Claro viruses and security tips

[KonstantinII 1,106]

My old computer got infected with the claro virus which made it incapable of running sc4. What should I do to prevent this situation for my new computer? Is Norton enough? I also heard that you need a firewall to filter viruses from your internet. Where do I get one and which is the best? The dilemma is that if I download a firewall from the internet then before I actually install it a virus may slip through. Can i get a firewall software from my local electronics store? How do I surely secure my computer?

[VMIUJcadet09 250]

Hey Konstantin: You need good all-around anti-virus/malware suite in addition to a firewall. Kaspersky, Norton, Symantec are all good brands.

You can get this at your local electronics store and you can download it all from your cd that you buy at the store.

[KonstantinII 1,106]

Which firewall is best one?

[Cyclone Boom 16,829]

No matter what security software you run, it's still possible it may miss something. Since new types of malware are being made daily, it is not possible for virus definitions to keep up.

There is no security software that can protect you from your own actions. At the end of the day, it is the end-user who is in control. The decisions you make will ultimately affect the security of your system. For example, if you choose to download a file you don't recognize, a virus could be installed before the software has a chance to respond. Also, if you choose to ignore a warning from the firewall, your system will be left open to potential attacks.

There are countless types of security software available. It is not really possible to define which one is 'best'. Most of the 'well known' brands are good, but they can't provide 100% protection. I wouldn't be too concerned about downloading the software, assuming it is from the official vendor. If you go directly to the download location, the standard Windows firewall should be adequate. On my PC, I use Norton Internet Security, by Symantec. Generally, their software has become notably less demanding on system resources over the years, and I've had no problem running it for a while now. When purchasing the package, there are options whether to download a copy, or buy a CD.

Even with protection installed, to minimise the risks, it's always best to:

• Be aware of the sites you visit — some may be disguised as legitimate ones.
  

• Watch out for email scams. I recommend having a primary and secondary account — one for personal use, the other for anything else.
  

• Keep your system up to date, regularly check and install updates. These are designed to fix security issues in the operating system. The same applies to your installed software — e.g. Adobe Flash Player, Java, browsers etc.
  

• Update the security software and run regular full system scans.
  

• Keep multiple backups of your data — 3 mediums are recommended (e.g. external drive, cloud backup, CD).
  

• Be very careful with free software. Although there are lots of useful ones, some are loaded with junk, designed to wreck havoc with your system and potentially steal personal information. It's always a good idea to thoroughly research the software beforehand, such as by reading product reviews of trustworthy sites. VirusTotal is a good site to check the reputation of files.
  

The bottom line is, although security software will provide adequate protection, you still need to be cautious.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

You need to be ultra aware of phishing e-mails. Do not respond to any e-mail no matter who it represents itself to be from if it asks for any personal info such as your passwords. If you are suspicious of an e-mail you can view the header in detail to see where it really came from, but unless you know what you are doing, I'd just delete it.

You should be safe from malicious sites if you don't give them a pathway to your IP address. They can only get this if you initiate some action that sends the site a packet containing your address (any response will contain this).

[KonstantinII 1,106]

No matter what security software you run, it's still possible it may miss something. Since new types of malware are being made daily, it is not possible for virus definitions to keep up.

There is no security software that can protect you from your own actions. At the end of the day, it is the end-user who is in control. The decisions you make will ultimately affect the security of your system. For example, if you choose to download a file you don't recognize, a virus could be installed before the software has a chance to respond. Also, if you choose to ignore a warning from the firewall, your system will be left open to potential attacks.

There are countless types of security software available. It is not really possible to define which one is 'best'. Most of the 'well known' brands are good, but they can't provide 100% protection. I wouldn't be too concerned about downloading the software, assuming it is from the official vendor. If you go directly to the download location, the standard Windows firewall should be adequate. On my PC, I use Norton Internet Security, by Symantec. Generally, their software has become notably less demanding on system resources over the years, and I've had no problem running it for a while now. When purchasing the package, there are options whether to download a copy, or buy a CD.

Even with protection installed, to minimise the risks, it's always best to:

• Be aware of the sites you visit — some may be disguised as legitimate ones.
  

• Watch out for email scams. I recommend having a primary and secondary account — one for personal use, the other for anything else.
  

• Keep your system up to date, regularly check and install updates. These are designed to fix security issues in the operating system. The same applies to your installed software — e.g. Adobe Flash Player, Java, browsers etc.
  

• Update the security software and run regular full system scans.
  

• Keep multiple backups of your data — 3 mediums are recommended (e.g. external drive, cloud backup, CD).
  

• Be very careful with free software. Although there are lots of useful ones, some are loaded with junk, designed to wreck havoc with your system and potentially steal personal information. It's always a good idea to thoroughly research the software beforehand, such as by reading product reviews of trustworthy sites. VirusTotal is a good site to check the reputation of files.
  

The bottom line is, although security software will provide adequate protection, you still need to be cautious.

Please enlighten me what firewall to use. I heard that windows firewall doesn't keep out trojans.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

Several firewalls have good reputations. If you can afford it, I'd use either McAfee or Norton (same product, I suspect).

I use UFW (Linux) and it works just fine thank you. In 10 years of use, I've never had a problem. I suspect that there is no challenge for hackers with Linux since the entire source is published.

[KonstantinII 1,106]

Several firewalls have good reputations. If you can afford it, I'd use either McAfee or Norton (same product, I suspect).

I use UFW (Linux) and it works just fine thank you. In 10 years of use, I've never had a problem. I suspect that there is no challenge for hackers with Linux since the entire source is published.

You didn't quite answer my question. I want to know what firewalls are good ones.

[A Nonny Moose 8,261]

There is no guarantee on any piece of anti-malware. If it is free it is likely to be malware. To be safest stick with the big boys. You don't sound like you could handle some of the fancier ones.