Finally dumped Norton

RawAlex · 2005-08-01, 09:08 AM

Jim, anti-virus and firewall protection are two completely different things.

The most common way to get a virus is through an EXE file. Either you download something from the internet that has a virus attached, you receive a file from a friend that is infected, or you open emails that include viruses in them.

By having your mail program automatically delete all attachments, you get rid of a very big risk.

By having your mail program not automatically show a preview of the mail, you get rid of a very big risk.

Unless you are a very careful person, anti-virus software is important to have. You need to learn to be VERY careful in handling outside files. I have all attachments mailed to me via hotmail, they have up to date virus protection. I only accept files from people I know when I am expecting files. Most of us have servers, and we can upload files when we need to give them to someone else. We don't have to mail them.

Firewalls stop outside people from connecting directly to your PC. Depending on your configuration (and how your cable company makes you connect) your combination of firewalls and such should have you pretty safe. However, if your cable company makes you run special software on your PC to get access, then you have an issue and you need to reconfigure your setup to get rid of that security hole.

Your wireless are not an issue, providing you have some sort of security key on them, WEP or similar. They all have it built in, you have to activate it though. That means that a sort of security key is required to entered before a laptop or other can access your network. If you are not doing this, then all your firewalls and everything else is for nothing, because you locked the door but left the large window next to the door wide open.

Alex

2005-08-01, 09:08 AM	#26
RawAlex Took the hint. Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 5,597	Jim, anti-virus and firewall protection are two completely different things. The most common way to get a virus is through an EXE file. Either you download something from the internet that has a virus attached, you receive a file from a friend that is infected, or you open emails that include viruses in them. By having your mail program automatically delete all attachments, you get rid of a very big risk. By having your mail program not automatically show a preview of the mail, you get rid of a very big risk. Unless you are a very careful person, anti-virus software is important to have. You need to learn to be VERY careful in handling outside files. I have all attachments mailed to me via hotmail, they have up to date virus protection. I only accept files from people I know when I am expecting files. Most of us have servers, and we can upload files when we need to give them to someone else. We don't have to mail them. Firewalls stop outside people from connecting directly to your PC. Depending on your configuration (and how your cable company makes you connect) your combination of firewalls and such should have you pretty safe. However, if your cable company makes you run special software on your PC to get access, then you have an issue and you need to reconfigure your setup to get rid of that security hole. Your wireless are not an issue, providing you have some sort of security key on them, WEP or similar. They all have it built in, you have to activate it though. That means that a sort of security key is required to entered before a laptop or other can access your network. If you are not doing this, then all your firewalls and everything else is for nothing, because you locked the door but left the large window next to the door wide open. Alex