Problem finding security products for newer threats that work on windows 98

Hi Everyone,

I am trying to find a program(s) that can detect rootkits, hook programs, and stealthed malware on a Windows 98 (4.10.199 system.

Here is my current security setup:

I scan once a month with Free AVG antivirus, AntiVir, and bitdefender. I also scan with spybot search and destroy (immunization enabled) , Lavasoft Adaware, A-squared, and trendmicro's free online anti-spyware scanner.

I run Zone Alarm Firewall, and use The most recent version of Firefox. I apply all Microsft critical and security updates when available.

Is there anything else I can / should do to beef up security from a software standpoint ? Is there anything I should do to harden windows 98 itself ?

My main concern is with keyloggers and things that can take snapshots of your screen and report back to their authors over the internet. I am concerned with rootkits, hook programs, and the new types of stealthed malware that are coming out, which is hard or impossible to detect with conventional anti-malware.

My problem is that I cannot seem to find any security products for the newer threats that will work on windows 98. I would appreciate any advice, besides of course getting a new computer, that will have to wait.

Thanks for your help.
John

 

Yes there are less and less security programs that run on 98, but as I posted in your other thread Spycop & STM are decent programs. STM will find much other malware also besides just keyloggers. Spycop will only find keyloggers, for the most part.

You've got to understand that it is difficult to secure the older Windows OS's like 98/ME. 2k/XP are easier to secure than 98 in many ways.

The good side to running an older OS like 98 is that much of the newer malware is really only targeting the newer OS's, so you're actually not going to have to face much of it by running 98.

Some other programs that still work with 98 are SpySweeper, SpywareDoctor, WinPatrol, IESpyad, SpywareBlaster, SpywareGuard. And don't forget the system hardening tools like HTAStop, DSOStop. I'm sure there are other decent programs too but I just can't think of anymore off hand. Hopefully someone will post here about them for you.

 

Hi John,

First of all you need to secure your Browser and PC and also surf safely.

Here's a list of good Apps that all work on 98, and most are Free ! I use some of them, and all have featured on Wilders.

A first two will prevent and or detect rootkits and keyloggers, the others will help protect you in various different ways. Check them out and see it's what you need.


BOCLean http://www.nsclean.com/boclean.html

Online Armor http://www.tallemu.com/index.php?area=home

System Safety Monitor (SSM) http://syssafety.com/product.html

Winsonar http://digilander.libero.it/zancart/winsonar.html

RegRun http://www.greatis.com/security/

Startest 3.5 http://digilander.libero.it/zancart/startest.html

Watcher http://www.donationcoders.com/kubicle/watcher/index.html

Desktop Armor http://www.desktoparmor.com/index.shtml

WinPatrol http://www.winpatrol.com/

All-Seeing Eye http://www.fortego.com/en/ase.html

Secure-It http://www.sniff-em.com/secureit.shtml

Arovax Shield http://www.arovaxshield.com/index.php

Spy-The-Spy http://www.mediachance.com/free/spythespy.htm

InstallSpy v2.0 http://www.2brightsparks.com/freeware/freeware-hub.html


StevieO

 

Hi everyone,

Thanks for your repies scannerbrain and StevieO,

Thanks for the links SteviO, I also found a good link here...

http://www.spywarewarrior.com/uiuc/main.htm

There were things there & in the links you gave I never saw before that work on windows 98. I still have not found anything for Rootkits, except for webroots spysweeper V4.5

Thanks again,
John

 

Hi John,

As posted above by others already, get yourself BOClean !
It is not free and there is no trial version (but they do have a money-back garantee).
It's running on my W98SE machine.

 

already mentionned here, but Online Armor is the only HIPS working on windows 98 (exe monitoring, tracking changes, etc, usually found on 2000/xp only ).

(edit: with SSM maybe, didn't know it was running on 98 - Thanks StevieO )

Cheers,
nicM