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Detect and safely remove viruses, spyware, and adware from your PC and block unwanted programs before they can infect your computer – Buy Now!

Tags: antivirus, antispyware

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1. How the Hosts File Works

The Hosts file is a sort of web address book inside the Windows folder of your hard drive. It loads into system memory at each startup, where it cross-references saved domain names to IP addresses.

The need for cross-referencing is because, the Internet only works with numeric IP addresses.

IP addresses are in the form of a block of numbers arranged in four groups, something like this: 125.0.48.220, where each group may be from 0 – 255.

Somewhere in the system there needs to be a cross reference between the two. Cross-references between domain names and IP addresses are found on various domain name servers (DNS) distributed throughout the Internet.

However, when you type a domain name into your browser search box, your computer first looks for the IP address in your Hosts file. Then, if Windows finds the domain name listed in your Hosts file, it will not bother to look it up on any external domain name servers. (Keep this fact in mind.)

Originally, the Hosts file came about because, before there were high-speed Internet connections, it was much faster to look up an IP address if it was already stored on your local machine.

2. The Hosts File as an Anti-Spyware Tool

With faster computers and high-speed Internet there is really no need for a locally stored cross-reference.

At the same time, malicious sites just keep on increasing! They often work by embedding a disguised link inside an otherwise innocent looking web page. If you happen to click on – or sometimes even mouse over – that link, the spyware “calls home” and sets up an ad server, a data miner, a hit counter or some other intrusion of your privacy.

Now back to the Hosts file: in its newest configuration, your Hosts file is an excellent spyware blocker.

Now, when you discover a malicious domain, you can add it to your Hosts file, cross-referencing it to a false IP address that connects only to a black hole inside your computer. The spyware “thinks” it is calling home, but the call goes nowhere.

3. The Structure of a Hosts File

The original Hosts file looks something like this:

# start of your favorite sites – original use for a Hosts file
123.45.67.89 willynillysite.com
51.126.0.189 moms-apple-pie.org

Normally, Hosts files are much larger than this. (Lines beginning with the pound # sign are comment lines which the computer ignores.)

The modern Hosts file used as a spyware/adware denial tool that looks something like this (with 127.0.0.1 localhost always as the first line):

127.0.0.1 localhost
# start of blocked sites – modern use for a Hosts file
127.0.0.1 sleazyadvertising.net
127.0.0.1 bannercraze.com

Notice that these IP addresses are all the same: 127.0.0.1 -this points only to your own local computer.

An infected web page could try to connect your computer to bannercraze.com, for instance. As usual, your browser looks up the IP address, which in this case, it finds in the Hosts file. Since the IP address resolves to 127.0.0.1 in the Hosts file, the call cannot go out.

(Remember: If a domain name is stored in your Hosts file, Windows will not bother to look it up on any external DNS servers.)

A comprehensive Hosts file can also speed up downloading of web pages because you will not have to wait for targeted ads and other spurious items to load.

Of course, simply maintaining a Hosts file is not a magic cure-all for every evil on the Internet, but it does provide an additional, quite effective defense mechanism.

But there has to be a catch, right? There is. In fact, there are several catches. You will have to:

a) recognize each piece of malware
b) look up its domain name
c) update your Hosts file for each new intruder

It becomes a never-ending task because these companies are constantly adding new domain names to stay ahead of us.

Take heart. There are several comprehensive Hosts files that you can download and use at no cost. To keep these files up to date you will have to download the latest versions regularly. One available source is: someonewhocares.org

By far, the easiest way to maintain an effective Hosts file is to let a good anti-spyware program do it for you. A very popular, free utility is SpyBot – Search & Destroy. It searches the web for problem domains and then “inoculates” your computer by including them in your Hosts file.

To learn more about the Hosts file, search on the term in your Internet browser. There are over 30 million search results for “Hosts file”.

Tags: Spyware

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Your computer, just like your pets and kids, needs to be immunized against potential threats. Spyware blocker programs are designed to provide that very protection and immunization.

