That might explain it. I'd be interested to know of what it tagged was indeed exe or dll files, or registry tags.
I also know the feeling on that. Most of my customers are pretty seasoned users, but I do get some that are total novices, and yes, they get overwhelmed all the time. Heck, **I** can get overwhelmed!! I'm fed up with having to use a ~dozen different anti-malware programs and run scans with them, but I know (and we have to tell them) that it's the price you must pay for being online thanks to sc*umbags, slimeballs & parasites. As far as the younger ones, they don't have to know anything about the programs. It's the parents that must run the anti-malware programs on a regular basis and "batten down the hatches" as much as possible (i.e. cookie control set to "high"; security level set to "high" then "custom" to secure it even more but you have to know what you're doing there; various other security tweaks, etc). At least with SpywareBlaster (that doesn't need to be running since it uses tags) and the new SpyBot (with the TeaTimer and "SDD resident shield" that has to be running, but it's pretty transparent), you don't need to do anything with them other than update them regularly--which can be a problem since most ignore that. They should check for updates on these at least weekly. The even bigger problems come with trying to train people that they MUST run the system scans by the scanning portion of SpyBot, and AdAware, HijackThis, SpySweeper, et al, and UPDATE them ALL before each scan. Although I personally do not like it, I guess with all these programs, in these cases they should be set to update automatically if you feel a customer is the type that won't do it themselves. I personally don't like it because I don't like anything "phoning home" all the time and I KNOW to check updates daily, but it may be necessary with some customers that don't take the responsibility to do so. Programs like SpywareBlaster are a MUST for households with kids since it adds a TON of sites to the "Restricted Sites" zone which then prevents them from downloading or installing anything. Another is "IE Privacy Keeper" since it's transparent. I mentioned SpySweeper, it not only can run scans, but can also be running in the BG for protection. SpywareGuard is another one. It doesn't do scans, but it runs in the BG for protection. Another thing is most don't know how to set their AV software. 'Out the box', they are NOT set for maximum protection or maximum scanning. I've never seen one that was set to "scan ALL files" on both any "real time scanner" or "real time monitor", and on the manual scans. The first thing they should do with AV software is open it up, go through ***ALL*** of the settings/options/preferences and set them to scan EVERYTHING; every file type, registry, memory, MTF, boot sector/MBR, you name it. Then be sure they are monitoring all areas of a HD and network they should be monitoring. I guess with an average user this should be ALL of a HD(s) and everything, but in my case I don't have my AV program set to scan some partitions or drives since they are only for storage and backup. I made sort of a "template" file on anti-malware programs and their usage that I include with all PC's that I can send you. I may modify it a bit from user to user, but most of it stays the same. -Clint God Bless Clint Hamilton, Owner http://OrpheusComputing.com ) http://ComputersCustomBuilt.com ----- Original Message ----- From: "Hugh Vandervoort" < Ad Aware was up to date, but not running the "Deep Scan". I doubt FF loaded anything (The FF lovers would be screaming), but I do download and experiment with a lot of software, and even though I try to be careful I know my limitations. Here's what I want to know: My customers are almost exclusively novices. Their computer use is limited to email and a few Office apps with limited general surfing. How in Hell are they supposed to stay protected? By the time I install Ad Aware, Spybot, Zone Alarm, etc. they feel (rightly) overwhelmed. The ones with children are even more vulnerable. I'm spending way too much time on these issues, and even those who do have a slight grasp of the issues are fed up. **************************************************************************** ******** I know the feeling. :-) I don't understand how there can be such a discrepancy in functionality on two different SP2 PC's. ?? I wonder if FF is what got that malware on your PC? This also doesn't make sense unless you haven't updated AdAware, because it should find all of those pieces of malware. Or, if you don't have AdAware checking all the areas that the M$ program checks. But remember what I said about the false positives in my first post. It also found Search Squire on my PC, but it was not malware. It was a registry tag in the registry under my "Restricted Sites" zones, and it was SUPPOSED to be there to keep SSquire from putting anything on my HD. Were these actual DLL's or executables it found, or just registry tags? If just reg tags, then I'd open up the restore area and investigate exactly where they were and see if they were originally under "Zones" in the registry. -Clint ============= PCWorks Mailing List ================= Don't see your post? Check our posting guidelines & make sure you've followed proper posting procedures, http://pcworkers.com/rules.htm Contact list owner <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Unsubscribing and other changes: http://pcworkers.com =====================================================
