Do I need it ?

This is only my second post & I want to start out by saying that this is a wonderful board.

I have only been into the computer thing for a couple of months now,but I have learned a lot.

My question is.....is it completely necessary to have an anti-virus program & a firewall ?

I only use my PC for going to a few message boards only dealing with drag racing.I never have any important things on my PC,such as credit card numbers,bank account numbers,etc.etc. etc.I always turn my cable modem off at night when not in use.

So would it be necessary to run a firewall ?

For the anti-virus program.....why do I need one if I'm not that concerned with losing any info I have on my PC,since I have nothing that is real important on it.
If I ever developed a virus,why could I not just run the 5 restore disk on it & just restore my PC back to new condition & get rid of the virus.

Do I really need the anti-virus program ?

I have a Compaq PC that was bought in December of 2002,using a cable modem through Charter Communications, & Windows XP.

I dont know what Internet Explorer I am running,whether it 5,6 or whatever,I don't know how to get that info on anything dealing with a PC.

My PC came with a Norton's anti-virus program,but I have never used it nor registered it & I don't know if it is just good for a certain amount of time.
I have been told that Windows XP came with a firewall program,but I have no clue into how to find it & don't really see any sense in having it anyway.

My brother usually does all of my problem solving,but he has never had a firewall or a anti-virus program & he has been using a PC since 1998 & never had a problem & I have a few friends that also don't use any programs dealing with anti-virus or firewalls.

I am all new at this game, so I am not familiar with abbreviations or a lot of PC talk,it is all foreign to me,but I am learning.
I will try my best to answer any questions that need to be answered about my PC,so just ask.

Any help on these 2 matters would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks again for providing such a great board.

 

Yes.

Yes

Cause it's a royal pain.

Yes.

Open your browser.... go up to help......then click on about. It should tell you what version you are running.

You could try using the free anti-virus from Grisoft


Daizy

 

Drag Racer7272,

Welcome to the board! Basically, it's a matter of personal preference. With what you have said, I see no reason to have anti-virus installed. The firewall in your XP system is good enough, as far as I'm concerned. If you do not use email or do alot of downloading, anti-virus probably isn't much use either.

You say your system came with Norton's. That is probably a 90 day trail. That is the way my Dell came. If you get more into using the computer, I would recommend that you get Norton's anti-virus.

If you were to get a virus, just reloading your software may not always work. Sometimes, you will have to remove the virus then reload. You could always go to Norton's site and use their online scanning program if you think you've been infected. Here is that web page, for future reference.

Hope that helps alittle!

Mike

 

absolute bottom line, if that is what you are prepared to do, willing to do and able to do, not if but when your system gets infected with a nasty, then i would have to say that you do not need an AV, AT or FW.

otoh, if you wish to be proactive, and prevent these ugly occurrences, then you need all three. big time!

most crackers/hackers are not after that stuff anyway. most of them either just want to plant their cyber flag in your, uh, machine, or they want to use your hd storage, or they want to turn your machine into a zombie from which they can launch denial of service attacks on other unprotected users like yourself. if you are not familiar with this, you might spend some time reading up on it.

yet another reason for procurring the above mentioned security programs is a sense of duty and obligation to your fellow pc users. do you think it is neighborly of you to fail to secure your sytem, thus allowing it to become infected and hence, everyone else's system who comes into contact with you via email?

your brother is going to be at an extreme loss and severe disadvantage, then, when you call on him to help you out of the king-sized jam you are going to find yourself in. and as for your friends who don't use AV's or FW's, somebody better call hollywood cause they'll make a movie out of this.... they might even coax jerry lewis out of retirement to star in it! <vbg>

hey, on a more serious note, i like to tell people, just because you have never been in a head-on collision in your car, do you think you're safe driving around without airbags?

think about it

and i hth



mark

 

Agree with Mr Mark

I think folks have the responsibility of not allowing their computers to be used to spread virii, trojans, ****, and various and sundry other nasties.

