What are the "must" installs?

[npoon]

So I currently am running pccillin. What are other "must" installs that I should have downloaded?

[blabhead]

do you have a firewall other than xp's built it one?if not get one.
spybot search and destrot v1.3
adaware 6
spywaregaurd
spywareblaster
think also about getting mozilla firefox 0.8 for a browser

[npoon]

any opinions from the moderators?

[Detox]

Well if you've got no firewall I definitely say "get one - and NOW!"

I prefer Sygate myself but wouldn't recommend against Zonalarm either, unless you are an online gamer (ZA likes to crash stuff while awaiting "access permission"). Other firewalls that work as well or better will have a much higher learning curve than these.

I'd also definitely go with SpywareBlaster = good (free - both of $ cost and of resource usage) sypware protection.

I like using both Ad-Aware and Spybot; S&D but if you are trying to limit the list one or the other should suffice.

If you are using regular MS Outlook and IE, then I would also say a different browser (anything's more secure, except IE shells, really) and email client will increase security levels drastically. I like Pegasus for email and it's really quite easy to use and suffers almost none of OE's vulnerabilities.

[snapdragin]

A dedicated anti-trojan for sure. I believe strongly in not putting all the eggs in one basket as far as protection goes. Four must have security apps would be an anti-virus, anti-trojan, anti-spyware, and definitely a firewall.

You can find a list of the best anti-trojan programs here:
http://www.wilders.org/anti_trojans.htm

And if you look to the left of that page, you'll see a link for other programs too.

Regards,

snap

[npoon]

I noticed that spybot was mentioned and not tds3. Is it because tds3 is only for more intermediate users?
which anti-virus, anti-trojan, anti-spyware, and firewall are more online gamer friendly?

I use NAV(anti-virus), Pest Patrol(anti-spyware/anti-trojan), Spywareblaster(blocks spyware), Spybot(spyware scanner w/ teatimer active), NPF(firewall), Winpatrol(blocks spyware/adware ect..) all this and more while playing online games w/o any trouble whatsoever.

TDS-3 is a high powered dedicated anti-trojan. Spybot is an anti-spyware/malware program.

If I were you, I would go with:
Ad-aware
Spybot S&D
Spywareblaster
Sygate or ZoneAlarm
BOClean AT or an alternative like Ewido, TDS

..AND I would download CWS Shredder and run it. Almost every computer I see has a variant of CWS on it.

[Detox]

I am a big believer in TDS myself, suppose I did just leave AT out of my first post - sorry!

[blabhead]

Originally Posted by npoon

I noticed that spybot was mentioned and not tds3. Is it because tds3 is only for more intermediate users?
which anti-virus, anti-trojan, anti-spyware, and firewall are more online gamer friendly?

ok your getting a bunch of answers today.
i didn't mention TDS3 because it cost some money,where as spybot and the rest are freeware.
if money wasn't a problem for me i would have TDS3,BOCLEAN and PROCESS GUARD on computer.
also because CWS was mentioned make sure you have all microsoft security patches installed.