Metwork enabled during startup before AV and firewall

[David Ellis]

System tray icons for anti-virus and firewall appear after
the network icon, which leads me to believe the system is
unprotected during startup. Aside from leaving the network
disabled on computer shutdown, how do I assure AV and FW
start before the network connection is enabled. Running XP
SP2, eTrust r7, Zone Alarm Pro; the computer connects to
internet through a commercial wireless access point.
--David

 

[Guest]

I would doubt if that's a true indication. For one thing, the system-tray
itself loads as part of the process of establishing the desktop.

Some early firewalls did have the problem in that the computer was at-risk
for a few seconds between startup and the firewall loading. I think they've
all cracked that one by now, though.

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

In

System tray icons for anti-virus and firewall appear after
the network icon, which leads me to believe the system is
unprotected during startup. Aside from leaving the network
disabled on computer shutdown, how do I assure AV and FW
start before the network connection is enabled. Running XP
SP2, eTrust r7, Zone Alarm Pro; the computer connects to
internet through a commercial wireless access point.
--David

Presuming your firewall software is running as a service, it's not dependent
on your logging in at all.