Before you have fixed your computer, you may have infected everyone in your address book. You may end up on the blocked email list of all your friends who got your little present.

As soon as you upgrade your OS, Programs, Drivers, etc., your recovery disks are obsolete and there you sit with a 5 disk coaster.

 

Drag Racer7272 - let me turn this around a little. Considering that good AntiVirus software (AVG) is available for free, why not protect yourself?

Even assuming you have exactly the disk needed to put your system back to right where it is now with any personalization you've done and any apps you've gotten (and it doesn't sound like you have that), why go thru the hassle?

Also, there is at least one virus out there that will actually ruin your BIOS chip (required for the PC to run) and several that hide in a very protected part of your hard drive so that a format and reload won't get rid of them.

I do agree that the firewall you have with your OS is fine for the type of use your PC gets. If it is turned on and set up correctly.

So - even if you don't mind infecting your unprotected friends, why put yourself at risk of wasting a day or so at best and having to get a new BIOS chip at worst?

 

I have only been into the computer thing for a couple of months now,but I have learned a lot.

When its been about a year, and the surfing, emails, downloaded good programs, and everything crashes. You will regret not protecting yourself.

 

Anti-virus in use....Thanks

Thanks to all of you that have helped me out with my question.

Being that I already have the "free" Norton's anti-virus program,there is no reason not to go ahead & use it.I am now using it.

As far as spreading a virus to any friends,that's nothing to worry about,because I hardly ever use any e-mail.The only time I use email is whenever I register on a message board.

I pretty much only use my PC for surfing & I always turn off my modem when not in use,so I will not worry about a firewall.

Thanks again for the suggestions,this is really a terrific board.

 

This does not prevent hackers from committing their larceny with your computer while you are actively online.

Cable & DSL users especially should consider a hardware Firewall. Those are better at keeping hackers out of your computer if they detect your computer with a port scanner.

A good software Firewall makes you invisable to hacker scanners when they are looking for easy prey. If they don't detect your presence, then you will not be easy prey.

A software Firewall can prevent such an installed program from calling out of your computer too. Helping to keep your computer from being used for unscrupulous purposes if in fact someone did manage to install one on your system.

I will not berate you for thinking the way you do, but I know from experience, & the experiences of other people I am acquainted with, that not having at least a good Anti-Virus & a good Software Firewall is just not kosher, even if you do think you don't need it.

At least you took the advice about the Anti-Virus. That's a step in the right direction.

 

One more question....Please !

OK,I registered & installed my free Norton's anti-virus program about 3-4 days ago.

It did full scan on everything & didn't find any virus out of maybe 50,000+++differant files ETC.

It seems like my downloads are faster, now that I am running the anti-virus.

My question now is, How do I find out if my PC already has a firewall that came in it ???
I was told by a PC guru that Windows XP came with a firewall.This person bought a new Compaq PC,just like mine W/Windows XP & he has a firewall.I have only talked with this person one time,so he couldn't tell me how to get it.

If I have this firewall,I will do what it takes to install it & start using it.

I had to quit my job back in July 2002 because of a chronic back problem,so I am not in the shape to go out & "buy" a firewall program,if I already have one.

I hope that someone can help me with this info. & thanks for all of the previous help & advice.

 

Drag Racer7272,

As I am not familiar with Windows XP, I do not know how to activate the built in Firewall, or tell you how to find out if it is already running or not.

I have heard that the built in one is not that good, & can be de-activated, but don't know how to do that either.

Someone else may decide to answer those for you.

At any rate, here are links to where you can download the one of your choice of either Sygate free, or Zone Alarm free, but I would make sure the built in one is not activated & running before installing one fo these.

For Sygate: http://www.simtel.net/pub/dl/53687.html

For Zone Alarm: http://downloads-zdnet.com.com/3000-2092-10189086.html?tag=lst-0-11

There are some features that are left off of the free versions, but the free versions are quite adequate for most users, because the extra features on the pay versions are mainly frivolous bloating of a basically good program.

