Do I need more? Your input is valued!

Windows 98SE
(All patches so far with the Official Windows Update!)
667 MhZ P3
384 MB SDRAM

*Main anti-virus scanner*
Norton System Works 2003
(Manual Scan set at highest settings, updated signatures, Virus scanner auto-running in the background)

*Backup anti-virus scanner*
McAffee
(Run once a week to make sure Norton did not miss anything)

Ad-aware 6.0 and SSD (All updated)

13,000 entry HOST file with eDexter (Updated weekly)

Spyware blaster installed and running.

Windows Washer 4.8 with many custom plugins plus a few extra I customized myself.

Ok what else do I need to cover any gaps in this layout?

 

Norton is always running in the background with its Anti-Virus Auto-Protect feature. As for the manual scans I have those set on the highest settings and do that with Norton when I am bored which is whenever or so and McAffee once a week.

Also lets assume that I do all my updates from the Windows Update feature provided that just that... No other tweaks or anything else rougue done myself. (If so is there something I am missing to make Windows more secure?)

I make sure I do not install Windows automatic script task when I do a format and re-install that you can choose in the list of various boxes during setup.

 

Hi! Final Fantasy hehe...

Anyway, have you got a firewall?

*edited for horrible typing mistakes previously overlooked*

 

There are two pieces of software I make sure go on my computer for surfing: Spybot SD, and Proxomitron.

You probably want a software firewall, also--I recommend ZA+.

BOClean is a great program for smushing trojans.

I also use and recommend Active Ports to keep an eye on what's going on.

 

I would prolly recommend Sygate Personal Firewall over most ZA (althought I haven't tried the one mentioned above) mostly because while I used an older version of ZA I found lots of "incompatabilities" like the common "freezing" due to the firewall's inablility to "wait" for permission from the user for particular applications and even total incompatability with some programs (yes games ) to the extent I could not run a couple games unless I closed ZA completely... Even when there was no request to access the net... Of course this is just my personal experience which is a minor drop in the bucket

However; I have recommeneded Syagte to lots of people and everyone who has used it has given me LOTS of very positive feedback...

 

You probably have most things covered when you add a siftware firewall. Insteading of listing software, I have a list of security/privacy functions that you might like to consider, and see whether your software covers it all. Or whether the function is important to you.


1)Antivirus
2)Anitrojan
3)Spyware/Adware control
4)Registry Monitoring
5)Startup Monitor ing
6)Application/processes Monitor
7)Script control/taming
Web-browsing application sandbox
9)Popup killer
10)Banner replacement
11)Homepage/brower settings Guard
12)Internet explorer cleaning (index.dat etc)
13)MRU and tracks cleaning
14)Secure eraser
15)User agent variable and refrerer blocking
16)Web-bugs filter
17)Cookie Manager
1Annymous IP connections.
19)Firewall - Inbound
20)Firewall - Outward bounds protection
21)Encrpyion file
22)Encrpytion email
23)Password Manager
24)Spam filtering
25) Backups/disk images

 

You might also try hardening your OS, close all the ports, ublind netbios etc.

Maybe switch browsers to Opera or Mozilla if you are still using Internet explorer., if you choose to use IE, you need to check the settings maybe use IE spyad list.

And use a secure email client like Pegasus Mail, or Thebat! or Poccomail, that does not use external web browsers to handle html mail.

Use something to monitor your registry like regprotect. Script sentry to prevent scripts from running by accident,

Definitely use Proxomitron for more privacy with regards to web-bugs, user-agent and referrer blocking, popups and banner replacement.

You might also want to use system safety monitor together with Kerio or Outpost. If you choose Tiny firewall it has the excellent Tiny trojan trap incorporated..

and some application to view the various startups on your system (startup cop or startup manager, you can use if on XP or 2000).

You might want to use PGP for encryped email, and PGPdisk to encrypt important files.

 

You might want to give this other freebie of mine a try: http://www.wilderssecurity.net/mrublaster.html

MRU-Blaster can scan for and clean over 24,100 MRU items (and with a typical scan time of just 2-5 seconds, you won't lose much time trying it out).

Best regards,

-Javacool

 

Hi WhiteMateria!

Well, most of the things are already said. Nevertheless I have some additional "tools" to think about:

-Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer (MBSA)

You shouldn't just trust Windows Update. Sometimes it's possible that an Update isn't recognized correctly and therefore missing on your system... With MBSA you are able to detect missing updates,... Here you can find it:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/treeview/default.asp?url=/TechNet/Security/tools/tools/MBSAHome.ASP

WARNING: This tool is quite tricky and not that easy to understand. It produces a lot of false warnings! Nevertheless it's good to check these false warnings thorougly. For troubleshooting check out this site:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;306460

-Router

Ever thought about buying a router and putting it in front of your computer? This would improve the security of your whole system/network. First it stealthens your computer/network and secondly it has an internal NAT firewall. If you need more information about routers just ask!

-Firewall

Don't you have a firewall on your system?!? If not, forget everything and "run" to get one asap!!! There are three firewalls which I can recommend: Look'n'Stop (my personal favourite), ZoneAlarm Pro and Sygate 5.0. If you need further information about firewalls read these articles:

http://www.pcflank.com/art21.htm
http://www.pcflank.com/art27.htm

By the way, there are very nice online scanning tests on this page as well. Try 'em out!

-Trojan Scanners

I suggest, that you install a trojan scanning tool as well. AV-scanners are made to fight against viruses (there are some exceptions...) and AT-scanners are made to fight against trojans. Examples: TDS-3,... see the wilders page for further information.

I hope the above mentioned helps to broaden your horizon and make this thread more complete!

Best regards!

Patrice

 

Good Golly Ms Molly.....will the poor guy's computer hold all that? LOL.........ok, just kidding...really


aka: Mr Data

Well you sure will have one very secure computer if you follow the offered suggestions.....all good ones by the way.
....In a previous conversation you expressed to me the level of your experience........in consideration of that....if you have questions regarding the programs that were suggested.....ASK! An would suggest you take it one program at a time. Each poster suggesting programs most likely can help you...offer tips/tricks etc. Learn over time.
Nice to see you venturing into security.

snowy