Alienmastermind needs YOUR help.

[alienmastermind]

If your help is good, I shall reward you with a walk on role in my comic (http://www.dipswitchcomics.com), using your userid for the CoG!

Basically, I need a rundown of known and obvious threats for Vista's OS. It's what came with my new drawing rig. Nothing fancy, just something to draw comics with. It's a nice little machine, but I don't want to get n00bied to death by obvious weaknesses.

I have McAssy, but it's going down the toity as soon as I can download something better, or renew my AVG and Avast. (I know, noob stuff, but if you have better suggestions, I would greatly appreciate it.)

I'm a real novice at the upkeep of the word-and-paint box.

Thanks in advance! :)

Alien

[OldeWolf]

I need a rundown of known and obvious threats for Vista's OS.

One word: Mircosoft. :p

[Ancalagon]

Just keep your Vista auto updates on, and your anti virus auto updates, and make sure your browser is not IE. Firefox or Google Chrome will do fine (Safari is fast but not secure).

And keep UAC on

[muddi900]

Avast plus regular TrendMicro Housecall online scans. This online scan (http://www.windowsecurity.com/trojanscan/) is also great but requires IE. NOD32 is a beast when it comes to eliminating Viri(?) but otherwise is a pain and is not available for x64 systems. And not free.

[iHap]

And keep UAC on


You don't HAVE to keep UAC "on"

Honestly, you don't even need ANY anti-virus. As long as you keep your OS updated, and your web browser updated your chances of getting any type of virus, worm etc is very very slim. There's probably only a hand full of people who can actually inject junk into your computer, but I highly doubt they would do that to your computer.

I've never run any anti-virus software in MANY years except for when I want to clean up an old OS install, but I haven't had a virus in years.

[Ancalagon]

Hmmm, I'd rather have the extra layer of security. I mean, the fact is that people discover vulnerabilities and holes all the time, even in good browsers like FireFox. Having no antivirus or UAC on means that, as soon as any malicious code is run on your system, you are most likely owned.

[Primus]

I already said this in another security thread, but NOD32, Spybot S&D, and Windows Firewall seemed to the only combination that could handle interfacing with the onslaught of the Afghan National Army's horrific MOD domain when I was in the Navy. I was really surprised how many popular and recommended programs just couldn't cut it.

[muddi900]

You don't HAVE to keep UAC "on"

Honestly, you don't even need ANY anti-virus. As long as you keep your OS updated, and your web browser updated your chances of getting any type of virus, worm etc is very very slim. There's probably only a hand full of people who can actually inject junk into your computer, but I highly doubt they would do that to your computer.

I've never run any anti-virus software in MANY years except for when I want to clean up an old OS install, but I haven't had a virus in years.

USB drives. They are like little buckets of computer diseases.

[OldeWolf]

USB drives. They are like little buckets of computer diseases.

Oh I have to agree!
*Glares at my work's USB memory stick*
Good thing my Avast and Trend Micro caught the worm and viruses off that memory stick at home and hopefully cleaned it off the stick.

[Crittias]

Firefox + NoScript + AdBlock Plus = reasonably safe computer. Adding some common sense precautions, like not opening unsolicited files, will take you the rest of the way.

Also, I would suggest running CCleaner once in a while (maybe once/month) to clean up your registry, and something like Spywareblaster and/or Spybot S&D (I use both) to block potentially dangerous sites/domains.

[alienmastermind]

Wow. Thanks for the advice. Much of it jibes with my common knowledge-level computer maintenance. I'm using IE, but that again was day one stuff. I think I'll try Chrome...but from what I'm seeing, Vista and IE for Vista is pretty stringent about ANYTHING running on the computer, ensuring I know what process is starting, and stopping it dead in its tracks.

[alienmastermind]

I'll pick a winner next week, and soon there will be a contest of mammoth proportions, resulting in a t-shirt or something. :)

Thanks again for all the help. ;)

Alien.

[OldeWolf]

I will simply be happy with a comic about a deaf Olde Wolf. Imagine the amount of gaming materials you could get out of a deaf gamer. :p

[alienmastermind]

I will simply be happy with a comic about a deaf Olde Wolf. Imagine the amount of gaming materials you could get out of a deaf gamer. :p

Heh.

I have been working on one about Ubisoft's INANE lack of subtitles for just about all of their games. No captioning or subtitles for Assassins Creed or Splinter Cell.

It's got to be that Baudot thing. The French are STILL pissed.

:)

But again, Deaf culture gaming webcomics would be VERY niche indeed.

[violent]

Vista makes your penis fall off.

[alienmastermind]

So THAT'S what happened to you. :P

[violent]

So THAT'S what happened to you. :P

I'm on XP. I've tried Vista and there is just no reason for me to. I prefer simplicity.

Also, a close friend of mine upgraded to Vista and a week later, BAM! Hit by a car.

