Is Your PC Infected With A Virus - Top 5 Anti Virus Programs

What to Do if Your PC is Infected From lethal infections to simply frustrating ones, virus infections are the curse of computer users. Once you’ve recognized the symptoms, what can you do about it?

Don’t Panic - Almost every computer is infected with a virus at one point or another. Quick action and caution are necessary. There are two types of computers - those that have been infected with a virus, and those that will be infected with a virus soon.

Top 4 Reasons to have a strong virus protection software:

• Protect your computer system from breakdown.
• Guard Data on your computer from identity theft.
• Prevent spam email inundation.
• Peace of Mind.

Definitions for Detection:

             Viruses work by placing bits of code onto separate files, infecting that file before moving on to the next one. This is why, unlike humans, computers are healed of viruses by cutting off the infected part. The code that viruses place on the file has a unique signature that antivirus programs can spot. This method of finding viruses is very common but has one drawback - the antivirus program is only as effective as it is current. Every time a new virus comes out, the program has to be updated.

Top 5 Features to look for in an anti virus software program are,

• Easy to Install.
• Simple to Use.
• Should update itself regularly.
• Effective at removing viruses and backed by certified testing.
• Technical Support available.

            To solve this problem, some antivirus programs use a “heuristic” algorithm. Viruses have behaviors in common with each other, such as working without changing the recorded “last modified” date, or avoiding changing the size of the file. The antivirus program will recognize this behavior and find the virus by tracing back to the source. Other antivirus systems use a “baiting” system, where several files are made to look and coded to be like regular files, but are in fact closely watched by the antivirus software. If a virus tries to modify these files, the software catches and contains it. Of course, the cat and mouse game between the virus creators and virus destroyers is endless. Viruses are constantly evolving to dodge tricks put forth by antivirus programs.

Top 5 Virus Protection Software Programs:

1. Bitdefender Antivirus Plus
2. Kaspersky Anti-Virus
3. Norton AntiVirus
4. F-Secure Anti-Virus
5. G Data AntiVirus

Then comes the AVG, Avast, etc...

Types Of Rootkit Viruses - Preventive Measures

Rootkit is malicious software which is designed to protect/hide the malware, spyware, and bots and prevent them to be detected by normal detection methods. Once it get’s installed in the host computer it has lethal potential to turn your important credentials into garbage.

It is designed to accomplish the following purposes:

• To get unauthorized access to the owner computer and steal his/her credentials for doing criminal activities, for stealing money via online banking, to steal important documents etc.
• To hide malicious software like key loggers, viruses to harm the owner of computer.
• To utilize the computer as a Zombie Computer for performing any unethical activities like sending spam mails, for attacking others computer attached through the Home group etc.

Types of Rootkit Virus:

Persistent Rootkit Virus:
               This Rootkit virus triggers every time the computer startup/reboots. It hides as a valid registry files and replicate action of valid windows registry files. It can’t be recognized easily and gets uploaded every time whenever the computers restart/reboot without any help from external factor. It remains in your computer registry even if the computer is rebooted.

Memory based Rootkit Virus:
               This type of Rootkit virus lies in your computer memory. They occupy an unallotted portion of your computer RAM and remain until computer is shut down by the owner.

User Mode Rootkits:
               In this case rootkits virus digs deep inside the operating system and stores itself in the system drive location and can’t be detected by the antivirus program. It escapes antivirus program detection by integrating itself with the antivirus program. When Antivirus program is initiated to scan the system, rootkit obstruct it and imitate the action of antivirus program and in result does not show any malware in result.

Kernel Mode Rootkits:
               Kernel mode rootkits are more dangerous as compared to the other rootkits. This type of rootkits modifies the Kernel data structures by adding or replacing the existing code. This is one of the most lethal rootkits which can’t be detected by antivirus program as they operate at the same security level as the operating systems.

