India Broadband Forum

nethack

This method does not suggest to forget about Anti Virus, it is just a different approach, which takes less time for me.

nilact

@netheck

Excellent Code!! I think you are opens source supporter..anyways System Restore is good solution..but it won't provide you complete solution.

saurav_k

superb code that one ...

i think regular net users generally get a preception if something is malicious and system hardly and rarely gets infected .... and for those rare cases its better to hunt down the virus manually by searching the appropriate process on the net ... i always do these ... system restore is something which i hate ... really eats up my valuable disk space .. also increases the shut down and start up times ...

powerdoc

Not sure if anyone brought this up earlier..

You can also try out Sandboxie...
When you want to install or try out any suspicious software.

cool_techie_tvm

There are some problems known as rootkits. Rootkits remain invisible and do no show up in the common process list. Hence u will be unaware of its presence. Installing AV solutions from KAV is found to weed out rootkits. Besides drive by downloads are the most common form of infection these days. So its always wiser to run a AV software with real time protection.

powerdoc

AVG also provides an anti-rootkit software...free version.

saurav_k

thanks for the information. i didnt knew about rootkits... will update myself on that ... what i meant by perception is that - while surfing internet or downloading data etc ... we do get a feeling of anything malicious just looking at the site name or content of the site ....

Jaganathsamal

The best option - Switch to linux (most apps work in linux too including windows apps )

limpu.cool

@Jaganathsmal,
Please guide me how can i use FDM in linux.. i desperately need it.
Please post a screenshot of it running under linux.

Thanks.

nethack

+1

netherwinterknights

Ultimate Virus Solution: -

is to use a good AntiVirus software. It pays dividends to actually buy one, and keep it updated regularly.

keep most data off the C: drive. saves headaches in case you have to format the main C: drive.

get regular backups, of important data.

the solution given by the thread starter is excellent. thanks for showing us one more option to combat viruses.

I say hang the virus creating buzzturds by their gonads.

shady911

I'm not saying urs is crap just that its not enough. Antivirus is always needed if you are to be protected from viruses. WindowsXp is a open whore anthing can fu*k it from anywhere there is are just too many security flaws (which will never be fixed for a reason). Again this is great guide but for just a purpose.

nethack

First - I have not said that one should not install Antiviruses.
Second - Since antivirus cannot give me a 100% gurantee for all viruses, I dont like antiviruses and dont use it..., However my method will give me 100% gurantee against viruses if used properly.

meetdilip

Always nice to discuss new methods. Good initiative.

shady911

ur method still doesn't gurantee anything. AntiVirus is required. also there are antivirus suites like eset. which i think u havent tried thats why u hav a wrong notion of av's.

whitestar_999

my choice is acronis.it's simpler & have much more features than ghost.just make a primary partition,install XP,install AV(preferably a scanned file on some other computer),install acronis & make an image of the system partition(you may install some essential softwares too but i recommend doing nothing else in case other exe's on other drives are infected).don't even double click any other drive icon in case virus has created autorun files in drive root.save image in any location(preferably an external hard disc or some other drive).whenever in doubt about infection just use acronis boot cd to boot & use image to restore system to the moment when image was created(took less than 10 min for a clean install with an AV installed).

as for AV's like eset they are good but you can never be 100% sure as no AV is invincible for a good virus but then who would spent his precious time creating a brilliant virus which can defeat any AV in world to infect your PC unless your PC has information which can change the fate of the world.

spyder_21er

In my opinion, there is no such thing as "Ultimate Virus Solution". Every option we take in defeating virus has its risk in still being infected or some has its own disadvantage. Even installing an AV or even doing what nethack suggests in this thread. I will explain below how are we at risk in doing any option. Anyway, I have to admit I was impressed by nethack's suggestion. I prefer doing it than using an AV. It is much better in defeating virus rather than using AV.

Here I will explain the risks of everything.


OPTION 1: INSTALL/USE AV

I agree with nethack. Installing AV is not an ultimate solution. Why?

Yes. That's right! "There is definitely no AC is invincible against a BAD virus". Let me give you an example.

Let us compare 3 AVs: AVG, ESET, and Norton.

These 3 AVs has different databases that has virus definitions in order for them to remove/kill viruses. Databases are being updated everyday by the AV companies as new virus arises. For example in this very date, June 2, 2009, three new viruses has spread named as "Webfeet.exe", "goldbum.exe" and "octafing.exe". Let us say after 24-48 hours, Norton's database has updated and has the definitions of only two of these virus - webfeet and goldbum. ESET has also two - goldbum and octafing. And AVG has also two octafing and webfeet. There is no such AV that can update database 100% having the definitions of all and every new viruses that spread all over the world.

Thus, a PC with Norton can be infected by octafing.exe, ESET by webfeet.exe, and of course AVG by goldbum.exe.

