• Kaspersky Internet Security
  
• Avira AntiVir
  
• Avast! 5
  
• AVG Free 9.0
  

• Comodo Firewall
  
• Online Armor
  
• Zone Alarm
  
  
  Avoid Java Drive-By's
  
  
  What is a 'Java Drive-by'? A Java Drive-by is a download, but it disguises itself to be a Java applet, or an ActiveX component, and is installed without the user's notice. The drive-by usually occurs once you open a web page.The user would see that a pop-up would ask them to 'Run' or 'Cancel'. The normal user would typically click 'Run', because it they might think the clicking 'Run' would continue onto the web page, in actuality, they have just been infected by a malicious file.
  
  How do you prevent this? There are a few ways you can do this.
  
  
• Disable Java : Yes, this can be a tad tedious, but if you're really that worried, you can disable Java. You also have the ability to disable Java in your web browsers. This should only be used as your last option!
  
• Keep your Java Updated : Older versions of Java might have security exploits, which is obviously bad, and we don't want those! If you keep your Java updated to the latest update, some the the drive-by's will be detected, and or patched. You can update the latest Java update here. If you do update Java, be sure to remove the previous versions from your computer, as Java does not.
  

• Run the file in Sandboxie. Sandboxie is a program that runs other files, programs, URL's, etc. in a secluded place on your computer, without the risk of infection. If you suspect a file is infected, you can run the file in Sandboxie, and see if it drops any traces of malware.
  
  
• Run the file in a virtual machine. A virtual machine or a 'VM' is a program that lets you install another Operating System inside the program. This can be great to use for testing infected files, because you can run the file on the VM's Operating System, and not on your main one. This can save you from becoming infected.
  
  
• Submit the file to online malware file scanners/analyzers, such as; Virus Total, NoVirusThanks, Anubis. Virus Total and NoVirusThanks are used to scan the submitted file to different anti-viruses, and gives you the results back. While Anubis, on the other hand, actually sees what the submitted file does to a computer, with information, such as; Temporary Files created, Registry changes, Affected files, etc. These websites are outstanding when it comes to analyzing and scanning files.
  
• Scan the file with your anti-virus. It's as simple as it sounds. It might not be the most effective solution, but it's quick and easy.
  

• Always check the URL address of the website you are about to sign into. For example, a phisher for Live, could be 'Live.freewebs.com'. A website often used to be posed as, is Facebook.
  
• Don't give out your information in e-mails that pretend to be your bank account. This is a very common method of stealing one's credentials. The victim will receive an e-mail from their 'bank', asking for their credit card number, name, etc. to verify themselves, or something of the sort. The hacker then uses the information given by the victim to commit fraud, identification theft, etc. Sadly, multiple people fall victim to this.
  
• Avoid 'generators'. What I mean by that, is avoid programs or web pages that say they can give you "free points" or "free membership." None of them are real, and are either malicious, fake, or even a phisher.
  

• Internet Explorer
  • Tools > Internet Options > Security Tab > Set security level to "High", or Custom level > Cookies > Disable.
    

• Mozilla Firefox
  • Tools > Options > Privacy > Cookies > Remove the check next to the "Allow sites to set cookies" option.
    

• Mozilla Firefox
  • Click on Tools button > Click on 'Choose Recent History' > Make sure the 'Cookies' box has a check mark next to it > Click the 'Clear Now' button.
    

• Internet Explorer
  • Click on Safety button > Click on 'Clear Browsing History' > Make sure the 'Cookies' box has a check mark next to it > Click the 'Delete' button.
    

• Google Chrome
  • Click on the 'wrench icon' on the toolbar > Click 'Clear Browsing Data' > Place a check mark next to 'Delete Cookies' > Click the 'Clear Browsing Data' button.
    

• Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware is an excellent offline malware scanner.
  
• ESET Online Scanner is an online malware scanner. This version must be used in Internet Explorer.
  
• ATF Cleaner is an application that cleans out temporary files, cache, cookies, etc.
  
• HijackThis is a program that generates a log of many entries. This is an indispensable when it comes to removing finding malware. The log created is analyzed by a HijackThis Helper to determine infections. Other programs and methods are used remove the infections. Never try to remove any entries in HijackThis, it could only cause more harm, if you don't know what you are doing!
  

(07-11-2010, 12:22 PM)Weed Wrote: You use SF Silver? This is Mute.

Anyways, good guide.

(07-15-2010, 12:00 PM)Technology Wrote: good guide...cheers !

(09-01-2010, 07:53 AM)Zurmi Wrote: Hey that's a good guide!

Good work.