Building a Fortress

Once you know your situation, you will need to build a fortress around your computer.  Sadly, there is no single cure all. More like you have to adopt a strategy and then maintain it.

You should implement the strategies in Safe Surfing at the beginning of this series.

Then, consider the amount of security you need.  That will depend on the value you place on what is in your computer. For example, you have no children, a dial up connection, collect only e-mail and type a letter to Aunt Edna once a month. If needed, you could wipe out your hard drive and start again. Then these suggestions are not for you.  A good antivirus program will give you the protection you need.

However, if you have anything of value such as your children Social Security numbers, banking/financial information, use credit cards online, school projects, photographs, valuable e-mail and so on.  And/or if you have teens that tend to download lots of software and/or use instant messaging programs, then you need to pay attention.

Hardware

Cable or DSL Connection – A constant on connection means that you are vulnerable to outside attacks if you have no protection. For example: Zombie computers.  A Zombie computer is an unprotected personal computer that Adult Entertainers or Spammers have taken over and loaded with their smut. They use it to send unsolicited e-mails and pictures.  The Spammers are safe, because all trails lead back to the YOU, the Zombie computer.

Even if you have a single computer, it is wise to purchase a Cable/DSL Router Hub and install it.  This puts a physical barrier between you and the Internet. It does not stop information from being sent from your computer. It does a very effective job of stopping outside snoops from seeing in your PC. All they can see is the router.  You can buy them on sale for $50 or less. They are typically $50-$150.  Linksys, D-Link and NetGear are the common retail brands.

Dial Up Connection – Such a router is not needed for a dial up connection. Your connection is to slow to be used by these people.  You are also connected for short periods of time.

Software

The list of required software gets longer each day.  At one time a good antivirus program was all you needed.  Now you really must have:

• Antivirus Software
• Fire Wall Software
• Anti Spyware Detection/Protection Software
• Content Filtering Software
  
  

NOTE:  There are free/donation supported choices out there. While the better ones will be discussed here, free programs are usually limited in their protection. If you cannot afford the full version, then having a limited version is better than none.

Antivirus Program – Your Antivirus is absolutely, the most important program to have on your computer.  If you download ANYTHING, including e-mail, off the Internet you must have it.  It will protect you from the largest, most obvious threats.

IF at all possible, you should learn the name of the infecting virus, then go on line, do a search for it and learn the best way to remove it. Trojan viruses can usually be deleted. However, viruses designed to be more malicious often have a secondary effect if not removed properly. Should this secondary bomb go off, you may be forced to wipe and reload your computer. It may be possible to restore your system using a restore program like Go-Back or Windows XP Restore. Antivirus companies often have specific programs to remove these programs. Use them whenever possible.

Your choices for the detection and removal viruses:

• On Line Scanners – If you want to check your computer now or supplement your existing Antivirus software, use an on-line scanners. They do not protect your computer all the time.  They just clean up your PC right now. However, select “do not remove or clean” the first time.  You want to view the log at the end to see what the virus programs are before removal.
  
  Here are two:
• Panda Active Scan
  Panda Active Scan - Select Scan PC follow prompts.  Uncheck “Disinfect Automatically”.  Make sure you view log at end to see virus name.
   
• Trend Micro – HouseCall
  http://housecall.trendmicro.com/ - Click Personal tab>>Select HouseCall>>Follow the prompts. Uncheck “Auto Clean”.  View log at end.
   
   
• Free Antivirus Programs – Good, Free programs are becoming hard to find.  There are two good ones the author has verified. They are:
• AVG Free Antivirus by Grisoft – Grisoft is a Czech company that writes an excellent, but limited free for personal use antivirus program.  No Tech Support for free edition.  You can download it from:
  
  http://free.grisoft.com/freeweb.php/doc/2/
   
• AntiVir – is a German Antivirus program. Limited, but seems decent. Very limited tech support.
  
  http://www.free-av.com/ - Select Download button and download the appropriate files.
   
