Internet router. Change default passwords and if you manage this yourself check that you keep your firmware up to date.

Consider an Internet router that also provides some levels of protection. Currently I have a BT Router with Wifi turned off. It is connected to an Asus Router that runs Trend Micro and which gives me WiFi. In the last month it has detected and blocked 7 security events (suspected ransomware) and blocked access to 186 malicious sites. By all means protect your PCs, but so many other smart devices around the home use the Internet now and some of them have appalling security.
 




Two Professors

Two Mad Professors
Jul 13, 2009
7,617
Multicultural Brum
Another vote for Windows Defender and changing router passwords,plus being a bit careful with e-mails.
 


happypig

Staring at the rude boys
May 23, 2009
8,184
Eastbourne
Users of AVG free should check that they are comfortable with the Terms of Use, which were changed significantly last year.
Don't dismiss the default Microsoft options under Windows 10 Windows Defender is much improved, I use this and a paid version of malwarebytes.
Don't neglect basic security on your Internet router. Change default passwords and if you manage this yourself check that you keep your firmware up to date.

Consider an Internet router that also provides some levels of protection. Currently I have a BT Router with Wifi turned off. It is connected to an Asus Router that runs Trend Micro and which gives me WiFi. In the last month it has detected and blocked 7 security events (suspected ransomware) and blocked access to 186 malicious sites. By all means protect your PCs, but so many other smart devices around the home use the Internet now and some of them have appalling security.

What Asus router have you got ? Considering going down this route as the Homehub 5 is somewhat short of configuration options. Preferably something that can be flashed with ddwrt if the stock rom isn't configrable enough.
 






GOM

living vicariously
Aug 8, 2005
3,261
Leeds - but not the dirty bit
I accept that IT is not my strong point:smile: but I have avast and occasionally it shows that it has come across something and asking if I wish to upgrade. I always click no but is this a free upgrade if not is it worthwhile still installing it.

Always UPDATE (to up to date free version) but no need to UPGRADE (to paid version)
 


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