This tip was printed from the MalekTips Computer and Technology Help and Tips website at http://malektips.com.

CounterSpy - Do Not Allow Scripts to Run

While script files ending with .VBS and .REG files have legitimate uses, they are also some of the mechanisms by which malware spreads. For example, you might receive an e-mail attachment that looks like it ends with a legitimate file extension, but instead it ends with .VBS and this file extension is hidden. Double-clicking this attachment could run a dangerous script that installs spyware on your computer.

To help protect your machine, after installing CounterSpy, you will be prompted whenever these files attempt to run.

Instead of the prompt, you may wish to have CounterSpy completely prevent these scripts from running without giving you a chance to start them up. This may be useful in case you are configuring a machine for a new computer user and want to lock it down as much as possible.

To perform this tweak:

1. Double-click the CounterSpy icon in the Windows taskbar to open the software.

2. Select "View" - "Settings".

3. Select "Active Protection".

4. Ensure "Enable the CounterSpy Active Protection Monitors on startup" is checked.

5. Underneath "Script-blocking Active Protection Monitor options", click the radio button "Automatically prevent all scripts from running".

6. Click "Save" to save your settings.