This is a copy and paste of a file I have kept after originally posting it on this forum. It should be a 'sticky' as PC protection is poorly understood and inadequately applied with all sorts of dodgy and overpriced rubbish [NORTON'S would be the most common and pathetic in this category].

My personal 'top of the hit parade' and what I use for PC protection.

Kasperski is cheap [trial available], trouble free, unobtrusive and does the job NORTON'S pretends to do.

Kaspersky Anti-hacker [firewall]
Kaspersky Anti-Virus Personal [anti-virus and genuine Trojan killer].
At: www.Kasperky.com


or a good freebie is Zone Alarm [google it].

The below list is what I use on my PC or set up for friends on their PC as there is no perfect program that does it all. A Combo is the way to go that together 'does it all'. They are very well known and considered among the best going and are free. Please use only these [safe] download sites as there are many 'clones' of these well known programs that are not the real thing:

'Spybot' Free at: http://spybot.safer-networking.de/

'SpywareBlaster' is the spybot companion piece. Free at: http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html

'Ad-Aware SE Personal' Free at: http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/

Win Patrol: http://www.winpatrol.com/ [Free] This program protects and patrols your start-up programs and stops any unauthorized programs becoming start-up programs or hijacking and taking over existing programs, plug-ins active-X controls etc.]

'HijackThis' Free at: http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/downloads.html

This baby tells you exactly whats happening threat wise you may not know about on your PC. [the threat might actually be from a spyware program itself that you have paid good money for or got for free].

After scanning with 'HighjackThis' you will see a log of all start-up programs and processes, active -X controls and plug-ins etc. on your PC with a 'what's this?' and a 'fix' button. DO NOT press the 'fix' button on something suspicious you have ticked unless you know it is dangerous, you might be removing something vital to your PC. Follow the advice below and copy and paste the log onto one of the many sites that will interpret the log for you.

Spyware Warrior advice about 'Highjack-This': "Where possible, users should become familiar with the use of HijackThis in order to remove stubborn spyware and adware that standard anti-spyware scanners fail to remove. Less experienced users should know how to get help from the expert volunteers who provide free 'HijackThis' log advice and analysis at major anti-spyware forums".

Wack this nice lot above on your PC and you are at max safety and it's then safe to even do internet banking. What was that you say? You already do internet banking without ALL of the above [or similar that is as good] protection ? !!! 8-)

Cheers,
Crash