How to prevent a virus, tojan, etc.
By soulofwolf
@soulofwolf (63)
United States
April 25, 2008 7:13pm CST
There is a lot of discussion herein about this firewall, that antivirus software, etc. but, unless, I have missed it, and I seem to be the only person talking about it, there is little on How To prevent or immediately recover from a virus, trojan, etc.
Herein I will introduce the concept of a sandbox and outline the benefits obtain through its deployment but before I do, have you ever heard of a sandbox and, if so, what is your experience with a sandbox?
1 person likes this
6 responses
@qradav (154)
• Philippines
26 Apr 08
this does sound a lot like deepfreeze. probably related software that works just about the same.
If yes, then as with deepfreeze, the biggest problem is its not that suitable for average home use. It's ok if the one using the PC is an advanced user but for the average user, its a bane.
I assume that like deepfreeze, the target market for this software are companies and advanced users. For the average home user, it should still be better to have good security software (i.e. firewall, AV, Anti-spyware, etc).
1 person likes this
@soulofwolf (63)
• United States
26 Apr 08
I am really finding this difficult to explain without the benefit of a demonstration but a sandbox is not a "Go Back" utility that archives system settings. Rather it is a real time invisible layer from which you would run your computer activities as usual. I guess another way to consider it is it turns your administrative browser into a limited user browser - to paraphrase Windows user classifications. You still have full control of the system and it feels like a normal system but it cannot effect the main system... hence the virtual layer.
In fact, the biggest problem people have when using a sandbox, and because it is so transparent, is: they forget that when they save something to C:\temp, for example, they are not saving to C:\temp but the sandboxed C:\temp which could have the real root of c:\sandbox\user\default\drive\c\temp . When employed the sandbox traps ALL writable events within itself so all events - positive or negative - are contained therein and are simple to fix.
1 person likes this
@ferdzNK (3211)
• Philippines
26 Apr 08
I have to hand it to you, your doing an excellent job explaining this. I have never use DeepFreeze, I only read how it work. SandBox is new to me so I would only relate it to what I know.
My understanding of Deepfreeze is it has 2 states "Thaw" and "Freeze" state, when you want a valid installation or set new program configuration you set deepfreeze in Thaw state first, do the necessary changes there then lock it(Freeze State). In freeze state any alteration by other users or malwares will be wiped out on next boot, leaving you a fresh system every time.
The way I see it, they do the same thing, except that in sandbox you have the option of when to restore it, deep freeze do it automatically at bootup when it notice it has change.
@Sir_bobby88 (8231)
• Singapore
26 Apr 08
Well i don't any exprience with it yea but seriously your theory of sandbox is stopping the virus from attacking but not eliminate them totally yea .who knows someone might actually close the sandbox and all the trojans started to fly in at once and eventually damage your system file yea . i would still prefer symatec antivirus where you can revert everything back to normal (something like system restore ) but it will delete everything that is not on the date of capture yea .
@soulofwolf (63)
• United States
26 Apr 08
Your point is taken but this would be hard to accomplish as a hacker would have to know what sandbox you are running and make a trojan specifically to take down the sandbox. Further complicating this is the trojan would have to be installed from OUTSIDE of the sandbox otherwise, should it be successful in crashing the sandbox, it would crash itself and everything else in the sandbox so removing it would be a simple task of hitting [delete sandbox] and reopening a new browser session... just as I did for my grandfather.
The ONLY way for something to be installed outside of the sandbox is by: (1) NOT using the sandbox, (2) telling the sandbox to trust a specific program, or (3) opening a new program outside of the sandbox. Everything else will be trapped safely inside the sandbox.
I am not saying this is the only thing you should do but this makes a nearly impenetrable protective layer from which recovery is a quick and simple task.
@ferdzNK (3211)
• Philippines
26 Apr 08
Good observation SoulOfWolf. Let's take a proactive stance for a change. I've seen ways and tips of doing safe browsing and data transfer only from documentation of tools that I use. The idea of Sandbox sounds very interesting. Please enlighten us.
@febinsoft (213)
• India
27 Apr 08
I suggest you to give some bucks and buy an anti virus. Then go to goosle type spybot search and destroy. Download it. It's Free. Then destroy all virus. update it a week . Turn windows firewall on. Then you get free of trojans.
@busta1 (1026)
• United States
27 Apr 08
well to prevent a virus from getting in your computer is to not use the internet. But then again y have a computer, Preventing Virus 101 you cant prevent virus from coming to your computer the internet is a virus anything that is used to take care of viruses is a virus. When you go to a virus site and your computer start's to act funny you scan your computer and Bam you gotta virus you press Quarantine .........
When an infected file is moved by your anti-virus program to quarantine it is taken from your system and put in a place where it can do no more harm to your computer.
Generally speaking, you can delete any infected files from your anti-virus quarantine without much worry. Obviously you don't want to restore any virus files back into your system.
So the best thing i would say to do is to get a good virus Program i use ZoneAlarm Internet Security you can download that at there site press tail and here is a Key :
61m2r-f9ih4-b12t6-pv92et-2n2uk0
4e886-wm1qt-jbwxv-hgqa2i-ghcx00
gvaxa-cfq9j-je8hk-q86v6k-hqviu0
Try Those and Your WElcome Remember to downlaod the Suite of those wont work..
