How secure am I

[kitkat22]

I'm curious. I run Symantec AV Corporate 10, Zonealarm, Windows Defender all the time on my computers. I then do the Spybot, Adaware and Spyblaster thing once a week. I don't have limited account, but I don't visit sites I shouldn't visit anyway. I also have a simple hardware firewall through my router. Is this good enough? What do you all do that's different?

 

[Mik3y]

far more then enough.

 

[mechBgon]

What do you all do that's different?

I use a Limited account full-time and skip the Defender/Ad-Aware/Spybot/SpywareBlaster stuff. Limited (aka Restricted User) accounts are all the antispyware protection that we use (or need) where I work. Our McAfee VirusScan Enterprise 8.0i does have a fair amount spyware/adware detection & removal, but thanks to low-privilege accounts, there's nothing to remove :evil:

It's no surprise to me that Microsoft is moving to low-privilege-by-default even for Admin-class users on Windows Vista. The malware writers will still snare the idiots who can't resist certain typez 0f bait, of course.

 

[Lemon law]

I have a similar set up---a software firewall in sygate 5.5, avast anti virus, and a number of anti-spyware applications. Also do not fail to use something that alerts you when programs install on your computer. I also use firefox most of the time. None of these applications cost me a nickle, I go anywhere on the internet I feel like, but do note than once in a blue moon something slips through.--and must be later removed.

But I also note my sygate firewall alerts me when I get port scanned--even though my ports are stealthed---and it frequently happens in forums like this. I shudder to think how vulnerable I would be without a firewall. -------there has been some research on unpatched honeypot windows computers accessing the internet-----can't remember the exact results---but their average lifespan before first compromise was something on the order of 15 minutes.------with so many of them on the net, why should a hacker work hard to get you when there is so many easier targets?

 

[narutofan36]

just dont go to sites that seem supicious

if u have firefox, good way is the preview pager for google.

 

[mauiblue]

I used to use Symantec Systemworks but I've found separate utility and security/antivirus programs works best for me. This year I'm using Trend Micro Internet Security 2006 and three different free adware programs (Lava Soft, Bazooka, and Spybot). The adware programs I run a couple times a week. I've recently acquired Tuneup Utilities 2006 and I already have Diskeeper Pro to defrag my drives. Then to backup my main drive, I use True Image 9. I schedule these programs to work during the wee hours of the night. So far its been working pretty good.

 

[oynaz]

Do not use Internet Exporer. Firefox or Opera or much less susceptible to attacks.

 

[neweggster]

Originally posted by: oynaz
Do not use Internet Exporer. Firefox or Opera or much less susceptible to attacks.

Myth about IE, it use to be but since SP2 IE is the same as Firefox. Firefox has all the same benifits of SP2 security built into it and thats why before SP2 with SP1 IE was prone to such attacks and spyware and firfox had the equivalent to what is SP2 security today.

But id like to destroy this ongoing Myth about IE today, it and firefox are both equally the same on security, they are exactly the same, only difference is that firefox uses less memory by like 3% big woop and you pay for that to sometimes when you view a page that is java console enabled and firefox wont work with it on certain java instances. Other then this IE is more reliable to browse safely then firefox is, but no matter both are exactly the same on security and neither is more suscepatable to attacks.

 

[bob4432]

Originally posted by: neweggster

Originally posted by: oynaz
Do not use Internet Exporer. Firefox or Opera or much less susceptible to attacks.

Myth about IE, it use to be but since SP2 IE is the same as Firefox. Firefox has all the same benifits of SP2 security built into it and thats why before SP2 with SP1 IE was prone to such attacks and spyware and firfox had the equivalent to what is SP2 security today.

But id like to destroy this ongoing Myth about IE today, it and firefox are both equally the same on security, they are exactly the same, only difference is that firefox uses less memory by like 3% big woop and you pay for that to sometimes when you view a page that is java console enabled and firefox wont work with it on certain java instances. Other then this IE is more reliable to browse safely then firefox is, but no matter both are exactly the same on security and neither is more suscepatable to attacks.

how is ie more reliable to browse safely vs firefox? but then you say they are exactly the same on security???? please explain

you talk a lot but and aren't making sense, plus you need to back up what you are saying with data

 

[John]

Originally posted by: cscpianoman
What do you all do that's different?

Use common sense. An inexpensive NAT router and maybe an antivirus with real-time protection disabled is what most savvy users opt for. Well, at least that is what I do.

 

[neweggster]

Originally posted by: bob4432

Originally posted by: neweggster

Originally posted by: oynaz
Do not use Internet Exporer. Firefox or Opera or much less susceptible to attacks.

Myth about IE, it use to be but since SP2 IE is the same as Firefox. Firefox has all the same benifits of SP2 security built into it and thats why before SP2 with SP1 IE was prone to such attacks and spyware and firfox had the equivalent to what is SP2 security today.

But id like to destroy this ongoing Myth about IE today, it and firefox are both equally the same on security, they are exactly the same, only difference is that firefox uses less memory by like 3% big woop and you pay for that to sometimes when you view a page that is java console enabled and firefox wont work with it on certain java instances. Other then this IE is more reliable to browse safely then firefox is, but no matter both are exactly the same on security and neither is more suscepatable to attacks.

how is ie more reliable to browse safely vs firefox? but then you say they are exactly the same on security???? please explain

you talk a lot but and aren't making sense, plus you need to back up what you are saying with data

Notice I said IE is more reliable browsing because firefox still has its own problems. Any browsing on either firefox or IE safely gives the same returns, however browsing on lets say IE or firefox carelessly going to known spam sites like porn or warez sites would give you the same results of spyware etc.

 

[bob4432]

Originally posted by: neweggster

Originally posted by: bob4432

Originally posted by: neweggster

Originally posted by: oynaz
Do not use Internet Exporer. Firefox or Opera or much less susceptible to attacks.

Myth about IE, it use to be but since SP2 IE is the same as Firefox. Firefox has all the same benifits of SP2 security built into it and thats why before SP2 with SP1 IE was prone to such attacks and spyware and firfox had the equivalent to what is SP2 security today.

But id like to destroy this ongoing Myth about IE today, it and firefox are both equally the same on security, they are exactly the same, only difference is that firefox uses less memory by like 3% big woop and you pay for that to sometimes when you view a page that is java console enabled and firefox wont work with it on certain java instances. Other then this IE is more reliable to browse safely then firefox is, but no matter both are exactly the same on security and neither is more suscepatable to attacks.

how is ie more reliable to browse safely vs firefox? but then you say they are exactly the same on security???? please explain

you talk a lot but and aren't making sense, plus you need to back up what you are saying with data

Notice I said IE is more reliable browsing because firefox still has its own problems. Any browsing on either firefox or IE safely gives the same returns, however browsing on lets say IE or firefox carelessly going to known spam sites like porn or warez sites would give you the same results of spyware etc.

what problems are you referring to with firefox?

 

[bob4432]

Originally posted by: cscpianoman
I'm curious. I run Symantec AV Corporate 10, Zonealarm, Windows Defender all the time on my computers. I then do the Spybot, Adaware and Spyblaster thing once a week. I don't have limited account, but I don't visit sites I shouldn't visit anyway. I also have a simple hardware firewall through my router. Is this good enough? What do you all do that's different?

most importantly, do you backup? all the precautions in the world won't make your system immune, but a good backup will save your a$$ when something bad happens whether it be a software or hardware failure.