Quote:
Originally Posted by larryweiss
Another thing you should run periodically is your disk defragmenter.
Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disc Defragmenter .... JUST DO IT.
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Disk Defrag isn't necessary really on modern computers. Modern hard drives are very fast so the difference you'll see is negligible. You should probably run it once in a while but unless your computer is 5 or 6 years old, it's not really necessary to run it once a week or whatever.
I have a few recommendations of my own (THESE ARE ALL FREE):
1) Download and install
KeyScrambler - the personal version is free. It CAN protect you against keyloggers by replacing the letters they record with random letters (encrypting). Just look at the review
here. This is definitely useful against commercial keylogging software which your family/boss may have installed on your computer to see what your up to. It takes up barely any resources at all but it is very effective at encrypting your keystrokes to logins.
2) You need an anti-spyware program running in real-time. Ad-Aware SE Personal does not provide Real-Time protection - that is it does not protect you while you are using the computer, it is only able to scan your computer when you tell it to and remove things then. I recommend
Spybot Search and Destroy to keep your registry in order and of course with
Windows Defender.
3) Blocking spyware - this is a must! Download
Spyware Blaster - a great program that blocks cookies from rogue web sites and blocks Active X based spyware. This does not run in real time but instead adds a list of known spyware cookies/Active X controls to Firefox and Internet Explorer's blocking list so you are easily protected. All you need to do is update the program once every 2 weeks and then go about your normal business.
4)
Tweak Now Registry Cleaner - ok so this isn't a security product but it can help speed up startup and general computer usage. Some programs do not delete the traces they have left in the registry after they have been uninstalled, so your computer takes longer while searching and attempting to load these. Tweak Now searches for traces that do not go anywhere and deletes them. BE CAUTIOUS USING THIS PRODUCT - DELETING THE WRONG REGISTRY ENTRIES COULD CAUSE YOUR COMPUTER TO NOT FUNCTION CORRECTLY!
5) The firewall. Everyone these days seems to use ZoneAlarm but I favour an underdog -
Comodo Firewall. Comodo are a company that make security certificates for web sites. Unlike ZoneAlarm basic which is a cut down version of their premium firewall,
Comodo Personal Firewall is their only firewall product so you get all of the features, rather than a cut down version!
This firewall was tested against thousands of hacker exploits and not a single one passed it. It thrashes many paid firewalls including Norton Personal Firewall and it beats ZoneAlarm too. It is an extremely zealous product which informs you (sometimes too much) when programs try to access the internet. It can be configured to stop asking about particular programs and I recommend turning the warning message level down to low or very low unless you want popups all of the time. I believe it is probably the best firewall program out there - doing for free what paid firewall programs can't!
6)
PC Security Test - this is an absolute MUST! It is a free program that tests how effective your antivirus, antispyware and firewall actually are. Not only this, but it comes with a section showing what hackers could do to your computer including ejecting your cup holder
Very fun! Lol.
As the guy above said, I'm not responsible if you misinterpret this info or if your computer goes wrong, but I seriously believe these programs can greatly improve your security on the net!
