[clue-talk] Computer Security

[Angelo Bertolli]

Angelo Bertolli wrote:

>
>
> Walter Hildebrandt wrote:
>
>> Angelo Bertolli wrote:
>>
>>> For a windows machine which isn't protected by at least a proxy to 
>>> the internet, you should download a firewall (like ZoneAlarm) BEFORE 
>>> installing windows, and install it before you ever connect to the 
>>> Internet.  Otherwise, you'll  get hit with viruses before you can 
>>> get the security patches.  The updates for windows seem to be pretty 
>>> safe now, but you do hear an occasional story of it breaking 
>>> something.  The automatic updates should be safe though because 
>>> they're only security patches, and not software updates.
>>
>>
>>
>> I have ZoneAlarm and Norton anti-virus.
>>
>> On a WndowsXP machine I am using OpenOffice, Fiefox, Thunderbird and 
>> a few other programs.   Is there azy thing  I can do to make the 
>> machine safer?
>
>
>
> Well it depends.  Is it for public use?  If so, you should lock it 
> down with a cable or something so no one can walk out with it.  Then, 
> you should password protect the BIOS and set the computer not to boot 
> off of CD or floppy.  And do not forget your password.  Also, don't 
> let people have administrator access.
>
> If it's for your own use, I would say that to be safer you just have 
> to watch what you do:  e.g. don't install suspicious software, don't 
> click on virus mail attachments, keep your anti-virus up to date.  
> I've been running Windows 2000 on a machine at home, and I don't even 
> have an anti-virus installed.  I haven't had a virus in 6 or 7 years 
> at least.  My only virus protection is the ZoneAlarm firewall, and not 
> installing weird software.  Every once in a while I use a free virus 
> checker online, and ... no viruses.  (Yes, I do always keep the 
> machine up to date.)
>
> ZoneAlarm will alert you if you get something like a Trojan because it 
> will ask if you want to allow that program to act as a server.  It 
> won't help if you run a program designed to destroy your machine, but 
> that just means you shouldn't install software you don't trust.  The 
> kind of things people write now are just ways to compromise your 
> machine, access it, and/or spread via the Internet.  ZoneAlarm is good 
> because it allows you to monitor your incoming and outgoing connections.
>
One other thing I forgot to add:  make sure you install the latest 
version of ZoneAlarm before you connect to the Internet when doing a new 
install of Windows.  The instant you get online, you can get 
infected--and what gets infected are the parts of Windows you need to 
connect to the Internet.  ZoneAlarm may still block the outgoing 
attempts because it's smart, but it won't alert you about the piece of 
the OS doing it, because needs to be trusted to connect to the Internet.

Angelo