Re: Anyone Have This Problem?

"Spack" <news@worldofspack.co.uk> wrote in
news:3flog7F8ak1bU1@individual.net:

> Get a cheap NAT router - at least that way the first time you connect
> to the internet you're extremely unlikely to be infected by a worm as
> by default it should prevent all incoming connections.
>

What he means by a NAT router is a small appliance (Linksys, Netgrar,
Zyxel, etc. make them) which translates the address of your Shaw cable
modem to a "local address". In the process it allows you to block off
incoming ports which you don't use anyway such as 111, 135-139, 445. Older
cable systems only filter traffic from those ports at an aggregate level,
so you will still get malicious traffic from your neighborhood. I have no
idea what equipment Shaw uses or what they filter, but if all the "fun"
ports (135, 445, etc) were open that might be how you got reinfected.

Anyhow, Linksys and Netgear all come with instructions and there are also
lots of "setup hints" on their websites. Once you read the instructions
thoroughly and understand them configuring the router is not hard. These
boxes also let you restrict what outgoing ports you use, so if spam spewing
or virus spreading worms will not be able to accomplish their goals.
Internal "firewalls" also work but you have to pay equally close attention
to their setup. Your Dell probably comes with the McAfee suite, the
internal firewall on which is pretty decent.

You may purchase CD's with Microsoft SP1 and SP2 from them. Mailing time is
about a week in the US (probably the same in Canada) and the cost was about
$7 USD if I remember correctly.

Without SP1 and SP2, you are a "sitting duck" and even the greatest amount
of care probably won't protect you very well. The reason is that most of
the XP kiddy exploits were written for unpatched systems. DO NOT reconnect
to the net after reinstall WITHOUT THESE UPGRADES. The first thing to do
after reconnecting is to go to windows update and get the recent patches.
That's about half the battle.

I would install one or two antispyware programs. There are a lot of
opinions about which antispyware programs are best. You can read the
opinions on the net. One thing is sure. NO REAL ANTISPYWARE/ANTIVIRUS
PROGRAM IS EVER SOLD THROUGH SPAM!! The reason I put that in shouting caps
is because more than one spamware "antispyware" program contains a trojan
and a pila del adware.

Finally, if you don't know how to update your antivirus for free, buy a
current subscription. The money you spend to keep the subscription current
is paid back when it rejects the first virus.

> If you can't/won't do that, then format, install the OS, then turn off
> all unnecessary services, turn off file and print sharing. Get XP SP2
> on a CD, or a third party software firewall, and install that. Make
> sure the XP/third party firewall is enabled. That at least will help
> reduce the risk of worm infection when you connect to the internet.
>

Good advice.

I somehow envision Canada as houses separated by vast expanses of
green trees surrounded by grazing moose. In reality, the population density
where you live is probably no different than Los Angeles or Monterey, so if
possible find an experienced computer person in your neighborhood to help
you with these things.
Received on Thu Sep 29 19:53:00 2005