Re: Buy a PC at Best Buy today and plug it in - how long till I get a virus?

From: N. Miller (nsm_at_blackhole.aosake.net)
Date: 05/02/04 

Date: Sun, 2 May 2004 04:14:42 -0700

In article <xi2lc.7764$pJ1.1174@lakeread02>, spamyourself@virus.net says...

> Using cablemodem, router, dedicated PC NAT firewall, Win98SE. I cannot use
> windows update without removing the following from running in background:
> Zone Alarm Pro, AdSubtract Pro, and PestPatrol. ONLY protection afforded is
> the PC NAT firewall and router, other than NAV.

I have never used AdSubract, and only evaluate PestPatrol. They shouldn't be
necessary during configuration of a fresh system. Since the most serious
threat during setup is from worms exploiting MSFT enabled network resources,
and the NAT blocks inbound unsolicited packets, the NAT device should be
sufficient at the initial stages of setup. Otherwise, any software firewall
which will block inbound connections; no need to worry about outbound at
this point.

> Have multi-boot, boot manager. In XP_HE, does not have these problems
> regarding ZA Pro while running windows update, even though it is installed
> and running. NAV 2004 installed there, runs all the time.

> In another case of 98SE on same computer, there is no software protection
> except NAV2002. Seldom used for internet access except for Windows updates.
> Other than NAV, only protection is the PC NAT firewall, and a router.

> In all cases, I have always have updated NAV definitions installed first
> before installing any additional software protection, or going to Windows
> update site.

It takes understanding the nature of the threat to figure out how to take
preventive measures. Unpatched MSFT software can be exploited over an
Internet connection which isn't firewalled.

First order of business is to block unsolicited inbound packets. If the worm
can't get in, you have saved yourself a lot of trouble.

Second order of business is to patch the OS against the vulnerabilities. As
long as the FW is blocking inbound, go ahead and hit the Windows Update
site.

Until the anti virus is updated, it can't block recent worms. Unfirewalled,
unpatched, and you run your AV first, to get it updated; you ***WILL*** be
infected before any protections are in place.

Firewall first, then patch the OS; nothing currently extant can beat that.

> Someone did put a weblink in a post two months ago that tried to backdoor my
> router. Luckily, I changed the default password previously. So I take all
> advice posted here with a grain of salt, a big one.

Taking advice from any unofficial source with a grain of salt is always a
good idea. But changing default passwords before anything else is always a
good idea.

But the best way to judge any advice is to understand enough of how things
work to compare the advice with what you know. If you don't know enough
about how things work, you will never be able to adequately judge the advice
given. 

-- 
Norman
~Win dain a lotica, En vai tu ri, Si lo ta
~Fin dein a loluca, En dragu a sei lain
~Vi fa-ru les shutai am, En riga-lint

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