Firmware Rootkits:
               Firmware rootkits affects the device attached by getting access to the device code and cease operation. You may have listen Mebromi rootkit which affects the graphic card of computer. This rootkit will reinstall itself when you restart your computer.

Boot kits:
              Bootkits is the rootkit which is designed to contaminate the MBR (Master Boot Record) of the computer. It mainly affects the booting process and POST (Power on Self Test) of computer.

Hypervisor Rootkits:
             This kind of rootkits is designed to affect the virtual machine setup. Hypervisor is a layer which is present between the physical layer and the virtual layer; it does not load itself when the computer restarts and become active when operating system is being prompted to initiate virtual machine. Its task is to exploit hardware virtualization and thus exploit system by intercepting hardware operation triggered by genuine operating system.

How to prevent Rootkits:

• One of the easiest ways to prevent your computer from rootkit is to create system restore points at regular interval.
• In most of the cases rootkit enters in computer through spam mails, it is always advised to avoid spam mails.
• It is always recommended to scan every external device before using it as they may contain harmful malwares.
• You must regularly update computer antivirus program from the genuine website of manufacturer. Apart from the genuine website of manufacturer don’t use antivirus which promises to provide full security these are traps created by the bad people to fulfill their evil intentions.
• Use Microsoft security essential security tools available on the Microsoft support website.

Symptoms Of a Rootkit:

• The anti-virus program that you currently have installed no longer runs.
• PC reboot itself
• Error messages
• Your anti-virus stop working
• Your PC date and time keep changing to a wrong date even after you change CMOS battery
• PC slow down or run out of memory when you are only running one application
• Internet become slower
• Your computer locks up or fails to respond to common inputs
• Settings in Windows change without your permission
• You experience excessive network traffic or your network connect becomes slow or disconnected

What to do if you think u are infected:

             If you think you are infected with rootkit virus, you can use one of many Rootkit virus removers available online. A simple search on google for "Anti RootKit" will yield you with various softwares available for this purpose.

Author Bio:

             Bella Martin received the Master degree in software engineering in 2006 and currently serving as a software engineer at Impcsupport. She provides informative articles on Online PC Support, PC technical support, windows support, computer maintenance tools and software’s. 

FSS Google Books Downloader (Freeware)

FSS Google Books Downloader is a free utility that allows users to download books from Google Books Search and convert them to PDF, JPG or PNG.
By default, output books are saved into Desktop, and they retain the name of the source book. After downloading you'll be able to view downloaded books using Adobe Reader or any picture viewer program.
Using FSS Google Books Downloader you can download millions of books from libraries and publishers worldwide completely free!
This is a clearly free program. There is no spyware or adware. It's absolutely safe to install and to run!

Version: 1.2.0.3

License: Freeware [?]

Size: 7.5 Mb

Supports: XP/Vista/7/8/2000/2003/2008

How To Use:

• Launch FSS Google Books Downloader.
• Click the Paste URL button 
• Use your Internet browser to select and copy Google Book link you want to download and wait a few seconds while the program is detecting Google Book.
• Click the Browse button and choose the location where you would like to save your downloaded Google Books from web. Click Ok.
• You can specify the output Google Book format as PDF, JPG or PNG.
• When you are ready, click the Download button along the bottom of the interface and wait just a few seconds or several minutes max (depending on your internet connection speed).
• Now the Google Book is on your computer. :)

Facebook Trick: Update Your Status In Blue Colour

Hi friends, this is a small trick to amaze your friends by making your status update blue in colour. This is one of the coolest Facebook tricks because it not only makes your status update change color, but it also turns it into a link. If you ask "where does the link leads?" It leads to the profile page of the person who clicked it, so you can actually troll your friends with this trick.
Your friends will look strange if you use this trick to write in paragraphs.


How To Do:

1.) Write the following line in your status update:

@@[1:[0:1: write here ]]

2.) Replace the write here text with any text you wish to become blue. You can add more text before or after the code, to make this look even cooler.

Important: Don't use colon " : " in the write here field.

