Just bought a Vista laptop: what do I need?

[OM2]

I've just bought a Vista laptop.

What do I need?

Do I need a virus checker?
Do I need a software firewall?
For both of these: I understood it that Microsoft had their own
versions?

For the firewall... I would normall install Kerio free firewall.
And for the Virus checker... I would install Grisoft's free antivirus
checker (from experience... I haven't liked it as it doesn't pick up
on everything).

Any recommendations and advice would be appreciated.

Thanks.


OM

 

[Jupiter Jones [MVP]]

Exactly what else you need depends on how the computer is used and and
what you are comfortable with.

Windows Vista already comes with a firewall and Windows Defender for
spyware so all that is really needed is an anti virus.
I currently use AVG Free and Nod32 on various computers, only one
installed on any computer.
Another good one is Avast.

Many run 3rd party firewalls so they are better able to control and
monitor what goes in and out.
Many also use two or three spyware detector programs since often one
finds what another misses.

 

[Frank Saunders MS-MVP IE,OE/WM]

I've just bought a Vista laptop.

What do I need?

Do I need a virus checker?
Do I need a software firewall?
For both of these: I understood it that Microsoft had their own
versions?

For the firewall... I would normall install Kerio free firewall.
And for the Virus checker... I would install Grisoft's free antivirus
checker (from experience... I haven't liked it as it doesn't pick up
on everything).

Any recommendations and advice would be appreciated.

Thanks.


OM

You need a Virus checker. Microsoft offers One Care but AVG and Avast! are
free.

The Windows Firewall is all you need.

 

[Mr. Arnold]

I've just bought a Vista laptop.

What do I need?

Do I need a virus checker?
Do I need a software firewall?
For both of these: I understood it that Microsoft had their own
versions?

For the firewall... I would normall install Kerio free firewall.

I doubt that Kerio 2.15 is going to run on Vista. You need to find a
solution that is Vista compliant. I myself when the machine is directly
connected to the modem, I just use Vista FW/packet filter and IPsec that
comes with the O/S. Both are two way solutions that can stop inbound or
outbound traffic. If I want to see connections made, then I use CurrPort,
which is in the link below.

And for the Virus checker... I would install Grisoft's free antivirus

You better make sure it is Vista compliant and will run on Vista.

checker (from experience... I haven't liked it as it doesn't pick up
on everything).

Nothing picks up everything. There are always zero day exploits that can
happen.

Any recommendations and advice would be appreciated.

The first thing you should come to terms with is to NOT start installing
software on the machine that is non Vista compliant, otherwise, you're
asking for trouble.

http://www.bestvistadownloads.com/
http://kb.wisc.edu/helpdesk/page.php?id=5175
http://blogs.zdnet.com/Ou/?p=785

 

[Titus Pullo]

I've just bought a Vista laptop.

What do I need?

Do I need a virus checker?
Do I need a software firewall?
For both of these: I understood it that Microsoft had their own
versions?

For the firewall... I would normall install Kerio free firewall.
And for the Virus checker... I would install Grisoft's free antivirus
checker (from experience... I haven't liked it as it doesn't pick up
on everything).

I downloaded Windows Live One Care (beta 2) for Vista x64 and I've been very
happy with it. It runs in the background and doesn't appear to slow the
system down at all.

 

[Val]

As already stated, yes, you need an antivirus program.

Vista's firewall is, like XP's, only watching inbound traffic. If you want
to prevent any malicious programs that do sneak in from phoning home, you
need somenting more robust. I use ZoneAlarm's free version.

Be aware, once you start monitoring outbound traffic, you will amazed at how
every Tom, Dick and Harry application thinks it need to communicate with
someone else. Many seem to be using TCP just to talk to the local computer,
many want to talk to my router, and others actually seem to have a distant
entity in mind. This is not just the usual browser and email, but every app
that thinks it should check daily for updates, and a whole bunch of things I
don't think have any reason for talking to anybody. Just be ready for lots
of warnings or log entries.

Val

I've just bought a Vista laptop.

What do I need?

Do I need a virus checker?
Do I need a software firewall?
For both of these: I understood it that Microsoft had their own
versions?

For the firewall... I would normall install Kerio free firewall.
And for the Virus checker... I would install Grisoft's free antivirus
checker (from experience... I haven't liked it as it doesn't pick up
on everything).

Any recommendations and advice would be appreciated.

Thanks.


OM

 

[Mr. Arnold]

As already stated, yes, you need an antivirus program.

Vista's firewall is, like XP's, only watching inbound traffic. If you
want
to prevent any malicious programs that do sneak in from phoning home, you
need somenting more robust. I use ZoneAlarm's free version.

That's incorrect that Vista's FW only deals with inbound only. It deals with
outbound traffic too and is a two way FW, and in a lot of ways is more
robust than a 3rd party solution. And if you want to see inbound and
outbound connections, you go to Vista's FW log to see it.