Ideally, spyware blocker programs should have a variety of protection features to ensure your computer receives more than adequate immunization. Consider this for a moment. Which would you prefer, protection from ever developing a disease or a cure after you have it and become ill? It’s not an understatement to say that just about everyone would say they would prefer to never get the disease in the first place. That’s why we all line up at the doctor’s office as kids to receive immunizations and booster shots.

To keep your computer from becoming ill, you need to select a spyware blocker with real time protection. This type of feature will detect a threat as soon as it attempts to attack your computer and stop it right in its tracks; thus preventing your computer from ever becoming infected.

One of the number one ways that many spyware and adware components work is by sort of hijacking your home page. In some cases, you may have to turn on your computer one day to realize that your homepage has been changed or reset without your permission and in other cases you may not realize anychange at all, yet the problem is still there. To combat this, be sure to look for a spyware blocker that will prevent your home page from being hijacked. This feature works by sort of low-jacking your home page so that it can’t be reset without your permission.

Some of the best spyware blocker programs out there actually work by containing a list of restricted sites that prevent your computer from accessing sites that have been determined to be dangerous. If lack of control has you concerned, rest assured that many programs with such features also have a manual control option that gives you a choice of whether you want to visit the site but also informs you at the same time that this site may be dangerous.

Tags: spyware

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The most likely cause of loss of computer performance is called malware (spyware, adware, key-loggers, or drive-by downloader, etc.) that enter your system by various means, slowing things down to a crawl. This malicious software can gather your surfing information and send it to places you don’t want sent or track your personal information for future use. Unfortunately, these malicious software programs are everywhere on the internet, including some “friendly” websites such as websites run by the government and the large, reputable companies.

As the web technology advances, viruses and spyware get smarter and harder to detect and kill, too. In order to protect your computer from malware you need to understand what they are and how they work.

Basically, there are three types of malware presented in this article because they are the most common problems we encounter:

1. Viruses
2. Spyware
3. Adware

Let’s take a look at viruses first.

Viruses not only can damage your system but can be contagious to other people’s system through yours. Through duplication, viruses can be sent to other people in your Microsoft Outlook mail list. Sometimes, virus can be embedded in other programs, such as the notorious Trojans, or hidden in an executable file through a well-wrapped email. Since viruses can be very dangerous to your computer, their entry should be prevented before they damage your system.

Unlike viruses, spyware usually is not an executable file and doesn’t damage your system or wipe out your data; instead, they “spy” on your personal information, such as your web-surfing habits or even worse stealing your credit card information, then install tiny software, called cookies, to your computer without your permission when you download information from a website. They silently hide all over the system, usually in registries, cookies, or temporary files.

Similar to spyware, adware primarily gathers information about your surfing behavior so they can provide the ads and other related information you are interested in when you surf the web. This can be viewed as personalized marketing and can be very helpful if you visit a certain site frequently. It becomes a problem when too many cookies installed in your system and slow down your computer performance.

So what we can do to solve the problems with viruses, spyware or adware?

The best way to minimize and eliminate damage from malware is to frequently update anti-virus and anti-spyware software, properly set browser options, and surf wisely with common sense.

For anti-virus software, most ISPs offer some kind of virus protection but most of the time it is inadequate for proper computer security. Therefore, investing in good anti-virus software is a must for the health of your computer.

Norton is by far the most well known anti-virus software on the market. Its new version includes virus and worm protection along with spyware protection. It allows owners to set the “Live Update” to automatically make timely downloads of the so-called “virus definitions”. Since new viruses are continually developed almost everyday, the anti-virus software uses “definitions” to identify and handle viruses. Frequent updates of the “definitions” is highly recommended.

McAfee is another leading brand for anti-virus software. Many of the features in this software come defaulted to fit the users’ needs, including preset updates and weekly virus scans. It is a great software for novice users.

Other anti-virus software such as Shield Deluxe is also good for prevention of virus attack. This software is easy to use for anti-virus and anti-spyware. It updates and scans on a weekly basis with a pre-scheduled interface. It is also cheaper than the leading brands.

