Re: Microsoft Firewall vs ????
- From: Kayman <kaymanDeleteThis@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 26 Mar 2008 05:55:22 +0700
On Mon, 24 Mar 2008 23:35:12 -0600 (MDT), quodnomentibi@xxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
I just got a new laptop a few days ago, running Vista Home Premium. I am
in the midst of "customizing" it.
<snip>
Q.N. Tibi
Here are some detailed references in relation to my earlier post. You may
whish to consider these when "customizing" your OS.
re: #1
Windows User Account Control Step-by-Step Guide
http://technet2.microsoft.com/WindowsVista/en/library/0d75f774-8514-4c9e-ac08-4c21f5c6c2d91033.mspx?mfr=true
re: #2
Services Hardening in Windows Vista
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/technetmag/issues/2007/01/SecurityWatch/
10 Immutable Laws of Security
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/archive/community/columns/security/essays/10imlaws.mspx?mfr=true
re: #3
Keep your operating system (OS) and all software on it updated/patched.
"So, you didn’t patch the system and it got hacked. What to do? Well, let’s
see: ..."
"The only way to clean a compromised system is to flatten and rebuild.
That’s right. If you have a system that has been completely compromised,
the only thing you can do is to flatten the system (reformat the system
disk) and rebuild it from scratch (re-install Windows and your
applications)..."
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/community/columns/secmgmt/sm0504.mspx
Windows update.
http://www.update.microsoft.com/windowsupdate/v6/default.aspx?ln=en-us
Secunia Personal Software Inspector
http://secunia.com/software_inspector
https://psi.secunia.com/ and
M/S Security Baseline Analyzer 2.0
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=4B4ABA06-B5F9-4DAD-BE9D-7B51EC2E5AC9&displaylang=en
can assist also.
re: #4
Utilizing another browser application can add to the overall security of
the OS. But,
Microsoft says Internet Explorer more secure than Firefox :-)
http://www.heise-security.co.uk/news/99955
IE7 safe/secure settings
Internet Explorer7 Desktop Security Guide
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=6AA4C1DA-6021-468E-A8CF-AF4AFE4C84B2&displaylang=en
The Internet Explorer 7 Security Status Bar
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/ie/ev/security.mspx
Extended Validation SSL Certificates
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/ie/ev/default.mspx
Note: *Tight security settings will break down some websites. You need to
add these websites into the Trusted Zone for smooth access.*
You could consider disabling all Security Settings in IE and use IE only
for the 'Patch Tuesday' updates; To do so you must add the following URL's
to the Trusted sites:
http://update.microsoft.com
http://download.windowsupdate.com
https://*.update.microsoft.com
http://*.update.microsoft.com
http://*.microsoft.com
Alternative Browsers:
Opera™
http://www.opera.com/download/
Firefox™
http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/
The SeaMonkey® Suite (Internet Browser)
http://www.seamonkey-project.org/
re: #5
Review your installed 3rd party software applications;
Remove clutter, dispose of all your 'Anti-Whatever' applications. Keep you
pc lean, install only applications you are really need - try to be a
'minimalist'.
Belarc Advisor can assist
http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html
as can
Absolute Uninstaller
http://www.glarysoft.com/au.html
Revo Uninstaller
http://www.revouninstaller.com/ and/or
Brute Force Uninstaller
http://www.majorgeeks.com/Brute_Force_Uninstaller_BFU_d4714.html
re: #6
Windows Vista Service Configurations Introduction
http://www.blackviper.com/WinVista/servicecfg.htm
re: #7
Tap into the Vista firewall's advanced configuration features
http://articles.techrepublic.com.com/5100-10877-6098592.html
"...once you discover the secret of accessing its advanced configuration
settings via the MMC snap-in, you'll find it to be far more configurable
and functional. At last, Windows comes with a sophisticated personal
firewall that can be used to set up outbound rules as well as inbound, with
the ability to customize rules to fit your precise needs."
Or
Configure Vista Firewall to support outbound packet filtering
http://searchwindowssecurity.techtarget.com/tip/0,289483,sid45_gci1247138,00.html
Or
Vista Firewall Control (Free versions available)
http://sphinx-soft.com/Vista/
re: #8
Routinely practice Safe-Hex.
http://www.claymania.com/safe-hex.html
Hundreds Click on 'Click Here to Get Infected' Ad
http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,2132447,00.asp
re: #9
Back Up regularly; Develop a Contingency Plan; Be prepared!
Consider "What if..."
Use Windows to back up your computer.
http://www.microsoft.com/protect/yourself/data/backup.mspx
Powerful backup that is easy to do!
http://www.acronis.com.sg/homecomputing/
Casper™ Backup Solution for Windows
http://www.fssdev.com/
Norton Ghost™
http://www.symantec.com/norton/products/overview.jsp?pcid=br&pvid=ghost12
Free Back-Up Programs; There are many more - mileages will vary - get
appropriate advice before deciding on application.
http://www.karenware.com/powertools/ptreplicator.asp
http://www.2brightsparks.com/downloads.html#freeware
http://www.sover.net/~wysiwygx/WinUtils5.html
http://xxclone.com/
http://www.educ.umu.se/~cobian/cobianbackup.htm
'Must-have' utilities:
ERUNT and NTREGOPT
http://www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de/erunt/
re: #10
Familiarize yourself with Crash recovery applications;
Sh!t happens, you know! (Don't get caught flatfooted!)
