Vous êtes Français ? Ici
[English, by PiJean] Security
Windows has a big lack: as it is the most used OS, it is also the OS the most exposed to threats from the Internet. In this way, spyware, virus, rootkit and other malware will have no problems to bypass protections of Windows. So as to protect oneself, the ideal is to have a good security suite as Kaspersky Internet Security or BitDefender Internet Security. However, everybody don't want to buy these expensive softwares. With enough care from Internet users, some free softwares will be able to protect your Windows. Here are some tips in this dossier as well as links to these freewares. Don't hesistate to comment.
Summary
1. Tips
a) Protect oneself from spam.
b) In which order the softwares should be started to have a total didinfection.
c) Distinguish the various threats.
d) Online scans: really useful?
e) Set up your browser.
f) Various pieces of advice.
2. Softwares
a) Firewalls
b) Antiviruses
c) Antispywares
d) Anti-rootkit
e) Anti-phishing
f) Cleaners
------------------------------------------------------------------>
1. Tips
Protect oneself from spam.
The ideal is to create a "dustbin" e-mail address. This e-mail address will be an alternative to your main e-mail and will be able to be used on every web sites, forums or other, in which you don't faith in or you know that you will have hundreds of advertising e-mails. You can create this free on Hotmail, Google (Gmail), Yahoo! Mail, etc.
Your dustbin e-mail address should not contain your name (for example: firstname.name@mail.com is not recommended) but try a simple address (for example: king546@mail.com is more recommended.
If you think it is useless to be cluttered by another e-mail address, the site Jetable.org provides you a disposable e-mail address. You can choose the lenght of validity of the address and the e-mails are redirected to your main inbox. (Thanks to PiJean).
In which order the softwares should be started to have a total didinfection.
Before starting your security scans, you should be organized. Here is the most judicious order:
-Cleaner (ex: CCleaner, TuneUp Utilities, etc.)
-Anti-rootkit
-Antispyware
-Antivirus
-Oline scan (optional)
Distinguish the various threats.
Virus (Wikipédia) :
Quote :
A computer virus is a computer program that can copy itself and infect a computer without permission or knowledge of the user. The original may modify the copies or the copies may modify themselves, as occurs in a metamorphic virus. A virus can only spread from one computer to another when its host is taken to the uninfected computer, for instance by a user sending it over a network or carrying it on a removable medium such as a floppy disk, CD, or USB drive. Additionally, viruses can spread to other computers by infecting files on a network file system or a file system that is accessed by another computer. Viruses are sometimes confused with computer worms and Trojan horses. A worm, however, can spread itself to other computers without needing to be transferred as part of a host. A Trojan horse is a file that appears harmless until executed. In contrast to viruses, Trojan horses do not insert their code into other computer files. Many personal computers are now connected to the Internet and to local-area networks, facilitating their spread. Today's viruses may also take advantage of network services such as the World Wide Web, e-mail, and file sharing systems to spread, blurring the line between viruses and worms. Furthermore, some sources use an alternative terminology in which a virus is any form of self-replicating malware.
|
Spyware (Wikipedia):
Quote :
Spyware is computer software that collects personal information about users without their informed consent. The term Spyware was coined in 1995 but wasn't widely used for another five years, is often used interchangeably with adware and malware (software designed to infiltrate and damage a computer respectively). Personal information is secretly recorded with a variety of techniques, including logging keystrokes, recording Internet web browsing history, and scanning documents on the computer's hard disk. Purposes range from overtly criminal (theft of passwords and financial details) to the merely annoying (recording Internet search history for targeted advertising, while consuming computer resources). Spyware may collect different types of information. Some variants attempt to track the websites a user visits and then send this information to an advertising agency. More malicious variants attempt to intercept passwords or credit card numbers as a user enters them into a web form or other applications.
|
Rootkit (Wikipédia):
Quote :
A rootkit is a set of software tools intended to conceal running processes, files or system data from the operating system. Rootkits have their origin in relatively benign applications, but in recent years have been used increasingly by malware to help intruders maintain access to systems while avoiding detection. Rootkits exist for a variety of operating systems, such as Linux, Solaris and versions of Microsoft Windows. Rootkits often modify parts of the operating system or install themselves as drivers or kernel modules.
