Norton

  • Thread starter Thread starter ~Vi
  • Start date Start date
V

~Vi

I am so ticked off I can't believe I am able to type. I spent six hours
yesterday reformatting and updating and registering etc., my Windows XP
home edition after being hit with a virus.... What is the point of having an
anti virus program if you wind up having to set up your PC from scratch
because it is so corrupted? I know that I bear some responsibility but I
keep my pc updated on a daily basis, and I still wind up in trouble. I
admit to being a "newbie" to some extent but what is up with these so called
antivirus programs. I have Norton and have wound up with the same thing
happening in the past with McAfee? TIA for any help on this frustrating
thing in the future.... Just don't open ANY email????

..... Violet
 
~Vi said:
I am so ticked off I can't believe I am able to type. I spent six
hours yesterday reformatting and updating and registering etc., my
Windows XP home edition after being hit with a virus.... What is the
point of having an anti virus program if you wind up having to set up
your PC from scratch because it is so corrupted? I know that I bear
some responsibility but I keep my pc updated on a daily basis, and I
still wind up in trouble. I admit to being a "newbie" to some extent
but what is up with these so called antivirus programs. I have
Norton and have wound up with the same thing happening in the past
with McAfee? TIA for any help on this frustrating thing in the
future.... Just don't open ANY email????
.... Violet
Click to expand...

The old saying "Nothing can save you from yourself" still applies. Practice
safe hex for the most part and rely on the security software as a back up.

My personal point of view is that the best choice for AV protection is to
stay away from the over hyped brands, like Norton and McAfee, and go with
Nod32 or Kaspersky for example.
 
I am so ticked off I can't believe I am able to type. I spent six hours
yesterday reformatting and updating and registering etc., my Windows XP
home edition after being hit with a virus.... What is the point of having an
anti virus program if you wind up having to set up your PC from scratch
because it is so corrupted? I know that I bear some responsibility but I
keep my pc updated on a daily basis, and I still wind up in trouble. I
admit to being a "newbie" to some extent but what is up with these so called
antivirus programs. I have Norton and have wound up with the same thing
happening in the past with McAfee? TIA for any help on this frustrating
thing in the future.... Just don't open ANY email????

.... Violet
Click to expand...

Work out how got the virus and don't do it again. Set your email
application so it only accepts and dispalys plain text.

Steve
 
Steve Wolstenholme said:
Work out how got the virus and don't do it again. Set your email
application so it only accepts and dispalys plain text.

Steve
Click to expand...


Well, I don't have any idea how I got the virus to be honest with you...
Something flashed for brief second from Norton and then I was move into
Computer Hell... Also, I didn't realive that it made a difference on
accepting plain text in my emails? How so?
... Vi
 
~Vi said:
.. Also, I didn't realive that it made a difference on accepting plain
text in my emails? How so?
Click to expand...

Certain insecure email clients will not execute embedded scripts if the
mail is written/read in plain text. Certain insecure email clients will
go to the web to download stuff linked in an HTML email. Etc.

Try: http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/thunderbird/

During installation, it will even offer to import all your email
settings - and the mail - from your certain insecure email client.
 
Steve said:
Outlook express can run scripts and access the web for more junk.
Plain text can't contain scripts.
Click to expand...

And just try to find an e-mail or news reader program that is _not_able_
to receive anything but text. You'll have lots of people saying "oh,
this program can be set to receive text".

That's not the idea. Any user setting can be "corrected" with an update
or upgrade. MS is especially bad for screwing with user settings.
 
Well, I don't have any idea how I got the virus to be honest with you...
Something flashed for brief second from Norton and then I was move into
Computer Hell... Also, I didn't realive that it made a difference on
accepting plain text in my emails? How so?
.. Vi
Click to expand...

Outlook express can run scripts and access the web for more junk.
Plain text can't contain scripts.

Steve
 
~Vi said:
(I'm the one that was stupid, not the emails) that have ten or fifteen
attachments before I got to the original email and in so doing each one had
what seemed like fifty names on them.
Click to expand...

A friend of mine is still pissed because I got after him for having me
on a mass mail list for stuff we were both interested in.

That was about 10 years ago. No spam or virus e-mail before he pulled
that, and 5yrs of spam and virus e-mails after.

There's going to be times when attachments are necessary, but the danger
is just to great to go opening random attachments.
 
Offbreed said:
And just try to find an e-mail or news reader program that is _not_able_
to receive anything but text. You'll have lots of people saying "oh, this
program can be set to receive text".

That's not the idea. Any user setting can be "corrected" with an update or
upgrade. MS is especially bad for screwing with user settings.
Click to expand...


