The best browser that has no way to get spyware/malware

[sikaissan]

ok, i am totally fed up with firefox 4, and trying firefox 5 now.

HOWEVER, I have been getting lots of malware and spyware problem almost every week, they either change and hide my folders and files or delete my files.

I have norton antivirus installed, it could catch these wares, but not all the time. I did manage to clean up the register data I believe, and also some FF caches in local setting folders. I did not go to any inproper site other than dpr, google and FB and my company sites, the norton antiv would all of sudden shows up a virus such as Trojan backdoor has been caughted in firefox's cache folder.....even I restart computer, same thing happens every other day. I used to have problem with the website hijack thing too, when I went to google, it went to another site instead. But I think that problem has been cured. So my million dollar question is , what is the saftest browser in the world? I am using by the way, FireFox? Safari? Chome? IE?

 

[Eric Carlson]

Sounds like you don't have NoScript installed in Firefox. You shouldn't browse without it.

Also, some users here like to browse in a sandbox, so it is separate from the rest of your software, and has other security advantages. Those people can talk more about that, or you can search for the past discussions.

Do you have all the latest Microsoft updates installed?

And are you at least behind a NAT router (broadband router), so your computer isn't sitting wide open to the Internet?

Also, is your Norton new and up to date? If not, then I suggest replacing it with a modern anti-vrus program, like the free Microsoft Security Essentials, or another well rated one. I've used AVG, Avast, and Avira AntiVir in the past, though I don't know the latest scoop on them.

Also, I recommend scanning with the free version of Malwarebytes Anti Malware.

If your computer is already infected, you might want to start with a clean OS install, and apply all of the above suggestions before even starting to browse the web (other than as needed to implement the above suggestions).

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• Eric, http://www.InvisibleRobot.com/

 

[digitalshooter]

Did you scan in safe mode?

Are you running the PC in admin full rights mode?

Did you delete prefetch and temp foders?

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Thanks,

Digitalshooter

 

[Crabby Guy]

Write down the IP addresses of who's bothering you and block communications, if this is the source of your problem.

Do you have a wireless router that is not password protected?

The Microsoft antivirus program is competent but a full scan takes a very long time.

I find that Norton, updated before every scan, run nightly, combined with Malware (free version), also updated before every use, run every third night, takes care of me unless I go somewhere high risk.

--
Adrian

 

[tigree45x]

Install Avast free antivirus and schedule boot scan. Scanning will take effect the next time you switch on your computer. Your permission will be required to delete or quarantine each infection found during the scanning process.

Install and run the highly rated Super Antispyware free editon. This free edition has no real-time protection.

You may try Spyware Terminator. It's free with real-time protection.

Malwarebytes is also an excellent antispyware but the free edition does not offer real-time protection. I use this at least once a month.

Install active ports from ntutility.com to see what ports are being used and the ip/ website using this ports/s.

If you are not using any firewall, I suggest you try Comodo. Just install the firewall and don't include the built-in anti-virus and tool bar.

 

[StephenMcGowan]

you should try Ubuntu. Once I installed it I will never use windows again.

 

[calson]

I do most of my browsing on an Apple computer and know others who simply use a dedicated PC for web surfing (after all a 15 year old computer works fine for this).

I have had excellent success on my netbooks using Firefox with the free application NoScript which makes it easy to limit what a page can do in the browser session to a fine level of detail. I also set security high in terms of cookies in both browsers I use.

Lastly I have found the PC Tools Spyware Doctor is an excellent all in one firewall, anti-virus, and anti-spyware app and better overall than any collection of different applications and a lot less time consuming to run over time.

All browsers are going to fail to prevent problems if the user allows free rein to the different websites and fails to use the correct settings and freely available apps that can be downloaded and applied in minutes.

Changing browsers is not going to solve any of your past or current problems.

 

[malch]

Sounds like you don't have NoScript installed in Firefox. You shouldn't browse without it.

Also, some users here like to browse in a sandbox, so it is separate from the rest of your software, and has other security advantages.

NoScript doesn't really work for me. On those (relatively rare) occasions when I need to view a "risky" site, I typically find that JavaScript is required to do or see anything.

So, I run which ever browser I want under the control of Sandboxie. When you finish the session, you delete the sandbox contents. Any and all malware if jettisoned with it and your system is restored to a clean state.

 

[Eric Carlson]

NoScript doesn't really work for me. On those (relatively rare) occasions when I need to view a "risky" site, I typically find that JavaScript is required to do or see anything.

NoScript is not simply disabling JavaScript. It is so much more, and protects against so much more. And, you can allow scripts on the site you choose, without allowing scripts on all the related sites that same page tries to access.

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• Eric, http://www.InvisibleRobot.com/

 

[chevysales]

ok, i am totally fed up with firefox 4, and trying firefox 5 now.

