Do I need a firewall?

Doi I need a firewall?

Hi All!

I noticed that my desktop in 98SE is always plagued with virus in its dialer, but not in my laptop in XP.

The former has no firewall but the latter has built-in activated. Do I need a firewall for my 98SE then?

The occurence of the viruses was already two in a row, a week apart only from each other.

Toast

 

Hi Toast

How are you connected to the Internet?

If broadband using a cable or dsl modem only and no router. YES!

If you do have a router it is not a firewall (as opposed to a dedicated hardware firewall) but by the very nature of what it does it is a natural firewall.

Some routers have some firewall features built in addition. Then some have full hardware firewalls.

A firewall only indirectly protects you from Viri. You see a firewall is basically a guard at the door to keep out the uninvited. So it is protecting you from being hacked from the outside world. A firewall will not protect you from what you invite in. But in most cases it should warn you.

So now we come to the situation you have now. Something is on your computer and wants to phone home and possibly invite some friends over. So here we have the invite from behind the firewall. Same thing as you doing the invite.

If you have no router and are hooked to broadband a Firewall is imperative.

I recommend a good fast and efficient 2-way software firewall, even if you do have a router. This way you will also be warned by something that did get by and is now trying to get out, of course it may catch something that did get by the router.

Here are my recommendations:
Kerio http://www.kerio.com/kerio.html

And I use Zonealarm actually version 2.6 since I had problems with the early 3.0 version and the 3.x versions got much bigger and more sluggish. Additionally there are still some reports of problems with 3.0.

ZoneAlarm 2.6 http://download.com.com/3001-2092-8034258.html?legacy=cnet

My scope on things, I am sure you will get plenty of info and advice from others.

Finally the Dialer you mentioned is not a Virus but so called Spy/Adware. These need to be cleaned by SpyBot.

Have a good day. I Toast to you in your efforts! Smile!

Mike

 

Hello Toast,

Here is the link to the ZA forums http://forums.zonelabs.com/zonelabs If you're going to use ZA, the link to the latest version will be there.

Link to the Sygate forums http://forums.sygatetech.com/vb/

SpyBot download http://spybot.safer-networking.de/

If still having problems with the dialer go here for tools and advice
http://www.spywareinfo.com/yabbse/

Regards - Charles

EDIT: Forgot to write about the dialer. You got the dialer because of Browser settings, not a Firewall issue. Did you take the Dialer test lower in this thread? Look here http://www.windows-help.net/features/surf-safe.html on info for security settings.

 

Mike, I'm using a dial up prepaid account for my desktop 98SE. My laptop, loaded with XP, isn't experiencing the problem I just described. Charles, I'll see what happens from your advise.

Thanks again to you, guys! I have already copied your inputs in a specioal doc for future reference -- THANKS A LOT! As I write, the dialer is clean, no viruses so far...

....Toast!

 

I think a little clarification is in order here.

Virus and Firewall do not go together. A firewall wil not stop a Virus.

Anti-Virus software is used for Virus protecetion.

The former( desktop ) looks like it may not have good Virus protection. The latter ( laptop ) apparently does.

BillyBob

 

BillyBob

Hi! I understand your point clearly. But let's also not forget: I use the same (exactly) anti-virus for both. I am quite happy with AVG.


Toast

 

Unless I missed it I saw no mention of this in a previous reply.

It appeared to me as though you thought the Firewall should block the Virus. Which it won't since I Virus can get in through connections that you do allow ( as mentioned by mflynn )such as the Internet and/or e-mail. I believe the latter being the worst.

Is there a possibility of different settings ? In either AVG or the Browser as mentioned by charlesvar ?

BillyBob

 

In re-reading toast's initial post, the "dialer" seems to be the ISP. In that case, it probably is a virus issue.

Like BillyBob, I get the impression that toast is confusing an AV's function with that of a Firewall.

"Is there a possibility of different settings ? In either AVG "

BillyBob, that may be it; may not be set for E-mail protection.

Regards - Charles

 

Okay, Guys!

I'm sorry if my initial story was a bit hazy for some of you, so let me recount the situation:

The virus my desktop PC detectd twice (in a span of three weeks at a week interval) was detected after the AVG booting scan. My unit operstes in 98SE.

The same problem has never existed in my laptop (running on XP Pro).


I am not implying that the problem lies in the AVG setting since it is the same for both. Neither am I suggesting that the solution is the installation of a firewall in my desktop (my laptop has a built-in firewall).

There you go...the long and short of it.

Now toast me!

 

Now, since it is possible for AVG to miss something, I suggest running the free online housecall just to get a second opinion. I do and have had housecall pickup on things that other AV [antivirus] programs missed.

Then run spybot and then there is AdAware that may pickup on what spybot misses.

