Assistance with Anti-Malware alternatives

Hi everyone I have a question hopefully you all can help with me, and I hope i'm in the right forum asking this question. I just built a computer for my Mom running Windows 8, however she's concerned about her uncanny knack for infected herself with viruses.

I'm worried that the standard antimalware that I have available to put on her PC isn't enough to protect her. She goes to a few websites that tend to have sketchy ad streams and popups that confuse her into installing malware. I've tried to talk her out of visiting those websites but she has no intention of stopping.

I've discussed the possibility of dual booting Ubuntu with her Windows 8 install but I fear that it will simply complicate the situation and she'll end up just using either Windows or Linux (in this case wasting $80 on Win 8 OEM). I'd like for her to have the accessibility of Windows but the security of Linux.

I've tried Sandboxie with her but it's a tad complicated for her to use. But I believe sandboxing, virtualization and other methods are the best way to go. I'm ok with paying for the methods as long as they are super easy, very secure with good support. I hope people understand that i'm not looking for "which product is better than the other", i'm just looking for suggestions and options that would suit my specific situation.

 

Have you tried Norton DNS, BitDefender TrafficLight, and/or WOT to block her from going to those websites? Adblock Plus (Malware Domains) and HOSTS file may help as well.

Also, inform her to upload suspicious downloads to VirusTotal. Make sure the browser is up-to-date (auto-update enabled).

As for Anti-Malware, I recommend Avast and maybe Kingsoft Antivirus.

 

She uses Chrome with ABP, Norton Antivirus 2013 and that's pretty much it. (I believe the norton toolbar includes the same blocking features as DNS). The issue here is that she intends to go to those websites and I can't control her browsing patterns.

In this case for someone who intends to enter mordor I was hoping for a unique way to keep her browser segmented from the rest of the system so she comes out unscathed.

 

You have several options. Obviously if she is unable to use SBIE then other active security measures such as antivirus and HIPS are out of the question.
The most passive way to secure her laptop would be the follwoing:

Prevent malware from infecting your computer
1) Chrome browser has built in sandboxing feature and is one of the more secure browsers out there. Use it. You may also consider installing ABP on Chrome.
2) Exploit Shield will catch whatever malware gets past Chrome

Prevent malware from installing on your computer
Once she downloaded malware on the computer you have serval options:
3). Malwarebytes Antimalware will catch ~9/10 of the bad boys. Get a pro version since it offers active protection. Not much interaction is needed since it will automatically remove malware upon download.
4). AppGuard or Anti Executible Radar Pro. Both allow lockdown mode in which no application can install itself into the system. The downside is that user without password has no ability to install any kind of software.

#3 and #4 are life time license paid apps. If you don't have any money you can replace them with Avast which provides extra protection against scripts. However #4 (AppGuard) is probably one of the very few apps that has never been bypassed by malware. If you do go with Avast then I would disable behavioral blocker and put it on gaming mode so she doest get any pop ups.

 

Thank you very much for the suggestions. I believe that after doing a quick lookup on Exploitshield that it'd be an excellent way to assist with exploits because she requires Java for some of the online games she plays.

I'm also debating AppGuard as a layer of protection. is that similar to a HIPS program that will ask questions she may not be able to answer on her own?

 

AppGuard will not ask any questions. There will be no pop ups. It will simply deny installation of literally "anything" on the computer.

 

Don't forget AdBlock Edge; that will cut out 95% of ads and popups (with the malware domains list as suggested by J_L). Flash Block as well.

Something with some web filtering like WSA and/or MBAM Pro would be a good move as well.

 

Adblock edge or ABP but not both. Flashblock requires a little more user input and is certainly not passive.

 

Right. The malware domain lists do work in AdBlock Edge.

Flashblock will require the person to click to use the flash things that she wants, but can keep the ads and such blocked.

 

You can create a limited user account (standard user) for her.
You can also install the bitdefender trafficlight extension
http://trafficlight.bitdefender.com/extensions.html

 

What I have decided to do so far is to install the exploit shield app which I'm confident will give a layer of protection through extensions like PDF and Java. She is running Chrome exclusively with ABP right now.

I took what people suggested about anti-executable programs, but I always get a little weary about those types of programs because I'm always going to expect a call from her asking why she couldn't install some flash game she wanted, or maybe something can't properly write to the registry that cause a few quirks that normally wouldn't happen without. It's a balance between accessibility and security for me. I might revisit SadboxIE with her too, even though she wasn't thrilled with it.

I've taken the suggestion to lower her rights from admin to limited. That way apps will have lower privileges and system settings will be harder to change. So far my security is Norton Antivirus 2013, Exploitshield and Limited User Account.

 

Keep in mind that Exploit Shield is still beta, so there's the potential for problems. That said, I haven't had any.

And no; I probably wouldn't use a sandbox or anti-executable, for the same reasons you cite. If she gets too frustrated with the setup, then she's likely to just undo it (even if she has to pay someone else to do it).

I'd still put in AdBlock. I installed it on my mother's machine, and she hasn't had any problems with it.

 

the way to go is limited account and maybe Mbam

 

AppGuard is best for u. nothing more needed. no pop ups