What's the best way of making sure my computer isn't infected by viruses/trojans?

Can you guys please give me some tips on how to make sure my computer doesn't get infected by viruses, trojans and other nasty computer programs? I think not downloading free software from sketchy sources is a good way to start.

 

Good http blocker such as forticlient or k9 web protection. Either of these two will prevent 99% of infections from the websites including adware which pretty much should be considered as malware rather than something harmless.

 

Stay off line.

 

It won't help. Recently I had been infected from USB drives more often than from the world wide web.

 

If you get used to opening USB drives sandboxed "all the time" (using Sandboxie), you wont get infected again from anything that runs out of a USB drive. Its better (automatic) if you use the paid version but it can also be done using the free version.

Bo

 

Being extra careful about what I install or run out of the sandbox and running all files that come into my computer in a sandbox has proven to work for me. Thats really all I do and it works.

Bo

 

- LUA if you can
- Default-deny policy/anti-executable
- A classical HIPS on the chattiest mode if you can handle it
- EMET if you think you need it
- OS hardening tweaks
- Modern OS (that means no XP allowed)
- Have as little amount of programs and extensions installed as possible
- Pseudo download repository like Softpedia or Major Geeks (or Linux repo if you're on Linux)
- Stay up to date
- Trust no one, believe nothing
- Don't rely on luck
- And of course, a good imaging program. It's a joy to be able to revert the time, as long as the problem is not too fatal like hardware malware

 

Update your system and software and don't install software you don't trust or know.

Regards, hqsec

 

I completely agree with hqsec
Keep it simple and use only the build-in security features in the OS. Everything else is overkill.

1. Update your OS and apps
2. Activate Enhanced Protected Mode, SmartScreen and ActiveX filtering in IE 10/11
3. Common sense (deny anything you did not ask for)

1-2 should take care of any zero day exploit (flash,java) or drive-by attack (exploit, download exe or zip files)
3 should eliminate phishing links or drive-by attack

Now, if you want a super slow non-productive computer, that will give you endless problems, you should ask the same question
in the forum section "other anti-malware software" and take advice from the thread “What is your security setup these days?”

/Jesper

 

So staying offline is not the only solution afterall!

I disagree. I post in other anti-malware software section and “What is your security setup these days?” and I have a very minimal security set up. Also default Windows security options such as UAC don't work very well unless you know what the hell you are doing. MSE is alse a menice that should be put down like a rabbit dog and thankfully it is in Windows XP.

 

At least they don't drill more holes to the OS.

 

Except for the end user mindlessly elevating every process to admin. UAC is simply useless for novice users. MSE is a flop on respected AV tests.
When I set up Windows for family members I put in a strong website blocker such as Forti or K9 and that solves 90% of the problems. UAC is always off because it's useless for them.
Each to their own.

 

UAC does more than prompt you. Every process that doesn't prompt run with limited rights instead of admin privileges without UAC. That is unless you're using a standard account in which you lose the ability to elevate programs. Plus it's required for Internet Explorer's Protected Mode and file/registry virtualization (needed for multiple privileges on one account).

Whether you disable it or not is up to you, but I would recommend admin approval mode instead of disabling it altogether. All that does is automatically allow the prompts, but keeps the other security features of UAC.

 

Which is why we give them LUA.

 

Wont work. Recently people got infected by Ads served from Yahoo. Also USB infections are another problem. You need to do more than keeping your system updated.

+1

 

Remote Code Execution:
- System hardening and reducing the attack surface.
- Secure the perimeter and sandbox/restrict the threatgates.

Social Engineering:
- Just try your best not to fall for it.

Backup and recovery.