Computer security
From Esteban:
In addition to Zone Alarm what would be recommended for a standard windows XP run with DSL computer?
You absolutely need an anti-virus program and you must update the virus definitions frequently, IMO. Some thread members including me use Grisoft AVG, which is free. www.grisoft.com/ It doesn't score even near the top in test results comparing number of virus detections between various programs, but conversely, scores high in user satisfaction. For more robust protection Mr.Mark uses two programs simultaneously, Norton and Kaspersky.
I don't know if Trojan horses should be treated separately from viruses by yet another pc security program, or if anti-virus software sufficiently reduces these threats. The anti-virus programs do address trojans, but there is another class of programs dedicated to solely seeking out trojans.
As you can see this whole pc security issue is somewhat subjective and there are no firm answers as to what measures are required and which are optional. Kind of similar to home security, where the mindset of the owner and value of the contents allow for a large range of differing measures taken. But running with no anti-virus protection at all would be like not even bothering to install front door locks.
I'm not that familiar with Ad-Aware or Window Washer, since I don't use the programs. Blocking adds is more of a nuisance counter measure than a security measure. I do use Popup Manager to block ads, and have been pleased with it.
SpyBot addresses mostly adware usage tracking cookies and this may or may not be important to you. But it's free and easy to use, so why not? I only recently began using SpyBot. I was pleased to see that after the initial removal of various spyware, no additional one's were found when I scanned again a few weeks later. I think that's because I only allow cookies on selected sites, through settings in Internet Explorer.
Several thread members use Zone Alarm Pro which covers most of the security and privacy issues in one package. I does require a yearly fee. A separate anti-virus program is still necessary, however.
I hope this little discussion helps you decide what level of security is appropriate for you. Maybe others will chime in on the topic, or can post links to articles explaining the whole issue more accurately and in more detail.
Esteban
Reply from mr.mark:
Esteban
i wanted to commend you on a well thought-out post about computer security. when you state that, "this whole pc security issue is somewhat subjective and there are no firm answers as to what measures are required and which are optional", i give you a double A+ for accuracy.
you elaborated with, "Kind of similar to home security, where the mindset of the owner and value of the contents allow for a large range of differing measures taken."
to that i would like to append one thought. beyond mindset of the owner, there is degree of specialized education. carrying on with the same metaphor of home security, the owner may be very cautious and may have valuable contents to protect, but if he or she fails to check with the police department for crime statistics in the neighborhood (and in doing so learns that residential burglaries are increasing ten-fold), then a very big piece of the picture has been overlooked.
a comprehensive pc security plan is something that requires more than a passing interest or casual effort. perhaps a user doesn't have the time to devote to informing himself. that's understandable. maybe he thinks what he doesn't know won't hurt him. i can say for sure he would be wrong about that! <g3>
really what i am saying is that the risk involved in under-securing one's computer isn't often known. so factors reach beyond mindset (degree of paranoia?) and content value. if a user isn't sufficiently apprised of the nasties out there trying to worm their way onto our computers, then the choices he is making really are not that great.
"I don't know if Trojan horses should be treated separately from viruses by yet another pc security program, or if anti-virus software sufficiently reduces these threats."
i bet you that even AV vendors would tell you that their products do not cover the full range of lions and tigers and bears... viruses and trojans and worms.
a good anti-trojan scanner (like TrojanHunter) that digs into (scans) memory processes, the registry, files and ports, using rulesets and signature files in addition to advanced heuristics for polymorphic variants, is invaluable, and a very necessary back up support layer for any AV tool.
even flat out redundancy in coverage is okay when one takes into account that so many nasties are now being written to shut down antivirus software. |
