Where do I begin with all of this?

[anjali]

Hi woundman,

I guess many of our friends have already added suffcient to this thread.. But to sum up

Here a list of action that you need to undertake be assureed that ur PC is not vulnerable to various online threats

1. Install a Robust Operating Systems on your PC (Linux is the best choice, But if you would like to use Windows use a OS Version which had active support available from Microsoft)

2. Install only bare required Software into your PC

3. Install some freely available Firewall (ZONE ALARM)

4. Install a good Antivirus Program which ensure that the virus definitions are updated automatically.

5. Install SPYWARE detection program (Adware , Spybot)

6. Always be very careful while you open your mails especially the attachments, if you feel the mail is from unknown sender delete the mail.. Also remember that mails from known people with strange attachments should also be deleted.

7. Always be very careful while you transact online... verify the security of website before giving all ur CC nos.... and details (SSL i.e HTTPS does enhance the level of assurance for secured online transactions.....)

8. Never download or trust a certificate unless u are sure of what it is going to do for you.

9. Always look out for latest service packs for your OS , Office software, IE , Outlook etc.

10. Always install latest vulnerability patches of know threats found on the software that u have installed.

11. Make it a point that u keep urself updated with latest happenings in the world of Information Security (Antionline is one good source of keeping ur self updated)

I guess this few steps and forget the rest.. remember paretos threory... TWENTY PERCENT EFFORTS AND HELP U REDUCE 80% OF YOUR PROBLEMS......

As mentioned earlier there not much a person can do by knowing ur ip.... It should be a concern only if u are planning to launch an attack or something.. in that case yes it is possiblte to track u down to ur home.... but I guess that is only for guilts to worry abt.....

I hope this help you........

[darkes]

I'd agree with almost everything that has been said.

However I would disagree with pooh sun tzu about running an AV scanner all the time.
If you are running some flavour of Windows together with Internet Explorer & Outlook or Outlook Express then you should definitely have an up to date AV scanner active when you receive your HTML emails or view web pages on the net.

There has been a potentially nasty exploit floating around recently.
Namely Exploit_URLSpoof

Microsoft is probably about to release a patch for this, which will close this loophole.
But, if you run an AV scanner as well it would pick this up - I saw this being detected before Christmas last year by various AV products.

To put in a nutshell, Microsoft is fairly slow to fix security problems with their products (partly because of the complexity and testing required), whereas AV software can quickly update their software to pick up on this sort of thing.

[darkes]

It seems that our good friends at Microsoft have not included a patch for this loophole, so better have that AV scanner active!

If you are wondering if you are affected, try this link for size (many others available)
http://happyhacker.org/defend/test.shtml

[MrLinus]

However I would disagree with pooh sun tzu about running an AV scanner all the time.

Are you suggesting that a person should turn off their AV software and only turn it on once in a while to do scans?

[darkes]

Originally posted here by MsMittens
Are you suggesting that a person should turn off their AV software and only turn it on once in a while to do scans?

NO NO NO !!!

Unless I misread the original post, he/she was suggesting that you don't need to have an AV scanner installed, as a firewall on its own will be good enough.
I would say an AV scanner was essential with a Windows based system, and highly desirable on any other platform.

And, keep it active at all times .....

[pooh sun tzu]

Are you suggesting that a person should turn off their AV software and only turn it on once in a while to do scans?

Yes. As my post said, in all my years of computing I have never once had a virus. Why? Certainly not because a virus scanner stopped it by running nonstop. I don't download something I'm not 100% sure of. And if/when I do end up downloading anything remotely suspicious, I run it through an online virus scanner. Virus scanner's only act as a backup for human ignorance, and in far too many cases have the virus scanners themselves been overran by specifically targeted viruses.

If you act smart, then no, there is no reason whatsoever, even as a double backup to brain intellect, to keep it running.

Of course, this is different in a buisness situation versus singular home use. But the point remains there is just as much of a blind following of virus scanners as there are of firewalls. No amount of software will make up for what one person can stop at the frontlines while allowing nothing past.

[576869746568617]

That is so true, my friend.

A machine is only as smart as the programmer that wrote the software, and/or the operator using it.

"Rouse him, and learn the principle of his activity or inactivity. Force him to reveal himself, so as to find out his vulnerable spots. "

- Sun Tsu
The Art of War

[asmir3912]

there is lots of stuff that you can use to search what you looking for......

everyone knows these sites i am just telling NEW PEOPLE JUST LIKE ME

www.microsoft.com
www.windows.com
www.securityresponse.symantec.com
www.symantec.com

[stickmansquark]

Do you run Linux or XP on your computer?

[pooh sun tzu]

I assume you are speaking to me? I am running XP Pro on my primary system.