Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Which is best, SpyBot S&D or Malwarebytes?

When you come to using your computer for almost everything, from work to managing your bank account and keeping in contact with your friends or making purchases online, every single application that you install and give access to your private data must be carefully scrutinized, while keeping unwanted guests at bay.
If computer viruses started with experiments and proof of concept programming in universities, there is no doubt the plague known as malware in present times was designed from scratch for malicious purposes.
Viruses achieved their goals by spreading and going out of control in the wild. Malware is not the result of implementing biology principles in software, but rather a vicious set of tools designed to pry on large numbers of computer users, steal their data and not last, manipulate their perception.
Faced with the losses generated by malware, the public is entitled to demand why the IT&C industry and the authorities tolerate the situation.
It boils down to the nature of backdoors malware uses to propagate - software vulnerabilities combined with social engineering attacks.
The computer security industry attacks the problem from different angles, but the measure of their success is a double-edge sword.
Some of the best programs to fight malware are free - this way their creators can avoid being portrayed as the fathers of the very same threats their security solutions are designed to remove.
Among the leaders in fighting malware, SpyBot S&D and Malwarebytes Anti-malware are two well-known names that have been known for long to offer their products free of charge.
Installing of these applications on your computer confronts you with the different approaches taken by their authors in designing tools fit for the same purpose.
There are four main aspects needed to differentiate between competing anti-malware products: the list of malware signatures used for detection, the speed and accuracy of the removal and the presence of maintenance features like realtime prevention and scheduled updates.
Another interesting trait is the usability of the interface, together with the frequency of updates and the level of documentation that accompanies the threat list.
Malwarebytes Anti-malware provides what is regarded as probably the most up-to-date signatures database on the market. They collect millions of reports, analyze the adware/spyware and implement automated removal in their application in record times.
Malwarebytes differentiate between malware removal and pro-active protection. When ordering more Malwarebytes licenses at the same time you can get a discount even if you don't enter a Malwarebytes coupon code at checkout. It does not sound impressive in itself, but such volume discounts are another proof of Malwarebytes trying to position their product in the corporate computer network, besides the millions of individual home users.

Choosing SpyBot on the money argument alone can be tempting at this stage.
To simplify your choice, simply weight a slower Internet experience against a faster one, all other things being equal. Avoid a new purchase with SpyBot. If you value your computer's speed, try Malwarebytes' full version. Before you complete your order, you can try to save on your acquisition with a Malwarebytes coupon code already tested by other readers. Malwarebytes coupon codes are hard to come by, but worth the effort to find and test - you are making an investment in your privacy and the security of your data.
This short article only scratches the surface of this topic, without discussing the ethics behind certain adware applications or the shocking attacks on privacy perpetrated by spyware authors. With such serious threats, there is no time to rest - you have to take action and remove it from your PC as soon as possible, before any more damage is done.

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Remove malware disguised as antivirus with simple methods

AntivirXP08, Antivirus2008, or Antivirus2009 as it is presenting itself sometimes is one of the many fake antivirus applications which tries to make you buy their software which doesn't work anyways. Call it ad-, mal- or spy-ware, such software will not stop short of taking over your screen or computing resources - anything it takes to make the user pay for the promised solution to his newly found problems. In this short material I will take your through the simple steps of dealing with this kind of threat for free and completely on your own.

I have learned how to remove malware on my own. I will suggest you my method, but you can go ahead and do it manually if you want - just be prepared to invest some more time and attention, however instructive you might find it.

Fake antiviruses don't stand a chance in front of Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware. Visit http://www.malwarebytes.org to download their application.

You get to use this application free of charge. Malwarebytes Anti-Malware has a paid version as well, but it only adds functionality if you choose to pay a small one-time fee. And even that can be halved with the right Malwarebytes coupon code.

Once the download is complete you can install and update the application with the latest malware signatures. Launch it in quick scan if you are in a hurry, or a full scan if you suspect a serious infestation with different malware programs running at the same time. When scanning is finished click on the "Show Results". Make sure that all detected threats are clicked on and click on Remove Selected. Then Restart your computer.

As long as these are the only major malware programs on your computer, you will be good to go. This has worked great with my friends who have been plagued with these pieces of malware. Whatever you do, don't actually purchase their software.

***EDIT*** The Yahoo!Answers question mentioned above received an answer - just as I knew, the best place to check for the latest Malwarebytes coupon code remains the dtcdeals blog, where individual users list their working coupons for the benefit of others.