Which order to install things?

[timnicebutdim]

I have been playing around with process guard and i really like it, i will be wiping my computer in the next few days due to a security problem i had recently. To stop this problem occuring again i have been playing with new security programs and have decided to use the following programs.

Process Guard
TDS3
Kaspersky
Outpost Pro
Microsoft Antispyware
Adaware SE
Spybot Search & Destroy.

Obviously i will have to install all my programs again after the format including my none security programs like dreamweaver, aol, outlook, firefox, thunderbird, ect.

What is best to install first? Should i install process guard before anything else or should i leave it till last.
As far as i can see... there seem to be no conflictions so far with the secuirty programs i have been testing... are any known between the ones i have chosen.

Also... is it best to disable any security programs already installed when installing other security programs?

Thanks for any help in advance.

[Pilli]

I believe you could do it either way providing you can stay off line until your firewall and AV are installed.
So PO, KAV, PG, MS, AS, TDS3, AA & Spybot. Then your programs.
Keep off line whilst installing your normal programs but have ProcessGuard in learning mode with the four general tabs enabled. Stay off line whilst doing any necessary reboots. Then re-enable PG go back on line and get all the latest updates.

BTW I can see no conflicts with your security setup but would not run AdWatch resident as even when protected by PG it uses a lot more CPU than when PG is disabled, MS AS, however, set with it's resident parts does not cause the same problem, though I believe does a similar job to AdWatch.

HTH Pilli :)

[timnicebutdim]

Should process guard be disabled when installing windows updates? I am sure to have a few to download and install once i go back online after the format.

[Kegel]

I could be wrong here...I asked this question in the other forum but didnt get a response. Its seems as though you could ditch AdAware if you use Microsoft AntiSpyware. I did. The microsoft app seems to do everything AdAware/AdWatch did and so much more. I've limited my security programs to the following...what do you think?

McAfee AV (resident)
BoCLean (resident)
Microsoft AntiSpyware (resident with real time protections on)
Process Guard (resident)
MRU Blaster
SpywareBlaster

Linksys Firewall Router.

[Notok]

With MSAS real-time protection plus PG, you're probably pretty good. For scanning, however, I would still want to keep a couple of the free ones around, even if just used less frequently. Here's an article to consider:
http://windowssecrets.com/050127/#story1

You should also consider using some hardening tools, however. Most just run once without installing anything.

[Pilli]

-{ Quote: "Should process guard be disabled when installing windows updates? I am sure to have a few to download and install once i go back online after the format" }- I would set up the basic configuration as stated above and leave PG in learning mode whilst patching from MS, dot not connect to any other sites and then reboot, then disable learning mode.

HTH Pilli.

[earth1]

-{ Quote: "I would set up the basic configuration as stated above and leave PG in learning mode whilst patching from MS, dot not connect to any other sites and then reboot, then disable learning mode.

HTH Pilli." }-I could be way off base here, Pilli, but if you leave PG in learning mode to do MS-updates, won't that cause problems because learning mode blocks each action one time on its way to learning a new behavior. It may be that all the behaviors PG would object to will happen before login (thereby escaping PG's notice), but I just had a funny feeling about this one. ???

I'm also not sure why learning mode would be preferable. Won't you just end up with the update programs on your protected list? The way MS releases hotfixes, the protected list might overflow before you're done fixing. ;D

[Pilli]

Hi earth1, Personally I have had no problems allowing windows update with PG enabled but Service packs may be different as you say. I usually DL service packs and install them with PG disabled and no internet connection rather than using Win Update.
Normal updates even those that require restart do notcause a problem, I guess this is because when you allow the changed files to run in the security section they are normally already on the prot list with the correct allows etc.

Cheers. Pilli

[earth1]

By updates/hotfixes I was meaning the small patches MS releases between Service Packs. I agree that leaving PG on while installing a Service Pack would come under the heading of extreme torture test. I'm sure you've done one or more complete installs in learning mode, so I must believe it works. It just really surprised me when you suggested it. I thought maybe you'd plugged your laptop in at the local pub. ;D

[TopperID]

I recently had a failed update, which succeeded after I disabled PG. Of course I can't be sure the failure was due to PG, because I clicked things through, but nonetheless I now prefer to untick 'Protection Enabled' while doing a windows hotfix.

What I wonder though is, should I have PG in learning mode for the next reboot after I have done a windows hotfix?

[timnicebutdim]

Ive had lots of windows updates which have failed in the past way before i had process guard installed, i believe this just happens sometimes. Then the next day the update would work fine again.

Perhaps its just the nature of the way microsoft does the updates and nothing to do with running security.

[Kegel]

-{ Quote: "With MSAS real-time protection plus PG, you're probably pretty good. For scanning, however, I would still want to keep a couple of the free ones around, even if just used less frequently. Here's an article to consider:
http://windowssecrets.com/050127/#story1

You should also consider using some hardening tools, however. Most just run once without installing anything." }-


What do you mean "hardening tools"? Like Spywareblaster?

[earth1]

-{ Quote: "What do you mean "hardening tools"? Like Spywareblaster?" }-Hi Kegel,

This is an important question that deserves an answer, but I have much to learn, too. Hardening, in general, is more about configuring your OS and the way you run your applications. You want to strengthen local security policies and test your system for vulnerabilites. It's absolutely critical for hosts, servers and e-commerce sites,. but it's also an important part of home security. It concerns issues like user accounts having strong passwords that aren't weakened by Windows, protecting any file/printer shares, eliminating unnecessary programs/services that hold ports open, running basic firewall tests, etc, etc...

Here are a few links to get started with if you want to learn more:
Labmice.net (general guidelines) (http://labmice.techtarget.com/windowsxp/security/default.htm)
PC Flank (many security tests of your system) (http://www.pcflank.com/)
Black Viper (configure services) (http://www.blackviper.com/)
Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer (network analysis) (http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/tools/mbsahome.mspx)

PS: Before applying OS-configuration advice that may be incomplete or hard to understand, make sure you have a restorable image of your boot partition or, at the very least, a restorable backup of your registry . It's very easy to end up with a system that no longer boots.

[Bowserman]

Another nice resource to add to the nice list from earth1 is:

http://www.cert.org/tech_tips/


Regards,
Jade.