Most PC security problems come from unpatched third-party Windows apps

Discussion in 'other software & services' started by Andz, Mar 15, 2013.

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  1. Andz

    Andz Registered Member

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  2. Wild Hunter

    Wild Hunter Former Poster

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    Worry about software security updates.

    Or, download and install Secunia PSI and let it take care of the mess. :)

    Depends.

    Microsoft applies SDL and its software gets updated automatically by Microsoft Update.

    Those are great benefits from a "patch management" point of view.

    However, using only Microsoft software would restrict the experience too much.
     
  3. Sully

    Sully Registered Member

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    Become above average :argh:

    Sul.
     
  4. zmechys

    zmechys Registered Member

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    I've re-installed Secunia on my Sony Windows 8 64-bit laptop several times, but the issue is still there.
    On the main Windows, my Secunia has "Microsoft Update".

    Secunia1.PNG

    If I click on Microsoft Update, I see a new window:

    Secunia2.PNG

    I say Install Microsoft Updates and this is what I get:

    Secunia3.pNG

    My Overall results from Secunia is 100%

    Secunia4.pNG
     
  5. safeguy

    safeguy Registered Member

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    Take-away lesson? I'm thinking more along the lines of take-away food :p

    I do not limit myself to eating food prepared at home. I want to explore food from other places. Whether it's healthy or not - I leave it up to the person to take his/her chances and know the limits.

    P.S. Hope my message comes across.
     
  6. luciddream

    luciddream Registered Member

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    Well stated Sul, as usual. If people could dedicate even a fraction of the time looking into security that they spend updating their Facebook/Twitter statuses, they wouldn't run into such problems.

    After reading about the backdoor in AppLocker/SRP, relying solely on Windows integrated/1'st party security doesn't seem like the best idea to me these days.
     
  7. zmechys

    zmechys Registered Member

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    Don't put all your eggs in one basket.
     
  8. SweX

    SweX Registered Member

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    The best is to know what software you got installed.

    If you're fine with automatic updates (check for updates once a week/month or similar) then you can use that.
    Or if you're like me, you like to update the OS, programs etc.. manually, then after a while you get used to check for updates on your own either inside the UI or on the vendor website. Maybe sometimes you can hear a voice..... "it's time to check if there's some updates available for this and that) :D

    And of course if you got softwares just sitting there then you can uninstall them and you don't need to bother keeping them updated since you don't use them anymore IMO.
     
  9. AlexC

    AlexC Registered Member

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    Consider to use Ubuntu :D
     
  10. Kerodo

    Kerodo Registered Member

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    The average user will never even read or be aware of things like that.
     
  11. xxJackxx

    xxJackxx Registered Member

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    Don't install Java if it can be helped and keep all Adobe software up to date and you are 99% of the way there.
     
  12. Noob

    Noob Registered Member

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    Hahahaha quite true but then they would get paranoid like all of us. /Kidding
     
  13. CloneRanger

    CloneRanger Registered Member

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    Yes, but unless you have taken "measures" to block/prompt for new files etc etc, Windows via it's holes "can" then let nasties etc in :D So it's ALL involved parties to blame, not just 3rd parties, apart from the users that is :D
     
  14. The Red Moon

    The Red Moon Registered Member

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    In that case we should all be running windows firewall,IE as a browser and MSE and EMET for protection.Im not knocking any of these products but is this the set up that mr gates would like us to use.

    On another viewpoint sometimes the best things that can care for windows is windows products themselves.:D
     
  15. Sully

    Sully Registered Member

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    When I look at reports like this, one thing springs to mind, every time.

    Rich content. Bells and whistles. Eye candy.

    Look at the top of the list: Adobe products in one, and browsers in another. Take away the scripting engines, and all the extra features that go with them, and what would you have left? lol, nothing very pretty to look at, no streaming audio/video, no flash games, no embedded this or that. You could cut a hefty % of your threats quite nicely.

    But, in the real world, its those very features that the average users I know use. They like all of that. As a matter of fact other than a little news or research for school or purchasing/fixing, I doubt many of them would find the internet as appealing. Its different for me, I consider all of that annoying, like a car salesman or phone solicitor, annoyingly selling me something I don't want and don't need. But then, I remember when there was none of this, and when the pop-ups became so bad you needed to be intimate with the Alt-F4 key to do anything online o_O

    Maybe that is one of the differences between the average users and us who know more. Granted the amount of knowledge we have certainly plays a role, but there are some average users who always get issues, and then some who don't. I think those that don't are simply not into all the media rich content, and instead do a few "boring" things and not much else. Who can say, but that list of unpatched 3rd party applications isn't new, nor surprising. I would expect that list to be comprised of such things really.

    I have strived to stay away from all the trendy stuff. No facebook or twitter or myspace. Hardy ever use flash based stuff like games, and in fact like flash blockers. Some youtube here and there, but the less fancy, the better. I am looking for information, not entertainment I guess. And when I do want entertainment, I run in a sandbox, because for some "odd reason" I don't trust rich content.

    And to think I have always wondered why I don't trust it lol.

    Sul.
     
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