Security & Performance for your PC!!

I get asked all the time, “Jon, what do you recommend for security and performance for my computer?” So I decided to give folks a brief, and to the point, run down of what I programs and tools I use and recommend.

So, core security: I typically use and install Avast Free or BitDefender Free Antivirus (MS Security if Windows 7). Then I always use (and have used for years) MalwareBytes Antimalware and Spybot Search & Destroy. MalwareBytes is a Zero-day exploit and “name brand” bug catcher King and Spybot can find a lot of stuff that normally would get left behind and can also undo damage a virus has caused to your system. But you do not want them to be running all the time, as your Antivirus is providing that protection. MBAM (MalwareBytes for short) and Spybot are just "tools in the toolbox" per say. Include them in your routine scans and cleanings but they will be your go to, if and when a virus gets around your Antivirus. But the basic "run it when you need it" free versions are all you need (unless you have computer with horsepower and speed then let em rip!).
Then with the new variant of malware being “browser hi-jack” bugs, if you get hit with something like that, all those other security programs may not be able to find all of them; or even any of them at all! So that is where ADWCleaner and JRT come in to play. Both are now distributed by MalwareBytes (so that's who you will likely download them from as an FYI), they are specifically browser hi-jack clean-up tools. These tools will find, fix and remove what the other programs cant. Including website re-directions, search engine and homepage hi-jacks, removal of malicious add-ons, and much more.

Then last but not least, lets keep the computer clean of junk!

Class, meet CCleaner. CCleaner; class.

CCleaner has been my go-to performance and clean-up tool for nearly my entire professional computer career. Junk, temp and cache files, prefetch data, DNS cache, delete free space; CCleaner can do A LOT! So to keep things clean and your computer running snappy, I highly recommend it’s installation and use!

You can find direct download links to all the previously mentioned programs, as well as a complete virus removal tutorial just by clicking the link below! Doesn’t get much easier than that ;)
Recommended Software Downloads & Virus Removal Tutorial

As always, if you need any kind of computer or “tech” help, or if you have any questions, feel free to get in touch! This is why I do, what I do :)

Jon Pienkowski 

Pacific Northwest Computers 

www.pnwcomputers.com 

360.624.7379