wilburyan
join:2002-08-01
1 edit | Teach People
No amount of a/v signitures will save you from the uneducated users.
I know my pc is spyware and virus free and I don't run any memory resident anti-virus protection. When I perform a virus / spyware scan my worst case scenario is having some data miner cookies.
Why don't I run memory resident virus protection? Because it's extra overhead and as long as I'm behind my secured router, using a patched computer, and not opening virii I have nothing to worry about.
When attachments are exe, com, vbs, scr you have to use some discretion and common sense... even if it says it's coming from your mom. |
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swsamurai
Premium
join:2002-04-17
Bakersfield, CA
clubs:
 ·Bright House
| Tell me about it... How many times have I heard:
"It said I just won a free XBox, I wanted to get it so I clicked the link."
Or something along those lines. In spite of what training you receive as an IT person, it goes without question that it is also 40~50% babysitting. |
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pandora
Premium
join:2001-06-01
Outland
 ·ooma
·Future Nine Corpor..
·Comcast
| reply to wilburyan
Sadly my computer was infected, apparently from a DRM issue. To assume you are bullet proof, or that you don't need something to be running, I'd disagree. The tools to invade are getting better, and my belief is we should not assume ourselves smarter than those who wish to take advantage of our systems.
--
"People demand freedom of speech as a compensation for the freedom of thought which they seldom use." |
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Thaler
Premium
join:2004-02-02
Encino, CA | reply to swsamurai
Hmm...can't say I've seen people infecting themselves via the free crap route. Usually it's more the "OMG! Smileyz/Wallpaper/Screen Saver/Doodad for FREE! I can't loose!" |
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albertcrombie
@nsc.com | reply to swsamurai
Oh so how about virii embedded in PNG graphics & stuff..
And don't tell me you never had this unsecure feeling of uncertainty when launching Megaracing2005.exe that you downloaded from a famous video games portal... |
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wilburyan
join:2002-08-01
| reply to pandora
If someone has the skills and knowledge to specificly target and infect me... a home user... let em. Because if that's the case, no matter what you do they'll eventually find a way to get you... either that or they'll DoS you into the stone age.
I'v participated in some computer security classes, and the first thing talked about is that there is no such thing as 100% secure. If you want 100% security you have to pull the network and put the PC behind a locked door... and even then your security is only as strong as the door frame.
When I build custom computers for regular users I do install anti-virus software. I install the a/v scanner to reduce my workload if / when they infect the pc. In an extreme case I once gave the user a limited user account and myself an administrator account so I could remotely administer the workstation. The reason? I was getting tired of weakly visits. |
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captive
join:2005-06-12
canada
| reply to wilburyan
its easy
I do not even use an av program.
I use IE.
I dont use a firewall other than the windows one.
I dont use a router.
I scan only spyware.
Every now and then just check processes and services.
have been virus/spyware/etc. free for a few years now; its not too hard people just know the risks of what you are opening/downloading/doing and you will be fine. |
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wilburyan
join:2002-08-01 | reply to albertcrombie
Re: Teach People
if it's from a reputable site... then I have no worries, it's likely an installer or self extracting zip file. |
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DaSneaky1D
one wall to block them all
Premium,MVM
join:2001-03-29
The Lou | reply to captive
Re: its easy
Do you also not wear a seat belt while driving?
Taking no procautions isn't the safe way to do things.
--
] :: my trivial ramblings :: [ |
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mustang03282
join:2003-01-10
Bridgeton, NJ
clubs: | reply to wilburyan
Re: Teach People
i agree anyone that thinks there pc is 100% secure and uses it on the net is a fool at best |
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captive
join:2005-06-12
canada
| reply to DaSneaky1D
Re: its easy
said by DaSneaky1D  :Do you also not wear a seat belt while driving? Taking no procautions isn't the safe way to do things. well i guess until i get infected or comprimised then im not going to change my habits.
and i do wear my seat belt otherwise i would lose a couple points and get a hefty charge; on the other hand i would just burn what is needed or transfer to my other hd and format. |
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wilburyan
join:2002-08-01 | reply to DaSneaky1D
I wear mine, because I have little to no control over the other drivers...
Dodging traffic and controlling what runs on YOUR computer are very different things. |
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sweintz
Premium
join:2002-03-01
Hamden, CT
| reply to Thaler
Re: Teach People
said by Thaler :Hmm...can't say I've seen people infecting themselves via the free crap route. Usually it's more the "OMG! Smileyz/Wallpaper/Screen Saver/Doodad for FREE! I can't loose!" In otherwords, you HAVE seen people infected by the free crap route. The free Smileyz/Wallpaper/Screen Saver/Doodad crap route. |
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pandora
Premium
join:2001-06-01
Outland | reply to captive
Re: its easy
How do you know there is no infection? |
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radarman
join:2005-06-01
Odenton, MD
| reply to mustang03282
Re: Teach People
True, but there are two ways to approach the problem. I run my Windows PC as safely as I can, but I don't run any A/V or firewall software. I depend on an external gateway router/firewall and keep all my files on a file server. I'm also good at filtering my email the old way - if it looks like crap, it probably is.
This way, should something go terribly wrong - I just blow away the machine and start from a fresh install. I have a custom WinXP w/ SP2 slipstream install CD with the most heavily used utilities on it - so it usually takes about two hours to get back to where I was.
It's cheaper in the long run - and I'm guaranteed that the machine will be free of problems when I get back online. I've operated this way for over 8 years, and I've still only experienced one virus - a boot sector virus from a floppy disk I loaned a guy in 1995. (the floppy, and the virus, are long since gone) |
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swsamurai
Premium
join:2002-04-17
Bakersfield, CA
clubs:
·Bright House
| reply to mustang03282
I just do the OVERLY causious thing...
I tell anyone who wants to email me to put a certain phrase in the email, and any email that comes in without that phrase is sent to a holding area. I will occasionally look through it to see if there is anything worth saving, but most of the time it just gets deleted.
Add to that the fact that I only use Firefox, and I am running a pretty safe machine
No one is perfect, though, and I am certain that I will get hit again (Last time was about two years ago.) |
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wilburyan
join:2002-08-01
| reply to pandora
Re: its easy
If you know your PC like the back of your hand then you can pretty easily tell if it's clean. Easiest way is browse the running processes on occasion, or check the "Run" in the registry to see what's starting up when you boot up your machine...
A while back I was sent an E-mail saying that I was infected with some worm (the e-mail was sent to a web based account) The person worked with a friend of mine out in Calgary. I told him that the e-mail was spoofed and it came from somewhere else, then he asked me if I had A/V. I said no... he flipped out that I had the nerve to say I wasn't infected.
I downloaded a trial of kaspersky and ran it... who would have thought... no virus found. |
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