How secure

[nicole]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers (More info?)

As all regulars in these discussion groups will know, I am pretty new at this! Another grey surger! I have an antivirus program, spybot, ad-aware and CWshredder installed. All that from reading your advice. Now I have another question! Again on advice given here and other groups, I have done several of the free tests provided on the internet to check the security of a computer. The result is always that my computer is secure. How true and reliable is that in your opinion?
Thanks for any comments
Nicole

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers (More info?)

Hi Nicole,

The test results are only as good as the parameters used. I would
concentrate your efforts on prevention, not cure. Prevention means:

- Having a firewall enabled all of the time, preferably a third party one
that will detect outgoing traffic as well as incoming. Places like grc.com
are not 100% in testing your system, they just scan the commonly used ports.
- Not only having antivirus software, but keeping it up to date. Any AV
software is only as good as the definitions it is using. If they are out of
date, they aren't going to pick up anything new.
- Prevent the junk from installing itself in the first place, this utility
can do that:
Spyware Blaster: www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html
- Practice safe "hex". Meaning that you don't just open attachments in email
until you save and scan them first, regardless of source. You should
question any attachment regardless of source. Avoid installing "free"
software, as it is often supported by including garbage.
- Educate yourself, put yourself on a virus company's distribution list so
you are made aware of new vulnerabilities. Don't believe any warnings that
are passed on from friend to friend, they are no more correct than any of
the other chain letter. Get your information from a reliable source.

Use common sense, your problems will be few.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers aka "Nutcase" MS-MVP - Windows
Windows isn't rocket science! That's my other hobby!
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/
Associate Expert - WinXP - Expert Zone
www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone
Win98 Help - www.rickrogers.org

"Nicole" <anonymous@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:10FFF959-E356-40E7-8F4E-A02C035135D6@microsoft.com...
> As all regulars in these discussion groups will know, I am pretty new at
> this! Another grey surger! I have an antivirus program, spybot, ad-aware
> and CWshredder installed. All that from reading your advice. Now I have
> another question! Again on advice given here and other groups, I have
> done several of the free tests provided on the internet to check the
> security of a computer. The result is always that my computer is secure.
> How true and reliable is that in your opinion?
> Thanks for any comments
> Nicole

 

[nicole]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers (More info?)

Thanks Rick. I am practising all you're saying. Guess I am getting better.