HOWEVER, I have been getting lots of malware and spyware problem almost every week, they either change and hide my folders and files or delete my files.

I have norton antivirus installed, it could catch these wares, but not all the time. I did manage to clean up the register data I believe, and also some FF caches in local setting folders. I did not go to any inproper site other than dpr, google and FB and my company sites, the norton antiv would all of sudden shows up a virus such as Trojan backdoor has been caughted in firefox's cache folder.....even I restart computer, same thing happens every other day. I used to have problem with the website hijack thing too, when I went to google, it went to another site instead. But I think that problem has been cured. So my million dollar question is , what is the saftest browser in the world? I am using by the way, FireFox? Safari? Chome? IE?

--

D700 paired with 24-70 f2.8 and 70-200vr f2.8 and now an SB900 for something else to learn...

 

[malch]

NoScript is not simply disabling JavaScript. It is so much more, and protects against so much more. And, you can allow scripts on the site you choose, without allowing scripts on all the related sites that same page tries to access.

You're right and I did suggest that it was which was not my intent.

It does provide some very precise controls. However, I don't often find that necessary. I usually want to want to view the (risky) site in all of it's obscene glory just as a naive user taking no precautions would see it. A sandbox allows me to do that, safely.

NoScript is a good tool to know about and I'm happy it's available even though I rarely if ever use it. Indeed it's quite likely I'll find a need for it at some point in the future.

 

[joey_B]

You could do all of those things, but still your PC would try to make contact with the servers where the crap is on... Next to the obvious things like not working under adminstrator account and using a good firewall or some script-execution protection and regular malware scans and preventive measures (spybot S&D is good at those), you could alter your PC-s settings so that it can in no way call out to known malware sites.

You could do so by modifying your HOSTS-file. This is a file the PC uses as a first instance to determine a numbered IP-adress to link to a web-adress. If the adress stays unresolved, the PC calls out to your ISP's DNS-servers which link the two adresses.

What you would have to do is make a list of known malware sites, and link the PC's local host adress (127.0.0.1) to those. When such an adress is requested (either by you or a malware program), the PC will point it back at itself, resulting in an infinite loop. Thus the PC cannot 'call out', and you will also not be able to visit crap-sites.

Making this list yourself is quite a tedious business, so you can find a complete list (+ an installer batchfile) under the following link:

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

Befor starting the alteration, make sure your hosts file is not write-protected, and shut down your firewall/virusscanner for a moment. alterations on the HOSTS file are considered evil by those.

I use this method myself in combination with a firewall and on-access virusscanning, and never had an infection of any kind.

 

[sikaissan]

Sounds like you don't have NoScript installed in Firefox. You shouldn't browse without it.

Also, some users here like to browse in a sandbox, so it is separate from the rest of your software, and has other security advantages.

NoScript doesn't really work for me. On those (relatively rare) occasions when I need to view a "risky" site, I typically find that JavaScript is required to do or see anything.

So, I run which ever browser I want under the control of Sandboxie. When you finish the session, you delete the sandbox contents. Any and all malware if jettisoned with it and your system is restored to a clean state.

Hi All thanks for all information. I take someone's opinion, there is no safe browser at all. My 10-year old son has a macbook with google chrome browser, his browser got hijacked. We spent like 100 dollars for some mac specialists to clean up the "virus", the virus is still there, no way to clean it, even we thought we could clean up all the cache and temp files. The expert suggested us to clean install apple OS, well, I dont need that kind of service

Like you all said, my pc might still have virus around, believe me, I tried everything, everything. even cleanup other people's profiles in the same computer. I really dont want to reinstall the entier OS.

Now, all my programs in programs menu are missing, no actual application link there, I must go to my system folder , and pull out the app myself one by one. My control panel is empty too.

I saw many people are talking about noscript, is this the one?
http://noscript.net/

anywone can suggest a real good anti malware/spyware software? I saw many online, but to be honest, they all look like "spayware" to me... I guess nowaday, nothing I can trust. the saftest way might be stay away from the Internet and watch the TV all day long

again, thanks for all the info, I have learned a lot!

 

[lylejk]

Virtualization. The concept is called Sandboxing. You play in the sandbox and nothing can go outside it. The sandbox itself can get attacked, but it's just a matter of deleted the sandbox to remove the problem.

