I'm still oft seeing instances of End Users not hip to malware. Some of us in IT have come to know how critical a threat this really is & how much damage it can do or how much negative impact it can exert (on a machine). I still encounter machines w/ nothing but, an AV program, Defender not running or not Anti-mailware utilities... nor any tools to find & remove malware. Folks, please, be congnicent to the fact that malware is, @ least as great a concern as viri, if not moreso. An AV alone, that is nothing but, AV, is NOT enough!! IF, your security software is AV only, be VERY sure Defender is set up and doing Daily Full scans! (not the default settings!) One MUST have something that is both, such as MSE (Microsoft Security Essentials) or be sure Defender is, also, running. You cannot rely, exclusively, on an AV; keep things updated... the security program, Windows Updates, CCleaner, Java, Adobe, the browser, SpywareBlaster, etc, etc. Run Malwarebytes occasionally. Malware you do not know you have can make a computer run badly or worse... and some lowly AV software will do nothing about it, not before or after. Be aware of Malware & take it seriously. Regards, Drew Computer Issues Welcoming ClientsDrew MS Partner / MS Beta Tester / Pres. Computer Issues Pres. Computer Issues www.drewsci.com

Thank you very much for your knowladge sharing. MSE is a good design. It can completely replace the anti malware such as Windows Defender. Windows Defender and Microsoft Security Essentials http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/protect/forum/protect_start/windows-defender-and-microsoft-security-essentials/5309cb8d-02e1-40e8-974f-0dcedb9ab9fd However in some cases users may still use some special tools to kill new virus because the new virus is not been added into the virus defination of their antiviurs yet.Please remember to click Mark as Answer on the post that helps you, and to click Unmark as Answer if a marked post does not actually answer your question. This can be beneficial to other community members reading the thread.

I have never used MSE. But what I know is that Win Defender is only updated once every several days or so, compared to SuperAntiSpyware which is updated SEVERAL TIMES (AT LEAST TWICE) PER DAY. So this is what I do: 1. Use Avast! anti-virus free edition (which is updated approx twice per day). Enable all the active shields. Run a Full scan AND a Quick scan every week (depending how you use your PC). 2. Use Comodo firewall free edition. The firewall is very powerful. 3. Use SuperAntiSpyware free edition. The free edition does not auto-update. Run a Full scan at least once per month. Remember to update it before scanning. 4. As the free edition of SuperAntiSpyware does not provide real-time protection, I still leave Win Defender running in the background. 5. Use Secunia PSI (freeware) to periodically check for outdated programs that need to be updated. I have never got a virus on my Win 7 PC! So I'd really love to share my "Anti-Malware" habits. Hope that helps. Thanks!

Sadly, people write this stuff, and should be deep-sixed into the ocean. It is a major problem with just how many folks blindly install toolbars, and helpers and suddenly thier machine is toast, worst is now major web sites like cnet are now themselves wrapping installers with thier own bloatware.:P Advice offered, If you need more help it is advised to seek the council and advice of paid professionals. The answer is always 42, or reboot.

Ah, I forgot to say... I never download and/or install things from untrusted sources. For example, if you want to install CCleaner, download it from their own website instead of other sites. Also, I always think very clearly before I install anything. You know what, even if the things are 100% clean, if u dont really need it, it will slow down your pc -- and if you decide to uninstall it, it still leaves traces and fragments in the registry. You have to do lots of things to get rid of them. So, PREVENTION IS ALWAYS BETTER THAN CURE!!

