How secure is one's computer?


The race between producers of malware and producers of anti-malware is
well-known. It is IMHO natural to assume that the former, being the
'active' partner, have some advantages in this race and so the computer
of an average user has always a very real chance of being infected
without detection, no matter how much money he invests in purchasing
software to protect his computer and how careful and disciplined he
does his work.

I think it even may not be entirely foolish to question the (aboslute)
safety of protection software themselves, for these are as a rule
trusted based on the market reputation of the producers only, if I
don't err.

I remember the time of the first PC that I used, where a few colleagues
of mine were regularly reading and adapting some parts of the operating
system (CP/M), apparently with ease. Nowadays, who among the users of
computers have competent knowledge (and means) to understand some
details of an OS, let alone checking and modifing them? And the previous
question certainly applies here as well.

Without saying, all other foreign software downloaded are in principle
(maybe more) questionable.

BTW, a recent article on cyber warfare could serve also for looking at
the matter from a different standpoint:

http://www.economist.com/node/16478792

M. K. Shen
.

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