Three Words For 2010
1 – Backup, 2 – Backup, 3 – Backup!
Now, which one did you not understand, the first, the second or the third?
So many users get malware infections, either though driveby downloads that the user is unaware of, or more commonly, through clicking on enticing looking links and downloading rogue programs.
Sometimes removal can be simple, but the cybercriminals are using many more devious ways to implant the malware onto users computers. Many users also resort to using System Restore, but by doing so another Restore Point is created with the malware and the problem returns. Very clever!
Creating backups is simple and easy, it also means that when malware does strike, and it is one of the more difficult ones to remove, restoring a clean backup image of the system can be much quicker than running several programs, submitting HijackThis logfiles and going around in circles!
Every month, I create a new backup. I store one on a partition on my internal drive and one on an external drive. I also keep the previous months backup and delete the oldest one as a newer one is created. All of these are ‘ghost images’ of my operating system with all of my files and folders.
Currently I have December and November images stored in two locations, and when I create a new image I delete the oldest once I am satisfied that it is a good image and clean.
Cleaning malware can be very time consuming and frustrating as users who are infected are guided step by step to remove the malware. A lot of it also hijacks browsers, there are fixes for this too, BUT if users created an image regularly, it would be far easier to spend 30 minutes to an hour restoring a clean image rather than using a multitude of removal tools.
Windows 7 has a built-in imaging program and a System Rescue ISO ready to burn to disk. For all other systems use Macrium Reflect, it’s free and it works and also allows users to create a bootable rescue disk.
Viruses are decreasing, malware is increasing and is a very profitable and well organised business for the cybercriminals.
Don’t become a victim. As 2010 approaches social sites will be targeted with even more malicious links so think twice before clicking and the criminals will use more devious methods to entice users into downloading rogue programs that are laden with malware.
Check the link with Web of Trust and use search engines to get more information.
Modern hard drives are big enough to be partitioned and external usb drives are relatively cheap, so BACKUP and you then have a safety net.
Happy New Year everyone, and surf safely with the Web of Trust
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Reader Comments
Image backup has so many advantages, the main one being that the restore creates a complete and predictable time point.
Complete in that all contents (including operating system, registry etc) are restored. Predictable in that the image is an exact copy of the system at that time.
Even with XP there are free disk imaging programs available and the backups can be automated to be performed at a set time every night.
Hence, as indicated by the author, the ease as to which the recovery in the case of MalWare is that, providing the MalWare didn't exist during the time the backup was taken, then the restore should not contain the MalWare infection.
Grant - Backing up with a clean 'ghost' image is something that is largely overlooked but would solve many problems.
Much easier to restore a clean image when infected with malware than go through assorted removal programs where success is not guaranteed.
Regards
Colin
Colin
I agree. Image backup is so often overlooked, yet I believe it is so easy and predictable to restore.
Also, if used in conjunction with a RAID-Mirror, then the user can add selective updates from the RAID-Mirror to the restored Image and hence further minimize data loss.
Of course by selective updates I am referring to safe files, not MalWare files obviously.
Grant - Educating users to create regular backups is very difficult, and sadly many don't do this and resort to a format, which with systems such as XP can be time consuming and as support ends it will become more difficult.
Keeping 2 clean backups, preferably on an external device, can reduce the time to clean amalware infected machine and in the case of disk failure, a copy is at hand, simply replace the drive, reload the image and a few minor updates to bring all back - much better
Regards
Colin
Colin,
Agreed. Often a little more effort on simple tasks like backup can save people from a lot of problems later.
Ah well better to keep spreading the message and hope it gets out rather than keep saying 'I told you so' to many poor victims.
Keep up the good work.
Grant - Thank you. It is difficult trying to get users to create good, clean backups, and they can be much quicker to restore than spending several hours, or in some case, days, using assorted clean-up programs.
It is very much a case for many to carry on assisting users and spreading the word about the importance of backups and the simplicity in creating them. Sadly, each day brings more victims who fall prey to malware!
All the best
Colin