Somehow I don't believe that was the problem when I was hit with the virus.
Maybe I was, but I think it was more likely from all those stupid emails
(I'm the one that was stupid, not the emails) that have ten or fifteen
attachments before I got to the original email and in so doing each one had
what seemed like fifty names on them. I sent an email to everyone in my
"directory" informing them that unless they had a message on the face of
their original email to me, I would be deleting it so hopefully, that will
help....
 
Offbreed said:
A friend of mine is still pissed because I got after him for having me on
a mass mail list for stuff we were both interested in.

That was about 10 years ago. No spam or virus e-mail before he pulled
that, and 5yrs of spam and virus e-mails after.

There's going to be times when attachments are necessary, but the danger
is just to great to go opening random attachments.
Click to expand...

Amen <g> I learned my lesson. Hopefully I won't have a problem like that
again for a long while. (but who knows)
 
I am so ticked off I can't believe I am able to type. I spent six hours
yesterday reformatting and updating and registering etc., my Windows XP
home edition after being hit with a virus.... What is the point of having an
anti virus program if you wind up having to set up your PC from scratch
because it is so corrupted? I know that I bear some responsibility but I
keep my pc updated on a daily basis, and I still wind up in trouble. I
admit to being a "newbie" to some extent but what is up with these so called
antivirus programs. I have Norton and have wound up with the same thing
happening in the past with McAfee? TIA for any help on this frustrating
thing in the future.... Just don't open ANY email????
Click to expand...
A number of experts agree that the retail AV version of McAfee, Norton and
Trend Micro has become cumbersome and bloated for the average user.
The retail version of Norton can play havoc with your pc. Uninstall it
using Norton's own uninstall tool
http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/tsgeninfo.nsf/docid/2005033108162039
and get a refund :)
As suggested on the site, you may wish to print out the directions before
proceeding.
Or
http://www.majorgeeks.com/Norton_Removal_Tool_SymNRT_d4749.html

While Norton's removal tool usually gets the job done, you may also want to
go to:
http://www.snapfiles.com/get/winsockxpfix.html
and download a copy of winsockxpfix just in case. Rarely, the removal of
NIS breakes the networking components in XP to the point where internet
access is impossible. This little utility will fix it back up.

If the Norton removal tool doesn't work satisfactory use this:
Revo Uninstaller Freeware - Remove unwanted programs and traces easily
http://www.revouninstaller.com/
and/or
RegSeeker
http://www.hoverdesk.net/freeware.htm
RegSeeker will remove all associated detritus (registry keys,files and
folders) from any application. I found this application user friendly and
very effective but suggest *not* to use the 'Clean the Registry' option.
Click onto 'Find in registry' and in the 'Search for' box type *Norton*;
The pertinent registry keys can then be safely deleted (just in case,
ensure that the 'Backup before deletion' is checked). Repeat the task by
typing in the Search for' box *Symantec*. You can then go on search and
remove associated files as well.
Then use NTREGOPT to compact the registry; Follow instructions.
http://www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de/erunt

Real-time AV applications - for viral malware.
Do not utilize more than one (1) real-time anti-virus scanning engine!
Disable the e-mail scanning function during installation (Custom
Installation on some AV apps.) as it provides no additional protection.
http://www.oehelp.com/OETips.aspx#3
In fact, most of experts (incl. Norton) believe that scanning incoming and
outgoing mail causes e-mail file corruption.

Avira AntiVir® PersonalEdition Classic - Free
http://www.free-av.com/antivirus/allinonen.html

Free antivirus - avast! 4 Home Edition
http://www.avast.com/eng/avast_4_home.html
(Choose Custom Installation and under Resident
Protection, uncheck: Internet Mail and Outlook/Exchange.)

ESET NOD32 Antivirus - Not Free
http://www.eset.com/
Have you seen these "extra settings for NOD32"?
http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=37509

On-demand AV application.
(add it to your arsenal and use it as a "second opinion" av scanner).
BitDefender10 Free Edition
http://www.bitdefender.com/PRODUCT-14-en--BitDefender-8-Free-Edition.html

A-S applications - for non-viral malware.
The effectiveness of an individual A-S scanners can be wide-ranging and
oftentimes a collection of scanners is best. There isn't one software that
cleans and immunizes you against everything. That's why you need multiple
products to do the job i.e. overlap their coverage - one may catch what
another may miss, (grab'em all).

SuperAntispyware - Free
http://www.superantispyware.com/superantispywarefreevspro.html

Ad-Aware - Free
http://www.lavasoftusa.com/products/ad_aware_free.php
http://www.download.com/3000-2144-10045910.html

Spybot Search & Destroy - Free
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/index.html

Windows Defender - Free (build-in in Vista)
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx
Interesting reading:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,136195/article.html
"...Windows Defender did excel in behavior-based protection, which detects
changes to key areas of the system without having to know anything about
the actual threat."

