NEW SECURITY PROCEDURES

On June 17, 2005 I wrote a column:

Generic Trojan/Adware Removal Procedure

I suggest you open that column in one window while you read this week’s column. I detail all the steps with screen shots there; there will be fewer here. I won’t describe again when to turn off and on SystemRestore, and how to boot in safe mode.

With newer, more clever and more vicious malware, even with protection, sooner or later you’re bound to get caught. I got caught recently. I was back up within a few hours.

Download the latest version of McAfee Stinger . I downloaded the latest version into C:downloads3McafeeStinger but you may want to choose a simpler folder name.

I’m going to repeat the System Restore Screen shot, because it’s so important:

Trend Micro still offers the free Sysclean Package, but it isn’t easy to find. Rather than try to wade through the menus, download it directly from http://www.trendmicro.com/ftp/products/tsc/sysclean.com

I suggest you download it to c:NewFolder

Download the virus patterns to the same folder.

Remember it comes as a zip file, and must be extracted to the same folder.

I didn’t publish a screen shot of that in the last column, so I’ll do it here:

You can skip downloading Adaware Personal. If you’ve taken my advice you have SpySweeper 4.0 and Microsoft Anti-Spyware. If you don’t have them, buy the first from Webroot.

Microsoft Anti-Spyware is free.

A new free Microsoft product is similar to Stinger and Sysclear. It is also free. It’s called Malware Remove.

Rather than run the tool, I downloaded it. Microsoft issues a new version once a month, but I choose to run it more often. If you have XP you’ll have it run once a month.

Rather than repeat myself, my June column will show you how to use the tools, if you have a badly infected computer.

Dennis Turner