Computer Technology Tip

A New Anti-Malware Program

If you are not familiar with this relatively new term "malware", it refers to all kinds of nefarious programs that may infect your are includes all kinds of viruses, spyware, adware, trojans, rootkits, and others. The word itself stems from "malicious" and "software".

I'm always looking for programs that deal with PC infections in new and better ways. I look for free programs that perform as intended. After considerable testing I make the decision to write about them so you have the necessary information to make your decisions. You may think that free software, particularly security software, can not be any good if it's free. Well, think again. Many free security programs are as good if not better than paid for versions. Why is this? Viruses, trojans, worms, spyware, adware, and all the other malicious garbage that can attack your computer isn't just a threat to you - it threatens everyone on the internet. This includes big companies and governments. It is in everyone's best interests to control these attacks, but that can't happen if a malicious program can hide in your PC. Therefore a number of private companies have committed themselves to providing free versions of their software for those that have not maintained security on their PC. A lot of this software is superior quality. Expect the worst if you have not updated your security software, scanned your PC for malware, allowed your security subscription to lag, or you have not installed security software. The following are my recommendations.

Number one; install an anti-malware program if you haven't done so. I highly recommend "Avast". This program is free and protects against all forms of malware and is available at www.avast.com. Number two; you need to provide supplementary protection in the form of an anti-spyware type program. I now recommend Malwarebytes. This program has become very popular during 2008 and has an uncanny way of finding malware that other security programs may miss during scanning. It's available at www.malwarebytes.org. On the left side of the page click the green block that says "Download Now!" The download will come from download.com which is a safe site for downloads of all types. Previously I had recommended Spyware Terminator for anti-spyware protection along with Avast. While Spyware Terminator still performs well it also has an annoying habit of intrusive pop-up windows. Some residents that are not familiar with the program have clicked to allow certain actions in these pop-up windows when they should not have, and have blocked other actions they should have allowed. If you are still running Spyware Terminator and understand how it works, then it's not necessary to uninstall it unless you want to.

After downloading and installing Malwarebytes there's nothing to configure in the program. That is a big plus in my book. Also there are no annoying pop-up windows to deal with - another plus. One item I'll mention is that this free version does not give you real-time protection. Real-time protection means that a security program will block intrusive infections or protect your PC while you are on the Internet. In summary, Avast does provide the necessary real-time protection and Malwarebytes provides superior clean-up should anything get by Avast. I believe this one-two combination will provide a secure, stable, and trouble free way allowing your PC to operate with very little slow down in its operation.

To find out more about how to download, install, run Avast, and Malwarebytes, come to our PC Club meeting. We address general computer, HDTV, and Comcast questions too. Our meetings are held on the second Tuesday of every month at 7:00 PM upstairs in Winfield Hall. Remember to check the Hershey's Mill website at www.hersheysmill.org and click on Tech Tips for past Technology Tips articles.

Don Trauger

To get answers to your questions about computers, please come to the PC Club meeting. The computer club meets the second Tuesday of each month at 7:00 PM in Winfield Hall.

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