Personally, I prefer Sygate, but some of it's "critical" settings are more difficult to find & configure than Zone Alarm's are.

In either Firewall the pop up warnings for "incoming" traffic to your computer can be stopped from popping up, and believe me you will want to do that, because it will become very annoying. However, you cannot prevent the pop-up warnings for outgoing attempts by programs, & here you will want the pop-up's so that you can decide to permanently allow, or block them. Even set them to ask each time, if it is one you do use , but do not use very often. Once one has been permanently allowed, or permanently blocked for permission to access the Internet, the pop-up asking for permission will not pop up anymore. Only on ones that have been told to ask every time.

Just remember when using a Firewall, that when a program on your computer that you don't know what it is, asks for permission to access the Internet, check the box that says remember my Answer next time & click NO. That permanently blocks it. For programs that you know for sure what they are, such as Outlook Express, & Internet Explorer, check remember my Answer next time & click yes. Say NO to any program that you have not personally activated yourself by clicking on it.

Windows Explorer tries to connect a lot, & it does not need to connect for anything. So don't let it.

Don't give server rights to any programs. Not even Outlook Express & Internet Explorer. Very few programs need server rights in order to work properly, so in Zone Alarm when one asks for server rights, check remember my answer & say NO. Allowing server rights opens ports on your computer. Open ports are vulnerable ports, & can be easily found by a scanner.

On Sygate, I have never had one to ask for Server rights, & that made me curious as to why, so I went in, & found the settings for that & de-activated Server rights on each program in the list. Sygate gives programs server rights by default. Zone Alarm does not. Zone Alarm makes them ask.

I hope I didn't get carried away too much here. I tend to do that sometimes.

Good Luck.

 

To see/activate XP's ICF (the firewall):

Open Network Connections in the Control Panel.

Right-click the connection you want to firewall and choose Properties from the shortcut menu.

Click the advanced tab.

On the advanced tab select Protect My Computer And Network By limiting Or preventing Access to this Computer from the Internet.


As someone mentioned, ICF only blocks inbound, and therefore as a firewall is only doing half the job.

Regards - Charles

 

Drag Racer7272

Have a look at this thread about firewalls.

 

That is a good thread link about Firewalls, Bmoore1129. It gives Drag Racer more choices to consider. All the Firewalls named are good Firewalls. It just depends on your preference. If you are a novice, the simpler ones to configure, & set up should be a consideration. For more knowledgeable persons, the more complicated they are, the better most people like them, because they can set up their own rules in addition to the defaults.

The probable reason that XP's firewall only does half the job is because M$ wants XP to be able to call out, & report home anytime it feels like it without you knowing anything about it, while you are sitting there thinking that you are being fully protected, but if XP can call out, so can lots of other Spyware that has been unobtrusively installed on a computer by malicious web sites, e-mails, & etc. Few people realize it, but even Windows 98 has call home applications on it. Applications that report some of your computing activities. XP probably has even more of them from what I've read. Now I know there will be some that says it don't, but it is logical to deduce that if 98 has them, XP has them, & even more of them.

If I had XP, I would definitely disable it's Firewall & use another one. No doubt about it!

Not having "at least" a real good Anti-Virus, kept up to date on definitions, & a good Firewall, is eventual, enevitable computer suicide! Most of us also have a Trojan finding program as well, plus free pop-up stoppers, free Spyware hunters & etc. However, I don't know of any free Trojan finders that are good ones. Have read though that some of the Free Trojan finders are themselves either Trojans, or spyware, so there again, you have to be diligent in your choices.

It's a dog eat dog world, even in Cyberspace.

 

Hello Deloris,

If you want info on various Spyware or Trojan removal tools, go to these sites which comprise the Security Community.

http://www.wilderssecurity.com/index.php

http://www.lurkhere.com/forum600.html

http://www.spywareinfo.com/yabbse/

Regards - Charles