XP and firewalls

[Topper]

I have currently got the Windows XP firewall running and the built in one
from Trend PCcillin 2002.

I was thinking about installing zonealarm but needn't I bother with the two
I've got? Are they sufficient?

 

[Down Home]

Go here and test your shields. Also, probe your ports. If you come back
"Stealth", in my PERSONAL opinion, you are safe enough. From here, you will
see 20 or more responding threads debating how safe is safe, and what does
safe mean. I'll explain my PERSONAL opinion, then leave the floor.

Just like every thing else in the world, you should require an amount of
protection equal to the danger are LIKELY to face. If you are a Police
Officer sitting behind a desk in Amherst, NY, the most you probably need is
a mild deodorant. On the other hand, if you are working the Gang Task Force
in south LA, full riot gear with Kevlar vest and face mask seems grossly
inadequate. If you are an AVERAGE web surfer with average tendancies, XP's
firewall is fine. Hackers using random probing techniques will probably
never find you appealing (nothing personal). However, if you like to nose
around warez and hacker sites, or are a regular visitor to the porn screens,
your IP will seized and "they" will be coming after you like the recording
industry after Kazaa users (even Zone Alarm takes some tweaking to "help"
keep them out).

Good Luck

 

[GSV Three Minds in a Can]

Go here and test your shields. Also, probe your ports. If you come back
"Stealth", in my PERSONAL opinion, you are safe enough. From here, you will
see 20 or more responding threads debating how safe is safe, and what does
safe mean. I'll explain my PERSONAL opinion, then leave the floor.

<snip>

Good advice, but it'd work better if your supplied the URL that you
meant to! There are a ton of sites out there which offer this service,
e.g.
http://scan.sygatetech.com/quickscan.html

 

[Down Home]

Sorry about that! Here's the site: https://grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2