Happy New Year! First of All Thanks So Much for your help in cleaning my computer of malware!!!!!!! I completed executing your final instructions regarding uninstalling Combofix and establishing a new restore point for my registry.
My follow-up questions are as follows:
1) Regarding your following statemements:
"Update your AntiVirus Software - It is imperative that you update your Antivirus software at least once a week
(Even more if you wish). If you do not update your antivirus software then it will not be able to catch any of the new variants that may come out."
"Use a Firewall - I can not stress how important it is that you use a Firewall on your computer.
Without a firewall your computer is succeptible to being hacked and taken over.
I am very serious about this and see it happen almost every day with my clients.
Simply using a Firewall in its default configuration can lower your risk greatly."
I have McAfee Security Center Version 7.2 which includes their VirusScan Version 11.2 as well as their Personal Firewall Version 8.2. The McAfee Security Center is set for automatic updates. My questions are as follows:
1. Does the Personal Firewall Version 8.2 included in my McAfee Security Center satisfy the firewall component that you recommend that I install?
Yes, it should
2. Does the automatic update setting on McAfee Security Center satisfy your recommendation that I update my antivirus software or do I still need to manually check for updates?
Yes, it should
2) Regarding your following statement:
"Visit Microsoft's Windows Update Site Frequently - It is important that you visit http://www.windowsupdate.com regularly. This will ensure your computer has always the latest security updates available installed on your computer.
If there are new updates to install, install them immediately, reboot your computer, and revisit the site
until there are no more critical updates."
My computer is set for automatic Windows updates (it indicates that setting is currently in place on
http://www.windowsupdate.com). Does that automatic Windows updates setting satisfy your recommendation to make sure that the latest Windows security updates available are installed on my computer or do I still need to visit http://www.windowsupdate.com regularly to manually check for updates?
Yes, it should
3) Regarding your following statement:
"Install and download Spybot - Search and Destroy with its TeaTimer option.
This will provide realtime spyware & hijacker protection on your computer alongside your virus protection.
You should also scan your computer with this program on a regular basis just as you would an antivirus software."
1. I currently have the free software "Ad-Aware SE Personal". Does your statement mean that the software "Spybot - Search and Destroy" is better than "Ad-Aware SE Personal" and that I should uninstall ""Ad-Aware SE Personal" and replace it with "Spybot - Search and Destroy"?
No. They provide different protection
2. Can Spybot - Search and Destroy be set for automatic scanning?
It stays as a resident program in the back ground. It doesn't "scan" like a anti-virus / anti-spyware program.
3. For that matter, can my McAfee VirusScan Version 11.2 be set for automatic scanning?
I don't use it so I don't know. Visit their website.
4. When is the best time to scan - at start-up or just prior to shut-down?
IMO, startup
5. Should scanning only occur when not connected to the internet or should scanning be done when connected to the internet?
Shouldn't matter.
6. If the answer to question 5 is "when NOT connected to the internet", then should I literally disconnect the phone wire from the jack in my DSL box or is simply not clicking on internet explorer sufficient?
Only if you're infected would that be needed.
7. Also related to question 5, if the answer to question 5 is "when NOT connected to the internet", should scanning only be done in "Safe Mode" or is normal mode sufficient for scanning?
Safe Mode if infected
8. Finally, one computer behavior question - what does it mean if the hard drive makes noise? That has been occurring somewhat lately (it is occurring as I type this message). Otherwise, everything is reasonably okay.
The platers in the hard drive is always spinning. A load noise could indicate the hard drive is going bad. Hard drive activity can be a number of things. Saving, automatic saving, scanning, updating etc.
Looking forward to hearing back from you, and, again, THANKS for helping me remove the malware from my computer!!!!!!!!!!!!
