Topic: 10 biggest security threats you don't know about.

[Simon]

http://www.pcworld.com/reviews/article/0,aid,126083,00.asp

Maybe it's time I installed a Firewall. :?

Are you saying you haven't got one, MB?  After all we went through with Michael's machine?  :ooo:  I thought you were going to get it all sorted!

Not sure if it's still the only one which does so, but F-Secure claims to 'root out' rootkits.

A new firewall can be incredibly irritating at first, but after a few days, it will settle down.  There is always a box to tick, when it asks permission for an application to access the internet, to repeat the same answer each time, or not to ask again, so it shouldn't keep asking the same question.  My only gripe with most firewalls is that it can be difficult to work out which program they are referring to, but some simplify things better than others, and F-Secure usually tells you exactly what the program is, which is asking for online access.

[GillE]

You should maybe try deleting it with system restore off, Gill.

It won't let me delete it, Lona.  When I click on the icon I get an error message saying the address refers to a location that is unavailable.

Gill

[Lona]

Have you tried a search to see if it finds the location in the search box?

[GillE]

Good idea, Lona    .

It does identify the folder and you can right-click on it.  According to its properties, it doesn't have any size!  I've tried moving it, deleting it, renaming it... all the right-click options but to no avail.  Can you think of anything I've missed?

Gill

[Sandra]

Have you tried removing it in safe mode Gill ?

[GillE]

I've just tried using safe mode.  There's no difference .

Thanks for the suggestion, though.

Gill

[sam]

how about just booting from a boot disk into msdos? so proper msdos.

[mistybear]

http://www.pcworld.com/reviews/article/0,aid,126083,00.asp

Maybe it's time I installed a Firewall. :?

Are you saying you haven't got one, MB?  After all we went through with Michael's machine?  :ooo:  I thought you were going to get it all sorted!

Not sure if it's still the only one which does so, but F-Secure claims to 'root out' rootkits.

A new firewall can be incredibly irritating at first, but after a few days, it will settle down.  There is always a box to tick, when it asks permission for an application to access the internet, to repeat the same answer each time, or not to ask again, so it shouldn't keep asking the same question.  My only gripe with most firewalls is that it can be difficult to work out which program they are referring to, but some simplify things better than others, and F-Secure usually tells you exactly what the program is, which is asking for online access.

Yes Simon I know I'm very naughty for not installing one, but in my defence I remembered what a problem it was just trying to download a firewall onto Michael's computer so I could burn it to CD for the PB. There was a compatability problem with the XP Firewall, from memory I think I had to uninstall the XP one first. I'm a little cautous about deleting parts of XP.
Also I don't visit the same types of sites that Michael does.
Michael used my computer one night to show a friend of ours, sites that he gets still shots from. PC games and such. I ran a couple of scans a few days later and there were lots of adware and malware. :roll:

Will F-Secure play nicely with others?

[Simon]

If you get the F-Secure Internet Security Suite, you don't really need any other ones, as it has Anti Virus, Firewall, Anti Spyware and Anti Spam all in one.  That said, in my opinion, you can't have too many spyware scanners (within reason) as they all find different things.  If you have something installed which is likely to conflict with F-Secure, it will tell you to uninstall it, before F-Secure will complete it's installation.

Another one worth considering, is Bit Defender Internet Security, which is another all-in-one, but uses less system resources than F-Secure.  BD has advantages and disadvantages.  One advantage is that you can (apparently) find it on something called 'torrents'  :whistle:  but one disadvantage is that it's quite a bit more complicated to configure than F-Secure, and tends to shout warnings at you a lot.  That said, it doesn't seem to be so fussy as to what else you have on your machine, so it's swings and roundabouts.

If you don't use any of these, you should at least enable your Windows Firewall.  You don't need to visit dodgy sites to pick up nasties from the net.

[mistybear]

When I ran Hijack This on the weekend its desciption of my Firewall wasn't very flattering. Either I don't have one or I have XP's.
Which is turned on btw. I have heard people say that it's better than nothing......just.
Ok I'll give F-Security a try.

I think certain sites do have more adware and such attached to them. Especially sites that teenagers would visit.

[sam]

Especially sites that teenagers would visit.

says it all :-)

[mistybear]

I recieved an email from F-Security 2006 offering me a 20% discount if I purchase it within 48 hours. They also asked me to provide feedback.
I won't be bothering with either.

But I am interested in any suggestions for a plain, basic Firewall.
That is easy to understand and one that doesn't require me to think.  (Too much)  :?

[sam]

zonealarm is pretty good, if you just use the basic version for this.

[Simon]

I'm saying nothing!  :mmm:

[mistybear]

zonealarm is pretty good, if you just use the basic version for this.

Is it easy to understand, as in what wants access to the internet. The problem I had with Kerio is that I didn't know what some of them were for.