Live Update and worms

[David]

Hi.

Have just installed XP Pro on new box and in the time it
took to activate and do live update of 22 (!) critical
updates I was hit with 3 attacks of the Backdoor worm. My
firewall was asking whether to permit so many things to
connect I obviously said Yes when I should have said No.

Anyway, all is now clean and my question follows:

One of the reasons for the new box was to allow a complete
reconfiguration of my W2k box, format drives and complete
reinstalls.

What should I do to nullify (if possible) the chance of a
similar attack while doing the update from the MS site?

Does SP4 contain most of the security fixes and, if so,
will that offer some protection during the vulnerable on
line time?

Thanks and best wishes,

David

 

[Alan Illeman]

Hi.

Have just installed XP Pro on new box and in the time it
took to activate and do live update of 22 (!) critical
updates I was hit with 3 attacks of the Backdoor worm. My
firewall was asking whether to permit so many things to
connect I obviously said Yes when I should have said No.

Anyway, all is now clean and my question follows:

One of the reasons for the new box was to allow a complete
reconfiguration of my W2k box, format drives and complete
reinstalls.

What should I do to nullify (if possible) the chance of a
similar attack while doing the update from the MS site?

Does SP4 contain most of the security fixes and, if so,
will that offer some protection during the vulnerable on
line time?

Thanks and best wishes,

David

I'm running Win2k Pro + SP4 (ordered CD) plus
http://download.kerio.com/dwn/kpf/kerio-pf-2.1.5-en-win.exe
free firewall and licenced www.grisoft.com AVG7 antivirus
scanning software - and have not downloaded/installed even
one 'update' and have been virus free since March of this year.

"Start=>Help=>Security=>Security OverView=>Related Topics
=>Protecting against viruses and trojan horses=>Related Topics
=>Why you should not run your computer as an administrator"

Alan