Security

[Guest]

Just how vulnerable am I online? I have an open-all-the time fibre optic
connection through a Motorolla surfBoard modem. I was writing in MSword when
WD gave me an alert telling me I shouldn't write online. I can switch the
modem off and thought that was sufficient security on top of my security
systems. This message, that disappeared before I had a chance to it read
closely, has shaken my faith in my privacy. As a writer I'd prefer to be
secure with what I write. I run Windows Firewall, SpyBotS&D, Ewiedo, AVGfree,
Widows Defender, MBSAscanner, Max+Spyware Detector and regularly flush out my
registry with pctools Registry Cleaner. What more can I do?

 

[Bill Sanderson MVP]

You aren't necessarily more vulnerable than you would be on dialup. It
sounds as though you are doing the right things--my system is online when it
is powered up, sometimes 24 hours a day.

Can you recall anything more about the content of this message? Was it a
"balloon" type message--appearing down near the notification area?

 

[Guest]

No, It was a full Windows Defender alarm notification and said "Security
Alert" but faded before I could get any more information.

 

[Bill Sanderson MVP]

Did you have any browser windows open at the time? What was it that made
you certain that this message was from Windows Defender?

--

 

[Guest]

The only program open was MSWord and it was the green strip and general
appearance of the window.

 

[Bill Sanderson MVP]

If you can recall roughly the time and date of this alert, it may be worth
checking the System event log:

Right click My Computer, and choose Manage.

Click on the + to the left of Event Viewer to show the individual logs.

Click on the System events log.

Click View, then Filter
On the Filter tab of System Properties, click on the Event Source control,
and choose WinDefend from the list, then choose OK.


Scroll down the list of events in the right column and double-click on one
when you get to the right time frame--then use the up or down arrows to move
between events and see the details. It is possible that there'll be some
record of what that message might have been about. If you find it, there's
a button to cut and paste the results to the clipboard, so that you can post
it back here.





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[Guest]

Sorry Bill, I can't find that alert but I notice a lot of spyware activity
foiled by WD and also a lot of warnings that WD Configuration has changed.
This is usually after an update but not always. Should I be concerned?

 

[Bill Sanderson MVP]

Sounds routine--there are a series of such messages in the course of an
update.
There will be messages about unknowns--these are also generally not
something to be worried about--there are lots of legitimate drivers and apps
out there that aren't known.

--

 

[Guest]

Thanks Bill. I may be just paranoid but as a writer I must be secure. The
thought that others may read my junk scares the sh** out of me. I'm tempted
to buy a laptop to ensure it goes nowhere near the 'net.