Category: Malware

AntiVirus, AntiVirus, Compromise Reports, Malware, Programming, Security, Software

Malware Hunting – Reviewing the Best Scanners

Justin Cooney
Identifying Malware
Identifying Malware

I am interested in computer security issues and have often had to investigate infections with a variety of different systems. As I mentioned in a previous article, relying on a single antivirus solution to handle an infection can be a lesson in futility.

If you are investigating a machine, then you will need to know how to differentiate good files from malware files. In the article below I will review the various options available for determining how safe a file really is. The tools I am reviewing are specific to Microsoft Windows. I have categorized the tools into online MD5/SHA-1 hash scanners, File Upload Scanners, and downloadable scanning applications. Continue reading “Malware Hunting – Reviewing the Best Scanners” →

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AntiVirus, AntiVirus, Malware, Phishing, Programming, Security, Software, Technology

Best Free Tools for Keeping your PC Running Smoothly (2013 Review)

Justin Cooney
PC Maintenance Tools
PC Maintenance Tools

It can be quite a challenge to find effective software that can help you keep your PC in proper working order so in this article I will attempt to review some of the best free PC maintenance tools available as of the start of 2013.

It’s a well know fact that with use your PC’s performance will degrade if it is not properly maintained. When putting together your PC maintenance toolkit there are a number of key areas that you want to have covered. These categories include:

Continue reading “Best Free Tools for Keeping your PC Running Smoothly (2013 Review)” →

AntiVirus, AntiVirus, Malware, Security, Software

PC Security Basics – Is Current Antivirus Software Accurate?

Justin Cooney

To get straight to the point: I’ll start this post by saying that in the past I have found both paid for and free Anti-Virus (AV) software to be ineffective in identifying and containing malware infections. I’m sure this will meet a lot of resistance since using the popular Anti-Virus software is easy and gives the average user a feeling of being in control of their system.

I’ve had my share of chasing malware and trying to track down sources of infection. When it comes to tracking down malware I am still constantly learning, so I do not intend this article to be any kind of definitive answer to whether one should buy or use AntiVirus software.  As you read this article, keep in mind that I am still learning the basics of malware detection, and would appreciate your feedback and experiences doing the same.

Also, I’m definitely not suggesting that anyone should go out and uninstall whatever Anti-Virus program that one is using; I’m just saying that one should never consider an AntiVirus scan to be an accurate summary of a PC being clean of viruses. I think there is some benefit to using Anti-Virus software, but I am definitely concerned how often people seem to be confident that their systems are safe or clean just because their Anti-Virus software didn’t detect anything.

Continue reading “PC Security Basics – Is Current Antivirus Software Accurate?” →