LumberCartel.ca ✉ Resources - Anti-Virus, Anti-SpyWare, and Security solutions

The Lumber Cartel, local 42 (Canadian branch)

Resources - Anti-Virus, Anti-SpyWare, and Security solutions

F-Prot Anti-Virus
http://www.f-prot.com/

Frisk Software International, the makers of F-Prot Anti-Virus and F-Prot AVES. This cross-platform software doesn't bother users with relentless pop-ups, and simply works quietly and reliably in the background without slowing down the computer (a somewhat common trend with many software applications these days that consume vast amounts of system resources).

We particularly like Frisk Software International because the founder wrote two open letters to the anti-virus industry with recommendations to fight spam (some anti-virus companies were sending self-promoting "your computer is infected" notifications to forged sender addresses):

If you have two or more computers, the corporate license provides some excellent pricing options.

Faronics Anti-Executable
http://www.faronics.com/anti-executable/: Faronics Anti-Executable ensures total endpoint productivity by only allowing approved applications to run on a computer or server. Any other programs, whether they are unwanted, unlicensed, or simply unnecessary, are blocked from ever executing.
Anti-Executable's ability to enforce total compliance provides absolute peace of mind. Organizations benefit from productive user sessions each and every time, while I.T. personnel are guaranteed that desktop computers, notebooks, and servers are compliant with acceptable use policies, regulatory requirements, and software deployment schedules.

Faronics Deep Freeze
http://www.faronics.com/deepfreeze/: Faronics Deep Freeze helps eliminate workstation damage and downtime by making computer configurations indestructible. Once Deep Freeze is installed on a workstation, any changes made to the computer, regardless of whether they are accidental or malicious, are never permanent. Deep Freeze provides immediate immunity from many of the problems that plague computers today -- inevitable configuration drift, accidental system misconfiguration, malicious software activity, and incidental system degradation.
Deep Freeze ensures computers are absolutely bulletproof, even when users have full access to system software and settings. Users get to enjoy a pristine and unrestricted computing experience, while I.T. personnel are freed from tedious helpdesk requests, constant system maintenance, and continuous configuration drift.

Lavasoft Ad-Aware
http://www.lavasoft.de/: Ad-Aware is a SpyWare removal tool that's free for personal use. It is relatively easy to use.

MalwareBytes
http://www.malwarebytes.org/: MalwareBytes is a free SpyWare removal tool that provides the needed assistance in an easy-to-use fashion to remove the infections. It can be installed in Windows Safe Mode, and can restore the machine back to optimum performance by identifying and removing all malicious software (e.g., SpyWare, MalWare, FoistWare, AdWare, etc.) that it detects.

OpenVPN - The open-source VPN
http://www.openvpn.net/

OpenVPN is a full-featured open source SSL-based Virtual Private Network solution that accommodates a wide range of configurations, including remote access, site-to-site VPNs, Wi-Fi security, and enterprise-scale remote access solutions with load balancing, failover, and fine-grained access-controls.

Starting with the fundamental premise that complexity is the enemy of security, OpenVPN offers a cost-effective, lightweight alternative to other VPN technologies that is well-targeted for the SME and enterprise markets. We like it because, unlike most other VPN solutions, it doesn't have to take over gateway routing on client computers.

Note: MacOS X users can get OpenVPN support by using the free, open source TunnelBlick (http://code.google.com/p/tunnelblick/) MacOS port.

SpyBot - Search & Destroy
http://security.kolla.de/: SpyBot is a free SpyWare removal tool. In addition to its main functionality, it also features a preventative Immunization feature. There are also features for advanced users, such as system process management, StartUp entries editor, file data shredder, etc.
See also: SpyBot Anti-Beacon

Stinger - Stealth virus removal tool
http://vil.nai.com/vil/stinger/: Avert Stinger is a free tool from McAfee that specializes in the termination and removal of specific Windows-based stealth viruses designed to prevent detection by most anti-virus products.
If you have a Windows-based system that is infected by a stealth virus that remains active even in Safe Mode, the current version of this free tool can usually save you the trouble of booting from a clean system to perform the removal.

TrueCrypt - Free open-source on-the-fly disk encryption
http://www.truecrypt.org/: TrueCrypt is a software system for establishing and maintaining an on-the-fly-encrypted volume (data storage device). On-the-fly encryption means that data are automatically encrypted or decrypted without any user intervention. If you are naturally paranoid, then this software may be very useful to you.
No data stored on an encrypted volume can be read (decrypted) without using the correct password/keyfile(s) or correct encryption keys, and the entire file system is encrypted (e.g.., file names, folder names, contents of every file, free space, meta data, etc).

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