Do I need more protection on my laptop?

Adapazari

C_Mababejive wrote: »

There is a lot of paranoia about security.

All you need to do is..

Ensure you have a router between you and the internet and ensure it is securely set up.

Ensure that your pc has one admin account and that it is passworded. Ensure that everyone else in the household are set up as users without admin rights

Install avast anti virus for free.

Be very careful about anyone using filesharing proggies and downloads on your pc.

Thank you to everyone. As I said I'm a technopleb and so, although I have read all the posts so far, it did get a little technical .

Since reading these posts I went to the Control Panel and clicked on Windows Security Centre. There I found that all the following were turned on: Firewall; Automatic Updating; Malware Protection; Other Security Settings (whatever they are?). Windows Firewall and Windows Defender are on and my Windows internet security is set at medium/high. I am presuming that these all come as standard for Windows Vista and are separate to McAfee. I don't know if I should have pop up blocker on but it's off at the moment.

When I turn my laptop on I have to put in a password in order to access the desk top/everything on my PC. I live alone and never share files either. As I said in my OP, the McAfee seems to come as a package with my ISP and I don't remember having to install it. Basically, it checks emails for viruses (I think) and also, it checks sites I visit and warns if there is a problem. If I google then it checks the results and puts a green tick next to sites it deems safe to access and warns with a red mark if not.

The Orange spam filters seem to work well and there is a facility to add potential spammers manually. I never open anything that I am unsure of and have never had a problem.

It's good to know there are other free AV systems out there besides AVG and I will certainly give one of them a try.

I used to subscribe to Norton before I realised that my ISP (BT) at that time provided security as part of their broadband package. It seems Orange do this too. I just don'y know what level of protection it is, although, as I said, I haven't had any problems thus far.

I presume that if I decide to install one of the free Avs recommended in this thread, I should uninstall McAfee but is this possible when it seems to be part of the ISP package?

Sorry if I'm seeming like an idiot and thanks again for everyone's input.

aliEnRIK

You can remove Mcafee at any time using the removal tool I posted

Adapazari

aliEnRIK wrote: »

You can remove Mcafee at any time using the removal tool I posted

Thank you, now I just have to decide "to do or not to do"

Snooze

aliEnRIK wrote: »

To prevent browser based attacks I use FIREFOX with the NOSCRIPT plugin. Without it, your wide open to infection if your av program doesnt recognise it as such (Happening all the time these days)

I don't use FF so have never tried this NOSCRIPT plug-in you regularly go on about, but by enabling this would it not remove all JS and Flash content from displaying on sites you visit? If so, don't you think that it's just a bit extreme to stay 'protected'? I reckon around 50% or more of websites these days have either one or the other (or both) so you're going to have a rather unpleasant web browsing experience if you have them turned off. :cool:

aliEnRIK

Snooze wrote: »

I don't use FF so have never tried this NOSCRIPT plug-in you regularly go on about, but by enabling this would it not remove all JS and Flash content from displaying on sites you visit? If so, don't you think that it's just a bit extreme to stay 'protected'? I reckon around 50% or more of websites these days have either one or the other (or both) so you're going to have a rather unpleasant web browsing experience if you have them turned off. :cool:

As youve clearly stated, you havnt actually USED it
You create white lists for websites to work. if for example a site got hacked (Which ive seen a few of now), then ANOTHER piece of java content is created which noscript will auto block as its not on the whitelist
It also prevents redirects to bogus webpages etc

Snooze

aliEnRIK wrote: »

As youve clearly stated, you havnt actually USED it
You create white lists for websites to work. if for example a site got hacked (Which ive seen a few of now), then ANOTHER piece of java content is created which noscript will auto block as its not on the whitelist
It also prevents redirects to bogus webpages etc

Okay I see, you just create a list of exceptions then. Like I said, I haven't used it that's why I was querying it. Still seems a bit overkill to me but then I consider myself pretty clued up on security vulnerabilities etc so it's not something I've ever do personally.

A._Badger

Snooze wrote: »

Okay I see, you just create a list of exceptions then. Like I said, I haven't used it that's why I was querying it. Still seems a bit overkill to me but then I consider myself pretty clued up on security vulnerabilities etc so it's not something I've ever do personally.

I consider(ered) myself similarly clued-up, but see my earlier post.

Indeed, I installed Noscripts - just, apparently, too late. In the final analysis, I think it could have been the only product on my computer that might have saved me.

aliEnRIK

Snooze wrote: »

Okay I see, you just create a list of exceptions then. Like I said, I haven't used it that's why I was querying it. Still seems a bit overkill to me but then I consider myself pretty clued up on security vulnerabilities etc so it's not something I've ever do personally.

Im no slouch myself. But there are 3 legit sites (2 well known ones) that have been 'hacked' that I go on. It could happen to anyone

Adapazari

C_Mababejive wrote: »

There is a lot of paranoia about security.

All you need to do is..

Ensure you have a router between you and the internet and ensure it is securely set up.
.

I re read your post and realised I had missed this part.

What does it mean? I thought routers came as standard with broadband. Isn't it the contraption that is linked to the phone line and has lights etc.?

Well, I did tell you I was a technopleb . . .:o

tronator

Adapazari wrote: »

I re read your post and realised I had missed this part.

What does it mean? I thought routers came as standard with broadband. Isn't it the contraption that is linked to the phone line and has lights etc.?

Well, I did tell you I was a technopleb . . .:o

There are still people using broadband modems connected via USB. This is very insecure since you're connected directly to the Internet. All open ports and all security holes the software you're running might have is exposed to the Internet. I can't speak for Windows after XP, but back then MS thought it is a good idea to enable File and Printer Sharing on all network devices by default, not only your LAN...

A router is much safer since nobody can reach your computer from outside unless you set up a portforwarding.