Optimum Solution

Hi all

Does the 'Law of Diminishing Returns' apply to the field of computer internet security ? How many security applications can one successfully run without significant loss in computer performance and/or resource levels ? Basically, is there an 'optimum' level of security that can be achieved with the myriad of security products available on the market.What are you views on what that 'optimum solution' would look like ?

Cheers.....

 

You can have very limited security in place, provided that you have lots of security between your ears.

First analyze your risks: no vulnerability = no risk
If you don't know: secure.

Must have:
a firewall. Every operating system has it's quirks, at least a firewall can diminish the attack surface, thereby helps you to mitigate possible vulnerability risks.

More security measures? Depends on you system and your habits. For Windows I would say: don't use IE/OE and install a clever antivirus.
If you do a lot of P2P: anti trojan/spyware might be usefull.

Start here and before installing more: first analyze your risks.

 

On these forums you see two main categories of computer problems. The first relates to inexperienced users who run into malware, the second to security-conscious users having difficulties with their security applications - conflicts, false positives, etc. Having gone through the usual trajectory of ignorance - infection - security overload, I'm now more interested in finding the right trade-off between security and comfort. That means there are gaps in my security, but given how I use my computer, the contingencies are so remote I feel it's not worth my while plugging them. My setup is what meneer recommends: it meets my needs, it won't suit everyone.

 

Thanks for your words of wisdom Meneer and Meltdown.

I guess there are two very clear messages coming through...(1) Meneer with the great truism about "having lots of security between your ears" and (2) Meltdown with "finding the right trade-off between security and comfort"
I suppose these two capture what constitutes the 'optimum solution' for the individual......

ftwynne59

 

For years, meneer's " lots of security between your ears" was my only security.

Meneer's other dictum, "before installing more: first analyze your risks" has also been my guide.

When Win2k came along, I installed a firewall to take care of all of that Services and ports vulnerabilities stuff.

As hackers became more clever at sneaking by your own "common sense and alertness" security, I decided that some type of executable prevention program would be useful.

Since these don't take care of preventing scripts, that needed some thought. There are programs for this, but I opted to just disable the script engines in Windows.

Finally, being able to lock down the system and have it restored on a reboot seemed like the final bulletproofing of the computer. There are several innovative programs out there.

So, that's what has turned up here:

Firewall
Excecutable prevention program
Script prevention
Lockdown program

I've never felt the need for AV, spyware, adware, etc - the above has worked fine, and follows my motto, "Lean is mean"

regards,

-rich