Deep Freeze
Official Site - http://www.faronics.com/standard/deep-freeze-2/
This is the most important program that you need to install. It is NOT FREE but it is worth every penny.
An OUNCE of prevention is worth a POUND of cure. If you don't know what "Virtual Machines, and "Sandboxes" are I suggest you look them up. Returnil is an elite sandbox application that deletes EVERY CHANGE MADE TO YOUR COMPUTER and contains changes within a sandbox. However it's a PARTIAL pay application i.e. there is a free version and a paid version. The free version is fine though.
Next up Sandboxie. You can use it while you browse the world wide web.
If you want a virtual machine that you don't have to pay for use VirtualBox.
From: http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread615375/pg1
If you don't already know VirtualBox is a virtual PC that runs on your current operating system. If you are running on Windows you can install VirtualBox and run any other operating system in a window as if it were any other application running in Windows. The OS running in VirtualBox is called a guest OS and your main OS is called your host OS. Basically the guest OS thinks it is running on it's own PC when it is in fact just running off of a file on your hard drive. Any files you save on your guest OS will be stored in a file on your hard drive.
Download an operating system, I recommend a Linux distribution such as Ubuntu: http://www.ubuntu.com
Here's the deal. You'll need a firewall installed, if you're on Windows the Windows Firewall will work fine. Setup all of your firewall profiles to block all inbound and outbound connections that do not match a rule specifically setup to allow the connection. If you're using Windows Firewall a few rules are already setup to allow certain connections, go into the advanced settings and disable all rules except for those related to core networking. This will block all applications from accessing the internet, including internet explorer or any web browsers you have installed. Now setup an inbound and outbound rule to allow only VirtualBox access to the internet.
Startup your VirtualBox system and do all of your web browsing and internet activity through your guest OS. Any spyware, malware, virii downloaded will think that is has infected your system, but it has actually only infected one file on your hard drive, it will not be able to spread to your host OS because it does not even know there is a host OS.
I forgot to mention that VirtualBox allows you to setup a 'network' folder with your host OS so you can transfer files between the two. I recommend NOT setting up networking between your host and guest operating systems, this would allow any software or hacker access to your host OS through your guest OS. If you need to transfer files between the two use a USB disk or something of the like.Trustware.com has a sandboxing software called BufferZone Pro. In a nutshell, you install it, then reboot. Anything that comes into your computer from the browser, Limewire, Media Player, or whatever (custom programs) can be undone with six mouse clicks. In six clicks everything will be back as it was when you first installed the program. This WILL include anything you want to keep also, so you have to learn to use it and move things in/out of the bufferzone as you see fit. You can use it on your PC to protect against flash drive infections, where it buffers then entire drive when I plug it in. I just have to be sure to move everything out of the zone that I want to have saved on the drive.
Calibre
Official Site - http://calibre-ebook.com/
Calibre is a free and open source e-book library management application developed by users of e-books for users of e-books. It has a cornucopia of features divided into the following main categories:
- Library Management
- E-book conversion
- Syncing to e-book reader devices
- Downloading news from the web and converting it into e-book form
- Comprehensive e-book viewer
- Content server for online access to your book collection
If you like reading ebooks Calibre is almost all that you need to read and convert ebooks.
Download link
http://calibre-ebook.com/download
Calibre supports the conversion of many input formats to many output formats. It can convert every input format in the following list, to every output format.
Input Formats: CBZ, CBR, CBC, CHM, DJVU, EPUB, FB2, HTML, HTMLZ, LIT, LRF, MOBI, ODT, PDF, PRC, PDB, PML, RB, RTF, SNB, TCR, TXT, TXTZ
Output Formats: AZW3, EPUB, FB2, OEB, LIT, LRF, MOBI, HTMLZ, PDB, PML, RB, PDF, RTF, SNB, TCR, TXT, TXTZ
OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Always opt for CUSTOM INSTALLATION so you can opt out of installing foistware like toolbars, search engines, and trial utilities.
2. As no single antimalware/antivirus program is 100% effective consider Malwarebytes Antimalware Free Edition for weekly second opinion on-demand scanning and to assist with security updates consider using Secunia PSI. CCleaner is often suggested as more convenience than anything but avoid the temptation to use the registry function, besides if you have Revo there enough cleanup tools included.
3. Always install any anti-virus, anti-malware and firewalls first, then fully update Windows. Only after that should you download anything (hell, you shouldn't even be connected to the Internet while you install your anti-virus/firewall programs, since unpatched Windows, regardless of the version, is simply BEGGING to be invaded).
4. Only download programs from known safe sources like CNet, Majorgeeks and the official websites of the software you are interested in.
5. The best defense is a layered defense plus common sense.
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