• Paid for Antivirus Programs – Below are just a few of the Antivirus programs available.
   
• AVG Professional Antivirus – From Grisoft, AVG Pro is their standard, stand alone version for the home owner or small Office.  You can download a 30 day free trial from:
  
  http://www.grisoft.com/us/us_dwnl7.php?ver=31
  
  Excellent virus scanner, seems to detect most Trojan Viruses better than other programs, 2 year subscription verses 1 year like the other programs, low initial cost about $39 for two years, easily removed if no longer desired, easy to use.  Renewal for another 2 years is 50% off the current price.
   
• Panda Antivirus Software – Panda is a Spanish company that produces a very nice program. Get a free trial from:
  
  http://www.pandasoftware.com/download/ - Select Titanium and complete the form.
  
  Excellent scanner, easy to use, excellent support on the web site.
   
• Norton Antivirus from Symantec – Probably the Antivirus program in the USA. Download a free trial from:
  
  http://nct.digitalriver.com/0001/
  
  Can usually purchase it free or cheap after rebate, excellent web site support, excellent detection, easy to use.
   
   
• Fire Wall Software – The purpose of Fire Wall software is that it monitors the programs and traffic using your Internet connection.  The reason that is important is that it monitors the traffic both ways. It monitors outside programs trying to enter and internal programs trying to access the Internet. If you have Spyware, it is always trying to access the Internet and send data about you out. A Fire Wall will block the transmission.

Free Fire Wall programs – Free programs offer limited protection. 

• ZoneAlarm – One of the oldest and best Fire Wall programs.  They still offer a free version. You can get it from
  
  ZoneAlarm Free Version   - Choose the basic protection button. Install the program.
  
  Choose the default settings. When you first start using it a window will pop up asking you if you want to allow a program out or in.  If you just started the program, then it is safe to say OK. But if you just got a e-mail and you clicked an attachment.  It is probably a virus and you want to stop it from going out. Read the help files and support on the web site.
   
• Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 – With the Service Pack 2 for Windows XP, Microsoft has included a free Fire Wall. It is very basic and not easy to configure, but it is the right price and it is designed to work with Windows XP.
   
• Paid for Fire Wall Programs – Paid for Firewall programs offer more features and protection than the free versions. Additional features may include privacy control, monitoring/deletion of cookies, e-mail monitoring, white/blacklists, monitors private information such as social security and bank numbers, add on programs such as antivirus and anti Spyware. 
  
  Most of the companies previously mentioned have their own full version firewall programs with mostly similar features.  Most offer a suite where their program is bundled with others for more complete programs. 
   
• AVG Antivirus + Firewall - Combines a great antivirus with a great firewall. About $50 for 2 years subscription.
   http://www.grisoft.com
   
• ZoneAlarm - About $40 per year.  For more information, go to:
  
  http://www.zonelabs.com
    
• Anti-Spyware Programs –
  NOTE: Window 98 users use the programs below with caution. The author has recently tried removing Spyware on Win 98 machines.  Either the program did not run, did not run well or seemed to damage Win 98 in some way.  It could have been the Spyware/viruses blocking the program.  The web sites say it should work with Win98.  As always, back up your data, if possible, before using any of the mentioned programs.
  
  There are a slew of choices, however, there are a few excellent ones you can use for free. Some are donation supported. So if you do use the programs long term, they would appreciate your support so they can continue.
  
  The saddest and toughest thing about the detection and removal of Spyware is that is it is so insidious. The author often runs the first three programs listed below on contaminated computers. The first program gets about 85-90% of the Spyware, the second gets 15-18%, and the third gets the balance.  Does not matter the order you run them in, the percentages seem to be about the same.
  
  In researching this article, the author downloaded and installed about 6 different Spyware programs.  Each program, ran on the same day on the same computer found some form of Spyware. It may have only been a half dozen references, but they still found something. Lesson learned:  Use more than one program to get as much Spyware out as possible. You may want to consider using a combination of free and paid for programs.
  
