2008/6/10 Gordon <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>: > "mike scott" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message > news:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > >> >> Rumour has it that an unfirewalled (is that a word?) windows box on >> the net is likely to take only seconds or minutes to become >> compromised. >> > > Absolutely. I did a re-install of XP prior to the release of the service > pack that turned the firewall on by default, connected to the router before > I realised the firewall was off, and got infected within 20 secs!
A good firewall will ask for permission if it is confronted with a file it doesn't recognise. Unfortunately not all firewalls are good ones, and sometimes the only way to download a blocked file is to deactivate the firewall, download, and then reactivate. But this procedure is, as you both point out, undertaken at the risk of the person downloading the file in question (for example, OOo_2.4.1_Win32Intel_install_wJRE_en-US.exe, to be specific). If one enjoys a relatively quick connexion, the risk should be worth it, but if one is on a dial-up, I'd advise against. In that latter case, if the user can't get help in installing a better firewall, it would probably be best to purchase an OOo CD, or have a more knowleedgeable friend burn one.... Henri
