Monday, February 20, 2012

Malware Alert: Whitney Houston Autopsy Virus

A Facebook message, claiming to link to a video of Whitney Houston’s autopsy, takes the user to a page with an embedded YouTube video. When you try to play it, a message comes up saying that Adobe Flash needs to be updated, eventually leading users to a suspicious survey site. The video scam has become viral.

Saturday, February 18, 2012

My recommended anti-viruses

I'll keep this short and sweet.  I get asked constantly what I recommend for Anti-Virus software.  For the home user, you can't beat this combo, it's $25 total, uses very little memory (RAM), and is what I use personally.

1st: Avast! Anti-Virus (Free Edition) This has been competing head to head with AVG for years, but has one huge edge that a lot of reviewers fail to mention.  The inclusion of a boot-time scan.  9/10 People don't think of making a boot CD until it's too late.  But with Avast!, you simply select a boot-time scan and hit restart, preventing almost all viruses from avoiding the Avast axe.
PRO TIP: After installing, go into the main GUI window and under "Summary" be sure to turn on "Gaming/Silent Mode" to "Permanent", this will prevent the Avast lady screaming your Avast virus database has been updated at 2am over your computer speakers.

2nd: MalwareBytes Anti-Malware.  The current reigning champ for destroying the new trend of malware.  For $25 you get a lifetime subscription, and automatic scanning.  If $25 is out of your price range, there is a free version available, but you better remember to manually scan on at least a weekly basis.

With Avast! searching for the old school virii and trojans, while MalwareBytes looks out for the new threats, I have yet to have one returning customer that had a system crippling virus.

~Matt