avoiding having a zombie pc

PrimalTherapy

Setting up an old laptop with minimum security cos its very slow. Going to be on the net but not able to communicate with my other pcs. But do not want it being used as zombie to spam or infect others.

Am i right that if no email program is used and no addres book installed it cannot be used to send or forward spam? I will have one account i log into thru yahoo interface.

Also what about worms? using Firefox browser andthe windows xp sp3 firewall. Behind a firewalled router too, the nwg 2247 from eircom

Just have NAV 2010 win xp sp3 firewall and spywareblaster on it. Might get an on demand scanner or two to keep it clean but do not want them running all the time

If anyone knows anything i am missing please post


TIA

PogMoThoin

http://www.ubuntu.com/

Bob_Harris

Install Avast or Avira and disable real time scanning.

Every time you download a file with Firefox 3+ it automatically passes it to the installed anti-virus to be scanned.

If you are getting files from other sources you can right click and perform an on demand scan if you don't fully trust the source.

Turn off "Hide file extensions" in XP as so you won't be fooled by what you think is an mp3 but is actually a .exe

If you are using yahoo web-mail then no need to worry about address book or mail clients getting infected.

Overall don't worry to much about getting infected. Despite the scaremongering that goes on with viruses and malware it's actually pretty easy to avoid it all, even without security software. Unless of course you're an idiot :pac:

MunsterCycling

PrimalTherapy wrote: »

snip

Am i right that if no email program is used and no address book installed it cannot be used to send or forward spam? I will have one account i log into thru yahoo interface.

snip

No, it all depends if the OS has had its vulnerabilities patched, best to do as suggested and run a linux OS as they are almost bullet proof and not targeted by script-kiddies.

PrimalTherapy

MunsterCycling wrote: »

No, it all depends if the OS has had its vulnerabilities patched, best to do as suggested and run a linux OS as they are almost bullet proof and not targeted by script-kiddies.

linux out just did refresh install of xp. Where in the os does it get email addresses

aidan_walsh

Am i right that if no email program is used and no address book installed it cannot be used to send or forward spam?

No. Lots of malwares include their own capability to send mail and can get the addresses from other machines. All they are interested in is your internet connection.

PrimalTherapy

aidan_walsh wrote: »

No. Lots of malwares include their own capability to send mail and can get the addresses from other machines. All they are interested in is your internet connection.

Oh i see, firewall that blocks outgoing then? currently have the windows chocolate :)firewall. And I am behind a firewalled router? Thanks

the_syco

PrimalTherapy wrote: »

Setting up an old laptop with minimum security cos its very slow.
<snip>
Behind a firewalled router too, the nwg 2247 from eircom
<snip>
Just have NAV 2010 win xp sp3 firewall and spywareblaster on it. Might get an on demand scanner or two to keep it clean but do not want them running all the time

NAV 2010 = Norton Anti-Virus 2010 ? If so, don't have any other AV software on it, or it'll be prone to bluescreens and random crashes. Or, and a very slow machine.

As for the 2247NWG, meh. The firewall does not seem to be any good.

PrimalTherapy

the_syco wrote: »

NAV 2010 = Norton Anti-Virus 2010 ? If so, don't have any other AV software on it, or it'll be prone to bluescreens and random crashes. Or, and a very slow machine.

nonsense have nav2010 on 2 other pcs and no bluescreens/not slow. No one should have 2 av's. Please don't start with the use avast/avg/avira. Happy with nav 2010

the_syco

PrimalTherapy wrote: »

nonsense have nav2010 on 2 other pcs and no bluescreens/not slow. No one should have 2 av's. Please don't start with the use avast/avg/avira. Happy with nav 2010

Try rereading what I said, will you? I said

If so, don't have any other AV software on it, or it'll be prone to bluescreens and random crashes

As you said

PrimalTherapy wrote: »

Might get an on demand scanner or two to keep it clean but do not want them running all the time

From experience (of working on a 10 year old laptop with 256MB RAM, with NAV), NAV doesn't always like other scanners running at the same time as it runs, as the can conflict for resources, and crash, if there are not enough resources for both of to run simultaneously. You don't list the specs of this "slow" machine, so unable to tell if it does or not.

Finally, do be aware that NAV is great for anti-virus, but will not warn of legit legal malware. Something free like a bi-monthly scan or ad-aware in safe mode usually sorts this out, though. Remember: most malware is legit, and thus NAV won't see it as a virus.

MunsterCycling

** Remember NAV is a piece of junk software **

PrimalTherapy

the_syco wrote: »

Try rereading what I said, will you? I said

As you said

From experience (of working on a 10 year old laptop with 256MB RAM, with NAV), NAV doesn't always like other scanners running at the same time as it runs, as the can conflict for resources, and crash, if there are not enough resources for both of to run simultaneously. You don't list the specs of this "slow" machine, so unable to tell if it does or not.

Finally, do be aware that NAV is great for anti-virus, but will not warn of legit legal malware. Something free like a bi-monthly scan or ad-aware in safe mode usually sorts this out, though. Remember: most malware is legit, and thus NAV won't see it as a virus.

meant as AS scanner on demand like Spybot or Malwarebytes. NAV is great. Can't stand that avg/avast/or that silly avira with the stupid umbrella logo. worse than the windows chocolate firewall:)

the_syco

PrimalTherapy wrote: »

worse than the windows chocolate firewall:)

Agreed. But as I've said a few times, ensure you have enough RAM. Once you have 512MB or more, you should be okay.

Also, get one that can be ran in safe-mode, as a few of them hide behind legit processes, and thus make it harder to get rid of them.

Teutorix

Ive been using my computer for the guts of the last 5 years and the worst thing ive gotten unknowingly is some tracker cookies, I have gotton major viri but i knew i would because i was aware of the sites i was visiting. If you are safe about what sites you use you should never have much virus trouble.

Disabling real time scanning (which i do on all my computers anyway) is a great way to keep performance up, just scan your computer regularly when not using it.