New to Broadband - Is my PC protected adequately?

[humfer]

Hello - finally got broadband and just wanted some advice on what security I should have. I have now downloaded all the microsoft updates (never bothered for the past 2 years as had slow dial-up) including the service pack 2. I have also downloaded ms antispyware software and have a Zone Alarm firewall and Norton antivirus (its quite old but I do get regular updates). Is this enough??? I see that service pack 2 has a firewall of its own, and it says that it may interfere with my Zone Alarm one - should I keep them both running or turn one of them off? Any advice on anything I have typed would be greatly appreciated

Many Thanks
Nick

[classicsoftware]

1) You have an Anti-Virus and it is up to date.

2) You have a firewall installed. Keep it up to date and dump the Windows Firewall.

3) You have Windows patched and up to date.

Now for the new stuff


It's time to change browsers. Join the 25 million people who downloaded Firefox (http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/)
Download, install and update Spyware Blaster (http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/sbdownload.html)
Download a copy of HijackThis (http://www.subratam.org/?page=removal) and post a log
Don't click on any pop-ups advertising Spyware Software.
Read this (http://computercops.biz/postlite7736-.html) article on how computers get infected.

[jlreich]

Resist the urge to leave the connection on all the time. If you have a cable modem that has a standby button, use it to disable your connection when you are not using your computer. If you have DSL that uses a id/pw to logon, log off when not using your computer.

There is no reason to leave your computer open to scans when you are not using it. Even though you have protection, there is always a crack in the system somewhere that could be exploited if left to be scanned by hackers 24/7. ;)

IMHO

[classicsoftware]

Well JL, I disagree. The whole point of having an always on connections is it''s always on.

My AV updates in the backround

When I click on an Icon, I want it to work.

If you are that paranoid, turn the PC off.

[Mark Miller]

just a small note, the new MS spyware program even though still beta seems to work very well and at least for me seems better than ad aware and spybot. I use all three still. I like the way it works in the backround and tells you what in their opinion is spyware and what is not.
I have a cable connection and leave it on all the time. I do shut down my computer at the end of the day.
IMHO.
Mark

[jlreich]

Well JL, I disagree. The whole point of having an always on connections is it''s always on.

My AV updates in the backround

When I click on an Icon, I want it to work.

If you are that paranoid, turn the PC off.
That's true Classic. But I have a standby button on the top of my modem, it only takes my 2 seconds to reach over and hit it, and I am on or off the net. I could definitely see how this can be more of a pain if you have to sign into DSL.

I also do all my updates manually anyway. When I do my usual daily routine of update checks for Spybot, Spywareblaster, AV, and Adaware, it only takes about 30 seconds to check them all if no updates are available. 1-3 minutes if updates are available.

IMHO, it's well worth the 2 seconds to hit the standby button on my modem to know that the thousands of potential hackers are not able to scan my computer for potential security holes. ;)

BTW, my connection is always on. It's just with the push of a button I can cut off the world from my computers. I think that's a good thing.

IMHO :)

[PrntRhd]

Classicsoftware:
Well JL, I disagree. The whole point of having an always on connections is it''s always on.
Actually there is one concern here if you have a unsecured wireless setup attached to that "always on" cable setup, the wireless will also be on and sharing the network connection whether you have your PCs booted or not on that "always on" network. Your PCs will be safe if they are off, but you still are sharing your high speed connection with anyone in the neighborhood. The only way you would know would be if you saw the monitor lights flash with no PCs on, or read the router logs, or (oh please NO!) run into useage caps from the provider.
I know this may be a side issue but it shows why securing wireless access points is such an issue.
My son brought over a new wireless equipped laptop yesterday and we found 3 unsecured networks from my living room, two were named defaults and totally unsecured, one was definitely a cable connection based on the speed, and determined no other PCs were accessing the AP at the time.

Humfer,
You are well advised to ask questions until satisfied.
:)

[classicsoftware]

I have thought about this some more and I'm just not buying.

If you can pause the connection and start it up again, the modem is still in contact with the ISP. If not, it would have to go out and renew it's IP address. I would bet all the pause button does is block outgoing activity.

If you are behind a NAT router and a software firewall, pausing the modem provides absolutely no added benefit.

If someone can get behind the NAT router and the software firewall, they are sophisticated enough to bypass your pause button with their hacking tools.

It's a nice thought, but I'm still not buying. This especially does not work if you have network throughout your house, like and many others do, as the person nearest the button may be pausing the internet connection for others and not eveyon want's to go the modem to flip it on, they to go to their PC and use the net.

And PrntRhd is right as usual about securing a WIFI connection, but since the orriginal poster didn't mention wireless, I didn't want to cloud the issue.

[Mark Miller]

Got to agree with Classic,
Because this house is wireless, turning off the computer denies anyone else the chance of using the connection.
Mark