Beginners Guides: Crash Recovery - Dealing with the Blue Screen Of Death
http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=1647
Bart's Preinstalled Environment (BartPE) bootable live windows CD/DVD
http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/
Windows PE 2.0 for Windows Vista Overview
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windowsvista/aa905120.aspx
10a.
Re-install OS (reformat HDD). *See Footnote.
Back all your important Data files, Documents, Photo, Music, Etc. to CD or
DVD media.
Download all the necessary drivers for Vista (motherboard, Video Card,
Audio, Network card, Etc.)
Verify that you have the Application DVD and key code.
Belarc Advisor can assist:
http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html
How to install Windows Vista
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/918884
Scroll down to:
How to perform a clean installation of Windows Vista by starting the
computer from the Windows Vista DVD
re: #11
Utilize some system monitoring utilities/applications.
Process Explorer
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-au/sysinternals/bb896653.aspx
AutoRuns for Windows
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-au/sysinternals/bb963902.aspx
What's Running
http://www.whatsrunning.net/whatsrunning/main.aspx
RunScanner
http://www.runscanner.net/
TCPView for Windows
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-au/sysinternals/bb897437.aspx
CurrPorts - View Opened TCP/IP ports/connections
http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/cports.html
WALLWATCHER - Collect, View, and Analyze Router Logs
http://sonic.net/wallwatcher/
Beginners may wish to employ a real-time AV application.
Real-time AV applications - for viral malware.
Do not utilize more than one (1) real-time anti-virus scanning engine!
Disable the e-mail scanning function during installation (Custom
Installation on some AV apps.) as it provides no additional
protection. http://www.oehelp.com/OETips.aspx#3
In fact, most of experts (incl. Norton) believe that scanning incoming and
outgoing mail causes e-mail file corruption.
Free antivirus - avast! 4 Home Edition
http://www.avast.com/eng/avast_4_home.html
(Choose Custom Installation and under Resident
Protection, uncheck: Internet Mail and Outlook/Exchange.)
Avira AntiVir® PersonalEdition Classic - Free
http://www.free-av.com/antivirus/allinonen.html
AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition
http://free.grisoft.com/
Activate the in build Windows Defender application
Interesting reading:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,136195/article.html
"...Windows Defender did excel in behavior-based protection, which detects
changes to key areas of the system without having to know anything about
the actual threat."
And for the really paranoid consider utilizing:
SUPERAntiSpyware Free (in conjunction with WinDef)
http://www.superantispyware.com/superantispywarefreevspro.html
re: #12
Windows Vista Security Guide
http://www.microsoft.com/Downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=a3d1bbed-7f35-4e72-bfb5-b84a526c1565&displaylang=en
*Footnote:
Reformatting of HDD is the preferred course of action! But if this is
beyond your capabilities then consult professional computer services (but
not the supermarket-type repair shops). If this is not an option then you
may be able to clean your OS by employing David H. Lipman's MULTI_AV.EXE
which can be downloaded from the URL:-
English:
http://www.raymond.cc/blog/archives/2008/01/09/scan-your-computer-with-multiple-anti-virus-for-free/
Swiss/German:
http://www.pctipp.ch/downloads/dl/35905.asp
To use this utility, perform the following...
Execute; Multi_AV.exe { Note: You must use the default folder C:\AV-CLS }
Choose; Unzip
Choose; Close
Execute; C:\AV-CLS\StartMenu.BAT
{ or Double-click on 'Start Menu' in C:\AV-CLS }
NOTE: You may have to disable your software FireWall or allow WGET.EXE to
go through your
FireWall to allow it to download the needed AV vendor related files.
C:\AV-CLS\StartMenu.BAT -- { or Double-click on 'Start Menu' in C:\AV-CLS}
This will bring up the initial menu of choices and should be executed in
Normal Mode. This way all the components can be downloaded from each AV
vendor's web site.
The choices are; Sophos, Trend, McAfee, Kaspersky, Exit this menu and
Reboot the PC.
You can choose to go to each menu item and just download the needed files
or you can download the files and perform a scan in Normal Mode. Once you
have downloaded the files needed for each scanner you want to use, you
should reboot the PC into Safe Mode [F8 key during boot] and re-run the
menu again and choose which scanner you want to run in Safe
Mode. It is suggested to run the scanners in both Safe Mode and Normal
Mode.
When the menu is displayed hitting 'H' or 'h' will bring up a more
comprehensive PDF help file.
Additional Instructions:
http://pcdid.com/Multi_AV.htm
(Note: An experienced and prepared operator probably will reformat a HDD
faster then utilizing the MULTI_AV scanning tool).
Good luck :)
.
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