Download Best PC Optimization Software (Freeware)

Hi friends, Here is a Freeware Software which provides various PC optimization tools like Disk check, Uninstaller, Data Recovery, File Recovery, Registry Cleaner, Defragmentor, etc... bundled togethor as a single software. The most notable utility in this bundle is that -File Recovery- which allows you to get back the files which you deleted from your computer even after emptying the recycle bin.


Below are the list of utilities provided by This software:

Disk Check:
Helps you to fix errors, recover bad sectors on your hard disk using chkdsk.

Uninstaller:
Helps you to uninstall software that you do not need and also software that you are not able to uninstall otherwise.

Startup Manager:
Helps you to enable/disable Windows startup items. It assists your decision in various forms.

Service Manager:
Helps you to enable/disable Windows services. It assists your decision in various forms.

Disk Cleaner:
Helps you to find and delete junk files from your computer. It is highly customizable too.

Delete Empty Folders:
Helps you to delete empty folders from your system. It is extremely fast.

Fix Shortcuts:
Helps you to automatically fix or delete broken shortcuts.

Registry Cleaner:
Helps you to clean Windows registry for better performance.

Registry Defrag:
Helps you to defrag and compact Windows registry for better performance.

Defrag:
Helps you to automatically defrag and optimize your hard disk drives.

Duplicate File Finder:
Helps you to find duplicate files on your computer. It is highly customizable and extremely fast.

Data Recovery:
Helps you to recover data from your damaged media like scratched DVDs, VCDs, BLU Rays etc.

File Recovery:
Helps you to recover deleted files from your hard disk, pen drive, memory card. Basically any storage medium.

Disk Files:
Helps you to look into details of files distribution on your computer. It is highly customizable.

Gaming PC:
Helps you to create a Gaming Environment on your PC to give your games/apps best of your computer.

Permanent Delete:
Helps you to delete your files permanently so that they cannot be recovered by any software.

Wipe Disk:
Helps you to wipe entire disk or just free space so that no files on it can be recovered.

Shutdown Timer:
Helps you to schedule various shutdown tasks. Many scheduling options are available.

Splitter:
Helps you to spilt any file into files of specified size.

Delete History:
Helps you to delete history and other data of various applications including web browsers.

Minimal PC:
Helps you to close and switch back all the specified services/processes on your computer in a click.

Batch Fix:
Helps you to automatically keep your system clean and error free by running selected utilities.

Maintenance Wizard:
Helps you to run selected utilities in a pre-defined order for getting best performance out of your computer.

File Size: 9.87 MB 

License: Freeware [?]
Supports: Windows Xp/2003/Vista/2008/7/8 

How To Manage Lock Screen In Windows 8

             “Windows 8” the latest operating system launched few months ago. It is loaded with attractive features like UEFI interface, Hybrid boot, Windows to go etc. Microsoft has introduced lot of changes in the Lock Screen. The concept of Lock screen is devised show a state when computer is not used. Lock screen was also used in the previous version of windows operating system but in Windows 8 OS Lock screen is revived to extent beyond expectation. The concept of Lock screen introduced in Windows 8 looks to be inspired from Smartphone’s. Lock screen is generated in a computer when a user locks his/her computer, restart it or wake up from sleep state.

Basic Lock screen contains the following information:

• Lock Screen Background Image.
• Today’s Date with time.
• Current status of available network and Battery status.

Apart from this information Windows 8 allows to place apps on your lock screen. A user can place maximum of seven apps on the screen. For instance you can place or you can active your webmail service app on your Lock screen which shows unread message or update you when new mail is received. So, you can place all such Apps which you use on regular basis.

How to make changes in Windows 8 lock Screen?

You have two ways though which you can make changes in the lock screen,

Method 1: By accessing Group policy Editor.

