Re: ZA Free and Generic Host Processor

Wilf <wilf.wilf@wilf21.com> wrote:
> Volker Birk said ...
> > - you get a completely useless message of Zonealarm, your "Personal Firewall"
> > - it is useless, because of what Duane explained
> > - you don't understand a word of it, how should you?
> > - somebody tries to help you, but is falling for the bells and whistles of
> > such products, too
> > - this is just like in those web forums
> > - you're doing something with the program, moving a slider, pressing a
> > button, what you don't understand at all
> > - now your "Personal Firewall" makes you feel more comfortable
> > Or in other words: you're completely unsecure.
> you could be right :-(

And this is, why I don't think, that "Personal Firewalls" help to improve
security at all.

What to do then?

- remove Zonealarm

- use the Windows-Firewall or do something like
  http://www.dingens.org/index.html.en *BEFORE* you connect to the
  network again

- don't use the browser, wich supports ActiveX and ActiveScripting,
  namely don't use Internet Explorer

- don't use the MUAs, which support ActiveScripting or even ActiveX,
  namely don't use Outlook or Outlook Express

- Keep your system up to date

- Keep every program up to date, which you're using to communicate in
  the network or in other ways; this includes MUA, browser but also
  Office programs like your wordprocessor or your spreadsheet application,
  if you're exchanging such documents with other people

- don't trust in what you're receiving by E-Mail without thinking about it
  at least one time per mail ;-)

- a Virus Scanner could help you - but be aware, Virus Scanners cannot
  guarantee that you don't get viruses any more, they're just filtering
  out the well known ones, so keep careful

Happy Internetting ;-)

Yours,
VB.

-- 
MAC-Filtering bringt so viel Schutz vor "Hackern" wie Zeitungspapier vor
einer Atombome. (MAC filtering is protecting against "hackers" like newsprint
is protecting against a nuclear bomb)
                  - Christian Forler in de.comp.security.misc