firewall??

[Guest]

what is a firewal? someone told me i should hvae a firewal. they also told me
that my machine is probably a zombie. now what is that? all i know my
computer is very very very slow....it used to be fast. i was going to throw
it out and buy another one but they said I would be stupid to do that. I just
bought it about a year ago from hp. i cannot change my home page because it
is dimmed does not have the black lettering just a light grey color and and
it goes to nowhere, it is called someting blank. i am dialup and things are
very slow,can anyboyd help me.

Thank you

 

[Thorsten Matzner]

what is a firewal? someone told me i should hvae a firewal. they also told me
that my machine is probably a zombie. now what is that?

You already have a Firewall. See "Description of the Windows XP
Internet Connection Firewall"
(http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=320855) and "Description of the
Windows Firewall feature in Windows XP Service Pack 2"
(http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=843090).

 

[Li'l Roberto]

what is a firewal? someone told me i should hvae a firewal. they also told
me
that my machine is probably a zombie. now what is that? all i know my
computer is very very very slow....it used to be fast. i was going to
throw
it out and buy another one but they said I would be stupid to do that. I
just
bought it about a year ago from hp. i cannot change my home page because
it
is dimmed does not have the black lettering just a light grey color and
and
it goes to nowhere, it is called someting blank. i am dialup and things
are
very slow,can anyboyd help me.

Thank you

Willy
not only do you need a firewall, it's also advisable to have up-to-date
Anti Virus software protecting your PC, judging by what you have
posted it seems likely you don't have either.
You might be better off having your PC fixed by a competent
technician, get him /her to explain the merits of such things after
it is cleaned up and protected from nasties.

rgds
Li'l Roberto

 

[Rock]

what is a firewal? someone told me i should hvae a firewal. they also told me
that my machine is probably a zombie. now what is that? all i know my
computer is very very very slow....it used to be fast. i was going to throw
it out and buy another one but they said I would be stupid to do that. I just
bought it about a year ago from hp. i cannot change my home page because it
is dimmed does not have the black lettering just a light grey color and and
it goes to nowhere, it is called someting blank. i am dialup and things are
very slow,can anyboyd help me.

Thank you

Read this first:
http://www.cert.org/tech_tips/before_you_plug_in.html#III

Below are some instructions for how to clean your system and keep it
clean. If all this is beyond your comfort level (and there's nothing
wrong with that) then take the computer to a reputable technician to
clean it, get it set up with AV and a firewall and teach you how to
maintain it.

General info sites for cleaning malware:

THE PARASITE FIGHT
Finding, Removing & Protecting Yourself From Scumware
http://aumha.org/a/parasite.htm

Richard Harper’s Guide to Cleaning Pests
http://rgharper.mvps.org/cleanit.htm

Clean your system of malware:

For viruses, start with Trend Micro’s Sysclean and McAfee’s Stinger.
Download them and the Sysclean signature file. Delete the temporary
internet files, turn off system restore, boot into safe mode and run
them. Boot back into normal mode and run a full AV scan with your
normal AV program. Then turn system restore back on.

Trend Micro Sysclean
http://www.trendmicro.com/download/dcs.asp

Trend Micro Signature File
http://www.trendmicro.com/download/pattern.asp

McAfee AVert Stinger Virus Removal Tool
http://vil.nai.com/vil/stinger/

You should also regularly run at least two of these online scans in
addition to your regular up to date AV program:

Online and Downloadable Virus Scanning:

Panda ActiveScan
http://www.pandasoftware.com/activescan/com/activescan_principal.htm

Bit Defender Online Virus Scan:
http://www.bitdefender.com/scan/license.php

Symantec Online Virus and Security Scan:
http://security.symantec.com/ssc/home.asp

TrendMicro:
http://housecall.trendmicro.com/housecall/start_corp.asp

McAfee Online Virus Scan:
http://www.mcafee.com/myapps/mfs/default.asp

RAV AntiVirus - Scan Online
http://www.ravantivirus.com/scan/

F-Secure:
http://support.f-secure.com/enu/home/ols.shtml

Run these programs to check for spyware/malware. After installing
update them, then boot into safe mode and run them. You should update
and run them weekly.

