Which Security Software should I spend my money on?

Hi there,

So my laptop is infected! I have been careless with security on this laptop. I think it got infected from an old usb drive that I was testing to see if it was still working. I remember the folders in the usb drive had copies with .exe has file extention. ( Folder : Pictures & Pictures.exe ) I noticed something was wrong when random chinese sites started to pop up on firefox.

So I installed Avast and did a full scan. found 6 infected files. Cleaned. I uninstalled Avast and tried Avira free. It found 4 new infected files. I then installed G-Data Total care Trial and it found 2 new infected files. I wanted a permanent solution and several people highly recommended Malwarebytes, So I bought Malwarebytes and did a flash scan first and it found 12 new infected files!! It's doing a full system scan right now.

I would like to clean this laptop without having to format it! What additional security software do I need to get to make sure this system is fully clean? ESET? Avira premium? or something else?


Thank you

 

try hitman pro and SAS

 

malwarebytes antimalware pro. lifetime license cant go wrong.

for AV i go with avast 5 free.

 

yes agree with broke

 

Ditto

 

The best thing I can suggest is get some professional help with cleaning first then add security apps later with the suggestions here! Have a look at this thread for more info https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showpost.php?p=1533481&postcount=3 and the whole thread https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=252253

HTH,

TH

 

Hello Shad0w99;

Perhaps you don't need to spend a dime on antivirus and malware scanners; pretty much all of them offer a full-functioning trial.
For after the fact scanning as you are involved now, you might want to also try on a trial basis Prevx 3.0 and A-Squared antimalware.

As far as positively removing every piece and trace of malware, it may not be possible.
How can you really know if you have, in fact, removed all of the infected files and registry keys ?
Something may be programmed to stay hidden until a later date or specified "trigger" takes place.

So whatever your level of success in removing all of the bad stuff today, the emphasis from this point forward should be on prevention.
If you haven't already, take a look at Sandboxie and a rollback application such as Shadowprotect or FirstDefense-Rescue.
Comodo Time Machine is a freeware alternative.
Also consider full system virtualization.

And don't forget to add a reliable imaging program.

Good luck !

 

Use this free tool for cleaning. Does a good job and along with Malwarebytes should get it all.

http://www.freedrweb.com/?lng=en

 

Geez Trips you beat me to suggesting Blue's excellent write up. Anyways, Shadow, after reading you should have a good idea on which way to go.

 

I would recommend an offline scan with a bootable CD, such as Avira Rescue CD.

EDIT: I would also burn the CD on a clean system.

 

Thanks for the reply guys. I really appreciate it!

Hitman pro, Dr.Web, ESET online scanner all says system is clean. SAS picked up some "adware tracking cookies" Combofix logs looks clean. I installed Avast free antivirus and also got Malwarebytes pro now. I will also download and run Prevx 3.0 and A-Squared antimalware trials just in case. I'm also considering Comodo Time Machine or go full virtualization even.


Thank you

 

malwarebytes pro combined w/ any antivirus FTW

 

Check out Sandboxie and Defensewall also. Both Returnil and Shadow Defender are good for full virtualization. Do a little research and see how they work and decide how they will fit in with your online habits.

Prevx paid version is excellent and they will guarantee malware removal and if the program don't get it they will remote in to your system if you want and remove it.

The main thing is not to get too paranoid and go overboard. If you check out the security setup threads you will certainly see some out of this world setups but remember that a lot of it is just members here trying out security apps and setups for the fun of it.

 

Get all of what? Have you looked at the OP's scan logs to see what he's infected with? While MBAM & DrWeb are both fine tools they are not the definitive solution.

 

Hitman Pro + PrevX

Or just choose one and add a free HIPS + Firewall

Try A-Squared too, i like it

 

What is your operating system?

Besides the programs you have tried you may also want to consider reading this thread- (some of Windows built in tools)
https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=269079

 

What security software should you spend your money on?

Honestly, none. You do not have too. Especially when you are paying for just "Antivirus" - AV is a detection technology, therefore, it will not keep a PC clean because it can't' detect everything it knows! You need 3 layers:

Prevention
Detection
Cure

Prevention and Detection can be covered with something such as COMODO Internet Security. Defense+ (HIPS) and Sandbox act as PREVENTION, only allowing the good stuff to come in, and the things it does not know stays out - Comodo has a huge whitelist of safe applications to auto allow btw. Detection, Comodo has AV. As for Cure, as mentioned before, you can Comodo Time Machine for full system virtualization, if anything goes wrong, go back in time.

Off course, you can just install Comodo Firewall and choose a more respectful AV such as Avira. Or another similar PREVENTION solution, or CURE. You don't have to choose Comodo! Just understand the 3 layers of security, look for them, and you do not need to pay for security.

Goodluck!

 

comodo internet security 4 is pretty good and is getting better.

 

Pretty much Off Topic:

Back in 2006 I ran a old Emachine,on an ancient install of Windows ME,and a long expired copy of McAfee.

Imagine my horror when one day I awoke to find that instead of the normal crawl, Old "Slow Joe" was nearly comatose!

So i download the Avast! du jour,ran a scan,found a worm,went through the cleanup,turned system restore on and off,and seemed back to normal.

I downloaded ZoneAlarm Firewall.
AVG anti-spyware. (the old Edwido)
Spybot Search and Destroy (tea timer on).
Ad-Adware.
A-2 free
I thank Comodo BoClean,(or maybe this was pre-Comodo days.)
Rouge Remover,also.

Who knows what else.
I was not going to be infected again!!

The System crawled,at least as bad as with the worm,
but I was clean!!
That's what we do, when we are "cyber-violated".

Got to watch that tendency.

 

Before this infection You dont use any realtime antivirus or something like that?

You dont need to buy anything, You can delete all infections by a free tools like OTL, GMER, SRENG, Avenger, Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware. But this solution is more time-consuming than format and You need to have extensive knowledge of system. This way You delete all infections from your computer.

 

Where can I find a lifetime license?

 

There's no special deal anywhere that'll give you a lifetime license, the MBAM license is lifetime.

 

Sandboxie

 

defensewall or prevx

 

Prevx