Security Guide - Keep Your Beloved Computer Secure!

[GunMan]

Can this please be moved to the programs board? I think it belongs there more than it belongs here. Thanks.

Introduction

No computer is safe on this place we call the internet. You can very easily get hacked and lose control of your computer. In the worst case scenario, a system recovery is your last choice. Follow this guide and you will be fine and your computer will be safe from those vicious, disgusting, 12 year old children with no life that try to hax your computer.


Getting the best Anti-Virus you can

First thing's first, your computer is going to need a good anti-virus program. Anti virus programs scan your computer for any trojans, viruses, or anything else that's bad. You're going to need a good anti-virus program that detects the most things possible so you are aware of every virus, trojan, or any other bad program on your computer.

If you don't want to spend anything and are out for the best possible free Anti-Virus program, I suggest AVG Free. You can download it at AVG Free Advisor - Free antivirus and anti-spyware downloads. AVG is by far the best free anti-virus program. It's even better than most programs that you have to pay for. It has an easy to use interface and it detects almost all nasty programs on your computer.

If you have some spare cash around and prefer to pay for an anti-virus program, I'd suggest Norton AntiVirus: Antivirus Software - Spyware Remover which is a widely known and used program. It has a complete list of features on the link, so go there if you are interested.

Since some anti-virus programs aren't compatible with each other, only choose 1 and stick with it.


Keeping Your Computer Spyware/Adware Free

Making sure your computer does not have spyware is very important and is an absolute must do for everybody that uses the internet! Keyloggers are just an example of spyware, and they are really dangerous to have. They monitor every single thing you type, whether it be credit card numbers or passwords. They then get the information, which can lead to your accounts being lost or even worst - somebody going off and buying things from your credit card and making you have to pay. Preventing this is a must.

Spybot Search and Destory is a good anti-spy program. It's not a memory hog like a lot of the other spyware programs out there. It also has a nice user interface, so it's a must have. Go to The home of Spybot-S&D! to learn more info about it and see a complete list of features.

Some people probably have not heard of this, but I assure you, it works very well and it has Real-time protection. Go to Free spyware removal and spyware protection - Spyware Terminator to learn more about it.

AVG also has an anti-spyware program. AVG Anti-Virus and Internet Security - AVG Anti-Spyware is where you can learn more about it. There is a free version or you could have the pay version, which has a scheduler and an automatic updater.

AdAware is a great anti-spyware program as well. It may be kind of a memory hog, but it still gets the job done very well. Ad-Aware 2007 Free - Lavasoft to download it.

I've personally never used this, but I've heard very good things of it! It's called Omniquad, and you can download it here: Omniquad | Home User where you can also learn more about it. However, it's a program you have to pay to use, but there's a free trial.

Unlike anti-virus programs, it's safe to have more than 1 anti-spyware programs. Therefore, I recommend you download all of the programs above. If you don't want to, at least have 2 of them.


Firewalls

Firewalls are extremely useful programs. They are the programs that make sure viruses don't get on your computer and access it, making them an absolutely mandatory program. Like Anti-Viruses, having multiple firewalls may conflict with each other, so you can only have 1. DON'T THINK THAT YOU'RE FINE WITH WINDOWS FIREWALL! I'll tell you now, Windows Firewall is the worst firewall ever. EVER.

Zone Alarm is probably the most used firewall. However, it's an absolute memory hogger. So unless you have loads of RAM, I would not suggest Zone Alarm at all. Besides it's memory hogging issue, everything else is absolutely great. You can set levels of protection to tell Zone Alarm how to protect and monitor your computer. You can download it here. ZoneAlarm - Proactive Firewall protection with multiple layers of security that stop inbound, outbound, and program attacks

The other firewall that people use is Comodo Personal Firewall. I use Comodo and I prefer it over Zone Alarm. For one, it's interface is very user-friendly. You can easily set access levels on programs, allow ports and programs, and tons more. You can download and learn more about it here Comodo™ Free Firewall Software Download.


All-In-One's

An All-in-one pack is a pack that has Anti-Virus, Anti-Spyware, Firewalls, and more in it. If you have money to spend, I'd recommend using All-in-one packs. Saves you the trouble of figuring out compatibility issues and saves you time in general.


AVG has an All-in-one pack for it's great products! Check it out by clicking here: AVG Anti-Virus and Internet Security - AVG Internet Security. Since it's AVG, I'd recommend this one since I trust them the most. XD

Norton 360 is a great pack, too. However, it's more expensive than AVG, so if you have more money to spend, you might want to consider getting this. Norton 360 - Symantec Home & Home Office Store - Product Information to find out more about it.

McAfee is also a great company with security products. You could check out there pack and learn more about it at Spyware, Spam, Virus and Identity Theft Protection | McAfee Total Protection.

Useful Tips

- Nowadays, many spam emails are going around. DON'T FALL FOR THEM. Most of those emails talking about "free pr0n" or whatnot are bullshit and will mess up your computer. Don't even think about clicking on the links, because virus's don't only come from downloads.

- Sometimes when you're watching a vid on Youtube and you take a look on the comments, you may find something saying "I like to watch galz get it on at hotfraysax . com." As said in Tip 1, DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT. You'll regret clicking that link.

- Run frequent scans! I run a scan with all of my programs at least once a day to ensure that I get rid of a bad program on my computer the day it gets on, and so should you.

- Since Internet Explorer comes with Windows, many people use that. THAT IS A BAD CHOICE. A lot of things can easily get past Internet Explorer, which is why using Firefox web browser | Faster, more secure, & customizable is the better choice to make.

- Update your Windows! Windows Updates have security updates to keep your computer up-to-date so it's important to update.

Thanks for reading

Thanks for reading my guide on keeping your computer safe. If you have any questions or comments, PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TO POST. I'll try to help you the best I can.

Keep an eye out for updates and edits on the topic. :wave:

[Ryuk]

A really nice guide, yet dunno if this is a copy-pasta.
Anyway, for your effort and for the bright colors,

I Ryuk, lord of the shinigami, shall rep thee!

[Zokmag]

Really nice! I wish i could rep you! Or i will if the thread get's moved to another section!

[GunMan]

Thank you so much, and if you really do wanna rep me (im not asking for it) you can always rep my other guide: http://www.mmowned.com/forums/wow-sc...tml#post502611

And I assure you, it's not copy/paste. XD

[OneNotToKnow]

Awesome guide, thankyou. ^_^

[GunMan]

Thank you for the nice comments.