Re: Win XP SP2 Security Center says my PC may be vulnerable

Today =?Utf-8?B?d3Jzd2xkbw==?= commented courteously on the
subject at hand

Hi, I'm running Win XP SP 2.

I get a pop up message in my system tray that states my
system may be vulnerable and that my firewall is turned
off, click here to turn on, when clicked on it takes me to
the security center within XP.

The problem is that my firewall is always turned on when I
get to the security center. Win XP firewall is always on.
Automatic updates is always on,

you're inviting a visit from Murphy if you let Bill the Gates
install his crap without your knowledge. Keep in mind that
"Microsoft security", broadly, is a classic oxymoron like
"military intelligence" and "postal service". I /never/
install updates until I've lurked here and other places for
awhile to see what problems the early upgraders are seeing.
Also, I only install one or two at a time. Finally, I set my
own RPs, I don't rely on Bill "protecting" me.

and my Trend Micro Virus is
always on and running. I also have installed Webroot spy
sweeper which is always on, although this is not displayed
in the security center. I have performed multiple updates
for the virus and spyware sweeper to make sure they are up
to date, as well as having swept the system with both
programs to determine if any malware or spyware or trojan
is running, but the only thing that is found are some
cookies by the spyware sweeper.

I don't think that SP2 is even vaguely aware of anything non-M
$ you have. If it is, it'll probably complain. Call me a cynic
if you like; I am. But, I don't believe in giving Murphy an
even break and I don't fix things that aren't broken. So,
while I have virus "auto protect" on, I do /not/ run spyware
scans continuously nor full-system malware scans. Ditto for
scheduled defrags. The time when something is going to go bump
in the night and take you down is /literally/ in the middle of
the night. You won't see it until you look the next morning
and go WTF happened to my PC, it worked OK last night?

More important, though, make damn sure that you don't have
multiple utilities trying to do the same thing, like firewall,
virus, trojan, spyware, et al. They'll trip over themselves,
flag false positives and get confused enough to miss real
threats. Buy what you think does what you want, and uninstall
everything else.

The only possible explanation that I can think of is that
Trend Micro makes an internet security suite which contains
a firewall program. Although I do not own this and only
have the virus software, the Trend Micro program for the
virus software has the Firewall buttons on it, but they are
grayed out to where they can not be selected. Presumably ,
when you upgrade for around $25 to the security suite or
buy it outright, the option would be enabled to select. Is
it possible that Win XP is reading the availability of the
firewall software and that it is not enabled within Trend
Micro and reporting that?

Thanks for any help

--
ATM, aka Jerry

"Whether You Think You CAN Or CAN'T, You're Right." ? Henry
Ford
.