For a software fire wall I use ZA version 2.6 from here as it renames some exe and other formats that can be harmful. The only version of the free one that did just that.

Then I use Script Sentry also
I have seen the time where it took ZA, script sentry and my AV to stop whatever it was that I got off of a webpage.
My 2¢

Yes, I have been hit through my router and ZA stopped them cold. About 4X in the last year that happened.

 

Well I guess it is time to put down the Colf 45 and and come out with the heavy duty artillery.

OK. Lets take a closer look at what is going on.

Problem:
Things are not getting into the machine with a Firewall. But they are getting into the one with no firewall.

Are your AV deffinitions up to Date on the Desktop.

You say the Laptop is running XP Pro and has the built in Firewall in service.

Now that is blocking incoming attempts only. It does not block out going with which we may not need to be concerned with right now. But what is allow to go out can allow something to get carried back in.

If I read correctly the Desktop has no firewall at all and therefore nothing is being blocked either way..

Therefore something is being allowed to get into the Desltop that is being blocked by the XP Firewall.

The solution ( or attempt at ) is as plain as the nose on your face.

Do not suggest putting a Firewall on the DESKTOP.

I suggest that you DO IT or you WILL continue to get hammered. And if someone should find that they can get to your desktop they can get more into ( and out of ) than just that Virus.

Kerio is a VERY good one to try.

Us folks here and only make suggestions and give you Ideas. If you do not at least make and attempt to use them then we can do no more.

In order for us to help we need to know.

The OS
What you are using for AV or Firewall ( if any ). We do not have your machine sitting right here in front of us. YOU need to tell us.

So therefore your first line of your last reply does not sit too well on a Sunday Morning.

You asked " Do I need a Firewall " I believe all that have answered here say " YES ". And unless you have tired and not said so or you do not believe us one or the other.

So. Have a nice day and get a firewall on the desktop to at lest test to see if the problem goes away. I do not believe we can do much more unitl you at least try.

BillyBob

 

I did not see the reply by Train As we must have been writing at the same time

But, as he stated in may take a COMBINATION of AV and A Firewall to catch somethings.

BillyBob

 

10-4 to absolutely everything you said Train.

Gives me an excuse to remind, rant to everyone about these items you mention!

In fact I thought I was the only one who stuck with ZA 2.6 for this reason, and also of course because it is more stable smaller and leaner than the 30 versions.

I always, and have here, on this BBS recommended an online scan no matter what Virus scanner you use.

For 2 reasons, first, for second opinion and this is important after your scanner does find and fix, delete or quarantine something or not. But even if it does not, occasionally do it just to keep you installed Scanner honest. Smile!

And second, in case of a hit by one of the newer breed that can disable your installed virus scanner. Some of these will be obvious as you will no longer be able to see it in the system tray or run it properly.

But some can disable it and make it look like it is working, but it is not.

I have experience with this because one of my clients had at hit from one of these and the online and AVG found them when an up to date MaAfee ran like normal and did not.

Same here on SpyBot and AdAware. AdAware has slipped to my second choice/recommendation for sure and I am close to dropping it.

Because for some time now it cannot find anything at all after a SpyBot run. And since I do this for a living I have the chance to run both of these on many computers and often as a test I will run AdAware first then SpyBot and SpyBot always finds something AdAware misses.

I also use script protection. I use ScripTrap.

Here is a good thread on this very thing: http://windowsbbs.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=18814&perpage=15&pagenumber=1

Mike

 

Another strong point by mflynn

We can not ( or at least should not ) depend on just one piece of software to to everything.

I run an online scan at least once a week whether I need it or not. And I do not always use the same online scanner.

And that is done on both 98SE and XP Pro.

BillyBob

 

Oh! Lol!

Forgot!

Toast! I repeat. A Dialer falls under the category of Spy/Aware not a virus. Use SpyBot to eradicate it.

I repeat also you do need a good 2 way firewall the XP firewall is not 2 way.

It will give you much more protection. Look at it like this. The router is like a fence around your home, keeps out dogs and kids but not a thief with a ladder. The software firewall is like a security guard at the house to catch the thief that did get over the fence.

That said remember that neither the router nor the firewall will protect you from what you do invite in. You are opening the gate and telling the security guard to let them in.

Mike

 

Lots of us still us the older 2.6 version. More than most folks would think mflynn

 

Many older versions of software work better ( or more to our liking ) than the newer versions.

BB

 

Many older versions of people too! Like you, but I may be an exception! Smile!

Mike

 

LOL

OH how true.

But, an older verison of me and new version of software have come ( or are coming ) to an understanding. We gotta comprimise.

And XP is doing it fairly well.

BB

 

10-4 guys! I copy your posts. I read you loud and clear...will keep you posted. Thanks!

Toast