Recurring Viruses

[RawVegRon]

I'm inexperienced with computers, as you can see from my post, and I
keep getting viruses! It costs me $100 a pop to have my security
company remove them (every month or two) and get my computer running
again.

This time they gave me some instructions to help me avoid another
virus, but what they've told me sounds like, "don't use your
computer"!

When I watch pornography I always get a virus. When I see something
"free" on the internet, a free virus always comes with the free
download.... Most recently, I was watching YouTube videos of Taliban
and Al Qaida beheadings, beatings and bombings and apparently picked
up a virus from one or more of those videos.

Today my computer is clean again and I went to a site forecasting a
win by the Texas Longhorns over Baylor this weekend. They asked me to
register in order to participate in the discussion--and I was afraid
to do so--because I don't know those people.

Now I'm so gun-shy I use this computer for my on-line banking and
business, and I think I need another computer for surfing the web,
watching videos, and talking with people all over the world, that I
don't know, and would not trust not to put a key-logger on my machine
and try to get into my bank account!

Is that the way it goes when you get a computer? Is that the way you
guys do it?

Ron

[Ceresia]

Most of us are experienced enough to tinker with security settings on
Internet Explorer and know what is going on when it does. I use
Windows Defender and an Anti-Virus program I will not mention. I also
use ZoneAlarm's free firewall and that lets me know if ANY program is
trying to access inbound or outbound on my computer.

If you want to watch filthy movies or browse the internet more safe
then I would recommend getting a Macbook or Macbook pro....

Those seem to have less issues with Virus attacks.

[RawVegRon]

I use Norton antivirus and Symantec security. I also have Windows
defender and I used to use free programs like Spybot, and some others
I can't remember. I prefer the real-time protection to the periodic
scans. Today's scan removed 5,211 items from my temp files! My
removal tool showed some 20+ "unknown" programs from my software.

Symantec completely cleaned my system last Monday and since then I've
watched a few Taliban battles with the U.S. Army and read some news
from different sources about the problems in Pakistan and
Afghanistan.

I get the impression that there is an incredible amount of spyware out
there. The better my antivirus system, the more I see of it!

[Daleeh]

If you are using two AV programs at the same time, I can almost
guarantee you will have constant problems. Get rid of both of them--
better yet reformat your hard drive and reinstall a fresh copy of
Windows from your original CD and start over again. Install a single
AV program -- I suggested Microsoft Security Essentials in my post to
your other posting -- and then try to avoid downloading garbage.

At this point I believe you are just a tad disingenuous with your
postings--probably trying to start a "lively" round of postings I
suspect. But if you are seriously doing what you describe, then maybe
you should stop.

Dale

[RawVegRon]

Disingenios?

[Ceresia]

I guess I really didn't answer your question fully...
When you asked how "us guys" do it...

1. I can only speak for myself
2. I do not watch "porn" on the internet
3. I do not click on anything "free" on the internet
4. YouTube seems clean, just DO NOT click on any links that navigate
you outside YouTube.
5. Online Banking is clean as long as you do not get or have any virus/
trojan issues...
6. If you are afraid, then restore your computer to factory settings
and start from there.

Simply put, if you do what you are supposed to do on the internet and
not watch porn or try and get free stuff then you are fine. The
average user watches dirty movies, tries to get free samples from
websites, myspace, facebook, etc...So that means the average user gets
infected.

Use the computer for business use only and you have no issues....

[RawVegRon]

Thank you very much! I think I've finally given up on porn and free
stuff. I also no longer even open unsolicited emails. I just treat
them as spam and ban them from my computer.

I believe my problem was actually spyware, instead of a virus. One of
my disc cleanings showed 4,000-some-odd items to be removed from my
disk and temp files. It's running much better now. Thank you.

Ron McClure

[DaveyBrasco]

It's always important to distinguish between viruses, spyware, and
adware (sometimes grouped together as malware).

You should always have one anti-virus and one anti-malware.

I use both and it's almost like a "two-pronged attack" against bad
stuff on your PC.

[DaveyBrasco]

I forgot to mention to always make sure to keep your anti-virus and
anti-malware (spyware+adware) definitions (the database of current
viruses, malware, etc) up-to-date. That is essential to staying virus/
malware free.

[KwikOne]

Ceresia,
BIG HIGH FIVE. I can guarantee that he will continue to get viruses
because he will not stop doing risky behavior on the net (such very
high risk activities include visiting ANY/ALL porn sites most
especially any 'free' at the site, or some free download sites, or
some free software).
There are several very reputable download sites which guarantee no
viruses from their downloadables so I have no qualms about downloading
something free (plus I also scan it after download). I have not gotten
a single virus in more than 8 years.

[KwikOne]

OOPs I almost forgot - I hope to be proven wrong with my guarantee!!!