Live OneCare

[Andre]

Is there any way to get Live OneCare to just do its job, and not tell me
everything it's doing? I could seriously care less if it's changing
firewall rules when I'm plugged into Ethernet, using WWAN, or using my
Verizon Broadband wireless. These alerts are seriously annoying. I'm used
to having a corporate edition of Trend just sitting down there doing it's
job, without any messages or hassles. I've gone into "Change Live OneCare
Settings", but there isn't an option for "Just do your job without annoying
me". I did uncheck "Notify me when the firewall blocks or allows programs"
on the Firewall tab, but it still alerts me way to often.

I'm a big MS fan, so don't anyone go postal on me...but so far I find Vista
to be a lot more annoying than XP ever was. I thought the purpose of new
software was it allowed you to do your job easier? I'm constantly clicking
icons or alerts in Vista just to be able to work. Thank goodness I
discovered how to turn off User Account Control. Man, what a pain in the
butt that is. That's supposed to help us? Really???

Andre

 

[=?iso-8859-1?B?RGFuaWVsIEP0dOk=?=]

Dunno. I agree that it should be a bit more flexible. I'm using Live Onecare
exclusively right now with Vista Ultimate because no others really have
anything out there yet. Appears to be very fast. Just not sure how secure it
is at this point. I guess the first trojan that gets through will let me
know.

Dan
Sudbury, Canada

 

[Dale]

I am not too concerned with the anti-virus capabilities in Live OneCare. I
am more worried about the firewall and the anti-spyware. In all the years I
have used anti-virus programs on my computers at home, I have never once
been alerted about a virus being detected and blocked. The solution to
viruses is more in online behavior than it is in anti-virus protection.

As for the anti-spyware features in Windows Live OneCare, remember that
Microsoft tried to buy Claria, in the opinion of many - myself included -
the worse purveyor of spyware, adware, and keystroke loggers in the history
of spyware. And after the purchase was cancelled because it was exposed in
the press, Microsoft still does not consider Claria products spyware.

In fact, every anti-spyware producer I know of has, in one case or another,
due to either financial partnerships or from just the threat of a lawsuit,
dropped at least one known purveyor of spyware from their target list. And,
as far as I have heard, there has yet to be a single such threatened lawsuit
to ever go to court - it is only the threat that backs down the anti-spyware
companies. But then, spyware purveyors have very deep pockets. The result
is that, as in the case of anti-virus efforts, the best way to control
spyware is by your online behavior, not by expecting a program to clean up
behind you. For me, like my anti-virus, I have never had my anti-spyware
find anything more than cookies from online advertisement services.

As for the firewall, I am concerned about the number of requests that I do
not get prompted for even though I had removed all authorized outgoing
requests and told the firewall to ask for every access. Even so, I have
never been asked about access to a time server and we know those requests
are going out. That means that the Live OneCare firewall is sending
requests to Microsoft in spite of its being told to not send any unapproved
requests.

Also, the firewall has a setting to temporarily block access but not to
temporarily allow access. That means if there is an outbound request that I
want to go just once, say for Windows Media Player to find information on
just one album, I only have the option of block forever, block temporarily
or allow forever. It should have a allow temporarily as well. Many users
will get tired of having to, after the desired access, going to the advanced
firewall settings and then removing the application in question. The result
is that they will just give up and always allow the requests.

My solution is going to be to install a Linux proxy/firewall. That way
there will be no preference for any Microsoft or Windows features and I will
be able to see everything that goes out even if I won't be able to
understand it all.


Dale

 

[=?iso-8859-1?B?RGFuaWVsIEP0dOk=?=]

I,ve had quite the contrary experience. Have had emails with viruses come
in - thank god for antivirus software. Also, the spyware that
SLOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWs down computers has to be removed.

Hopefully Live OneCare can do at least a basic good job. Still on the 90
days trial with it here though .

Dan

 

[Dale]

I think that "a basic good job" is safe to expect from most security apps
but none will stop spyware. They will allow those companies they have
partnerships with and those partnerships are expanding. And the spyware
creators are getting very smart about beating the system.

The safest way to beat spyware is by not downloading any software except
from trusted suppliers. And even with trusted suppliers, I usually accept
that they have spyware in them but that it is probably better behaving or
less obtrusive. For instance, Real Player's download manager. Or
Netscape's download manager. I don't use either but millions do. If I
chose to use one, I would just have to accept that they are reporting all my
downloads and just be ok with it.

And Microsoft is not on my list of trusted suppliers but I am forced by the
nature of my job to download Microsoft apps. That's a case where I just
accept it and hope the spyware isn't too intrusive and doesn't slow me down
too much.

 

[StephenB]

As for the firewall, I am concerned about the number of requests that I do
not get prompted for even though I had removed all authorized outgoing
requests and told the firewall to ask for every access. Even so, I have
never been asked about access to a time server and we know those requests
are going out. That means that the Live OneCare firewall is sending
requests to Microsoft in spite of its being told to not send any unapproved
requests.

If the OneCare firewall is set to automatic, it will allow all applications that
are digitally signed throught the firewall outbound.
-steve

 

[Dale]

I run mine always on Ask First but have also tried Restricted. In neither
case was I ever prompted about any access to the Internet for time servers
or other Windows related functionality such as any purported "phone-home"
features.

Dale

 

[StephenB]

I run mine always on Ask First but have also tried Restricted. In neither
case was I ever prompted about any access to the Internet for time servers
or other Windows related functionality such as any purported "phone-home"
features.

Dale

Well, you can actually scratch my previous answer as it was only partially
correct. Today, in the Windows Live OneCare forums, a Program Manager for
OneCare posted that a list of allowed programs is maintained and deployed with
OneCare. The digitally signed bit only applies if the program has not been known
to OneCare already. Core windows services will likely be allowed also as you
would not want a user to block access to WU/AU, for example.
-steve