Newbee needs advice....Please Help.

[alpha]

Hello, Let me start by saying that i am not a nurd when it comes to IT.
I need advice from those in the know of how i can protect myself better
from viruses, spyware, etc......so far i have set up AVG anti Virus,
Zone Alarm firewall, Script trap. and have auto updated windows patches
etc. Assuming the above protection fails what else can i do to protect
sensitive areas of my computer???....I would like to make my IP adress
invisible and dont even like my isp knowing my details, but at the same
time dont want to be cut off for changing IP details. Can anyone offer
some added security recommendations which are easy to apply without
technical knowledge??? and will not cause a conflict with my existing
applications??....i am very intrested to hear of any changes i can make
so that it is impossible for spyware to operate or install itself and
also to make myself untraceable.

PS. any recommendations must be freeware.

Many thanks in advance if you can offer advice......A

 

[David H. Lipman]

From: "alpha" <[email protected]>

| Hello, Let me start by saying that i am not a nurd when it comes to IT.
| I need advice from those in the know of how i can protect myself better
| from viruses, spyware, etc......so far i have set up AVG anti Virus,
| Zone Alarm firewall, Script trap. and have auto updated windows patches
| etc. Assuming the above protection fails what else can i do to protect
| sensitive areas of my computer???....I would like to make my IP adress
| invisible and dont even like my isp knowing my details, but at the same
| time dont want to be cut off for changing IP details. Can anyone offer
| some added security recommendations which are easy to apply without
| technical knowledge??? and will not cause a conflict with my existing
| applications??....i am very intrested to hear of any changes i can make
| so that it is impossible for spyware to operate or install itself and
| also to make myself untraceable.
|
| PS. any recommendations must be freeware.
|
| Many thanks in advance if you can offer advice......A

If you are connected to Broadband, get a Cable/DSL Router such as the Linksys BEFSR41.
While it is NOT free, it is inexpensive and provides *many* benefits. The most applicable
benefit is a simplistic FireWall or if you get a different model, a full FireWall
implementation.

You *best* defense at the PC level is not software, it is practicing Safe Hex.

 

[Ernie B.]

I would like to make my IP adress
invisible and dont even like my isp knowing my details, but at the same
time dont want to be cut off for changing IP details.

You can't really do that since the IP address is the way that other
computers can talk to your machine. You can go to
https://www.grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2 and check your firewall though
and read a lot about computer security. As David said, knowing about
and using safe hex is your best friend.

 

[DF]

A free program called PREVEX will prevent any changes in the registry just
google previx and find the free version.

 

[DF]

Sorry I gave you the wrong name for prevx here is a link to the page
www.prevx.com

 

[DF]

Well I just went to the prevx site and it looks like the FREE edition is NO
LONGER available....

 

[Howard Harris]

Well I just went to the prevx site and it looks like the FREE edition is NO
LONGER available....

Yes it is http://www.prevx.com/prevxhome.asp

 

[Stan Brown]

in alt.comp.anti-virus:

Can anyone offer
some added security recommendations which are easy to apply without
technical knowledge???

http://grc.com and scroll down to "Shields Up!" The site will ask
your permission to probe ypour cmputer and will tell you exactly
what is vulnerable and what to do about it.

Beyonbd that, it's nice that you look down on us "nurds" [sic], but
if you're unwilling to learn the basics you are going to run into
trouble. No tool will work well for you unless you have some idea
of what it's doing.

For a decent general introduction, read Jeff Dunteman's DEGUNKING
YOUR E-MAIL. I don't agree with 10% of what he says, but if you
follow his suggestions you are unlikely to have your computer
severely compromised by a virus.