1. Press Window + R key, this key combination will initiate/opens a new window on your monitor screen. This is known as RUN window.
2. Then type “gpedit.msc” in the text box and press Enter key, this command will open “Group Policy editor” window.
3. On the left panel of Window click on computer configuration, click on Administrative templates, and then click on Control panel. Now lists of option appears on left panel of screen, out of them click on Personalization.
4. Then in the right pane of window you will get option to change configure the lock screen and Start menu.
5. You can enable/disable lock screen through these option, change Lock screen image and Start menu background.

Method 2: By using Registry Editor.

• Press Window + R key, this key combination will initiate/opens a new window on your monitor screen. This is known as RUN window.        
• Then type “regedit” in the text box and press Enter key, this command will opens Registry Editor.
• A new window appears on your screen which contains list of registries files. You have  to find the following registry:

“HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Personalization”

• If you are not able to find create a new registry file DWORD NoLockScreen and set its value to 1 to disable it or set its value to 0 if you want to disable it.
• Then Restart your computer to make changes to take affect.
• That's It!

Author Bio:

             Bella Martin received the Master degree in software engineering in 2006 and currently serving as a software engineer at Impcsupport. She provides informative articles on Online PC Support, PC technical support, windows support, computer maintenance tools and software’s.

Windows 8: How To Eliminate Shut Down Problem

           Windows 8 latest operating system launched by Microsoft known for its Modern UEFI interface, windows defender with antivirus program, snap multitasking and instant start shutdown process. Windows 8 has offered ease of use and simplified computing. Most of the people have switched from windows 7 to Windows 8 or some of them are planning to switch. But there are some issue which must be root out otherwise it remain issue of concern. Most of the user who has installed Windows 8 preview on their computer is suffering from windows 8 shut down problem. It is noticed that when you shutdown windows 8 computer then it's display goes off but still the power is on and computer still consumes energy and if you are working on a laptop then after sometime your battery will drains out.

           A new feature known as “Hybrid sleep” is introduced with windows 8. Most of you are aware of Hibernate and sleep feature of windows operating system. They all are designed to reduce the power consumption of computer during idle period. Hybrid sleep is the combination of Sleep and Hibernate which saves a copy of your opened docs & Settings on both RAM as well as on your hard drive and switch to minimum power consumption state so that all programs can be launched quickly when user resumes his work. If power failure occurs then it will not let user to loose his important work and launch all running application from computer hard drive. By default this is enabled in windows 8.

           But most of you are not aware of Hybrid Sleep which is the cause of this problem. Hybrid sleep is developed to reduce the windows booting and shutdown time. Windows 8 reducing the startup time by saving data pertaining to kernel session on the hard drive instead of closing it properly. Resuming work from hibernated state for computer is more tedious in comparison of full system initialization process.  To get rid of the problem you have to follow the procedure mentioned below,

Steps To Follow:

1. If you are on the Start screen then move your cursor to top right corner of screen to trigger charms Bar. Then Click on the Search option.
2. Then Type Power in the search box and press the enter key to search, then your computer will automatically search for the text and show the results.
3. A new window will appears on your screen, make a click on the Settings option on the right pane of results obtained and then click on Change what the power buttons do link generated in the search results. 
4. It will show Power options available in Windows 8, you have to select “Choose what the Power buttons do” available on the left pane of window.
5. You can also make changes in Power option of computer through Run dialog box. Type powercfg.cpl in the text box of Run dialog box and then select “Choose what the Power buttons do”.
6. A new window appears on your screen, scroll down the screen and disable “Turn on the Fast startup (recommended)” option from the list.
7. Uncheck the “Turn on the Fast startup (recommended)” option checkbox and then select “Save Changes” button. If the option is not active then scroll up and select “Change Settings that are currently unavailable” link.
8. Restart your computer to make changes to take affect or reboot your system to fix Windows 8 shutdown problem.
9. That's It!

Author Bio:

              Matthew Ferrall…is a Tech Savvy and Software Engineer. He has been working from 2008 for getting secure and reliable software solution for viruses, malwares with Impcsupport. Impcsupport provides the computer support for all windows operating system.