Cwshredder
http://www.intermute.com/spysubtract/cwshredder_download.html

Ad-aware SE
http://www.lavasoftusa.com

Spybot Search and Destroy
http://www.safer-networking.org

Bazooka Adware and Spyware Scanner
http://download.com.com/3000-2144-10247783.html

Pest Patrol Free Pest Scanner
http://store.ca.com/dr/v2/ec_main.e...tchingYou&client=ComputerAssociates&sid=35715

If you’re still having problems after running these then run HijackThis
and post the log to one of the specialty forums, _NOT_ this one.

HijackThis
http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=3155

Forums to Interpret HijackThis Logs:

http://www.spywareinfo.com/forums/
http://forum.aumha.org/viewforum.php?f=30
http://forums.tomcoyote.org/
http://www.wilderssecurity.com/

After your system is clean use these programs to help keep it clean:

Spywareblaster
www.javacoolsoftware.com/sbdownload.html

Spywareguard
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/sgdownload.html

IE-SPYAD
http://www.staff.uiuc.edu/~ehowes/resource.htm

Make sure you have a firewall active at all times. If nothing else use
the one built into XP, but there are a variety of free third party ones
that do a better job from Sygate, Zone Alarm or Kerio.

Sygate Personal Firewall
http://smb.sygate.com/products/spf_standard.htm

Zone Alarm
http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/company/products/znalm/freeDownload.jsp?lid=staticcomp_za

Kerio Personal Firewall
http://www.kerio.com/kpf_download.html

 

[Bruce Chambers]

what is a firewal? someone told me i should hvae a firewal.

http://searchsecurity.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,290660,sid14_gci331881,00.html


they also told me
that my machine is probably a zombie. now what is that?

http://searchsecurity.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,290660,sid14_gci213422,00.html


all i know my
computer is very very very slow....it used to be fast. i was going to throw
it out and buy another one but they said I would be stupid to do that.

Yes, it would be foolish to discard a relatively new computer just
because you haven't learned to maintain it.

What antivirus and anti-spyware applications are you using? Why aren't
you using a firewall?

I don't mean to sound unnecessarily harsh, but given today's
widely-publicized and well-known hostile Internet environment, only a
fool or a masochist would go on-line without both a firewall and
antivirus protection.

Such basic precautions are the computing equivalents of wearing
seatbelts while driving or riding in an automobile - they're there to
prevent/reduce the damage if an accident should occur.

There are several essential components to computer security: a
knowledgeable and pro-active user, a properly configured firewall,
reliable and up-to-date antivirus software, and the prompt repair (via
patches, hotfixes, or service packs) of any known vulnerabilities.

The weakest link in this "equation" is, of course, the computer
user. No software manufacturer can -- nor should they be expected
to -- protect the computer user from him/herself. All too many people
have bought into the various PC/software manufacturers marketing
claims of easy computing. They believe that their computer should be
no harder to use than a toaster oven; they have neither the
inclination or desire to learn how to safely use their computer. All
too few people keep their antivirus software current, install patches
in a timely manner, or stop to really think about that cutesy link
they're about to click.

Firewalls and anti-virus applications, which should always be used
and should always be running, are important components of "safe hex,"
but they cannot, and should not be expected to, protect the computer
user from him/herself. Ultimately, it is incumbent upon each and
every computer user to learn how to secure his/her own computer.


To learn more about practicing "safe hex," start with these links:

Protect Your PC
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/default.asp

Home Computer Security
http://www.cert.org/homeusers/HomeComputerSecurity/

List of Antivirus Software Vendors
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;49500

Home PC Firewall Guide
http://www.firewallguide.com/

Scumware.com
http://www.scumware.com/



--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having
both at once. - RAH

 

[Lil' Dave]

Order the XP SP2 CD from MS. Wait till it arrives. Clean install your
current XP again. Check the HP manual on how to do this. Then install the
SP2. Then, immediately go to the windows update site and install any
subsequent critical updates.
XP comes with a firewall that is effective inbound only. 3rd party firewall
software offers both inbound and outbound protection.
AntiVirus software is a "must" on any PC nowadays.
Some ISPs offer some form of AV inspection, bug and trojan protection,
pop-up stoppers etc. I don't like anyone or anything having the ability to
snoop on my PC. So, I use standalone versions installed locally.

 

[Susan]

http://www.hackerwatch.org/probe/ Test your firewall!