Alright, should be doing other work, but from briefly looking through forums, there's some useful information on here as far as PC Security, but quite a bit of misinformation or information that is not even posted.

For those that are concerned (and yes you should be), Keep reading!!

This is being written for those that cannot afford the outrageous prices that tech's charge. If your not one of these people, STOP READING!! and #$%@ off!! You should be paying me for what I'm about to share with you as i'm broke. Not to mention I have had to pay for what I have learned so far.

On a side note... Just so you know that I am somewhat qualified in what I am saying. I am halfway through a bachelor's degree in Information Technologies and Securities. Do I know all there is to know. Hell no!! But I am extremely passionate about what I am learning. I also feel I know a great deal more than most. SO...enjoy..

Ok, first off, most everyone is aware of the need for an "active" form of both spyware and virus protection. These would include both stand-alone programs (Windows Defender) which protect against either spyware or viruses and internet suites that protect against both spyware and other forms of malware (Avast, Avira, Norton, Trend Micro, Panda, E-Set, the list goes on). For those that do not have some form of internet security suite, bend over, and let me kick u in the $%&. There are a number of free internet security suites out there that are more than capable of providing at least some form of protection for your PC. You should have some form of both active spyware and virus protection. Avast, Avira, AVG are just a few that all are independently researched, are free, and have all proven to be efficient in helping keep your PC secure. Is one better than the other? Yes, of course, but it really comes down to user preference. I like Avast if you have a rather robust system with decent specs(boot-time scan is one of a kind, and only one offered in a free security suite that i'm aware of) or Avira if your computer is not up to par as far as performance (doesn't demand as much).

What people are not aware of and a question I typically come across is "Wait, how did I get infected though, I have an internet security suite?" There is no such thing as a secure computer. The best that can be done is taking a layered approach. No, not having a few active software security suites. That would be counterproductive, opening more holes to infect your PC. But having multiple different LAYERS of protection that do not interfere with each other.

#1 First line of defense, get a router with hardware firewall capabilities. I cannot stress this enough. This is probably the MOST important tool to have for protection. On that note, if you're a cable subscriber, DSL, or whatever broadband you choose, most come with a modem, not a router. You can call your broadband provider and ask them, or simply look up information on that little thingy that has all the ethernet cables going in and out of it to your computer. Your looking for firewall and security capabilities such as SPI, NAT, Mac Address filtering, and wireless protection (if you need it) such as WPA or AES encryption, preferrably WPA2. Wi-Fi protected set-up, if you have systems that can use it, etc. I cannot stress the importance of this. There are a number of rules that can be created and ports that can be blocked as well, but this is a bit more advanced. At the very least, buy a router or hardware firewall of some sort.

#2 If your still not operating your system with at least Vista but preferrably Windows 7, you need to upgrade. Much more secure OS, and better software firewalls (windows firewall). I will not get into Ubuntu and other OS because frankly, most people do not use them. These are for anti-microsoft'ers, or true IT specialists that know what they are looking for and some of the flaws in all of the different systems.

#3 Be careful with the internet. Duh right!! What I mean is to be selective with your browser and the number or type of add-ons you use (Google or Firefox). IE is still the number one used browser, and though Microsoft has came along way in securing their browser, it is still the number one most popular browser and therefore focused on with a number of internet threats. I recommend using Firefox or Google Chrome with it's sandboxing environment. If using Firefox, download another handy little security tool that helps to prevent cross scripting attacks called No-Script. Yes, it's a pain in the ass as you have to learn how to use it, and what to allow. But again, well worth the hassle.

#4 For God sakes...stop clicking on hyperlinks in your email and social media programs. If you have a link in your email program or social media apps such as facebook. DO NOT CLICK ON THE LINK. They may say one thing, but sometimes they direct you somewhere entirely different. Type out the URL in your address bar. OR take your chances. But make sure to send me a message when you get an infection so I can take some of your money to help you get cleaned up.

#5 Those handy little removable media drives (flash drives) are convenient, yes, but can be dangerous. Some forms of malware are made specifically to self-propogate through removable media drives. Just ask our government about that one. They had some nasty stuff going around the Department of Defense for some time and from what I remember most were spread via removable media. Most problems spread using autorun or autoplay options built into the different Windows OS's. I'm not saying don't use them, but do a bit of research on the dangers of them. The cloud is another route to go to share files without using a flash drive. But has a whole world of it's own security risks that I really don't want to get into. Just do your research and be aware of the dangers and how to protect yourself from them. Trying to keep this short.

#6 Just because your AV or spyware program finds something does not mean it will be able to remove it. If your security suite finds something, make a note of what it was, and look it up. Some forms of malware may need specific tools to remove them, others must be removed in safe-mode (F8 on start-up. Some must be removed prior to the OS loading.

