Re: What is best way to protect my PC/laptop from spyware/adware?

In article <SHypf.35288$a15.17021@newsfe5-win.ntli.net>,
Lyndsey Scott <mlscott5@ntlworld.com> wrote:
>I have a desktop & a laptop connected via Belkin wireless router 7230, my
>laptop has just had spyware / adware on it & was trying to send emails in
>the background but NAV2005 stopped them.
>
>Win XP notified me that spyware had been installed & I have now, I think,
>removed all spyware / adware. (Used Microsoft's Antispyware, is there
>something better?)
>
>I have NAV2005 on laptop & NIS2002 on PC, my router has the firewall
>enabled.
>
>What is the best way to protect my PC & laptop without being to complicated?
>
>Although NIS2002 on my PC is old I do have updates via Liveupdate is this
>enough or do I need to get a more recent version? (Or are the live updates
>keeping it fully up to date?) and do I need NIS on my laptop or is NAV2005
>enough?
>
>Do I also need to be using something to detect spyware / adware or should
>NAV/NIS be enough?

Some comments;

- keep your machine up to date on Microsoft Update.

- Work smart. Don't click on anything you don't understand. This is
  *very* hard, pesonally, and in a company LAN situation training staff
  is almost, but you still have to try. In a very large coorpration,
  early in the days of spyware I found that a small number of people
  cought spyware on a regular basis and many never did.

- I just installed this /etc/host file and I'm *very* happy. I don't
  get *any* popups and if I should get some spyware it probably won't
  be able to do anything.

  http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm

- I recommend a hardware firewall on any home broadband connection.
  This can be as simple as a home dsl modem router in the default
  configuration. This stuff is free for the asking when people
  upgrade to WiFi, etc.

-- 
a d y k e s @ p a n i x . c o m 
Don't blame me. I voted for Gore.