Re: WinXP Pro and security against viruses
From: RS (gateway_consultingX@Xhotmail.com)
Date: 12/06/02
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From: "RS" <gateway_consultingX@Xhotmail.com> Date: Fri, 06 Dec 2002 15:21:23 GMT
Thanks for the advice so far !
BTW, what is "OP"? Did you mean "OS" ?
The case I have been describing is actually one that belongs to a
friend/client. I have converted the system to NTFS since I first posted
here. He has 2 kids, each with their own account, and password. So far
everybody is "Administrator" class. The kids have their accounts password
protected. The dad, who wants to have his business stuff on there too, is
not using a password to even logon yet. I have not forced him to have one
YET, as I know that is how he likes it. If the kids are changed to
"Restricted" class, will he still be somewhat protected even though his
logon is "password free" ? ;-) That would be "ideal' if true....
Can Restricted users still download MP3's and so on?
********************************
As an aside:
I have another friend (WinXP Home user) who does not use anti-virus
programs, excetp the one that Hotmail's servers run his mail through. He
avoids Outlook Express like the plague. All his email is through Hotmal. I
think he had trouble with an antivirus program back when he had Win98, and
since then says "what's between his 2 ears is my best virus protection" ....
in other words he's cautions, doesn't open unexpected attachements ...well
except ones that come via Hotmail ("and Hotmail is scanned before I get
it"), he is a bachelor and lives without children around and also does not
download MP3's or other files from unknown souces. So he has definitely
limited his exposure !
Anyway, he told me yesterday, that XP (Home), would not let him even open
suspect files .... i.e. files that "XP suspected might be dangerous". Does
XP have some kind of built-in smarts that can tell if a file might contain a
virus ? I am skeptical about that claim he made....
-RS-
"Mark Gordon" <spamtrap@flash-gordon.me.uk> wrote in message
news:20021206134043.67fa7ab7.spamtrap@flash-gordon.me.uk...
> On Thu, 5 Dec 2002 13:56:39 +0000 (UTC)
> "Nomad Mad" <toto803@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> > "RS" <gateway_consultingX@Xhotmail.com> wrote in message
> > news:BDLG9.38561$yV1.2483847@news1.telusplanet.net
> >
> > > I am using Norton AV 2002 with XP Pro. I keep the definitions up to
> > > date. Also have a D-Link 604 as a firewall/router. No other
> > > computers connected to it though.
> > >
> > > The kids have their own user accounts on this XP Pro machine. I have
> > > my home business stuff on my own separate account.
> > >
> > > If a virus slips in through the kids activities on email/web, can it
> > > damage my files?
> >
> > yes (depending on the virus).
> >
> > The virus won't affect your files but the system itself. If it
> > crashes, you'll lose your files.
>
> As the OP is using FAT there is no concept of file ownership. So unless
> XP as introduced some other mechanism (which I doubt) a virus CAN affect
> and file on the system if it is not caught and stopped by the AV
> software.
>
> > > If "yes", is there anyway to prevent that from happening?
> > >
> > > Right now we are using FAT32, but I have heard that it is a good
> > > idea if I convert the whole drive to NTFS.
> >
> > that won't protect your data against a virus attack as they are mostly
> > using applications bugs to break in your system. But by this way, your
> > kids won't be able to read your files (if you affect correct
> > permissions)
>
> If the kids accounts are set to restricted and the drive is converted to
> NTFS it will reduce the risk of the OPs files and the system as a hole
> from being affected by viruses and trojans brought in by the kids
> activities. If the OP uses a restricted account for his work as well
> (keeping the Administrator account only for things which really need
> admin priviledge) then it could also save the OP from himself.
>
> If NTFS is used a restricted account will not be able to write to any
> files owned by another user, not will it be able to affect a lot of the
> system, so any software (including viruses and trojans) run by those
> users will be severly limitted in the effects it can have.
>
> Of course, things can still slip through security bugs in XP to affect
> the entire system, but keeping it patched up with the latest security
> fixes will reduce the chance of this.
>
> > From my point of view, your don't have to worry about virus as you
> > have a mighty antivirus software.
>
> AV software is always behind the viruses for the simple reason that the
> AV companies cannot create a signature for the virus until they have
> seen the virus, at which point it is already in the wild! So you should
> still take all the precausions you would if you had no AV software and
> only use the AV as a back stop.
>
> > However, if your files are really critical, you should backup them to
> > another NTFS disk (not another partition !) using the XP backup tool
> > (or something like that) and crypt them using EFS.
>
> Always true for critical files whatever precautions you take against
> viruses, trojans and people. The HD might die.
>
> If you have a notebook and a desktop keep the critical files in sync on
> both of them, then you don't even have to wait for a computer to be
> fixed before being able to keep working. This is what I do with my data.
> --
> Mark Gordon
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