AntiMalware Software:
DefenseWall – Completely protects me (or I should say the wife) from drive by downloads via firefox and from USB media. DefenseWall separates applications and devices into trusted and untrusted groups. Trusted groups are free to modify the OS systems folders, registry, services etc. Untrusted groups are not allowed to make any changes to my PC and are easily deleted if I choose.
Avira’s Antivir Free – This free antivirus application from Avira is used to scan my customer hard drivers that i connect via USB. AntiVir has a great detection database and very nice heuristics
Backup Software:
Carbonite Online Backup – Carbonite backs up my 500GB’s of documents, email, pictures and videos automatically everyday. After I performed my initial backup Carbonite will only upload new or changed files. I’ve had to use the Carbonite restore once after my RAID controller died. After I rebuilt my PC, Carbonite downloaded my backed up files…no sweat!
Another cool little thing about Carbonite is that it places little colored dots on files in your backup set:
-green dots mean the backup is complete
-yellow dots mean the file is waiting to be backed up
-no dot means the file is not in your backup set
Identity Protection:
Lifelock identity protection prevents thieves from opening credit cards and loans under my name. That’s mainly what i use it for. Has it worked? Yep, one time some dope tried to open a BestBuy card using my info. Denied!
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
My personal choices:
Avira Antivir Premium (I usualy use the free edition, but thanks to the “free cupon” I found in the forums from this site I got 6 month for free with the “premium”)
Comodo Firewall (I disable Defense Plus… I really think it´s annoying and I am not an average user)
I have SAS and MBAM (both in free edition) just to do quick scans once in a while.
I use Vista x64 (without UAC since it´s realy annoying).
I keep everything “clean” with “manual swweping” and with the help of a free tool called CCleaner.
I use the “Windows” Default Defrag.
I backup my stuff on media like CDs/DVDs… and more sensitive data I put on a encrypited format and save on “online storage” like Orbit Files.
That´s about it.
I use avira free for my everday protection and use a program called KeyScrambler for firefox, which encrypts keystrokes at kernel level to confuse keyloggers. I also use the command line interface for Spyware Doctor as I think it removes alot of the bulk that comes with the regular spyware doctor. As for backup I make Norton Ghost complete PC images every over week to an external hard drive… takes about 25minutes
Any plans on testing Geswall?
http://www.gentlesecurity.com/
How many PCs can you backup using Carbonite? I recently saw a deal where I can get 25%, so three years for comes to about $100. I just wasn’t sure if I can only use it on one PC, or the whole household.
Do you have to be in the US to use Lifelock?
Your comment about defencewall isnt quite right. Its not exactly a one time payment.
I quote from their website:
The DefenseWall HIPS program license is Lifetime, however updates, email notifications and first-queue support expire after 1 year unless you renew (extend, prolongate) your license.
Which means, you can use the last version you got forever, but you won’t get updated to any new versions after the year is up.