BIGBILLY.COM's ANTIVIRUS-SPYWARE-MALWARE Recommendations

FREE Spyware removal software and instructions

What a mess viruses have made for the Internet, however, even more prevalent and destructive have been the development in the area of SpyWare/MalWare that can be installed on your computer WITHOUT you even knowing it. What makes this especially vicious is that many people are lured into a false sense of security because antivirus software DOES NOT prevent, detect, or remove these items on your PC, so their existence is totally hidden.

I can guarantee, unless you have followed the steps below, YOUR PC IS CONTAMINATED! Especially if you have high-speed internet which makes the downloading of these programs so much easier and faster.

SPYWARE are programs that can theoretically track EVERYTHING you are doing on your computer, even keystroke logging

MALWARE are programs specifically designed to be malicious and damage your computer, usually when they are being uninstalled or removed.

 

Both Spyware and Malware MAY replace Windows system files with their own versions, so that when you remove them, your system is disabled. Although these are rare, IT IS ENTIRELY POSSIBLE.

To address these issues, I've dedicated this page to try and give you the best tools and methods available to protect yourself.

DISCLAIMER: BIGBILLY.COM DOES NOT ASSUME ANY RESPONSIBILITY WHATSOEVER AND YOU PROCEED ENTIRELY AT YOUR OWN RISK

I have encountered some Spyware/Malware so damaging that you have to re-install Windows and all your programs.

PLEASE DON'T PROCEED UNLESS YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY SURE YOU HAVE A CURRENT, VERIFIABLE BACKUP OF ANY DATA YOU WANT TO KEEP IN CASE YOU DO HAVE TO RE-INSTALL.

Although I have encountered these problems, PLEASE UNDERSTAND IT IS NOT THE PROGRAMS I DESCRIBE BELOW THAT PROTECTS/CLEANS SPYWARE/MALWARE THAT CAUSED THE PROBLEMS, IT WAS THE SPYWARE/MALWARE ITSELF.

First off, a couple of hard and fast rules that govern using the computer WISELY.

  1. BEWARE OF FREE PROGRAMS

    Programs that offer to detect and fix problems on your computer, offer free screensavers, help you keep your computer time correct, etc... Are often conduits for installing spyware on your computer - For example, although WeatherBug is a cool, neato program that in and of itself does not install spyware/malware, I suspect that many of the sites that ADVERTISE using Weatherbug are the real culprits on making programs like Weatherbug VERY DANGEROUS to use, as they display their web ads through the Weatherbug interface, and thereby access your system and install their tracking software.

     

  2. FORGET ABOUT FREE MUSIC, VIDEOS, SOFTWARE ETC...

    Although it was a lot of fun during the Napster, early Kazaa era to be able to get music for free from other people - it was nonetheless harmless (except maybe to the Record Companies!) - HOWEVER - Current usage of any of these like Kazaa, Grokster, etc... ARE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS - BESIDES INSTALLING SPYWARE THEMSELVES (EVEN IF YOU PAY FOR IT NOT TOO!) THEY ARE LADEN WITH VIRUS FILLED FILES, MANY OF WHICH ARE INTENDED SOLELY TO PUNISH THE RECIPIENT BY MESSING UP THEIR COMPUTER - DO NOT INSTALL THESE PROGRAMS - EVEN IF YOU HAVE OLDER, SAFE VERSION (LIKE KAZAALITE), YOU CAN STILL GET DAMAGED BY FILES YOU DOWNLOAD AND TRY TO OPEN.

     

  3. BE CAREFUL OF YOUR SPAM/EMAIL

    A lot of spyware is being installed when you open email and follow a link to a website - NEVER EVER OPEN SPAM EMAIL, JUST DELETE IT IMMEDIATELY. SAME GOES FOR ATTACHMENTS - IF YOU ARE NOT EXPECTING A FILE FROM SOMEONE, DO NOT TRY AND OPEN IT. No ISP or other legitimate business (like banks, PayPal) or anyone will ever ask for your password or account info through email - nor will they send out a patch for you to install - ALWAYS BE SUSPICIOUS OF EMAIL AND MAKE SURE YOU CONFIRM WHO IS SENDING YOU STUFF BEFORE YOU TRY AND OPEN IT.

     

  4. Windows / Antivirus / Spyware removal updates

    The second leading cause of problems is failure to keep your PC updated with the latest Windows updates (http://www.windowsupdate.com) as well as antivirus/spyware removal updates - I address this in the INSTALLATION video.

     

  5. Backups - this is the most neglected area of working with computers - BELIEVE ME - IT'S VAPOR, NOT PAPER - EVEN THESE WORDS YOU ARE READING WILL NO LONGER EXIST WHEN THE POWERS OFF - SO MAKE SURE YOU KNOW HOW TO BACKUP, CONFIRM, AND RESTORE YOUR DATA. IF YOU DON'T, CALL COMPUTER TECHS AT (912) 308-6632 FOR ON-SITE SERVICE (CALL FOR HOURLY RATES) OR BRING YOUR COMPUTER IN TO COMPUTERWORKS (912) 691-1895 AND HAVE THEM HELP YOU (CALL FOR HOURLY RATES) - OTHERWISE, JUST PREPARE YOURSELF FOR THE DAY WHEN IT ALL GOES "POOF"

All that said....Click here to learn how to install/update/configure/maintain Norton Antivirus and some excellent FREE  spyware/malware inoculation and removal tools