antimalware

Microsoft is releasing a major security update to Windows 11 that could theoretically block malicious applications completely. It's such a fundamental change in the operating system that it will require a reset and clean installation of Windows. At ... the moment, most of the built-in security on Windows uses two main approaches. One is to scan any files or links the user wants to open or download, then alerts the user if they match any know threats. This is referred to as file and link scanning. The other is to scan files on the hard drive to look for anything suspicious. This is usually done in ... (view more)

Windows 10's built-in security tool Windows Defender has stopped working properly for some users. There's a workaround for those who want added peace of mind. Exactly what's causing the problem isn't yet clear, but some users are finding both manual ... and automatic scans produce messages such as: "Items skipped during scan: The Windows Defender Antivirus scan skipped an item due to exclusion or network scanning settings." In other cases, the error message reports that the entire scan was skipped. The message isn't proving particularly helpful as it's not clear what items are actually being ... (view more)

A new report claims most Android "antivirus" apps don't provide enough protection to justify that term. It says two-thirds of the antivirus programs were so ineffective, they were practically useless. The report comes from AV-Comparatives, a website ... that tests antivirus and other security software. It says it was inspired to look at Android apps after spotting one that literally did nothing but show a fake progress bar before saying no malicious apps were present (without actually carrying out a scan). The test involved putting 250 different Android antivirus apps to work on Samsung Galaxy S9 ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader Abdul M. writes: " Dear Dennis, A few weeks ago my computer gave me a warning message that I was infected with virus and that I needed to call 1 800 208 0798 to fix the problem. The man I spoke to had an Indian accent and said he ... was from Microsoft. He then connected to my computer and removed the virus, then demanded $199 payment which I paid. He then forwarded me to another security specialist, who examined my system and said that my firewall was broken and it would cost another $350 to fix it. If I didn't pay it, he said hackers would attack my computer . At this point I ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader Kevin L. writes: " Dear Dennis, I have been researching the best anti ransomware software for 2018 and came across your website. I was wondering if you had any recommendations? While searching for the best anti ransomware software ... (free), many websites have their own opinion on what anti ransomware software is the best, but most require a paid subscription. What is your opinion on the best anti ransomware software for PCs? " My response: I've answered this question in depth before (in a round about way) with my guide on How to Prevent Ransomware in 2018 - 10 Steps . This ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader Steve G. writes: " Dear Dennis, I just read your article on How to Fix: Computer / Network Infected with Ransomware (10 Steps) and it was incredibly informative. I hope I never get infected with ransomware! That said, I have seen ... software products and services advertised online claiming they can prevent ransomware, but the information is often obscure. I feel like I am none the wiser. Even searching Google for ' how to prevent ransomware ' points to a very short article on Norton's website, which then links to Norton Antivirus. In your previous article, you said Norton didn ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader Marjie H. writes: " Dear Dennis, I just received an email offer from Norton Security asking if I would like to enroll in the Norton Identity Protection. In order to do so, the form says I need to provide my social insurance ... number. The protection being offered is free, so long as I renew my Norton Antivirus subscription. From what I understand, this service includes protection against personal credit, credit cards, bank, social insurance number (SSI), etc. My question is - with all this information they are asking for, what is the possibility they could be hacked and all my ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader Priscilla writes: " Dear Dennis, I am running Windows 10 and my computer seems to be infected with a rootkit from what I read online. In Task Manager's Startup , I have the following programs running: cpx.exe , svcvmx.exe , and ... ct.exe . I have tried to disabled these from startup but I get 'Access denied'. I have tried to download Malwarebytes Antimalware to scan the computer but the setup file simply won't run. I have tried downloading other antivirus programs but Edge reports that the file is corrupt. I have tried resetting Windows 10 but it fails and tells me I cannot ... (view more)

Security firm Kaspersky Lab has filed a formal complaint accusing Microsoft of acting unfairly over the way it promotes its own security products. Microsoft says it is acting to keep Windows users protected. Kaspersky previously complained to the ... Federal Anti-monpoly Service in its home country of Russia. That led to several changes to Microsoft's policy, including rewording a message that suggested users uninstall third-party security software and use the built-in Windows Defender instead. Now Kaspersky has taken the issue to the European Commission, which oversees competition issues ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader 'Rebecca' writes: " Dear Dennis, I recently purchased a tablet with Windows 10 and I have Windows Defender running. My question is whether I need to install any other protection to stop people (hackers) from being able to steal my ... bank details, etc. My dad was recently a victim of this but I don't know how to protect myself. How can I keep my PC secure in 2017? Thank you in advance! " My response: I have been asked this question no less than 100 times in the last 16 years I've been writing articles online - but the truth of the matter is that the answer changes slightly as ... (view more)