Thanks, Damon. I will definitely check this out. Your explanation of doors
and windows wonderfully clear - I'm just not sure I would know what a "bad"
piece of programming would look like. But just finding out where my computer's
'weaknesses' are is a great start.
Cathy Grimes
----- Original Message -----
From: Gray, Damon
To: RBASE-L Mailing List
Sent: Thursday, April 23, 2009 8:37 AM
Subject: [RBASE-L] - Re: Security Programs
Cathy,
In addition to the excellent feedback you've received from others here, I'll
offer a couple of tidbits for your consideration.
1.. Gibson Research Corporation will do a probe of your machine and let you
know what "ports" are open on your machine. In the best scenario, the report
will come back all green and say essentially, "I can't even tell you're
online." Think of ports as doors and windows into your computer. Every piece
of visiting data has to enter through one of these doors or windows, and there
are thousands of them. What differentiates a computer port from a door or
window is that ports must "respond" when they are probed in order for the
probing computer to know they exist. By default, most ports closed, or in
"stealth" mode, and to allow traffic in and out, you must force them open. Go
to https://www.grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2 , click the "proceed" button and let
GRC do a probe of your box. This is a highly reputable company, and I
completely trust them. It is a free service they provide, and there is no
danger to you in using their service. They will tell you exactly what is open
and closed on your computer. There is also some excellent information on
protecting yourself.
2.. Some of the better known free antivirus products.
1.. You've already seen Avast.
2.. ClamWin Antivirus - will run on 64bit windows and 2003 server
3.. AVG Free - one of the more widely used free antivirus solutions.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of cfgrimes
Sent: Thursday, April 23, 2009 3:58 AM
To: RBASE-L Mailing List
Subject: [RBASE-L] - Re: Security Programs
Though I have not had the problem below (at least not to my knowledge), I
would love to get all your advice on the best protection programs for
anti-virus, anti-spyware/malware, firewall, etc. so I have the best chance of
avoiding future problems.
I am a single user and am hoping there are some good free (or not too
expensive annual fee) programs that will protect me. I have Windows XP
Professional on new computer purchased a few months ago. At that time, my
Windows/drivers were updated by paid tech guy. But I am not getting any
additional Windows updates as every single time I have done this in the past,
it has completely wrecked my computer (and several other friends have had same
experience - HATE Microsoft weaknesses).
Anyway, I am currently using only Windows firewall (have router), which I
don't really know how to configure. Used to have Norton - HATE Norton as
caused more hassle/problems than helped, so didn't reinstall in new computer.
I also have Avast! Anti-virus, Spybot, Spywareblaster, and Malwarebyte's
anti-malware (all free programs - but, again, I really don't know enough to use
them other than with their defaults). I also use Tune-Up Utilities and
Ultimate Troubleshooter to clean up and check what is running. I have Privacy
Control, but newest version of that continually removes all my passwords from
email, and they don't know how to fix that, so will probably remove as I don't
remember my passwords and have to use Restore to get them back (as I did with
another of their programs, DriverControl, which totally messed up my printer
drivers and couldn't fix after tons of emails to them and 8+ hours on
phone/email with Hewlett Packard - Restore didn't help there).
Will the programs I'm using keep me safe enough? Are there others any of you
would recommend? Hope this is an ok question to ask this group.
Cathy Grimes
Huntington Beach, Calif
----- Original Message -----
From: Emmitt Dove
To: RBASE-L Mailing List
Sent: Wednesday, April 22, 2009 5:04 PM
Subject: [RBASE-L] - RE: OT - no DOS box - FIXED
Your anti-malware program let something through. You need better
protection.
Emmitt Dove
Manager, Converting Applications Development
Evergreen Packaging, Inc.
[email protected]
(203) 214-5683 m
(203) 643-8022 o
(203) 643-8086 f
[email protected]
From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of
[email protected]
Sent: Wednesday, April 22, 2009 7:12 PM
To: RBASE-L Mailing List
Subject: [RBASE-L] - OT - no DOS box - FIXED
Must have been something running rampant today. Per John's advice, I did a
search on ComboFix, was sent to BleepingComputer.com (my sentiments exactly).
In their virus forum, found half a dozen posts from today from people
describing the same problem I had. No DOS box, no regedit, cannot edit batch
files ...
I downloaded ComboFix, ran it, and IT'S FIXED! Got a DOS box, got
Regedit ... It printed out a big old log .txt file, but I can't make anything
out that tells me what it did.
THANK YOU JOHN!
Now if I can only figure out how I got it so I don't do it again ...
Karen
