securing your pc

Glad the upgrade to 7.23 went smooth.

re: proxomitron - you may know this already but here goes anyway (for the benefit of someone who doesn't),

The following two tips will help make proxo work real nice with Opera (applicable for other browsers too):


1) make sure you select "enable http1 for proxy" in Opera prefs settings (under network, proxy servers) in addition to the correct http settings prescribed by proxomitron)

2) in proxomitron under config, http tab, make sure you uncheck (or disable) "Local connections persist for"

link to support 1 & 2:

http://nontroppo.org/wiki/Opera7Performance

3) make sure your loop back, & DNS rules are in order:

good link if you have a rule based firewall is here:

http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,6642367~root=kerio~mode=flat

click on the screen shots - to enlarge, nice write up of information too

 

good free firewall try Kerio 2.1.5:

1) Kerio 2.1.5 is a good choice for anyone looking for a good free firewall (for personal use)

http://www.kerio.com/dwn/kpf/

1a) Kerio is light on resources and with a little effort and understanding can be properly configured to be stealth.

Generic Rule Set for Kerio (Proxy and no Proxy)

after you configure if you are able to pass the tcp pings and stealths below you should be ok:

https://grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2 corrected link

http://www.pcflank.com/scanner1s.htm

http://www.dslreports.com/scan tcp ping here

1b) for older systems like Win95 you will need Winsock 2 update for Win95 and although Kerio 2.1.5 does not support Win95 it should run after the Winsock 2 update. Your option on this next one but it may not be a bad idea to get your tcp/ip stack more secure and in sync with Dun 1.4 upgrade

2) coupled with SSM (System Safety monitor bolsters your outbound protection) you are protected from inbound & outbound just be aware of the following results:

http://www.pcflank.com/art41c.htm

SSM will kill any nontrusted Aps before they are launched this includes any leak tests.

more info on SSM here:

http://maxcomputing.narod.ru/ssme.html?lang

as indicated from the link above, older systems contact the author for a special build if the latest version of SSM does not work on your system.

Download the latest version of SSM here

leak tests are good for simulating your level of vulnerability, but not realistic* since they require downloading and running the .exe - be nice if someone could devise a test which acts more like the silent drive by trojans, to inform rather than destroy.

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* footnote explanation: stretch to think anyone concerned enough about safety and security would click on a link without knowing what it could do or without scanning first.

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two really nice features of Kerio other than being stealth are:

1) right click sys tray icon for kerio and select stop all traffic and it does immediately - you can reenable the same way or disconnect if you need to

2) animate tray icon red arrow indicates blocked rule matched

 

Pivx.com is offering something called Qwik-Fix?:

http://www.pivx.com/qwikfix/

http://www.pivx.com/qwikfix/faq.html

note from Peakaboo: I have not tried qwikfix. I do not use IE and I have good AV, Firewall protection... so if you decide to try you are on your own

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Qwik-Fix? provides another layer of essential security by closing off the pathways that worms and viruses use to penetrate your PC.. It does not affect any of your virus programs, firewall or other programs. Had users installed Qwik-Fix? on their PC?s, the recent LovSan/MS Blaster worm and the Sobig virus would have had no impact on them. And, it will close the doors that the next worm will try to enter thru to infect and spread its payload.

Qwik-Fix? is a product of PivX LABS, and results from our work with some of the largest companies in the world. PivX is a premier security research company which has focused its security research efforts on Microsoft?s Windows® and its ubiquitous Internet browser, Internet Explorer. PivX and its worldwide network of security researchers has located, tested and verified hundreds of security vulnerabilities in Internet Explorer alone. As a public service, PivX has also maintained a FREE public online listing of the vulnerabilities that were patched and those that remained Unpatched. Now we have developed Qwik-Fix?, a tool which helps protect your PC from these risky vulnerabilities.

Qwik-Fix? is designed to pro-actively prevent known software vulnerabilities in Windows and Internet Explorer from being exploited by malicious hackers, virus writers and worm writers. Qwik-Fix? is simple to use, Qwik-Fix? is easy to download and install. Qwik-Fix? is dynamic in that it serves as a temporary fix to known vulnerabilities until Microsoft releases a periodic monthly cumulative patch or a new Service Pack. As we find new vulnerabilities our subscribers will be updated immediately, thus staying one step ahead of the bad guys.

 

stumbled across this interesting idea by Belthazor to develop a filter for Proxo as a firewall to block ports...

obviously proxo was not designed as a firewall so it should not be relied on to perform this function, but I think it is a fun idea to watch develop, could possibly offer a different layer of protection if it pans out

http://www.cheatandwin.com/~proxo/forums/index.php?showtopic=70&st=0&

it will be interesting to check the link from time to time to see if JD or Jak pick up the ball