Finally :) (1 Viewer)

KC Foggin

Very, very long time member

Supporter

• Dec 17, 2003

• #1

Cable access for computers has finally reached my area and I am scheduled for a Jan. 10th installation. :clap:
A rather lame question though. With the computer always connected to the internet, I would assume that I am more vulnerable to attacks. I do have a firewall in place (Norton). Any other precautions I should take? Perhaps actually shutting down in the evening as I am doing now?

 

B

Bluetail

Senior Moment

• Dec 17, 2003

• #2

I just run McAfee Firewall and Virus Scanner, plus Spybot and Adaware to flush out any spyware programmes. The last two did pick up one keylogging programme, but that's the only problem I've had, as far as I am aware. I've italicised the last words because I've read somehere (probably here on BF) that personal Firewalls are next to useless.

Jason

 

jpoyner

Well-known member

• Dec 17, 2003

• #3

There is only one one sure way to prevent malicious PC attacks and that is to have NO physical connection to the internet, or at least a more sophisticated Firewall system using a separate computer. Most software type Firewalls ie Norton and Zonealert only offer limited protection and can be "deactivated".
I for one would not leave my main PC connected online 24/7.
Just watching my Zonealert log, I get an average of about 10 unidentified "probes" sniffing my PC every hour it's online....often it goes crazy with up to one every few seconds. (There....one intruder from Mexico just a few seconds ago and one from Japan a few minutes before that!). Frightening really.

JP.

 

D

Denis J

Well-known member

• Dec 17, 2003

• #4

I use Zonealarm its a free download and you can "lock" your connection when you are not using it I would still shut down overnight though. I have had Broadband for 2 years now and you do get loads of attempts to break in but to my knowlege none have ever got through. Go ahead and enjoy it, the first time you click on a picture in the gallery and it takes less than 2 secounds to appear you will never want to go back to a 56k modem!

 

KC Foggin

Very, very long time member

Supporter

• Dec 17, 2003

• #5

This is interesting and thank you all. This is the second time today, I was told to download Zonealarm and I think that will be a wise move for me. I do have cable modem in my office which is wonderful. Every week I have to download 104 court rosters and where it used to take me 2 days, now it takes me 2 hours. I do believe I will continue to shut down in the evening as well. Thanks again guys.

 

walwyn

Well-known member

• Dec 17, 2003

• #6

jpoyner said:

I for one would not leave my main PC connected online 24/7.
Just watching my Zonealert log, I get an average of about 10 unidentified "probes" sniffing my PC every hour it's online....often it goes crazy with up to one every few seconds. (There....one intruder from Mexico just a few seconds ago and one from Japan a few minutes before that!). Frightening really.

Click to expand...

I've just looked at my zonealarm logs. 45 of the last 50 accesses were normal network traffic from other IP address from my ISP. All normal network traffic, mostly lonely machines calling "is there anybody outthere".
http://www.samspade.org/d/persfire.html

 

Andrew Rowlands

Well-known member

• Dec 17, 2003

• #7

Hi K C,

Your best bet is to use a hardware router to connect you to cable. This would be a firewall (or NAT - keeps your local address away from prying eyes), backed up by a personal firewall, antivirus, anti malware, anti spam, maybe a proxy server and a decent 'hosts' file.

Not using Internet Explorer (unless you visit Windows Update or a site that uses ActiveX) or Outlook Express will help keep you safe! Try Mozilla Firebird and Calypso or Foxmail.

A good dose of caution and common sense helps! Some of the worst problems are triggered from within; an awful lot of people are infected from 'compromised' machines; if your machine is compromised it may be just another stepping stone to a 'hacker'; at the other end you could end up having a 'warez' or porn distribution centre running!

You will find good advice at some of the Microsoft MVP's sites if you use MS products, there are many others.

Hope I haven' scared anyone!

Andy.

 

KC Foggin

Very, very long time member

Supporter

• Dec 17, 2003

• #8

satrow said:

Hope I haven' scared anyone!

Andy.

Click to expand...

Uhh slightly Andy. :eek!: See, that is one problem I was concerned with cause I was planning on dumping aol, and with the cable, would be relying on Outlook Express. Hmmm. May have to rethink that one a bit. A bit cost prohibitive with both the cable and aol.

 

Andrew Rowlands

Well-known member

• Dec 17, 2003

• #9

http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/security.htm is a good place to start; check the dropdown tips too.

This one for Outlook Express http://insideoe.tomsterdam.com/

http://www.mvps.org/inetexplorer/darnit_3.htm one of the best.

Andy.

 

Last edited: Dec 17, 2003

KC Foggin

Very, very long time member

Supporter

• Dec 17, 2003

• #10

Thanks a lot Andy. I have bookmarked the sites and will read them thoroughly.

 

B

bcurrie

Well-known member

• Dec 17, 2003

• #11

KC,

Sorry I do not speak your language, what is "Cable Access"? I hope it is not that rumoured high-speed Internet that we ALL know is just a fad??? I know very well what a 28.8 connection is! :C

 

Pops_uk

Well-known member

• Dec 17, 2003

• #12

bcurrie said:

KC,

Sorry I do not speak your language, what is "Cable Access"? I hope it is not that rumoured high-speed Internet that we ALL know is just a fad??? I know very well what a 28.8 connection is! :C

Click to expand...

Interesting point, here in the UK it seems the advertisers have carte blank to sell any think between 127kb and 1 Meg as Broad Band
Glyn

 

KC Foggin

Very, very long time member

Supporter

• Dec 17, 2003

• #13

bcurrie said:

KC,

Sorry I do not speak your language, what is "Cable Access"? I hope it is not that rumoured high-speed Internet that we ALL know is just a fad??? I know very well what a 28.8 connection is! :C

Click to expand...

LOL Brian. This high speed connection is even called "Roadrunner" and they say they have just gotten 50% faster. It is a bit pricey, but, I believe it will be worth it. Even might have my boss talked into subsidizing it a bit cause I do some much research at home.

 

GR Triever

Well-known member

• Dec 18, 2003

• #14

KC,

As part of my job duties for the KY State Police, I help maintain a large state-wide T1 network. I also run broadband cable at home thru Comcast Cablevision.

The security measures I use at home include:

1) Connection to the cable modem through a Router with built-in firewall;

2) Norton SystemWorks (with Norton AntiVirus configured to scan all incoming files);

3) SpyBot;

4) KillPopup (to eliminate those annoying popup messages);

5) a non-standard email client called 'The Bat!', which is not vulnerable to virus/worm/trojan attacks which are mostly targeted toward Outlook/Outlook Express clients.

I also make sure that my computer checks for antivirus updates and Microsoft security patches at least once per week, and run system maintenance schedules and full system virus scans with Norton on a weekly basis.

You'll enjoy the extra bandwidth with cable!

Regards,

GR