  The major programs are listed here in the order of preference by the author:
• Spybot Search and Destroy – Free to use, Donation supported. One of the fastest scanners, removing over thousands of Spyware programs.
  
  It has a resident program to protect you much like an Antivirus program. You are notified when a Spyware program tries to install.
  
  It also has an immunization feature where it completely blocks the installation of several thousand programs.
  
  Get it from:
  http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/index.html
  
   
• Lavasoft Ad-Aware SE Personal – Free version with the option to upgrade to full versions.  The free version is excellent.  It does not have the resident protection like Spybot S&D. It is safe to run the one, then the other, but not both at the same time.  Get it from:
  
  http://lavasoft.element5.com/software/adaware/ - Click the CNET Download.com link on the right side to download.
    
• Spyware Blaster – Free to use, donor supported. This is a very nice program. Inserts code that prevents about several thousand Spyware programs from installing.  The program does not need to be running all the time using system resources. Get it from:
  
  http://javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html
   
• Spyware Guard – From the same people that provide Spyware Blaster. Free to use, donation supported.  This program runs in the background like a virus scanner. When a Spyware programs starts to load, it blocks it.  Be careful using this product with Spybot S&D. While the author has experienced no conflicts, whenever two programs run at the same time with similar functions, there may be conflicts.  Get it from:
  
  http://javacoolsoftware.com/spywareguard.html
  
  
• Spy Sweeper – 1 year subscription is $30.00. A good program.  For more information go to:
  
  http://webroot.com/products/spysweeper/
  
   
• Content Filtering Software – The other categories above protect your computer and your privacy. Content filtering protects your family.  Content Filtering Software requires commitment to use. No software is perfect.  It needs fine tuning for it to learn what acceptable and unacceptable sites are. They can block whole sections of the Internet off (such as the images search engine on Google).  Or just certain parts.  BUT you are protecting your family from unwanted images and information from the Internet. Most give you the ability to temporarily turn it off.  Most are difficult to find and remove from your computer (a deterrent for the teen trying to get around the software). Many solutions can slow down you’re your surfing experience.  There are a number of solutions available.  Here are five of them.
    
• BSafe Online – One of the best that the author has investigated. Control panel with a built in Fire Wall.  Does not slow down your surfing experience.  Smart enough to distinguish proper and improper use of certain words. So all searches not blocked, just the improper ones. Get it from:
  
  www.bsafehome.com
  
  About $50 per year.  10 day free trial
   
  
• Covenant Eyes - Offers Accountability and filtering products.  Accountability product does not block bad sites, but delivers a report to a accountability partner.
  
  www.CovenantEyes.com
  
  Subscription Service - Starts at $8.00 / month / 1 user for accountability.  Starts at $5.00 / month / 1 user for filtering.  Significant discounts for additional users.
  
   
• CyberSitter – Considered the best by many organizations.  Password access to control panel allows you to customize it your needs.  Version 9 records AIM chat sessions.  Get if from:
  
  http://www.cybersitter.com/
  
  $40  - Not a subscription., 10 day evaluation copy available.
   
• NetNanny – An excellent filtering program.  They also offer sister products that monitor instant messaging programs and block ads.  Password access to control panel allows you to turn it off as needed and to customize the settings. Offers scheduler to restrict times or duration of online access and blocks the dissemination of personal information.  For more information go to:
  
  Net Nanny 5.1 for Windows
  
  $40 – per year subscription.  15 day free trial.
   
• CyberPatrol – Very versatile product.  A side from normal filtering, also offers chat session word filtering, Scheduler to block access to the Internet during night or other hours and blocks personal information from being given out.  For more information go to:
  
  http://www.cyberpatrol.com/default.aspx
  
  $40 per year subscription – 14 day free trial

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