StopSign Internet Security Blog

Keeping your computer virus-free shouldn’t be difficult, but it is. There’s so much to do and see on the Internet that it’s easy to get complacent about Internet security and open yourself up to computer viruses and malware. And nobody wants that.

But the good news is that you can avoid the hassle of viruses, malware, etc. by changing some bad habits. Take the tips we’ve come up with to heart and you’ll be on the road to keeping your PC free from the threat of viruses and malware.

1. Stop checking out those sites:

   You know which ones I’m talking about. The ones you don’t want Grandma seeing in your browser history (as if granny looks at that anyhow). I’m not going to name any names, but if there’s anyone who has access to your computer who’s visiting those sites on a regular basis, limiting access to those sites will go a long way in keeping your PC virus-free. Those sites are usually full of malware, drive-by downloads, and popups galore; a virtual malware minefield.

2. Stop opening those attachments:

   If you’re not expecting a picture or a PDF, be wary of any that find their way to your email inbox. Hackers love to slip their viruses and malware into email attachments because they know they’re going to get clicked. And if they’re clicked, they’re getting their bad stuff installed. Scrutinize every email attachment and don’t click on it, download it, or even preview it until you’re sure it’s from a reliable source.

3. Stop sharing passwords:

   Err on the side of caution and treat your passwords like they’re your Social Security number. (And why would you give that out to just anybody?) Keep your passwords as safe as you would your Social Security number and you’ll instantly decrease the chances of anyone else getting onto your computer or accounts and accidentally putting spyware or other nastiness on your machine.

4. Stop surfing without protection:

   There’s a reason that the Internet security industry is around: Because anti-virus and anti-malware products help keep (or get) your computer clear of infections. Using a computer without some kind of protection is just a bad idea, and naturally we hope you’ll download StopSign Internet Security software to see what we can do to help keep you safe from viruses and malware.

If you can keep those tips in mind and make them your new habits, you’ll be well ahead of the pack when it comes to keeping your computer virus and malware-free.

The StopSign Support staff fields a lot of different calls every day, and a common question heard by our techs is “How can I tell if my antivirus software is working?“. With hundreds of new viruses and other kinds of malware being written or released every day, it’s natural to suspect that your antivirus software isn’t up to snuff if you don’t see it catching anything.

Like most antivirus vendors, the StopSign Research lab keeps a closed-off network of computers (i.e. not connected to the Internet or our internal networks) with live viruses to test our software before it goes out to our members. For us it’s easy to run our antivirus software against live viruses in our “snakepit” of malware safely because we have a closed environment to test the StopSign Threat Scanner, but that’s not the case for everyone.

Luckily the European Institute for Computer Antivirus Research provides, free of charge, the EICAR Standard Anti-Virus Test File as a tool to test antivirus software using different test files to see if your scanner takes the bait. The EICAR anti-malware test file is a safe (i.e. not truly infected; it only contains patterns and not any actual virus code), publically available anti-malware test file which contains code that should trigger detections by antivirus and/or anti-malware software.

Testing your antivirus software is as easy as 1-2-3:

1. Download:

   Go to EICAR’s web site and download an anti-malware test file on to your computer (and be sure to note where you downloaded it to). There are several versions of the test file available if you scroll to the bottom of the page. Feel free to choose any (or all) of them.

2. Scan:

   Using your antivirus software (we, of course, recommend StopSign Internet Security software), scan the anti-malware test file you downloaded.

3. Review:

   When your security software is finished, it should have detected any of the anti-malware test files you downloaded as infected.

If for some reason your antivirus software doesn’t pick up the “infection” it could just mean it’s time to update your software with the latest anti-malware definitions. Update your security software and try it again, and if it still doesn’t pick up the EICAR anti-malware test file then contact your security software vendor to see if there is a problem.

Steering clear of spyware can be a difficult thing to do, especially with all the clicking you have to do just to get the information you’re looking for. A single-click here, a double-click there, lather-rinse-repeat this process for a few months and generously sprinkle that time with a few instances of drive-by downloads and a couple of missed opt-ins and before you know it your once speedy computer is slower than molasses in January.

Spyware happens, but there are things you can do to help stem the flow of it on your computer. By making a few easy-to-adopt changes to the way you browse the Internet and taking an extra minute before you download something, the tips we’ve compiled below will help you stay spyware-free.

1. Watch where you’re browsing:

   Spyware (and malware in general) tends to get on your computer from a shady source. Staying away from untrusted or unknown websites is an easy way to fight spyware. If you need to download updates or specific software packages your best bet is to get it directly from the manufacturer’s website (i.e. go to adobe.com for Adobe Acrobat updates). If you’re looking for software in general (i.e. you’re looking for DVD burning software but don’t know of a specific maker) then try a major download site like tucows.com or download.com.

