Is safe Internet use impossible?

Wow! All I can say is, "I'm impressed..." You folks are great. What a response. I've learned so much so fast its staggering! In fact, I absorbed so much that I passed out on my couch at 9pm last night as opposed to my customary 1am... Thank-you, thank-you, and... thank-you!
I am still working on processing all the information. This morning I began MASSIVE service disabling and unnecessary "crap" removal from my system. I had intended to spend the rest of today and all of tommorrow studying and tweaking and research, however, I made one major mistake. Whilst rebooting, and retweaking this morning, I left my phone line open aka not on the internet. So, my parents got through and I have been drafted for the Easter barbeque/dinner, etc. Alas... I shall have to continue my education in a few days. Keep the thread goin though. It's great, hopefully many others will see be able to view it and I'm sure I still have much to learn.
Once again, "Thank-you, All..."
Corey

 

Take your time Corey and enjoy the bbq and easter dinner and all the family joy. That's part of life too.
The educational part can wait, there's always somebody jumping in for your questions.
we all jump in because we do like it so much and we learn each day new details ourselves too, with which we can help our own systems and from people around.
So first do enjoy the dinner (ever noticed at least half of the TDS friendly greetings have something to do with food too?) So you later!

 

Corey,
Hope you enjoyed Easter. You've received more than enough information here to digest. I just wanted to add that you don't need SPF Pro to get driver and dll protection. You can get those in the free version of SPF. I've been pretty impressed with Sygate's firewall. But if you do start to use it, don't just select allow for your trusted applications; go to the applications window and change the settings for each allowed application to uncheck the server option. By default, SPF gives server privileges to applications you allow, but most applications don't need to function as servers.

 

For an advanced (but easy-to-use) autostart viewer, see DiamondCS Autostart Viewer
http://www.diamondcs.com.au/index.php?page=asguard

Currently detects 51 different autostart locations - far more than any other autostart viewing program
And ... it's 100% free!

 

To my knowledge, WinPopUp isn't running by default. At least I've not ever seen a Win 9x machine in which it was running (by default or otherwise).

 

People either install it as part of the tools and you can either configure it to start with windows or start it manually.
But if you have that port 139 blocked by the firewall and some more it will not popup that easily.

 

Oops,
In my earlier post in this thread I mentioned port 139 tcp/udp to close.
It should be 135 udp.
Sorry
Dolf

 

Have that blocked too anyway, so no prob

 

Hey folks... me again... long time no see...
Ok so I learned a ton and am still on track learnin new stuff every single day to do with security, TCP/IP and Internet Mechanics (if you will) and lately have delved into Scripting... VERY excited.... bringing my C knowledge back from the cobwebs...

New question bout these firewalls... everyone keeps saying to block this port or bloack that port... I've downloaded and tested out just about every firewall I could find... (for free anyways... heh heh) And

I've yet to see a proggie that lets me "turn" ports "off and on"... the

firewalls all seem to manage that stuff without much flex from me...
right now I'm prolly gonna stick with Agnitum Outpost... MAYBE try another round with Sygate...
Any comments ?

Thanks again!
Corey

 

Hi Corey,
think you occupy yourself nicely in getting to know some of the software and what they do, i'd recommend have a look at the new tool (free) which DCS will release tonight or a few hours after that, which i think you will really like!
You are on XP or win2k aren't you?
You have already PE to watch ports and disable their traffic, for the firewalls i think that is a very personal taste!
I hear good things about LnS, Outpost, Sygate, Kerio, ZAPro, each for their own special reasons and depending on the rest of the configuration, with router or without, etc.

 

Hi Corey,

have a look at Look'n'Stop, it's a very good software firewall, which not only protects you outside-in, but also inside-out. Last but not least the support is fabulous!! Just go ahead, the forum of it is at Wilders as well!

Regards,

Patrice

 

Hello Corey K

Outpost is a very flexible firewall allowing you to be able to configure it as you may wish or let it do most of the work with little or no bother by you. With it you can block individual ports if you wish (by application) but the FW does quite well by the default settings.

>>have a look at Look'n'Stop, it's a very good software firewall, which not only protects you outside-in, but also inside-out.<< quote from Patrice

As does Outpost (did not want to let that to slip by).

Corey - For comprehensive security please consider all these programs (of which some you have already):

Firewall
Anti-virus
Anti-trojan
Anti-worm
Anti-browser hijacker
Anti-spyware
Application monitor

Each of these do something specific and perhaps overlap a little but no one single program does it all. A great anti-virus program does not necessarily catch all trojans and a great browser protection program will probably miss destructive worms. A layered approach is the most comprehensive and wisest way to go. Some of these are free or trialware but either be protected all around or be vulnerable from some direction.

Let us hear how it goes for you! Best wishes.

HMSS Q Section

 

Hi QSection,

Sorry, but I can't agree about that! If I read the comparison of different firewalls and how effective they are against Leak Tests, Outpost isn't such a good firewall. But read for yourself:

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

Regards,

Patrice

 

Patrice, I notice that you link is now relatively old & I am pretty sure Outpost does pass the leak tests etc as does Sygate Pro 5 - Most of these firewalls have had updates since the review some 15 months ago

 

Hi Pilli & QSection,

O.K., might be. But I'm only convinced if you prove me wrong. QSection it's up to you to show me these results with your firewall!

Regards,

Patrice

 

Afraid I have have not got the resourecs to do that but if you read the texts with the test results you will see that Sygate, for instance, only needs a few setting changes to combat these threats. BTW L & S did not stop those threats at the time either on the basic settings.
It must be difficult for firewall developers to make a set of rules to fit all without hindering peoples surfing enjoyment - Much as you, Patrice, found that SSM was to "fiddly".

Well let's get back on track theis is the Port Explorer forum so we are "Off topic" maybe a discussion in the Firewalls forum may be better.

We can expect a new release of PE VERY soon so watch out for Jason's posting, there are some very nice new enhancements

 

Hi Pilli,

O.K., here's my last statement as well to this issue. I never said Sygate is a bad firewall, actually it's a very good firewall as well. But you understand me right: correctly set. But even if Outpost is correctly set I doubt that it will protect you as well as the two we were talking about (at least inside-out, I don't know about outside-in).

Over and Out!

 

Hi Patrice,
The confusion is in the versions. I am beta testing Outpost version 2 which is now a release candidate. It does pass the leaktests. It is also to be released very soon. ( I won't tell you the exact date) I will tell you that I am using it on my mission crictical (work) computer with no concerns at all.
I don't remember if Q-section is a beta tester off hand but if he is, he just spoke a little too soon as version 1 didn't pass the leaktests like V2 does.
I haven't been in this forum in quite awhile and forgot how nice it is.
Chris

 

And as this is the Port Explorer forum, keep checking back for the DCS announcements soon in this PE field!
All the honor for those announcements go to the DCS developers, can tell you it's worth it!