Safe Computer

Faram · Post by **Faram** » 2005-03-12 06:08am

Just a small check

What do you use to secure your computer from Viruses/Malware/Theft whatever?

I am going to do a small list of what I do.

First off I use WinXP and you LINUX guys can knock it off rite now, it works just fine for me and that is what is important for me.

First off all computers all disks I have is encrypted with CompuSec A nice program that encrypts the computer BEFORE it loads any OS, thieves cannot get anything out from my comp even if they steal it and remove the disks.

All servicepacks and updates for XP.

I use a LONG password to login ~30 chars.

My wireless connection is secured with WPA-PSK and a long passkey.

I have windows built-in firewall active, might as well ignore it when I have a router but it’s small in don’t take munch resources.

I use AVG anti virus to keep the wiri out.

A separate anti Trojan app is a must for me TDS-3 is great

All browsing is done with Firefox

And mail is Thunderbirds domain.

To keep the crapware out I use.

Microsoft Anti-Spyware

Spybot Search & Destroy

Spywareblaster

To encrypt stuff I don’t want anyone else to read but still be transfeble I use

Cryptosuite

To store and generate misc passwords all over the web I use

PasswordSafe

This is an minimum to have in a Windows setup for me so I feel reasonable secure when computing

So am I paranoid or do anyone have me beat?

Sharp-kun · Post by **Sharp-kun** » 2005-03-12 09:08am

XP Pro SP2
Firefox
Thunderbird
Spybot S&D
MS Anti Spyware
McAfee Viruscan
Strongish password

General Zod · Post by **General Zod** » 2005-03-12 11:23am

i don't use quite as many features, but for me:

all browsing done with either Opera or Firefox.
AVG virus shield
Spybot S&D
Hijack This!

Xon · Post by **Xon** » 2005-03-12 01:15pm

My computers sit behind a NATed router with firewall support, and have the biultin WinXP sp2 firewall enabled with all the really interesting ports only open to my lan.

I have a 9 alpha-numeric password which I should really strength/change, but my box doesnt have RDP or any other services which expose a login interface to the outside world so it isnt an issue.

Always keep patched to within a day or 2 of the release of the patches (autoupdate is wonderfull!), and I reboot when it says I need too.

I use Microsoft Antispyware, Spybot Search & Destroy, Adaware & SpywareBlaster. I use AVG freeware for AV.

The biggest change for using IE; Lockdown ActiveX and then futher lockdown IE & Microsoft Office & MSN by using this utility to force the operating system to strip any interesting tokens(aka being a member of the local administrators group) from my login session when running stuff.

This means I can login as administrator but run my apps as a user.

Incoming mail is virus scanned by my ISP, and then by AVG in Outlook 2003(running as a user).

I generally dont encypt files, and the ones I have encypted use the biultin encyption for WinXP. If my password gets reset or my computer gets formated, I've got the encyption keys exported off stashed in a safe location.

Ace Pace · Post by **Ace Pace** » 2005-03-12 02:11pm

Windows XP SP2, running on Power User and not admin.

ISP Anti-Virus
AVG AV and email scanning.
Eudora for emails
No standerd windows programs over the net.
ZA Pro firewall.

I think thats it.

Pu-239 · Post by **Pu-239** » 2005-03-12 02:13pm

32 character password. Of course there are easier ways to break into a computer than guessing a password.

Assassin X · Post by **Assassin X** » 2005-03-12 02:22pm

I just use Spybot and Ad Pop Killer and NAV 2005. Then some smaller programs. Oh and i got 2 firewalls and the 1 is some fancy one my friend got.

And since im not on a network im not to worried about anything else.