1st, I am glad to see feedback & comments from people following my initial writing. Granted there are various approaches to security, keeping computers clean & healthy & running @ their optimum. Over the years I have seen many, some good, some bad, some ridiculous. I have , also, made it a point to give careful consideration to comparitive studies, independant research & my own 1st-hand testing. Combining the above w/ the notes from others in this thread (much of which I am in agreement) I will sum things up thusly... Keep it simple, no redundency or overlapping of tools (such as more than 1 software firewall or AV), stay away from silver bullets alledging to clean & tune-up a machine, rid it of thousands of viri, make it faster or fix all the ills that must exist in the registry. I do recommend full scans, not 'quick', constant updating, including definitions and frequent scans. In the days of XP, certain utilities were wise & prudent, such as Spybot & Adaware. However, w/ Windows 7 here is a formula I, personally, suggest: I used to be a big fan of Avast & still feel it is good. Back to my 'formula': > MSE ... BUT, change the default settings from Quick Scan to FULL & Weekly to DAILY > Windows 7 (native) Firewall > IF a router is being used, that adds further firewall protection & is in no way conflict w/ the OS firewall > SpywareBlaster -free version needs be updated manually 2 or 3 times/wk > All Microsoft Windows Updates & in a timely fashion > Stay away from P2P - Period, all of them. This includes shared On-line gaming as well as downloading music & videos/movies > Stay away from porn sites > Crap like Incredimail, Fun Web Products, My Web Search and toolbars. There is no need for toolbars or the strange stuff inherent to many of them. > Use IE9 > Finally, a scan w/ Malwarebytes occasionally is a good idea & certainly use it if anything 'dirty' is suspected. And MBSA 2.2 is a goodway to check that things are in good order. This methodology has kept my machines & those of my clients always clean & running well. Basically it does not take much in terms of tools & utilities, procedures & intelligent common sense to take good care of a machine, especially if running Windows 7. Thanks, Drew Computer Issues Drew MS Partner / MS Beta Tester / Pres. Computer Issues Pres. Computer Issues www.drewsci.com

Arthur, Thank you & you're welcome. & yes, w/ MSE there is no need for Defender as MSE incorporates both AV & AM Regards, DrewDrew MS Partner / MS Beta Tester / Pres. Computer Issues Pres. Computer Issues www.drewsci.com

IE9 with SmartScreen Leads Malware Protection Once Again While the web is a wonderful place, there are many dangers online that can put you and your computer at risk. Your browser is the first line of defense against attacks on the web, and it plays a critical role along with anti-virus and other security software to help keep you safe online. With Internet Explorer, SmartScreen helps protect users from socially engineered malware attacks by stopping them before they have a chance to infect your PC. NSS Labs, an independent security research and testing organization, released two reports today that show SmartScreen continues to offer industry-leading protection against socially engineered malware. According to the global test conducted by NSS, “IE9 caught an exceptional 96% of the live threats with SmartScreen URL reputation, and an additional 3.2% with Application Reputation.” The graph below compares the test results from various browsers and shows that Internet Explorer blocks up to seven times more malware than other browsers in the global test. Source: NSS Labs, August 2011 – Global Socially Engineered Malware Protection Other regional tests released by NSS for socially engineered malware targeted at users in Asia Pacific and in Europe showed similar and consistent results. In all cases, Internet Explorer 9 leads across all browsers in protecting users from these live threats of malware. Source: NSS Labs, Asia, Global, and Europe Reports (2011) We continue to improve the quality and protection SmartScreen technology offers to our Internet Explorer users. You can see these improvements in how much faster SmartScreen is in blocking malware over time. Since the October 2010 NSS report, the average time taken by SmartScreen filter to block a threat has gotten 28% faster - and if Application Reputation is considered, then the average time has improved by 85%. Not only has the effectiveness of the technology improved, but so has the speed at which it is able to identify socially engineered malware. For our Windows customers, this means fewer infections and headaches for you. Internet Explorer is designed with your security and privacy in mind. Innovative features such as SmartScreen and Application Reputation are examples of technologies that help protect you as you browse from an increasingly prevalent threat – socially engineered malware. According to Bruce Hughes from AVG Technologies, “Users are 4 times more likely to come into contact with social engineering tactics as opposed to a site serving an exploit.” As this threat becomes more common consumers need better protection and the SmartScreen filter in Internet Explorer is designed to directly address this threat. When it comes to browsing the web safely, your browser choice matters. If you haven’t already done so, download Internet Explorer 9 and experience a safer browsing experience. Roger Capriotti Director, Internet Explorer Product Marketing Drew MS Partner / MS Beta Tester / Pres. Computer Issues Pres. Computer Issues www.drewsci.com