Computer/microsoft issues!

Post by **Enjay** » Mon Mar 22, 2004 10:51 am

The Ultimate DooMer wrote:When I had ZoneAlarm installed, it had an adverse effect on Doomworld

I have not had a problem with DW, but I have tried ZoneAlarm and Norton Internet Security. With them (can't remember which one had which problem) I have had problems like the links to the ftp sites from the DW idgames database simply timing out instead of getting the file, the download links on my Tripod/Lycos page diverting me to a site warning about remote linking instead of connecting you to the files concerned, some sites not loading fully (especially pictures on a page not loading, but the page itself appearing (ie lots of little red crosses)) with the firewall loaded, but disabling it and refreshing brings up the pics and other minor annoyances.

Sticky · Post by **Sticky** » Tue Mar 23, 2004 12:14 am

Grrr. Walk away for four days and you miss all the fun topics.

To reiterate: The Blackviper site Hotty mentioned is killer. Also either spybot or adaware (or both:-) ) are vital. I have a 1.6 Ghz laptop and it totally keeps up with most of my friends 2ghz+ machines because they keep them so bloated

.

I also happen to be a fan of Steve Gibson's site. Some of it is outdated now (for those of us on XP), and it's quite a bit of reading--but very worthwhile! If you're not comfortable with making hardware profiles, editing the registry, disabling services, etc. etc. Gibson makes it very easy to disable messenger, UPnP, and a few key security issues. Freeware galore.

Antivirus....is pretty important, but I've only ever gotten burned doing something I shouldn't have been doing anyway. It doesn't really matter to me cause I just reimage if/when things start to go awry. There are lots of free progs out there or ones you can pay for. Most people I know recommend Nod32, but I'm too cheap so I use AVG when needed.

As for zonealarm... I think a lot of people get turned off because they get in at the wrong time. For a long while (since version 37_211) the new versions were pissing me off. At one point they were auto-updating and you couldn't change it. And a few versions wouldn't let me play zdoom with it running. But this latest version (45_538_001) seems to be ok (for me). Anyway, whether you choose ZA, Tiny, Norton, whatever.... A firewall is a MUST!!!!!

Lexus Alyus wrote: I feel like I'm having unprotected sex with some random person that was just on the streets...

Thanks lexy, that's not a bad description for computing without a firewall.
[/my two cents]

Lexus Alyus · Post by **Lexus Alyus** » Tue Mar 23, 2004 7:50 am

Urm, excuse me, but this topic was NOT originally about computer viruses! Where did that topic come from anyway? ...And they say that I always change the subject... geesh!

HotWax · Post by **HotWax** » Tue Mar 23, 2004 10:04 am

Which is exactly why you shouldn't be whining now.

Go back to your corner!

Risen · Post by **Risen** » Tue Mar 23, 2004 11:42 am

I don't use AdAware/ZoneAlarm. I used McAffee for a while (free to me by my school) but didn't like the huge performace hit while its normal protection was running. I used NAV for a while (came with some software I got) but it never liked to update itself through my firewall. Now I use AVG, and only scan once in a while. I've had my system for about five years now, and always run 98 on it.

I attribute my success to avoiding IE and Outlook like the plague.
Second to that, always running behind a firewall.
Finally, to not downloading movies, MP3s, and pr0n.

It's not at all difficult to keep one's computer safe. You just have to... well... not be a moron.

Though I must say, the last virus I caught took me out for a week. It was pretty bad. I ran a fever of around 100° F for four days straight.

Post by **Graf Zahl** » Tue Mar 23, 2004 11:53 am

Risen wrote: It's not at all difficult to keep one's computer safe. You just have to... well... not be a moron.

With Win98 that's correct. XP on the other hand is much more vulnerable. Without a firewall and any other internet program running the viruses install themselves automatically! You don't have to do anything!

HotWax · Post by **HotWax** » Tue Mar 23, 2004 12:16 pm

Jesus Graf, that's simply not possible. SOMETHING has to request the program from the web and install it. Computers don't work on magic. There are some services installed by default that you should disable on principle, but I don't think any one of them would just suddenly decide it's a good idea to download an unknown program and run it. Once you've disabled services you don't need, you should be able to leave your computer connected to the Internet for eternity without getting any viruses. Other than that, just be careful about what EXE, COM or BAT files you run. (A movie in whatever format, so long as it's not EXE, cannot infect you. Neither can an MP3 file, or a pr0n movie, no matter how nasty it is)

This is starting to sound like trying to explain computers to my mother...

akimmet · Post by **akimmet** » Tue Mar 23, 2004 12:54 pm

I wish things were still like that... With now well abused tricks like buffer overflows, a malformed mp3 or other files gan be molested into making your computer into executing it. A malformed html file could easily exploit bugs in vbscript/javascript to do terrible things.

