Is my defence good?

HI !

I use : e Trust v. 7 promo
KAV lite v. 4.0.7.0
Outpost Firewall free 1.0
Abtrusion Protector
ScriptSentry
Ad-aware 6
Spybot
MRU blaster
Active Ports

I often scan my Pc with Trend's micro/PANDA/McAfee/Symantec online scan

-I have my firewall configured good, i guess (gives 100% stealth on all known online checks)

-My browser settings are restricted (I disable ActiveX and Applet Java)

-My email client is Calypso;

Is my defence good? Is it worth changing e trust promo with Avast Home edition or changing my firewall ? Can Tou send me adice?

 

You want more security? Add proxomitron or Privoxy or better still replace IE with something else.

You mention Calypso , we talking about the new version released by Rosecitysoftware or the old one? The old one is horrendous when handling html (read it uses your default browser) if I recall correctly but i could be wrong, at least the new one allows you to turn on/off html mail. I recommend switching to Poccomail or Thebat! or pegasus.

Besides piling up more software, how is your knowledge of internet security, your internet/computer habits? That helps a lot more than a million software.

 

Thank you for your reply.
I usually use Mozilla Firebird (ActiveX are disabled in MyIE2). Calypso v. 3.30 (the old).
Can you give me some pointers on internet security?
By the way, what do you think about e Trust v. 7 promo edition?
Do You Know if there are problems using it on Windows XP Home Edition?
Thnks in advance.Regards.

c0ltran3

 

Not sure where to start really, Probably you should try "hardening your OS" as they say.Then.. LEarn about possible threats to your security/privacy such as cookies, web-bugs then move on to basic networking learn more about windows+browsers, about hosts file, pac files, startup methods, popups , scripts, etc etc, With this increased understanding, go to testing sites, and try to understand what is being tested,
Probably lots I'm missing out.

Unfortunately, I no longer have some of the better sites that helped me (when I was more of a beginner then I'm now) due to a browser crash.

All I can remember is many of them were among the links at http://www.staff.uiuc.edu/~ehowes/main-nf.htm

You have to ask one of the numerous antivirus experts here, all I know is it uses 2 engines , CAI's and Drweb.
Both are well known and are good. Dr Web supposed causes more false postives but it's relatively strong on trojans

It's more then adequate in my opinion, though the ultra paranoid people here would push support for NOD + dedicated Trojanscanners or KAV alone.

Not that I know of

 

Hi

You just got a karma from me because of this sentence and the fact you're on Outpost (one of the four best FW to my mind).

If on XP, you might wanna check the XP-securing replies I got in http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=15132;start=msg94813#msg94813

Rgds, Crockett

 

Hi cOLtran, If you have e trust v7 promo running on your xp and its all flowing well , then why change it . You have Kav lite and thats excellent anti virus and also wormz and trojan defence on its own.
So between e Trust ( Vet and InoculateIT) and Kav Lite( kaspersky) you are well covered. Some might say get an anti Trojan , but depending on your surfing habits you are proberbly fine. Especially if you daily update .
If you want to spend money then get heaps more software , but if you can learn about safe surfing , as jayk says, then thats intelligent internet use.

 

Thank you for your replies and advice.

c0ltran3

 

Re:Is my defense good?

This is by far the most significant comment in the thread. If there is a security panacea, it is the combination or knowledge, caution, and common sense. Running 700 "security" applications may not help if you run cracks and keygens all the time. Conversely, running only 1 security application may suffice, if you tread carefully.

 

Re:Is my defense good?

Actually this thread is already a lot atypical (compared to how such threads tend run.) At least 2 people have mentioned knowledge over blind use, though in this case the poster did have a fairly paranoid setup even for wilder's.

IMHO if there's any weakness in Wilder's help to newbies is that Wilder's tends to overencourages newbies to overdose on software (often justified by the oft-uttered but highly misunderstood doctrine of "layered defence
") without necessaryly enouraging knowledge or common sense .

Whatyou get are people who run a million software, prefer complexicity to simplicity, but when something goes wrong, they lead the helpers on a wild goose chase by blaming (wrongly) their firewall, spybot, whatever.

Many of our senior members who have climbed up the ranks based on these recommendations are guilty of it too (the "testers" ), leading to a vicious cycle.

(Okay I'm no saint, heck my first few posts was a super long post classifying apps by security/privacy functions!).

 

JayK at least you recommended free software like pegasus..what's wrong with recommending a freeware?? especially when it's better than many $$$ apps out there

 

I actually think some commerical software are worth the money, but I seldom recommend them. Not unless they pay me

In the case of email clients, I believe that because everyone needs one it isn't remiss to recommend a solid one . Much better that way then relying on "layered defences" by using a leaky email client and add to that a mail proxy that attempts to indentify and catch html nasties, antiviruses and whatnot. Much better to have one that has *no* capability at all to fall for such tricks don't you think?

No doubt, some of the "Experts" here will still miss the point of course.

Tell me, would you prefer (solely from the point of view of avoiding Aids) to "prevent" AIDS by being in a faithful, monogamous relationship, or do you prefer to "prevent" it by sleeping around but "protect" yourself with a condom?

Using a leaky email client + some failable form of defence is the later of course, risk it enough eventually you will get into trouble. This holds for other classes of software, Browsers, OSes etc.

It might feel coolerl to walk thinking that you are "protected" by some additonal defence, but it's much better not to have those weaknesses in the first place to negect the name of said defences in the first place.