Personally, I'd say the firewall is the most important bit of computer security - anti-virus software is useful, but it generally tends be more cure than prevention.

Howstuffworks has a good description of firewalls if you want to know more: http://www.howstuffworks.com/firewall.htm

Family came home yesterday, I've attached a small image of the young lady in her car seat...

Rob.

Ahh ey Rob...I was going to ask if you could post a piccy of her when poss!

She looks a real cuty fellah, you must be very proud... takes me back, and almost brings a tear to my eyes.

Wow Rob, what a sweetie, love the hat

Takes after her mother...though it's been a while since I've had to clear up her sick...

Certainly is a wonderful experience...

Rob.

Just waiting for Marc's magic disc now, to sweep this hardrive (?) clear.

I've just had to switch this thing off at the plug :eek: as it seemed to jam up again...flickering screen like a strobe, pressed every button but to no avail

I'm wondering if I've accidentaly erased my firewall you know. Sure their used to be an icon at the bottom right hand corner to that effect :confused:

It ain't there now, that's a dead cert.

Could this be the root of all my troubles p'raps? Funny though how the kids sites don't seem to suffer from all these pop ups, ad's and jamming. :confused:

I'm wondering if I've accidentaly erased my firewall you know. Sure their used to be an icon at the bottom right hand corner to that effect :confused:

It ain't there now' date=' that's a dead cert.

Could this be the root of all my troubles p'raps? Funny though how the kids sites don't seem to suffer from all these pop ups, ad's and jamming. :confused:[/quote']

XP does have an inbuilt firewall - it's not great, but it's better than nothing.

This website has a step-by-step on how to set it up (or check if it is actually enabled).

Do you all have separate logins to the machine? As in, when you turn it on, is there a login for "CJ", "CJ Junior", etc.? Or does it just go straight into XP? If you have separate logins, then it sounds like you may have some spyware or other on some software on your login, but it hasn't infected the other user accounts. If you all use one login, then it's a bit strange... :rubchin:

IMHO, best firewall you can have is a hardware one, as it means that nothing that shouldn't get to your machine will.

If your broadband modem has a network output, it makes things a bit easier.

SMC do a network card with a built-in firewall which sits inside the machine - these are about a tenner, and you just plug the modem into the card.

The other option is a router with a built-in firewall, which have dropped to around the

All this information about computers, especially networking/broadband etc can be daunting.

To go back to scrutineers example of the house analogy.

Imagine your computer is your house. There are a number of ways into your house, mainly the front door, but Harry the hacker likes to use the upstairs bathroom window. So how do you stop Harry? As mentioned earlier a firewall adds extra protection to your property. Like putting up a large 10ft chain link fence with a coded keypad on the front gate.

But not all firewalls all the same. The best one to go for is one with what is called SPI, or Stateful Packet Inspection. Which is basically a way of saying that the firewall is making sure that the conversation the two computers are having is kosher.

For example. Imagine you want a pizza (web page) you ring the pizza place (web address). Your firewall reads all the bits of information you send out and puts its together in a conversation. The pizza place gets your request and sends the pizza man with your pizza. But because you rang the pizza man your firewall knows he is having a legitamate transaction with you so lets him through your front gate (firewall). So if Harry the hacker tries to get through your gate, because he is not having a legitamate conversation with you it blocks him out.

However, if you open an e-mail that has a trojan type virus (ie one that contains backdoor programs etc). The backdoor program installs on your computer, and then your computer initiates a conversation with Harry's computer and your firewall willl probably let the information through. Because your computer started the conversation!

This all depends upon the type of firewall you have. But the point of this rambling is that vigilance is also required on the users part. Just opening e-mail attachments because they appear to be from people you know is now like walking a field with a few land mines thrown in. Most of the time you are fine. It is from some one you know. But just occasionally BOOM!

A little mild paranoia whilst dealing with the internet is the best advice I can give. A bit like driving. Don't stop driving because you are scared some one is going to crash into you. But at the same time don't drive like a muppet and ignore all the signs!!! Be aware.

Hope I have shed a lilttle light on the subject.

HP aka Analogies R Us

Latest problem...switch on...desktop blank..no icons to click onto, just the background picture. Switch off and back on again, and after 2 or 3 attempts they'll finally show up.

What's that all about then? :confused:

Latest problem...switch on...desktop blank..no icons to click onto' date=' just the background picture. Switch off and back on again, and after 2 or 3 attempts they'll finally show up.

What's that all about then? :confused:[/quote']

It's slowly being eaten away from the inside by a swarm of bugs.

It'll be fine this time next week.

Me

6 and 2 3's as far as security goes.

Firewall's will stop (in most cases) external intruders from gaining remote access to your machine directly - as long as the firewall's setup properly. However, if you download/obtain from CD something which contains "vandalisation" software (ie. viruses etc) and inadvertently install it, chances are, a firewall won't help you, since by now, the software's already on your PC and causing whatever damage it's designed to inflict. If you have antivirus software, the risks of this should be limited.

Basically, it's not just a case of saying "...I'd get a firewall before I'd get antivirus..." - any secure system MUST have a combination of one or more of these.

50 servers, 1700 PCs spread over 4 campuses with 20000+ students and staff and not one single security breach in the last 3 years since it's inception? That's us!