Most users will be very safe as long as keeping software up to date, disabling easily-exploited/useless services, avoiding warez an pr0n, and using common sence when it comes to running suspisious attachments, plugins, and programs. These methods are much more effective than any firewall program, and/or virus scanner.

Post by **Graf Zahl** » Tue Mar 23, 2004 1:47 pm

HotWax wrote:Jesus Graf, that's simply not possible. SOMETHING has to request the program from the web and install it. Computers don't work on magic. There are some services installed by default that you should disable on principle, but I don't think any one of them would just suddenly decide it's a good idea to download an unknown program and run it. Once you've disabled services you don't need, you should be able to leave your computer connected to the Internet for eternity without getting any viruses. Other than that, just be careful about what EXE, COM or BAT files you run. (A movie in whatever format, so long as it's not EXE, cannot infect you. Neither can an MP3 file, or a pr0n movie, no matter how nasty it is)

This is starting to sound like trying to explain computers to my mother...

Yust shows you have no clue how nasty the virus programmers have become. All you need is one vulnerable server process running and you are in deep shit. And Windows XP has a shitload of those running by default and not all of them are switched off by the anti spy tools available.

Ultraviolet · Post by **Ultraviolet** » Tue Mar 23, 2004 2:45 pm

Risen wrote:I used NAV for a while (came with some software I got) but it never liked to update itself through my firewall.

Using a Symantec firewall, Norton stuff doesn't have trouble updating.

Lexus Alyus · Post by **Lexus Alyus** » Tue Mar 23, 2004 3:24 pm

Are there any free anti virus programs? i'm too cheap to buy one... but it woud be really usefull if there was a free anti virus program (if viruses are bad, why do you have to pay to protect against them?)

You know, i wouldn'r be surprised if the first ever virus was made so someone could buy their program that gets rid of it... it's a conspiricy!

GameArena · Post by **GameArena** » Tue Mar 23, 2004 3:41 pm

HotWax wrote:Jesus Graf, that's simply not possible. SOMETHING has to request the program from the web and install it. Computers don't work on magic. There are some services installed by default that you should disable on principle, but I don't think any one of them would just suddenly decide it's a good idea to download an unknown program and run it. Once you've disabled services you don't need, you should be able to leave your computer connected to the Internet for eternity without getting any viruses. Other than that, just be careful about what EXE, COM or BAT files you run. (A movie in whatever format, so long as it's not EXE, cannot infect you. Neither can an MP3 file, or a pr0n movie, no matter how nasty it is)

This is starting to sound like trying to explain computers to my mother...

LOL, this is the farthest from the truth you could probably be. Tons of programs have buffer overflows, and incorrect MIME parsing which allows for virus infection to take effect without running any executables manually, just take a look at Blaster. Internet Explorer also has plently of gaps which allow for infection, one of the most well known is the data object exploit (incorrectly read headers). Not to mention all the threats from being on a Local Network, if you have any shared folders with read/write access, then the viral programs can simply enumerate all the shared files and folders until it finds one which is capable of having the virus prepended. If there were more intelligent virus writers out there, then we'd be in a huge mess, but being the way it is now, few know how to use these methods.

HotWax · Post by **HotWax** » Tue Mar 23, 2004 3:43 pm

And yet I've never had a virus infect my XP system.

GameArena · Post by **GameArena** » Tue Mar 23, 2004 3:46 pm

Lexus Alyus wrote: You know, i wouldn'r be surprised if the first ever virus was made so someone could buy their program that gets rid of it... it's a conspiricy!

The first virus was created when a software engineer found a problem with a closed government system (involving a early messaging concept). He thought it be hilarious if he started sending something around by using it, ultimately it ended up costing the government millions of dollars.

adx · Post by **adx** » Tue Mar 23, 2004 7:24 pm

Lexus Alyus wrote:Are there any free anti virus programs? i'm too cheap to buy one... but it woud be really usefull if there was a free anti virus program (if viruses are bad, why do you have to pay to protect against them?)

try AVG its the best one for me, why, because it has s free edition because i'm also very cheap to buy one. there's also this one, antivir but i don't use it anymore