Now I'm going to get spammed again for what I'm about to say (some here think what I'm doing is overkill), but, I'm actually double-sandboxed. I'm typing this message right now in a Virtual Machine XP that is running in Win7 (I use Virtualbox for that). Inside my VM, I run Sandboxie (I've linked it before, but to play by the rules, I can't directly link to the site but can say sandboxie.com; lol

In essence, I'm double sandboxed and have indeed gotten hit by drivebys, but being sandboxed, I was immune. The most recent driveby was from a site that I actually got some cool skull clip-art from before. See the thread below for details. I actually did check the site the other day and all was well, but be cautious if you aren't 100% sure (the site linked below, of course, is 100% safe).

http://www.flickr.com/photos/34520999@N05/5354673329/in/photostream

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Psalm 109:8
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%20109:8&version=KJV

 

[Sean Nelson]

It does provide some very precise controls. However, I don't often find that necessary. I usually want to want to view the (risky) site in all of it's obscene glory just as a naive user taking no precautions would see it. A sandbox allows me to do that, safely.

One of the things I really like about NoScript is that it permits/denies functionality on a site-by-site basis. So for a single web page that shows content from multiple sites you can allow "risky" functionality for content that's coming from the main site without allowing it for all of the junk coming from other sites. That's often where the greater risk is - not in the actual page you want to view but in the referred pages being hosted and authored by people who have nothing to do with the content you're viewing.

 

[Sean Nelson]

Virtualization. The concept is called Sandboxing. You play in the sandbox and nothing can go outside it. The sandbox itself can get attacked, but it's just a matter of deleted the sandbox to remove the problem.

I'm a believer in this concept. I don't normally use a virtual machine for browsing, but I do when I'm accessing the web for financial purposes (viewing bank statements, credit card purchases, etc.). By resetting the VHD file to a template after every use I'm assured that no virus can gain a foothold. It's not foolproof (ultimately there still has to be a "real" host system at the top of the virtualization stack which is still vulnerable to things like keystroke logging or network packet interception), but it's another layer that makes me a harder target for things like identity theft.

My ideal secure web browser would be a LiveCD Linux distro - since it's burned to a read-only optical disc there's no possibility of getting infected, even at the root OS level. But it's less convenient since you either need to use a separate physical box or shut down your main system to run it. And it's still vulnerable to attacks as it's running. But since the vast majority of attacks rely on being able to modify system files, it's the most secure means of browsing I can envisage, short of having your own purpose-built custom unique OS and browser.

 

[Michael Edward Rudge]

I have avast free virus guard, and use SpybotS&D for spy-ware, also free, and have not had any problems over the past year or so .

I did have Norton but it had problems, and to un install it you need to go on there site for a removal tool, takes about 2 seconds, but you cannot uninstall it without it
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http://s185.photobucket.com/albums/x223/eirianfa2002/?albumview=slideshow&mediafilter=images

http://s185.photobucket.com/albums/x223/eirianfa2002/Komandoo%202008/?albumview=grid

 

[lylejk]

I agree; keylogging is pretty much the only downside to virtualization. A live CD is the best way if you are disciplined to use one. Many Linux distros available (and other types such as hiren) that can be used to browse outside the system OS itself. Can't be paranoid enough in this day and age unfortunately. I regularly delete my Sandboxie environment; also even go to an already created snapshot periodically (now you all know how paranoid I really am; lol) to twart the keyloggers. I do use a rudimentary anti-trojan program and of course Windows Firewall in my VM (use Security Essentials in Win7, but rarely even browse in Win7 keeping it pretty prestine) depending almost entirely on Sandboxie (for the VM) and both for Win7 protection and so far I've been lucky. It's been over 6 months since I created an image of my boot drive (I know; bad habit; lol), but Win7 has been quite robust (much more so then XP ever has been except of course my VM which has been rock solid too; lol). All in all, I'm pretty happy with my setup. Created shares between VM and Win7 to share files as I need to (do all my edits in Win7). Yes, it sounds a little clunky, but trust me, it works.
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Psalm 109:8
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%20109:8&version=KJV

 

[joey_B]

Aren't you guys working yourself up a little about nothing? A hacking attempt will usually droop off if there is no result within a few minutes. If you secure your system with a good firewall and don't visit crappy websites that is enough in most cases. You can sandbox or VM away, but it doesn't add much.

 

[stanginit]

My daughter is in College. She called me one Friday frantic. Her machine had gotten a virus even with the Universities supplied McAfee. I told her to contact the computer department on campus. She told me that the tech support crew is off on the weekends. She had a paper due on Monday. She then tried contacting her computer friends but being Friday night, they were off campus partying. I drove up there the next day with Fedora Linux loaded on a laptop. I was able to slave her hard drive and get the documents she needed off of it. I left her the Linux laptop . She now does all her research on the net via the Linux laptop. I was able to Clean the windows laptop and mailed the drive back to her. I installed windows and Linux in dual boot mode. She now uses primarily Linux to surf and write her documents in Open office. She can switch to Windows when needed. Moral of this story is to use different tools to get certain things done. At home, i run Windows, Linux and Mac. I do not let my wife surf the net with the Windows PC as she keeps our budget and receipts on the windows machine. Just a thought.

This is not a what OS is best. Just my solution to make my computing life easier.
Regards
Rich.