I wrote up a security thread a while ago on another forum and I just thought I would share it with you here..
The simple fact is there are more threats on the net today.
Many peole will go, I HAVE ANTIVIRUS SOFTWARE INSTALLED, i MUST BE SAFE, WRONG
In my opinion for your computer to be secure it needs to be locked in a safe and never used.
not practical, then you need to be ready for the latest threats.
The biggest weakness of antivirus software is the peace of mind it gives the user.
that can be fatal.
your first line of defence for your computer should always be you, stay informed.
your second line of defence should be a FIREWALL
this is NOT an antivirus program and an antivirus program will NOT do this job.
A firewall is a program that monitors all traffic connecting in and out of your machine.
This will protect you from, Worms, Scans, DOS Attacks, and a lot of Spyware & trojans.
many people out there are using Zone Alarm or other such programs.
they will protect you against about 90% of the threats you will face
but if I were you I would be very concerned about the other 10%
A skilled hacker will drive a truck sideways through the holes in a Norton/Zone Alarm combo.
you need a STATEFULL firewall.
This will monitor and record and remember traffic comming in and out of your system and is more resistant to buffer overflow and remote shutdown.
I quite like Sygate Myself.
Computer security.
Standard equipment is the greatest risk.
hackers will always target, Explorer, Outlook, Kazaa, and windows,
There are a lot of alternate web browsers out there like firefox, opera, etc
they tend to be a bit safer because hackers will assume your running explorer and will only design hacks for it.
That dosnt mean that other browsers are immune, just a bit safer.
Outlook, Same as above, there are many alternative mail clients out there that are just as good.
Kazaaa, Filled with viruses and bugs.
if your using it be carefull, even pictures can be set up to mess up your computer using kazaa (vulnerability in the preview pane)
Sharezza and other programs are a BIT safer.
zeropaid.com has a good list.
Antivirus programs,
heuristic analasis and regular updates are very important.
I am not going to reccomend any specific type as I havnt yet found one that is up to my standards.
and remeber, NO antivirus program will pick up all Viruses.
Norton is the target for most virus writers to get around so if your running norton it might be a wise idea to have another AV program that will target a different viral sig.
And for gods sake dont run something unless your sure about its origin.
Windows Auto Updates.
Sometimes can mess up your computer but its better than getting hacked.
Review the updates before you install.
Spyware.
A lot of virus scanners wont pick them up so i would reccomend you get a copy of AdAware and perhaps another less common spyware remover as well.
Thats all for now.
Darksat
How to secure a new PC