After the software is updated, it is suggested scanning the system in Safe
Mode.

A clarification on the terminology: the word "malware" is short for
"malicious software." Most Anti-Virus applications detect many types of
malware such as viruses, worms, trojans, etc.
What AV applications usually don't detect is "non-viral" malware, and the
term "non-viral malware" is normally used to refer to things like spyware
and adware.

Some more useful applications:
Spyware Blaster - Free
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html

Rootkit Revealer - Free
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/Utilities/RootkitRevealer.mspx

Crap Cleaner - Free
http://www.filehippo.com/download_ccleaner/
If Windows Defender is utilized go to Applications, under Utilities
uncheck "Windows Defender".

CW Shredder - Free
http://www.softpedia.com/get/Internet/Popup-Ad-Spyware-Blockers/CWShredder.shtml

Routinely Practice Safe-Hex
http://www.claymania.com/safe-hex.html

Do not work as administrator, use a Limited User Account (LUA) for
day-to-day surfing/computing.

Secure (harden) your operating system (OS).
 
~Vi said:
I am so ticked off I can't believe I am able to type. I spent six hours
yesterday reformatting and updating and registering etc., my Windows XP
home edition after being hit with a virus.... What is the point of having an
anti virus program if you wind up having to set up your PC from scratch
because it is so corrupted?
Click to expand...

the point is that you'd probably get into a bad state more often without
an anti-virus installed...
I know that I bear some responsibility but I
keep my pc updated on a daily basis, and I still wind up in trouble. I
admit to being a "newbie" to some extent but what is up with these so called
antivirus programs. I have Norton and have wound up with the same thing
happening in the past with McAfee? TIA for any help on this frustrating
thing in the future....
Click to expand...

all preventative measures fail some of the time...

if you're just using a scanner then you might want to try adding some
kind of application whitelist, host intrusion prevention system (hips),
or maybe even some sort of application sandbox to the mix to help cover
those areas where scanning alone is weak (generally new/unknown malware)...

even then, though, there's still the possibility that malware will get
through so you might want to learn how to use imaging software to save
an image of your drive when it's clean and then restore the image when
something bad happens so as to be able to recover without so much work
and headache...
Just don't open ANY email????
Click to expand...

i run my email program in an application sandbox (sandboxie) and make
use of the application whitelisting functionality of sunbelt personal
firewall to help stop possible unknown malware and help limit it's
effects when it doesn't get stopped...
 
Certain insecure email clients will not execute embedded scripts if the
mail is written/read in plain text. Certain insecure email clients will
go to the web to download stuff linked in an HTML email. Etc.

Try: http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/thunderbird/

During installation, it will even offer to import all your email
settings - and the mail - from your certain insecure email client.
Click to expand...

I agree Thunderbird IMHO is the best and safest e-mail client around.
I also use Opera for browsing as it is not linked to the OS like IE.
and Agent for Newsgroups.
I do have Norton 2008 and it works very well constantly updating Virus
and Intrusion Defs and scanning in the background. I have used Norton
products since Windows 95 and have only had one Virus and that was my
own fault. I thought I would test the claim made by a computer mag
that 15 minutes without Virus protection and a Firewall would result
in infection and it did much to my surprise. Get Mailwasher as well to
preview your email and delete known spam before it reaches your client
Plus Spybot for other threats.


Regards
James
 
I am so ticked off I can't believe I am able to type. I spent six hours
yesterday reformatting and updating and registering etc., my Windows XP
home edition after being hit with a virus.... What is the point of having
an anti virus program if you wind up having to set up your PC from scratch
because it is so corrupted? I know that I bear some responsibility but I
keep my pc updated on a daily basis, and I still wind up in trouble. I
admit to being a "newbie" to some extent but what is up with these so
called antivirus programs. I have Norton and have wound up with the same
thing happening in the past with McAfee? TIA for any help on this
frustrating thing in the future.... Just don't open ANY email????

.... Violet
Click to expand...

I understand your frustration. I clean malware from computers for a living
so I know what it takes and sometimes formatting is the only option. Which
Norton security program were you using? Keep in mind that new versions of
Norton Internet Security and Norton Antivirus are released every year. When
a Norton program is coming to the end of the subscription it will bug you to
buy a new subscription, but you should always buy the new version of the
program instead if it's available - the technology is always improving.
This is true for other brands of security software as well so always look
for the latest version regardless of which brand you choose.

Along with a software firewall, antivirus and antispyware I recommend that
you try Threatfire (www.threatfire.com). It is a free application that
blocks malware based on behavior analysis and can stop threats that don't
your AV and AS can't recognize yet (zero day exploits).

It's also a good idea to put your computer behind a router or hardware
firewall for added security (either can be had for less money then a
software security suite).
 
Back
Top