Deal With A Malware Infected Notebook

No matter what OS you are using, at any time, malware can still bring your notebook to its knees. The important thing, however, is not to stress out over spyware and malware while you're on the road. Read on for tips that will help you troubleshoot any problems you may encounter and keep your notebook running while you are away from the office.

THE RIGHT TOOLS
Most of us have some anti-spyware and antivirus software installed on our business notebooks; some of us have more than one loaded. But these programs aren't really going to be very helpful unless we update them frequently. Even the popular Spybot Search & Destroy needs updating to do its job properly. When a user notices a problem, a common first reaction is to run the anti-spyware and antivirus programs on his machine. That's a great idea, of course, but it's important that you update and install the most current version of the software before you run the program. Doing this can save you a bit of time and will help root out any new infections you may have picked up while surfing the Web. Although you can set most enterprise-level antivirus programs to update automatically, there are some programs that require manual updates before you start the lengthy scanning process. For example, when using Spybot Search & Destroy, all you have to do is click the Update icon on the left side of the screen to download the newest malware definitions. After you download the latest definitions and detection rules, click the Search For Problems icon and follow any prompts to complete the update.

THE BEST DEFENSE

One of the best ways to prevent your computer from being loaded down with malware is to never let the stuff in the door. Windows includes a basic firewall (it's activated by default), but added protection helps. You will want to check that Windows Firewall is up and running on your computer. To access the firewall in Windows Vista/7, click the Windows icon, select Control Panel, and then select Windows Firewall; in WinXP, click Start, Control Panel, and Windows Firewall. If the firewall is set to Off, simply select the radio button or link for On and click OK.

Now comes the step of adding another layer of protection. Search online and you'll find several free firewalls available that do a good job of protecting your computer from unwanted intrusions. A number of these programs, once installed, will prompt you to determine which programs are authorized to access the Internet. Then the programs will block the rest (or at least seek permission to allow a new program to access the Internet). Of course, the enterprise-level offerings include powerful firewalls, so if your company uses programs such those, make sure they're up and running before you leave for a business trip. You can also search the Web for the latest highly rated antivirus and personal firewall solutions, many of which have free versions available for download.

DON'T CLICK THAT
Automated spyware and antivirus tools are great, but they're no substitute for a little bit of vigilance on your part. Got an email from someone you don't know? Immediately trash it without opening it. Even if your email program automatically opens your new messages in a reading pane, it's a good idea never to download an unexpected attachment. Consider using an alternative email service provider (various Web-based options are available) that can give you an extra layer of protection by immediately scanning all incoming and outgoing attachments for virus threats. Also, no matter what the pop-ups tell you, don't click anything that jumps unsolicited onto your screen claiming to be able to fix a virus or spyware problem. These pop-ups are more often than not carriers of spyware and viruses in the guise of an actual message from your OS. A general rule of thumb is that if it opens in a browser window and you did not specifically point your browser toward it, don't click it. Just close the window and go about your business.

KNOW WHAT YOU'RE RUNNING
So, your system is armed to the teeth with regularly updated antivirus and anti-spyware utilities, but you're still having troubles? There are some simple fixes you can run in Windows to help you at least get around spyware problems. You can simply monitor and control the programs your computer is running at startup. To do this in WinXP, click Start, then Run, and then type msconfig into the window that appears. Click OK and then click the Startup tab. See anything with a blank entry? If something refuses to identify itself, it's a pretty good bet you don't need it to start up your machine. Deselect suspicious checkboxes (you can also streamline your computer's startup routine here, if you wish, by deselecting programs that automatically load that you rarely use). Click OK and restart when prompted. In Vista, open the Windows Defender program. Choose Tools and Software Explorer and then click Startup Programs from the Category menu. Your startup programs will display in the left pane. Simply click a program to highlight it and then click the Disable button. Alternatively, you can permanently terminate a program by clicking the Remove button. It's also a good idea to set a restore point when you know your computer is working well. That way, you can always restore your machine to a time when it was functioning properly. To create a restore point, click Start, All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, and System Restore. Click Create A Restore Point, and then follow the wizard that appears. To restore your machine, click Restore My Computer To An Earlier Time.

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