[torrefaction]

You don't HAVE to keep UAC "on"

Honestly, you don't even need ANY anti-virus. As long as you keep your OS updated, and your web browser updated your chances of getting any type of virus, worm etc is very very slim. There's probably only a hand full of people who can actually inject junk into your computer, but I highly doubt they would do that to your computer.

I've never run any anti-virus software in MANY years except for when I want to clean up an old OS install, but I haven't had a virus in years.

I hate you and people like you. What you're saying is fundamentally untrue, and is how botnets get built.

[violent]

I hate you and people like you. What you're saying is fundamentally untrue, and is how botnets get built.

Eaaasy big fella.

[torrefaction]

Eaaasy big fella.

Sorry, pet peeve. It ignores the slowness of software patches, the speed at which zero-day vulnerabilities propagate, and makes the assumption that all vulnerabilities are disclosed.

[violent]

Sorry, pet peeve. It ignores the slowness of software patches, the speed at which zero-day vulnerabilities propagate, and makes the assumption that all vulnerabilities are disclosed.

I can understand that. Truth is though, it's not his fault.

[torrefaction]

I can understand that. Truth is though, it's not his fault.

Uh.....how so?

[crazyD]

The best anti-virus software you could possibly get. (http://www.ubuntu.com/getubuntu/download)

[violent]

Uh.....how so?

This kind of thing does not exist only because people allow it to exist, it exists because people have something to gain from it's existence and will find a way of making that happen even if the hive mentality is catching on. To be upset at a man for a problem of this magnitude is like getting upset at a pigeon because our sidewalks are filthy.

In simpler terms, get rid of him and the problem still exists.

[iHap]

I hate you and people like you. What you're saying is fundamentally untrue, and is how botnets get built.

Still remains the fact that ever since I stopped using a anti-virus program 4-5 years ago I've never had anything shit on my computer.

I.
Am.
Not.
An.
Idiot.
Computer.
User.

[torrefaction]

Still remains the fact that ever since I stopped using a anti-virus program 4-5 years ago I've never had anything shit on my computer.

I.
Am.
Not.
An.
Idiot.
Computer.
User.

If you had a botnet from an undisclosed vulnerability, you'd likely have no idea. People who use undisclosed vulnerabilities aren't the script kiddies who make obvious intrusions. It doesn't really fucking matter how "smart" you think your computing habits are. If you think your safe with no UAC and no AV, you're contradicting that last statement pretty strongly.

[OldeWolf]

I approach computer protection (virus protections, firewall, spybot S&D, etc) as better safe than sorry regardless on if I never will get attacked by anything during the times I have this laptop.

[Ghostbear]

OK first of all, lets separate UAC from an anti-virus. While I would generally recommend and anti-virus program, UAC is hardly necessary. Yes, stupid computer, I did want to run that program, thats why I clicked on it! While you may not be able to avoid all malicious software without an anti-virus, I am reasonably certain that not using UAC is hardly the harbinger of computer death that some people are making it out to be.

[LiquidRain]

Ghostbear, your naivety is showing. You may want to tend to that. UAC has its purposes and they are definitely necessary.

[torrefaction]

OK first of all, lets separate UAC from an anti-virus. While I would generally recommend and anti-virus program, UAC is hardly necessary. Yes, stupid computer, I did want to run that program, thats why I clicked on it! While you may not be able to avoid all malicious software without an anti-virus, I am reasonably certain that not using UAC is hardly the harbinger of computer death that some people are making it out to be.

This thinking is totally backwards. The UAC is significantly more important than the antivirus. It stops programs from escalating their privileges without user knowledge. Antivirus' are almost all reactive and not proactive, while the UAC prevents these operations from occurring without needing any sort of pattern matching.

[Ghostbear]

I am hardly naive, my point was that I find UAC personally unnecessary and the users that its supposed to protect? Well they generally click "allow" anyways. I talk to them all day, trust me on this.

[LiquidRain]

Personally unnecessary and dismissive of the entire notion of UAC are two entirely different things. :)

(we finished this discussion in IRC. Don't worry Ghostbear, you're still an OK person ;) )

[crazyD]

The UAC is an annoyance, and disruptive to regular usage. I disabled it as soon as I found out how.

[alienmastermind]

Did iHap mention he doesn't have an internet connection?

;)

[pomeroy]

I will simply be happy with a comic about a deaf Olde Wolf. Imagine the amount of gaming materials you could get out of a deaf gamer. :p

Wait a minute...you're deaf?

You don't say.

[Trogdor]

One word: Mircosoft. :p

I'm with you man, I can't stand that damned Mircosoft. :D

[iHap]

Did iHap mention he doesn't have an internet connection?

;)

I don't have an internet connection. I'm not even sure how I even post. Do I even have TCP/IP? What does this blue cable does? I'm confused.