#7 If all else fails, and you are pretty comfortable with the fact that something is really screwy with your PC, get help. Nothing replaces the knowledge that those in the IT field can provide. But make sure it's someone you trust. Ever heard of mechanics that like to ensure they have repeat customers through unethical means? Same principle here with some of your backyard support techs. Yes, those schooled whether self-taught or through college are more than capable of cleaning what is on your computer, but adding something that will ensure your return. Nothing wrong with getting a second opinion. Or better yet, as you should probably do with a mechanic, buddy up with a PC guru. Not with me though!! I've got enough people that I offer free advice and work to as it is.

#8 Cannot believe I didn't mention this one. It's second nature to me, so I often forget about it. It should be way up on the list. I'm talking about helping to keep your Windows OS safe. We all know that there are a great deal of vulnerabilities with Windows. What many people are not aware of, is that there are a number of things that can be done to either reduce the chances, or lessen the damage. Update Windows, and do it frequently. As a security vulnerability is discovered, Windows (although sometimes slow about it) will put out a security patch to protect you from the vulnerability. Run Windows update, and do it frequently. You would be surprised at the number of users that are not getting regular updates.
The next tip, I'm just going to throw in here with number 8, but it's a biggie too. This one many people are not aware of, especially home users. Set-up a standard account on your system. This is the account you should do the majority of your browsing, work, media playing or whatever you would normally do on your PC. Why you might ask? Simple, if you get infected but are using a standard account (as opposed to an administrator) a good majority of your system files cannot be accessed and infected. Standard accounts will help to at least minimize the damage done from an infection and sometimes (depending on the form of malware) prevent it entirely. Finally, make sure UAC (user account control) is enabled, and your Administrator account has a password. You can then allow some admin changes from your standard account simply by typing in your PW. For example, adding new programs that need to add a registry entry, etc..

And there we go..... about all i've got for now as I should be doing other boring school work right now. Feel free to comment.

Be Safe!!! And happy computing!!


P.S. Not the best at writing how-to's either. If you have any advice, feel free to comment.

Also, just remember, if it were not for my love of Rover Radio, and my understanding that there are many people that cannot really afford to clean or properly protect their PC's, I doubt I would be sharing this with anyone in the general public. I could easily be charging for the info i'm providing here. If it's just flaming (I think the term is), keep it to yourself.

Edited to add one of the simplest and easiest fix that can be made to Windows based systems. #8

#4 is a big one, and I'm done telling people about number 4, I mean fake A/V stuff has been going on since late 2007 and if people haven't gotten it by now, they never will.

And one thing to add, NEVER log into any one of your online accounts, whatever account that may be, into SOMEBODY ELSE'S COMPUTER. They may have who knows what on there that could be capturing your keystrokes, recording what websites you visit, even turning on their webcam and taking a picture of you. It's bad enough you're trying to protect your PC, but then turn around and use somebody's potentially unprotected/compromised PC.

Holy shit!!! Only 15 views. Makes me glad I've chosen the degree I have. Talk about job security. HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Oh well, just trying to help out.

And yeah Spencer.. good call man. That's a big NO!NO! You can never be sure what kind of crap is on the person's computer. Most of the time the person of the PC you are borrowing is completely unaware of it. Depending on what it's infected with, it may just be using network shares to infect other peoples computers. Good ol' zombies!! Part of a huge bot network, and the PC user has no freakin clue. But they can't figure out why their computer is so slow. Must be the ISP... Yeah right!! LOL

You forgot about not opening any emails that you don't know. Or emails that deal with money I believe paypal had this problem. Some people actually made fake websites from them saying you had money transferred but in reality their was no money in your account. So be aware, I have a gateway cable modem and I tried putting a router on it, YA that's not going to work to much interference. So I still need to buy a regular cable modem and attach a router to it. A good link to open up some ports if they are restricted is www.portforward.com. Also just be smart on what website you go to and use common sense its that simple.

Just remember the more ports you open up, the more risks you are exposing. Personally, I stealth nearly all my ports that I can. That away anyone trying to sniff out and ping you can't find any openings. But yes, I have used port forward in the past back when I was into online gaming. It's a great reference for those unfamiliar with setting ports.

But there's a perfect example in your post of what not to do. That hyperlink you added, I could make it display whatever I want, but can have it point to a completely different site with all sorts of nasties that load immediately when navigating to page. Never click those links, depending on your browser, you can right click that link, copy link location and paste into your web browser. Then you can see the URL before actually hitting return to see if in fact it is the correct web address.

Oh, and great point about e-mail scams. Use common sense. Phishing sites have became rather popular as well. If you get an email that seems as if its from your bank for example, asking you to click this link to log into your account, be careful. They can redirect you to a fake looking bank site where you give your account and password, and BAM!! The sites whole purpose is just to steal log-in information. Now they have a way to log-in to your banking account. As I said above, security is a multi-layered approach. A little common sense, as well as a number of security measures will help to keep your online experience a good one.

Good malware program to use is Malwarebytes, it is used at many universities and businesses. Last time i check you can get the full subscription for 29.95 for lifetime. If you don't want to buy it you can get the free version. Best program out there. For antivirus i find avast or avg better at the moment.my boss like kasparskey but seems like we are always still having to remove virsuses