Computer/virus questions

[INeedLove]

Hi, thanks for giving me a moment of your time.

What's the difference between malware, virus and spyware? Or are they the same?

I run McAfee but I've heard that it doesn't catch everything. Has anyone used the free program Malwarebytes or Super Anti spyware??

If you have any good suggestions for free stuff, I'd appreciate it.


Have a great day!!
INL

 

[enigma3]

pm sent. regarding your PC

 

[silverwhisper]

the vast majority of the IT people i know use avast for their own personal computers. my experience with avast is that it routinely finds stuff other free solutions (e.g., AVG, malwarebytes) do not.

it's free and runs without a huge resource footprint (IOW, does not completely kill your computer's responsiveness).

the first time you install any antivirus/malware/spyware app, it should want to upload its database of bad stuff. do this, then run the fullest, most comprehensive scan it offers. assuming your hard drive is of reasonable size and not especially full, expect this process to take 1-2 hours or so.

a virus is software that is designed to replicate itself. it can--and usually does--do other things, such as corrupt data, find sensitive information or just render your hard drive inoperable. sometimes, it'll do all this and more.

spyware is software that specifically roots out private stuff and reports it back "somewhere else". usually, it transmits this electronically to a website, but it keeps track of what you're doing on your computer. or indeed, what anyone else might be doing. for this reason, on the most sensitive setting, cookies will crop up as possible "spyware". cookies however are also sometimes useful in storing your password for sites (e.g., e-mail, banking sites, shopping sites, forums).

malware is a catch-all for "anything you wouldn't actually want running on your machine".

ed

 

[NaturistLouise]

Thanks

the vast majority of the IT people i know use avast for their own personal computers. my experience with avast is that it routinely finds stuff other free solutions (e.g., AVG, malwarebytes) do not.

it's free and runs without a huge resource footprint (IOW, does not completely kill your computer's responsiveness).

the first time you install any antivirus/malware/spyware app, it should want to upload its database of bad stuff. do this, then run the fullest, most comprehensive scan it offers. assuming your hard drive is of reasonable size and not especially full, expect this process to take 1-2 hours or so.

a virus is software that is designed to replicate itself. it can--and usually does--do other things, such as corrupt data, find sensitive information or just render your hard drive inoperable. sometimes, it'll do all this and more.

spyware is software that specifically roots out private stuff and reports it back "somewhere else". usually, it transmits this electronically to a website, but it keeps track of what you're doing on your computer. or indeed, what anyone else might be doing. for this reason, on the most sensitive setting, cookies will crop up as possible "spyware". cookies however are also sometimes useful in storing your password for sites (e.g., e-mail, banking sites, shopping sites, forums).

malware is a catch-all for "anything you wouldn't actually want running on your machine".

ed

Thanks Ed, I have wondered about this too.

 

[RunningJib]

I use both

Hi, thanks for giving me a moment of your time.

What's the difference between malware, virus and spyware? Or are they the same?

I run McAfee but I've heard that it doesn't catch everything. Has anyone used the free program Malwarebytes or Super Anti spyware??

If you have any good suggestions for free stuff, I'd appreciate it.


Have a great day!!
INL

McAfee is okay and like most anti-virus programs, won't catch everything.

I strongly suggest you also download CCleaner and FileShreader.

 

[Maxell46]

I would seriously consider deleting the McAfee. Its a terrible program to have on ANY computer. Google it... do some research on how lousy it is..then get rid of it. Your computer will run much better.

I run Avast and Malwarebytes .
Avast runs fulltime in the background
Malewarebytes I installed a few months ago and run at the end of each day.

Every so often I'll run SpyBot but since I began using Avast 2 years ago Spybot has never once detected anything.
The Malewarebyttes has yet to detect anything either now that I think of it

Granted I do not browse or surf the web as much these days as I once did...limit myself to secure sites...
and try to stay with select porn sites when the urge calls .

I run these on 3 computers...and since using them I've never had a problem.

 

[StrayKat]

I would seriously consider deleting the McAfee. Its a terrible program to have on ANY computer. Google it... do some research on how lousy it is..then get rid of it. Your computer will run much better.

I run Avast and Malwarebytes .
Avast runs fulltime in the background
Malewarebytes I installed a few months ago and run at the end of each day.

Every so often I'll run SpyBot but since I began using Avast 2 years ago Spybot has never once detected anything.
The Malewarebyttes has yet to detect anything either now that I think of it

Granted I do not browse or surf the web as much these days as I once did...limit myself to secure sites...
and try to stay with select porn sites when the urge calls .

I run these on 3 computers...and since using them I've never had a problem.

This. Been using Malwarebytes and Spybot for years and just lately got rid of Norton and installed Avast. Completely happy with all of them.

 

[LibraStud]

Hi, thanks for giving me a moment of your time.

What's the difference between malware, virus and spyware? Or are they the same?

I run McAfee but I've heard that it doesn't catch everything. Has anyone used the free program Malwarebytes or Super Anti spyware??

If you have any good suggestions for free stuff, I'd appreciate it.


Have a great day!!
INL

I run Spybot, Malwarebytes, and MaxMySpeed Registry cleaner along side of MicroSoft Security Essentials. I do not have any problems. Norton is a hog - stay away from it.

Also, staying away from porn sites (LOL!) will help. Lots of infections from porn sites - so when someone tells you they have problems, good chance they are, well, having fun!

 

[jeff999]

My suggestion for freeware depends on whether you still use Windows or not. If you do, AVG free edition (not AVG2012) is very good at basic viruses. Also make sure you have Mincrosofts own toold for cleaning out malware.

Malware is just bad software or any kind that does stuff you don't want.
Viruses are modified programs where the normal use of the prog spreads the virus e.g. via email attachments.
Spyware is stuff that reports back to mummy things that you have on your computer and don't want to share (like passwords etc.).

All is bad.

Another solution is not to use Windows. Ubuntu (a form of Linux) is completely free with some 30,000 free applications, including better versions of 'Office' than theirs. Check it out!

Linux is fundamentally secure by design and so there is little malware out there to worry about, though you still have to be careful which web sites you access.