Online Safety – The Basics: Antivirus Protectionby Harrell's
Blog, Special Interest 
May 26, 2010 1:53 pm
by the Harrell’s IT Department
If you use a computer that’s connected to the Internet (and I think you just might, since you’re reading this post), there are some guidelines you should follow to keep your identity and the important data on your computer safe. This information applies to PCs running Microsoft Windows, but Mac and Linux users certainly aren’t off the hook when it comes to safety.
The first installment of our online safety series covers antivirus software, and what you can do if you think your PC might be infected.
Anti-virus Software
If you use a computer at work, chances are that your IT department has antivirus software installed (if they don’t, you need a new IT department). What about your home PC though? Having virus protection is a good start, and there are several great commercial products out there that will generally charge a yearly fee.
If you’re looking for a paid antivirus solution, make sure it’s one that’s highly rated. Online reviews from reputable sources (like this one at cnet) will help you pick the right virus protection software.
If you don’t have the cash, or just don’t want another fee in your life (can’t say I blame you), there are really nice antivirus solutions that are completely free for home users. These may not have all the bells & whistles of a commercial product, but they give you the basics: real-time virus protection with regular updates.
Some recommended freebies are:
Keep in mind that most of these will require you to register your email address yearly to keep using the software, but these companies are legitimate and won’t sell your address to spammers.
Regardless of what antivirus software you use, you will want to make sure it updates itself regularly, at least every day or two. Most solutions come preconfigured to check for updates on a regular schedule, but you may have to check around in your software’s settings to make sure.
If you bought a computer from a store like Best Buy or Wal-mart, be warned that your antivirus software may only be active for a few months, and you’ll have to pay for continued protection after the introductory period. This software is known as “trialware”, and is a tactic used by software companies to get you hooked on their product so you give them your money. It’s not officially considered a scam, but most IT folks will tell you it’s a little shady.
My advice is to do some research if you plan on paying for an antivirus program, or go with one of the free alternatives listed above. Oh, and uninstall that trialware unless it’s the one you want to pay for anyway.
If you’re already infected
So you clicked a link in that email message that promised the most hilarious video you’ve ever seen, and now you’re getting popup ads, or you’re seeing other strange behavior and you think you might be infected. Before we continue, let’s get this out in the open: never click links in email messages. If Bank of America says you need to confirm something, and “here, click this link“, it’s not really an email from Bank of America, and it’s probably an attempt at identity theft (also called “phishing”). You can read more about phishing here.
Always open a new browser window and type in the web site’s address yourself to make sure you’re getting the real deal (or call the company’s customer service number if it’s something really important).
One of the more popular scams out there at the moment involves fake antivirus software that gets installed without your knowledge. It’s probably the virus issue we’ve seen the most over the past year or so. If you’re getting bombarded with messages saying that you’re infected (like the one below), chances are that you’ve picked up this “scareware” that will try to scam you into paying for virus protection that actually does nothing but report false positives (and ask for your money).
Never pay for virus protection unless you’re sure of the vendor and have done your homework. The last thing you want to do is hand over your credit card number to a less-than-reputable company. If you think you’re a victim already, contact your bank, dispute the charges, and ask them to issue you a new card with a new number.
This is just one of the fake antivirus variants out there – it’s actually the problem, not the solution.
Before taking your PC to a trusted computer expert, there are actually a few things you can try yourself.
- Some infections are smart about what tools can be used to remove them, and will block those tools from being downloaded or installed. You may want to download the following virus removal tool from another PC and get the file to the infected PC via USB drive or CD.
- Download Malwarebytes Anti-Malware here (click the link for the free version) and get the install file to the infected computer.
- Run the install file. If your PC doesn’t let the file run, reboot and press F8 when your computer starts. Keep pressing F8 until you get a menu with “Safe Mode” as an option, and start your PC in safe mode with networking.
- When the Malwarebytes program is installed, click the update button to make sure you have the latest virus definitions.
- When the program is up to date, run a full scan.
- It will take a while to run, but when it’s finished you’ll have a full diagnosis, and the option to remove the bad stuff. Click view results and remove selected. It will probably ask you to reboot your PC to finalize the clean-up, but if you’ve made it this far, chances are that you’re in the clear.
Of course, some of the above may not work for a variety of reasons, so you may end up needing professional help anway, but it won’t hurt to give it a shot.
Good luck out there, and if you have questions or comments, let us know!
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