XP2 and McAfee Security Centre

[Guest]

Hi

I have McAfee Security Cente installed on my PC (for over a year now) and
have recently moved up to SP2 of XP. With the features of XP2, is there any
point in still using McAfee? I have had some strange occurences with Hotmail
recently where mail that is definietely not Junk (sometimes even entered into
my Safe area) is going into Junk. I do not know if this is due to some
conflict between the 2 sets of security. Additionally, McAfee takes ages to
load so I will he fairly happy not to have to use it.

Many thanks
Peter

 

[Peter]

XP SP2's Firewall is only partial protection, i.e. incoming only. It wont
protect you from something already in your PC trying to get out.
Software firewalls offer more protection.
Problems with McAfee? Post at their forums:
http://forums.mcafeehelp.com/index.php

 

[Doug Knox MS-MVP]

This is incorrect. SP2's firewall monitors both inbound and outbound connections.

 

[Doug Knox MS-MVP]

Your issue with Hotmail and Junk e-mail needs to be taken up with Hotmail. Everything is handled at their servers, including the decision of what is Junk and what's not.

SP2's firewall monitors both inbound and outbound connections. I personally see no need for a 3rd party firewall.

 

[Jerry]

You need McAfee for virus protection and ZoneAlarm for a firewall.

 

[Torgeir Bakken \(MVP\)]

This is incorrect. SP2's firewall monitors both inbound and
outbound connections.

Hi,

No, it does not monitor outbound connections.

See this article by Christian Huitema [MSFT]:

The Windows XP/SP2 Firewall
http://www.huitema.net/sp2-firewall.asp


If you get a security alert from the FW, asking if you want to keep
blocking a program, it is not because that program tries to create an
outbound connection, but because that program are trying to set up an
*listening* port that accepts unsolicited inbound traffic

Let's take AOL IM as an example, when you start it, the FW will ask
if you want to keep blocking AOL IM.

What happens is that AOL IM is trying to set up a listening port, that
part of the TC/PIP communication it is that the FW is asking about.
Any other communication from AOL IM (on e.g. other ports) will not be
stopped if you choose block (but some functionality in AOL IM will be
disabled by doing it, e.g. maybe that your AOL buddies cannot connect
to you on some level).

 

[Torgeir Bakken \(MVP\)]

(snip)
SP2's firewall monitors both inbound and outbound connections.

Hi,

No, it does not monitor outbound connections.

See this article by Christian Huitema [MSFT]:

The Windows XP/SP2 Firewall
http://www.huitema.net/sp2-firewall.asp


If you get a security alert from the FW, asking if you want to keep
blocking a program, it is not because that program tries to create an
outbound connection, but because that program are trying to set up an
*listening* port that accepts unsolicited inbound traffic

Let's take AOL IM as an example, when you start it, the FW will ask
if you want to keep blocking AOL IM.

What happens is that AOL IM is trying to set up a listening port, that
part of the TC/PIP communication it is that the FW is asking about.
Any other communication from AOL IM (on e.g. other ports) will not be
stopped if you choose block (but some functionality in AOL IM will be
disabled by doing it, e.g. maybe that your AOL buddies cannot connect
to you on some level).

 

[Doug Knox MS-MVP]

Good article, Torgeir. Thanks. And my apologies for my erroneous answer.

--
Doug Knox, MS-MVP Windows Media Center\Windows Powered Smart Display\Security
Win 95/98/Me/XP Tweaks and Fixes
http://www.dougknox.com
--------------------------------
Per user Group Policy Restrictions for XP Home and XP Pro
http://www.dougknox.com/xp/utils/xp_securityconsole.htm
--------------------------------
Please reply only to the newsgroup so all may benefit.
Unsolicited e-mail is not answered.

This is incorrect. SP2's firewall monitors both inbound and
outbound connections.

Hi,

No, it does not monitor outbound connections.

See this article by Christian Huitema [MSFT]:

The Windows XP/SP2 Firewall
http://www.huitema.net/sp2-firewall.asp


If you get a security alert from the FW, asking if you want to keep
blocking a program, it is not because that program tries to create an
outbound connection, but because that program are trying to set up an
*listening* port that accepts unsolicited inbound traffic

Let's take AOL IM as an example, when you start it, the FW will ask
if you want to keep blocking AOL IM.

What happens is that AOL IM is trying to set up a listening port, that
part of the TC/PIP communication it is that the FW is asking about.
Any other communication from AOL IM (on e.g. other ports) will not be
stopped if you choose block (but some functionality in AOL IM will be
disabled by doing it, e.g. maybe that your AOL buddies cannot connect
to you on some level).



--
torgeir, Microsoft MVP Scripting and WMI, Porsgrunn Norway
Administration scripting examples and an ONLINE version of
the 1328 page Scripting Guide:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/scriptcenter/default.mspx