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+--- Thread: best way to combat spyware on windows computers? (/showthread.php?tid=95413)
best way to combat spyware on windows computers? - lazydays - 04-07-2010
I've been using spybot, is this the way to go or is there something better?
Re: best way to combat spyware on windows computers? - decay - 04-07-2010
install a hacked version of 10.6?
>
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Re: best way to combat spyware on windows computers? - M A V I C - 04-07-2010
decay wrote:
install a hacked version of 10.6?
>
Or a vanilla version, depending on the hardware
Re: best way to combat spyware on windows computers? - ztirffritz - 04-07-2010
It depends upon your goals. If you wish to avoid infection then you need to 1) train users not to open emails from unknown sources 2) don't go to websites that you wouldn't take your grandmother to 3) use AND maintain antivirus and antispyware software 4) come to terms with the fact that it just won't matter because eventually the computer will be compromised if someone is actually using it and it is connected to the internet.
In general I find that it is impossible to dodge malware on Windows machines even with all the precautions, but you can minimize the impact and downtime. Run Linux on the hardware, install VMWare and run a snapshot of Windows inside of Ubuntu. When the machine becomes crippled ditch that copy of Windows and restore a snapshot from back when it was healthy and fully patched and updated. Total downtime is likely less than 15 minutes.
Re: best way to combat spyware on windows computers? - ztirffritz - 04-07-2010
Between SpyBot and MalwareBytes I've had good luck removing most things, but sometimes it requires some horrendous hoop-jumping in Safe-mode to get them to actually run because some malware will disable them both.
Re: best way to combat spyware on windows computers? - decay - 04-07-2010
Seriously, though...
1. Firefox - make it the default browser.
2. Set up a non-admin account to surf in.
Re: best way to combat spyware on windows computers? - btfc - 04-07-2010
"Between SpyBot and MalwareBytes"
And make sure Windows is up to date, and install Windows Defender if you don't have it already
Re: best way to combat spyware on windows computers? - Mike Sellers - 04-07-2010
btfc wrote:
And make sure Windows is up to date, and install Windows Defender if you don't have it already
Keeping Windows Defender running has become a problem on my two Dells. Something will shut them off and I don't realize if for a week or two because I don't use them that often. I've done some searching and it seems to be a common problem but none of the fixes I've tried have permanently solved it.
Re: best way to combat spyware on windows computers? - cbelt3 - 04-07-2010
Here at work we use an agressive-compulsive firewall that kills application it doesn't understand. Fine for a corporate environment, but not so much for home usage. We also block the hell out of web sites that are teh devil. (Or non work related), etc..
Think defense in depth- anti virus, anti spyware, firewall (that runs in both directions, think "little Snitch" on the Mac side). And, of course, user training.
Re: best way to combat spyware on windows computers? - Lew Zealand - 04-07-2010
Firefox