Re: Avast or Zone Alarm using proxy server?

From: bassbag (bassbag_at_bodybags.dragon.wales)
Date: 02/14/05 

Date: Mon, 14 Feb 2005 18:36:42 -0000

In article <420fe194$0$975$44c9b20d@news2.asahi-net.or.jp>,
vogt@spamcop.net says...
> Lars-Erik Østerud wrote:
> > Uhu. ZA protects outgoing traffic from programs as well (you get a
> > notice about all new programs trying to talk to the net and can block
> > them). Windows FW only blocks incoming and server (listen) programs.
>
> What else do you need? Do you rely on the outgoing filtering? It is
> extremely easy to circumvent the outgoing "filter" and there are many
> examples how to do it. If you catch some Spyware on your computer it may
> send data out and your PFW won't notice. (e.g. your browser is probably
> enabled to send data out and any software running locally can use IE to
> send data out...) I would not call this "protection": most of the
> software you use that wants to send data out you will enable anyway,
> because it needs the internet (e-mail, browser, etc.) while that
> software that you really want to block out (spyware etc.) can easily
> circumvent it. There is no real benefit in that.
>
> And if you rely on it, i.e. you say "I've installed that PFW thus nobody
> can spy me out. I can install any program on my computer I want. I am
> safe anyway." There are many examples posted in various newsgroups with
> people that installed virus scanner, PFW, spyware scanner and more to be
> safe and still "catched" something because they thought with all that
> security software nothing would happen. They just don't get it that the
> biggest security problem they have is themselves.
>
> So there is group A that downloads the craziest stuff from the weirdest
> places. Those people live dangerous and no PFW or other security
> software can help them in the end. Just think about all those pop-ups of
> the PFW that ask you whether you want to allow this or that. Do you
> always know the correct answer?
>
> And group B does not download things. They just want browse their local
> newspaper, send some e-mails, use some word processor. They are careful
> and they don't open spam and in particular don't open documents
> promising anything with strange attachments. Someone told them and they
> know that and they are careful. For them, a PFW may be nice as it tells
> them when Word tries to connect to the microsoft server. But then, you
> wanted Word and you want the clip art, so you allow it anyway. You don't
> need a difficult pop-up question for that. No need here for an outgoing
> filter, either.
>
> So the outgoing filter does not work 100%. Either you rely on it and
> play it dangerous and loose eventually (all those other things blocked
> like the automatic update from some legal software giving you the false
> impressions it that it works perfectly) or you don't rely on it and be
> careful. But then, you don't rely on it anyway so why do you need it?
> The SP2 FW is perfect as incoming filter and cannot be as easily turned
> off as a PFW from some software running on your system. (Whatever you
> can do on your system any software that you run can do as well, it just
> "simulates" a couple of mouse clicks and before you can see it your PFW
> is turned off from its tray icon). You don't even need the SP2 firewall
Many firewalls have component control which would notify of a programme
trying to use or piggyback another programme to connect out,and also
loopback (localhost) that can be enabled or disabled (apart from sygate i
believe)I dont believe xps firewalls can offer the extra protection.
me

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Avast or Zone Alarm using proxy server?
    ... Do you rely on the outgoing filtering? ... > send data out and your PFW won't notice. ... Many firewalls have component control which would notify of a programme ...
    (alt.computer.security)
  • Re: Avast or Zone Alarm using proxy server?
    ... Do you rely on the outgoing filtering? ... > send data out and your PFW won't notice. ... Many firewalls have component control which would notify of a programme ...
    (comp.security.misc)
  • Re: Avast or Zone Alarm using proxy server?
    ... >> programme is loaded with windropper small.Using jottis online virus ... But with your PFW and AV software you just get ... You have seen a pop-up and you hope that the firewall did actually ... > really want to know what is going over the wire, get a network sniffer. ...
    (comp.security.firewalls)
  • Re: Avast or Zone Alarm using proxy server?
    ... >> programme is loaded with windropper small.Using jottis online virus ... But with your PFW and AV software you just get ... You have seen a pop-up and you hope that the firewall did actually ... > really want to know what is going over the wire, get a network sniffer. ...
    (alt.computer.security)
  • Re: Avast or Zone Alarm using proxy server?
    ... >> programme is loaded with windropper small.Using jottis online virus ... But with your PFW and AV software you just get ... You have seen a pop-up and you hope that the firewall did actually ... > really want to know what is going over the wire, get a network sniffer. ...
    (comp.security.misc)