I therefore conclude there is still a risk in using AV.

Another disadvantage of using AV is that regular scanning method. When an AV is scanning, it uses your computer's resources - especially the memory and CPU usage. Some people hates it especially those people who are using PCs with low specs. Scanning disturbs their jobs and makes their PC hang.

Another disadvantage is for those computer programmers, Video and Audio editors, and 2d/3d animators (I am one of them and suffers the same problem). They make some their works encrypted so that their files can be protected from hackers. Some of AV's database treats encrypted files as a virus since AVs cannot access these files and can't read it's source codes. Some AVs automatically deletes them (depends on users settings). Other programs or files of these computer "nerds" that are not encrypted and not even a virus and has the same source code in a database of an AV is also being maltreated and also being automatically deleted. tsktsk! That's is a big advantage.

That is why I definitely not using any AVs.

OPTION 2: DEEP FREEZE

Yes I have tried deep freeze. Deep Freeze, freezes a drive/partition so that any changes made will be reverted once you restart the computer. But did you also noticed that even if you are protected with deep freeze, somebody can still hack your computer and install virus in it using the internet? How? I will tell the process but not the details. First the hacker will get your IP-address. Then he will use his hacking stuff. The hacker will unfreeze your drive using his stuffs and then install virus in it. As easy as that. I also tried it.

Another disadvantage of using deep freeze is you cannot update your programs or OS easily. You have to be patience in having multiple restarts to do that.

Thus deep freeze still has a risk.

OPTION 3: DOING THE PARTITION STUFF OF NETHACK

I hope you understand how to do it as explained in the first post. But how does it works and prevents virus infection? Here is how it works:

First you will install you OS and Programs in a drive partition of the PC. Installing AV is optional. Thus your PC will be assumed as clean and no virus infection since it is freshly installed.

Then you will copy the newly installed clean partition to another partition. Thus you will have 2 partitions of clean OS.

The partition stuff is still expected to be infected. But the only one of the two cloned partitions can be infected. Since the other partition is clean, you then just restore/reclone the clean partition to the infected one. Thus you will have a clean partition again - free from virus infection. Now what is the risk?

There are some viruses that encodes their source code to any file of program. There are also viruses that copies itself to every directory. Thus the virus will spread to every partitions even to those clean that you hid.

For example we have 3 partitions. One for the OS, one for the cloned backup, and one for your files. Let us say, a scenario - your PC was infected by a virus that encodes itself to a file and runs the code every time you open the infected file. Then let us say a file that you open frequently in your work was infected. Since you noticed that your PC was infected, you tried to restore your partition. Then after opening your "frequently opened file", your computer will again be infected.

A great disadvantage in this option is "the frequent you were infected, the frequent you will restore your partition".

Concluding further, as I declared in the first place, "There is no such thing as Ultimate Virus Solution" because every option has its risk and disadvantages. My only suggestion is all of us should be knowledgeable about virus and prevent it from spreading. Then choose the best option that is suitable for us because there is no excellent option.

In the last part, I want to share my experience. In my own computer, I am not using any of the above option but you will not find any single virus running in my PC. Thus my PC is definitely not infected. How could it be? Because I am aware of every virus' behavior. I just simply prevent them from running and spreading using my knowledge and understanding.

Now I am currently working as computer maintenance in our area. I am maintaining/repairing computer in 10 high schools, 1 college institution, 2 Local Government Units (Municipalities), 5 Internet cafe's, 3 business agencies, and numbers of private computers and still growing. All and every PC that I handle are not infected. Some are for two years. I got all the positive feedback on my job. I am just using scripts in computers that everybody is using because I can't explain to everybody how to prevent virus infection. Scripts that runs only every time it is needed. Script that runs only 1-3 second/s and do all the stuffs needed to prevent infection.

And as I have said, my script has also its risk and also has few disadvantages. But the risk is only 1-5% better on any option mentioned above. I am not giving details about it yet but my scripts are about to be released soon.

nethack

@whitestar_999
It is clear and evident that u use and understand the approach discussed in first post, it really dos'nt matters a lot, whether u use Norton Ghost or Acronis.


@spyder_21er

First - A rep for u, for a wonderful comparison.

There is a difference.., Instead of creating the backup on "another partition" we create the backup as a file on a drive then make a backup of it on a DVD, so the backup is 100% safe.

It hardly takes 5-10 Min only, so it is not a big problem.

To an extent, I agree with you.. but i still say my method give me 100% guarantee against viruses.

Just4kick

WRONG
Virus creators did nt get paid for their work............
They always write viruses in a hope that it can defeat any AV in world......

gothic_coder

Use any method but do use anti-Virus(Not pirated)... Kaam ka mamla hai yaar