Basically, it's not just a case of saying "...I'd get a firewall before I'd get antivirus..." - any secure system MUST have a combination of one or more of these.

If you get a firewall you can stop other people attacking your machine - then all you have to worry about is if *you* put any viruses on the system. So I'd still maintain that a firewall is more important than anti-virus software.

Rob.

If you get a firewall you can stop other people attacking your machine - then all you have to worry about is if *you* put any viruses on the system. So I'd still maintain that a firewall is more important than anti-virus software.

Rob.

What I'm saying is that antivirus software is AS important as firewall software. If you catch a virus which can detect your firewall and negate it, you're screwed. Alternatively, if you don't have a firewall, you open yourself up to attack.

Those of us who know about this type of thing shouldn't be giving those who don't the idea that you can have one and do without the other. ANY good security system should have AT LEAST one firewall AND AT LEAST one decent antivirus package (the more obscure, the better)...

That's a point...just how many anti virus thingy's can you have?

I've got 3 at present and run them nearly every day...they keep finding the same old tripe too.

As for the firewall that I DID have, I really don't know where it's gone. Probably just looked at me and scarppered. :eek:

Doesn't really matter for now though as Andy is coming up here next week to help re-format me!

That's a point...just how many anti virus thingy's can you have?

I've got 3 at present and run them nearly every day...they keep finding the same old tripe too.

As for the firewall that I DID have' date=' I really don't know where it's gone. Probably just looked at me and scarppered. :eek:

Doesn't really matter for now though as Andy is coming up here next week to help re-format me! [/quote']

It'll be fine next week. Nice AV and firewall too.

No Russian birds though.

That's a point...just how many anti virus thingy's can you have?

I've got 3 at present and run them nearly every day...they keep finding the same old tripe too.

As for the firewall that I DID have' date=' I really don't know where it's gone. Probably just looked at me and scarppered. :eek:

Doesn't really matter for now though as Andy is coming up here next week to help re-format me! [/quote']

Colin, how many of your anti-virus proggys are running in the background (ie all the time) at any one time? You should really only have one running in the background because they can and will conflict with each other. You can have more than one, if the extra ones are on-demand only (ie they only run when you choose to and dont check all the time)

I would consider a firewall as important as AV myself,BTW.

My software :

Sygate personal free firewall

Nod32 anti-virus

Process Guard

Reg Protector

Wormguard

TDS3 (anti-trojan and only run on-demand)

Think there's only one..webroot spy sweeper..keeps popping messages up telling me that some dodgy thing is trying to get in, it's high risk and do I want it blocking?Always say yes please.

Think there's only one..webroot spy sweeper..keeps popping messages up telling me that some dodgy thing is trying to get in, it's high risk and do I want it blocking?Always say yes please.

I wouldnt class that as anti-virus, more anti-spyware which you could clean away with a decent cache/temp files wiping proggy. I use Tracks Eraser Pro, but there are other frees ones around which do an adequate job.

Of course, Adaware SE and Spybot SnD do a very good job as regards the anti-spyware thing being more focused on that area.

What I'm saying is that antivirus software is AS important as firewall software. If you catch a virus which can detect your firewall and negate it, you're screwed. Alternatively, if you don't have a firewall, you open yourself up to attack.

We are both talking about hardware firewalls aren't we?

Pretty sure a virus would struggle to do anything to a hardware firewall, but if we're talking a software firewall then yes, I'd agree. Personally I think software firewalls are a bit pointless for this reason, but some people seem to like them!

Rob.

Hardware, software. It's all the same, really (well, not quite!) A hardware firewall would almost be as easy as a software firewall to break, once you're behind it, especially if it's a

...come on lads..give us humpty dumpty's a chance...let's talk simple ey!

:

You two are forgetting what I said on post one!

What's all this hard and software that you're talking about? :confused: What's the difference?

You two are forgetting what I said on post one!

What's all this hard and software that you're talking about? :confused: What's the difference?

When I sort out your electric shed evrything in your world of electric shedom will work and cause no issues.

Is that simple enough

You two are forgetting what I said on post one!

What's all this hard and software that you're talking about? :confused: What's the difference?

Hardware is stuff you can kick A software firewall is a program you run on your computer, eg under Windows, which will manage stuff coming into the box. My hardware firewall is part of my ADSL router (the black box which sits between my computers and the rest of the world) which means that it is a better solution at minimising specific attacks on my computers.

Chris

When I sort out your electric shed evrything in your world of electric shedom will work and cause no issues.

Is that simple enough

NO! That's like not telling me what's wrong with the car...i.e. without explaining to me what caused the problem, how it was fixed, and how to prevent it happening again.

I have to learn if I'm to stand any chance of defeating these obstacles.Don't just want a pat on my head and to be told... there there C.J., it's better now, don't worry about it.

Going off in a grump now to have my wheels RE balanced.

NO! That's like not telling me what's wrong with the car...i.e. without explaining to me what caused the problem' date=' how it was fixed, and how to prevent it happening again.

I have to learn if I'm to stand any chance of defeating these obstacles.Don't just want a pat on my head and to be told... there there C.J., it's better now, don't worry about it.

Going off in a grump now to have my wheels RE balanced. [/quote']

I shall talk you through it all next week.

Make sure they balance you mentally too