In addition to software, applying common sense to avoid your computer’s exposure to viruses is also important. These include, but are not limited to:

* never open emails if you don’t know where they come from
* don’t run an executable file in your email or downloaded
from a website unless you know exactly it is safe
* don’t click “Yes” for a popup box when you surf the web
unless you know exactly what it is for

With regards to the anti-spyware software, PCTools Spyware Doctor has long been a PC Magazine Editor’s choice for anti-spyware protection. It is a freeware/shareware with very thorough scanning. With its latest version, Spyware Doctor added anti-virus function as well. However, Spyware Doctor doesn’t remove the spyware it identifies. It just prevents them from harming your system. Unless you buy the full featured software, spyware gets to stay in your system forever.

Webroot Spy Sweeper 5.2 is another piece of anti-spyware software that gets good ratings. Spy Sweeper 5.2 has similar functionality to Spyware Doctor 2007 but its user interface is more clear and concise. It is a good idea to supplement Spy Sweeper 5.2 with one or two free programs since no single anti-spyware software can catch every threat.

The free version of Ad-Aware by Lavasoft is also a good choice to supplement the primary anti-spyware software. It is not as robust as Spyware Doctor 2007 and Spy Sweeper 5.2 but it doesn’t offer real-time monitoring in free version so it doesn’t take many resources from your system.

At the browser level, you can minimize downloading certain types of spyware by going to Tools–>Internet Options–>Security–>Custom Level and selecting disable for

1. “Download unsigned Active-X controls”
2. “Initialize and script Active-X controls not marked as
safe”
and set Java permissions to “High Safety”

If this does not solve your spyware/adware problems, you can also disable the following two options:

3. “Active scripting”
4. “Scripting of Java applets”

The drawback is that you will limit the functionality of web surfing and may make your favorite sites unavailable. To overcome this, you can manually add your favorite site URLs to “Trusted Sites” under Security and uncheck “Require server verification (https:) for all sites in this zone”.

Frequent updates and full scans of anti-spyware software should be performed on a regular basis. It is also recommended for a monthly Windows update to apply latest patches to your system. You can set up an automatic update through Windows Control Panel or within Internet Explorer under Tools menu.

Tags: Malware

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1. USE Firefox. If you don’t use the Internet much, than perhaps you don’t know much about Firefox. All you need to know is that it is a browser that works REALLY well and has great security features.

2. Do NOT USE Internet Explorer. Internet Explorer is like Swiss cheese. It is open to the world by default. Microsoft is continually releasing patches to fix all the flaws in the Internet Explorer 6.X and lower versions of the browser. Although it can be “secured” by increasing the security it may loose much of its functionality once set to maximum security with certain exploitable features off.

3. Use a software or hardware firewall (not just Window XP Service Pack 2′s firewall). This may sound expensive and hard to do but it is not. If you have a DSL or broadband cable connection your Internet Service Provider (ISP) may have given you a DSL/Cable router with a firewall built in. All you have to do is turn it on. This may require you to take a few minutes to read the manual.

If your ISP did not give you a DSL or Cable broadband router with a built in firewall you can spend anywhere from $20 – $60 (or sometimes even cheaper with a mail-in rebate) to get a router. If you have DSL you will need a DSL router. If you have Cable broadband ISP you will need a Cable Router. Brands such as Linksys have built in firewalls and a feature called NAT, Network Address Translation, which is very effective since it hides your real IP address from the Internet. All routers come with instruction on how to hook them up. If you want to keep you computer security free, just use a free software firewall.

4. Remove Spyware/Adware with free Anti-spyware, anti-adware software. Lavasoft’s Adaware and Spybot Search & Destroy are two excellent methods of cleaning your system for free. Majorgeeks.com is a popular and trusted freeware site that has these and many other excellent spyware/adware cleaning and malware prevention tools (including free downloadable firewalls).

The best method is to use ALL of the above. Being proactive by surfing with a decent browser and getting a firewall is important, but it also helps to know about a couple of good anti-adware/spyware applications. If you get hit with a really nasty bit of malware that can not be cleaned with Adaware or Spybot, find yourself a geek. There are many great forums on the Internet dedicated to doing nothing but finding and cleaning such malware. Chances are if your system is infected with it, hundreds of others before you have been infected and have already figured out how to get rid of the malware.

Tags: adware, spyware, malware

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