2. Download with caution:

   A popular tactic with spammers is to send you to a fake website that looks like a legitimate one. Spyware makers have taken that lead and run with it for their own purposes. Stay one step ahead of them both by making sure you’re looking at, and downloading from, the site you’re actually supposed to be on. You can learn more about detecting fake websites in one of our previous blog posts.

3. Read the Fine Print:

   There are 2 common places to look for the tell-tale signs of spyware on a website you aren’t familiar with:

   1. The download or info page:

      Some software or websites, by their very nature, need to contact the mothership every now and again. Anonymous usage statistics, passing along pertinent information such as items in a shopping cart before you purchase, and things of that nature are part and parcel of getting things done online. What you don’t want, however, is to have things like your social security number, credit card, or email address passed around without it being absolutely necessary. Entering your Visa number in a shopping cart is one thing, but there’s no real reason for that cart to ask for your SSN. Keep an eye out for oddities like that when you’re browsing, and make sure what they’re asking for makes sense.

   2. The EULA:

      “What’s a EULA”, you ask? A EULA is an acronym for “End User License Agreement”. It’s where all the technical and legal mumbo-jumbo is put in (or before) a download (or install). Most people consider reading the EULA a nuisance and click on “yes” without having read a word. Keep in mind that acceptance of the EULA is a legal agreement you’re entering into with a software vendor, and if you don’t read it you won’t know what you’re agreeing to. Give a EULA the once-over before you install anything and make sure that everything is on the up-and-up.

4. Get protected, stay protected:

   Your antivirus software, in all likelihood, won’t do anything for you about spyware. It’ll work viruses all day long, but spyware is a different beast, and you need special antispyware software to deal with it. To make sure you’re completely protected you need to make sure your computer is protected with both antivirus and antispyware software. The one-two punch of antivirus and antispyware software will go a long way in keeping your computer as free from infection as possible.

Pretty simple stuff, actually. A lot of it is common sense, but keeping those things in mind when you’re browsing the Internet will help keep your computer protected from spyware.

There’s a dirty little secret in the field of computer security: no antivirus or spyware product can detect or clean everything. It’s true. StopSign is a great product and we’re constantly upgrading our antivirus and antispyware engines to provide the absolute best protection for our members; but there is no security product on the market that can deal with every single infection, especially emerging or previously unknown vulnerabilities, called zero day attacks. Our solution to this problem is a Custom Cure™ that our Support Staff creates on an individual basis for any active member who needs one.

We’ll often hear “Well so and so’s product removed such and such infection, why didn’t StopSign?” Honestly, we’re glad when we hear that, because that means our members are talking to us instead of assuming the worst, and then we can tell anyone experiencing this problem about our very unique Custom Cure™ service that addresses anything we might miss during a scan. Once we know about your problem, our support techs will get some information about your infection and then create a fix that’s customized for your particular needs.

Just like all of our US-based support, a Custom Cure™ is part of your StopSign membership and is provided at no additional charge! That’s right… all of our technical support is absolutely free to our members. We don’t charge you for Custom Cure’s™, phone calls, emails, or online chats with our Support Staff.

If you’re an active StopSign member and come across a particularly nasty virus or spyware infection that just keeps sticking around, please contact our Support Staff or submit a support ticket online and we can begin to walk you through the entire process and get your machine clean.

This month, October 2009, marks the 6th anniversary of National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NCSAM) in the United States, and President Obama has issued a presidential proclamation regarding this event. The use of technology has been a staple of the current administration’s public discussions, and online security concerns have been a part of the conversation from the beginning. President Obama spoke about the the need for securing the US cyber infrastructure during a speech in May of this year, noting:

America’s economic prosperity in the 21st century will depend on cybersecurity.

Clearly internet security will continue to be an important topic for American families, businesses, and government networks now and in the future. As part of the information campaign surrounding National Cyber Security Awareness Month, the Department of Homeland Security website lists 3 core practices they recommend, which include topics we discussed in our blog post regarding the basics of Internet security:

• Install antivirus and antispyware programs and keep them up to date,
• Install a firewall and keep it properly configured, and
• Regularly install updates for your computer’s operating system.

There are many events planned for National Cyber Security Awareness Month on a national as well as a state level, and we encourage you to attend and/or view them online and use that information as a base to evaluate your current cyber security level and update if necessary. For more information on National Cyber Security Awareness Month or government recommendations on cyber security, please visit StaySafeOnline.org.