If one needs to see connections in real time, then one will use something
like CurrPorts.

http://www.snapfiles.com/get/cports.html

If you're depended upon Application Control (the phone home) snake-oil in
personal FW(s) to tell you what's going on, then you have already lost 3/4
of the battle, because malware can punch-out through that like a hot knife
cutting through butter and you wouldn't even know it.

 

[Chris Game]

I've just bought a Vista laptop.

What do I need?

A decent manual.

 

[Guest]

Windows OneCare: http://onecare.live.com/standard/en-us/default.htm

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows - Shell/User
Microsoft Community Newsgroups
news://msnews.microsoft.com/

 

[Bill]

That's incorrect that Vista's FW only deals with inbound only. It
deals with outbound traffic too and is a two way FW, and in a lot of
ways is more robust than a 3rd party solution. And if you want to see
inbound and outbound connections, you go to Vista's FW log to see it.

Sorry but you're wrong. By default, Vista's firewall blocks inbound
only. You need to go into the Advanced Firewall settings to enable
outbound filtering and then customize all the settings.

It works well when properly configured, but the average user will have
no idea what to block and what to allow, and the setup is rather
confusing for inexperienced users. That's why many users want a simpler
firewall.

Personally, I recommend using a router with NAT to provide firewalling
to the computer. A wireless router is a great idea for a laptop since
you can move the computer around the house without worrying about a
wire. You can use it in the kitchen, living room, bedroom (careful with
this one!), backyard, whatever, and all the while you're getting very
good firewalling features. Just make sure you put passwords on BOTH the
Admin and User logins to secure the router. Read up a bit on it, and
even an inexperienced user can configure it to be safe and secure.

 

[Mr. Arnold]

Sorry but you're wrong. By default, Vista's firewall blocks inbound only.
You need to go into the Advanced Firewall settings to enable outbound
filtering and then customize all the settings.

All FW's of the type we are talking about block inbound traffic by default.
That's the job of a FW is to block unsolicted inbound traffic, by default.

What they don't block is outbound traffic by default.

It works well when properly configured, but the average user will have no
idea what to block and what to allow, and the setup is rather confusing
for inexperienced users. That's why many users want a simpler firewall.

The same holds true for any FW/packet filter solution in the average user's
hands. It doen't matter if it's Vista FW/packet filter or any 3rd party
pfw/packet filter solution.

And Vista and 3rd party solutions are not FW(s). Thay are machine level
packet filters.

A firewall separates two networks the network it's protecting from usually
the Internet (a giant network) and the network it is protecting the LAN the
private network. A FW sits at the junction point between the two networks.
Whether it be a hardware device or a software solution running on a secured
host computer, a FW must have at least two network interfaces. One network
interface for the network it is protecting from and one network interface
for the network it's protecting. That would be two (NIC's) in the case of a
software FW solution running on a host computer.

The term firewall comes from the fact that by segmenting a network into
different physical subnetworks, they limited the damage that could spread
from one subnet to another just like firedoors or firewalls.

Personally, I recommend using a router with NAT to provide firewalling to
the computer.

A router is an effective border device and blocks unsolicted inbound traffif
by default, and because of the two interfaces of a WAN port and LAN ports,
the router comes closer to the definition of a FW. Early FW(s) were simply
routers.

However, NAT is not FW technology. NAT is mapping technology.

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-nat.htm
http://www.homenethelp.com/web/explain/about-NAT.asp

A wireless router is a great idea for a laptop since you can move the
computer around the house without worrying about a wire. You can use it in
the kitchen, living room, bedroom (careful with this one!), backyard,
whatever, and all the while you're getting very good firewalling features.
Just make sure you put passwords on BOTH the Admin and User logins to
secure the router. Read up a bit on it, and even an inexperienced user can
configure it to be safe and secure.

Wireless is another story all into itself, and most home users are unaware
of the security risks of using wireless. And if they do know, it doesn't
make it any less of a security risk. Anyone that has the expertise to come
past the security features of wireless can come past wireless.

I'll assume you have heard of wardriving.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wardriving

I would much rather have an all Ethernet wire solution. If I am going to use
wireless, then I would much rather have it sitting out there in the
untrusted zone than for it to be on the LAN -- the trusted zone.

There is another packet filter solution that on is Vista, XP, and Win 2k pro
called IPsec that I use in conjunction with Vista's FW/packet filter, when
this laptop computer is not connected to my home network using a FW
appliance.

http://www.petri.co.il/block_ping_traffic_with_ipsec.htm
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/813878

I implement the AnalogX policies for IPsec that work in combination with
Vista's FW/packet filter.

http://www.analogx.com/CONTENTS/articles/ipsec.htm


And if you want to know about FW technology, then I suggest you read the
information in the links.

http://www.vicomsoft.com/knowledge/reference/firewalls1.html
http://www.more.net/technical/netserv/tcpip/firewalls/