|
Spam (Wikipédia):
Quote :
E-mail spam is a subset of spam that involves sending nearly identical messages to numerous recipients by e-mail .Spam is e-mail that is both unsolicited by the recipient and sent in substantively identical form to many recipients. Thus, a common synonym for spam is unsolicited bulk e-mail (UBE). Some definitions of spam specifically include the aspects of email that is unsolicited and sent in bulk.
|
Phishing (Wikipédia):
Quote :
In computing, phishing is a criminal activity using social engineering techniques.[1] Phishers attempt to fraudulently acquire sensitive information, such as usernames, passwords and credit card details, by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication. eBay and PayPal are two of the most targeted companies, and online banks are also common targets. Phishing is typically carried out using email or an instant message,[2] and often directs users to give details at a website, although phone contact has been used as well.[3] Attempts to deal with the growing number of reported phishing incidents include legislation, user training, and technical measures.
|
Online scans: really useful?
Online scans don't replace your antivirus at all. They only check that all is okay in your PC. Several existing sites provide online scans. Here are two:
- Bitdefender (Provide the eradication of viruses and spywares)
- Kaspersky (Only provide the detection of viruses and spywares)
You must use Internet Explorer to use these online scans.
Set up your browser.
Opera: Tools
Preferences
Advanced
Security
Tick on "Enable Fraud Protection"
IE 7 : Tools
Options
Advanced
Security
Tick on the Fraud/Phishing Protection box.
FF : Tools
Security
Tick on the Phishing Protection box. (Thanks PiJean)
2. Softwares
=====
Firewalls:
The firewall is the first security utility of your PC. It will be useful if you surf on dangerous sites or if you download with the P2P network. The firewall of Windows XP SP2 is good but not perfect. With Vista, another firewall is not necessary, but recommended
Kerio
The utilisation of Kerio Personal Firewall is unlimited for a personal using, but some functionalities will be disabled after 30 days.
=====
Antivirus :
The antivirus is necessary for the good work of your computer. Yes, but which one choose? Many antivirus exist but the most well-known is Avast!. However, another antivirus is upsetting the world of the virus; AVS (Active Virus Shield). AVS is based on Kaspersky, it is as powerful as Avast!, a little ressources consumer, and has a simple interface... AVS is very good.
AVS
In order to activate AOL AVS, you must have a activation key provided in e-mail sent to you. You should use a dustbin e-mail address.
AVS is not only reserved to AOL members.
You should not install the security toolbar.
=====
Antispyware
Several antispywares exist but there are more false antispywares, so be careful before download one of them. Contrary to antivirus, antispywares are complementary so having two or three of them is better than having only one.
Ad-aware
Various skins here
Spybot
Windows Defender
Windows defender has a real-time protection.
=====
Anti-rootkit
Antivirus don't detect rootkits. To find them, the ideal is a specialized software as Rootkit Revealer but it don't erase them, it only detects them. However this software can seem hard to use that's why I also advise AVG Antirootkit which is simpler and erases these threats.
Rootkit Revealer
AVG antirootkit
=====
Antipihishing
Avaible for FF and IE, Netcraft toolbar reinforce the anti-phishing security. But don't want a miracle. IE and Opera browsers already integrate a antiphishing module, so the installation of Netcraft will only clutter your browser.
Netcraft
=====
Cleaners
Useful, cleaners will erase all the traces left by browsers as cookies, temporary files, etc. So as to help antispywares (because sometimes cookies can be hard to erase).
Ccleaner
------------------------------------------------------------------>
Well, I hope that you have found the answers to your questions in this dossier. I made it because I'm very careful about the security of my PC. I tested many softwares, I visit many forums dedicated to this topic so I wanted to share my knowledge.
If you have any question don't hesistate to write on this topic, I will answer you readily.
Thank you for reading until the end. 
Siko
Translation by PiJean.