Maintenance of your computer

[xpsecurity]

Hi,

I think PC's are like any other machines and need maintenance. Here's what I do:

1. Run an antivirus full scan every week
2. Run MalwareBytes Antimalware scan every week
3. Check admin account logins against paper records every 2 weeks. Also verify that they are of Type 2 - local login at console and not Type 3 - which is network login. This done to ensure that no hacker is accessing the machine.
4. Run SysInternals' Autorun every 2 weeks and check against previous saved file tor any new programs that startup upon login
5. Run SysInternals' Process Explorer every 2 weeks to check current running programs (while PC is idle) to ensure no foreign unknown process is running.
6. Examine Event Viewer every 2 weeks and read the administrative events.
7 .Run 'sfc /scannow' every 2 weeks to check for corrupted system files.
8. Do the EICAR test every 2 weeks, to verify that the antivirus is active. Malware often turn off your antivirus,

 

[Genesis]

Definitely living up to your forum name. Has any one managed to get through this yet?

 

[seliol]

I've been able to check almost all the steps. And I've extended on them for clarity.


1. Antivirus Scan with the antivirus of your choice every week

2. Malwarebytes Antimalware scan every week
www.malwarebytes.org/

3. Where do I check the type of admin login? Does anyone know?

4. & 5. Run SysInternals every 2 weeks
Type \\live.sysinternals.com\ in the Windows Run box, to run it without needing to download
(Or download the tools here technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb842062)

Autorun to check against previous saved file tor any new programs that startup upon login
Process Explorer to check current running programs (while PC is idle) to ensure no foreign unknown process is running

You can follow this format to directly launch one of the utilities through the Run box:
\\live.sysinternals.com\tools\<toolname>

6. Event Viewer
Fast way to open it: Use the search box in the Start Menu
Type: "ev" you should see 'View event logs'. Click that.

Slow way to open it:
Open Event Viewer by clicking the Start button Picture of the Start button, clicking Control Panel, clicking System and Security, clicking Administrative Tools, and then double-clicking Event Viewer.? Administrator permission required If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.

Under Custom Views, you will find Administrative Events

7. Run sfc /scannow every 2 weeks to check for corrupted system files
For the sfc /scannow command to work properly, it must be executed from an elevated Command Prompt window in Windows 8, Windows 7 and Windows Vista. This is not required in previous versions of Windows.
(All Programs > Accessories > Right click the Command Prompt > Run as Administrator )

8. EICAR test every 2 weeks to check your antivirus is active
www.eicar.org/86-0-Intended-use.html

 

[Genesis]

3. Where do I check the type of admin login? Does anyone know?

Google it!

Try by Googling it in conjunction with WordPress like "Word Press Security + Admin login"

 

[xpsecurity]

To look for Admin Logins in Event Viewer, filter for Event ID 528, 576 on a XP machine. On a Vista or newer machine, add 4096 to those 2 event IDs ( the event ID numbers changed on Vista and newer systems.).

 

[toysareforboys]

Try running "HitmanPro 3 - Second Opinion Malware Scanner ". It's able to find things hiding from ALL of the other programs!!! It's free to run it, it'll even clean what it finds for free too!

And also run "combofix", it was able to find a rootkit hiding on my machine that NOTHING else could find!!!

Let me know if either finds anything (post up your combofix log file if you're not sure it cleaned anything).

-Jamie M.

 

[Penguin]

Spoiler

Or switch to a Linux distro

 

[Gauravs90]

Try running MALWAREBYTES every week, now malwarebytes also remove PUP and browser hijack plugins by default. So run it every week to keep your system healthy.

 

[Genesis]

I've just started with Windows 7 Home Version tonight and a brand-new computer. I'm used to Windows 7 Professional at work, but now at home has a thorough experience of how much potential conflict there is between the anti-virus, my proxy service, Microsoft (who has never been as controlling as they have been until Windows 7 and Office 2013). That setup for me is a security disaster in its own right as each of those players have so many bells and whistles attached to them and are so incredibly resource hungry. I've got an i7 pentium computer with fiber optic broadband 10mbps. It must have taken the Microsoft Office probably three hours to download. While it was downloading it was saying that I had a slow connection. Then when I checked the Web I'm not the only one with that problem - every one is going through the same slow download of Office 2013. I was really much better off with Windows XP as there were many less bells and whistles, things were more simple, so took up relatively less space and needed much less resources. What I went through tonight was the equivalent of say 80% extra speed and space, and all of the new packages need 95% of it. Downloading Microsoft Office tonight was probably 10 times slower than with Windows XP. Anything I downloaded basically was slow. And nothing to do with my connection, as I'm doing as good as ever with my Forums.

This setup convinces me as it must many others that there has to be an alternative to Microsoft. Either Apple if one is lazy, or Linux. But Microsoft has become much too intrusive, controlling, irritating and too much in my face. I really need to get away from these large corporations that are out to exploit every one for more big bucks.
:aggressive:

 

[ssamjh]

I run life on the dangerous side. I don't use any antivirus. I always manually check files before installing them or make sure they are from a trusted source.

Physically I clean the monitor, keyboard, mouse and anything else relevant weekly and make it sparkle.

No one is allowed to use my hardware while eating and if they breaking it, they fix it.

That's how it goes anyways.

 

[strokerace]

I don't use any antivirus as there is no virus floating around anymore. I just use Ccleaner, and MS security essentials and some times I will use hijack this to fix stupid browsers hijacks. That is all.

 

[TechieMike]

[No message]

 

[furukawa]

I want to add following,
9. clearn up machine and cable.
10. battery check own machine.
11. check recover sample data from backup.
12. check connected device(live or death).

 

[Julian98]

Maybe in the days of Ransomware one of the best protections is to backup all your date either onto a completely different computer or onto a removable external drive (and of course ONLY connect it for the mentioned backups)
The most time consuming part of maintenance I do is cleaning up old files/software which is no longer being used. It just increases the performance and resources of a PC back to when it was new and free of rubbish

 

[hohoho236]

Use Disk Clean-Up every week to erase any unnecessary files on your computer and run Driver Booster every month to make sure your software is up-to-date.