Re: Best Free Firewall Virus

"Robert" <noone@noplace.nowhere> wrote in message
news:pan.2006.01.29.04.13.19.744324@noplace.nowhere...
> Hello All,
>
> I'm looking for the best free firewall and virus software out there for
> Windows XP. And NO I do not want to use the XP built in firewall. Hell
> M$ can't even make a good operating system, why should I trust them to
> protect it?

Installed firewall software, in case you're not aware, does not exist as an
entity separate from the operating system. There seems to be a common
misconception that firewall software is a separate component which is somehow
isolated from the operating system and can thus independently protect the
operating system. This is incorrect. The truth is that personal firewall
software installs itself using the operating system like any other application.
It may dig a lot deeper than the average application, but it still relies on the
operating system. Any software that you install on your computer works with the
operating system and relies on the operating system.
So if you install trusted firewall software on an untrusted operating system
then you have an untrusted system.
Put another way: untrusted operating system + trusted personal firewall software
= untrusted system.

The only way to firewall an untrusted operating system is to install a firewall
which does not directly use that operating system. This means using an external
firewall box. An external firewall box IS a separate component which IS isolated
from the operating system on the computer it's protecting.

So if you want the best free firewall you're all out of luck unless you can get
a firewall box for free.
You should consider purchasing an external firewall box to protect your
untrusted operating system.

I do however recommend installing free virus scanner software.
Although a virus scanner also relies on the operating system, it can sometimes
(but not always) recognise malware before the malware has a chance to execute
and prevent it executing. If the malware has not executed then it cannot
interfere with the virus scanner software. You can get a free virus scanner from
here:
http://free.grisoft.com/doc/2/lng/us/tpl/v5
It won't bother you with any popups except when it gets its updates (and these
are for information only - no answer is required from you).

Personal firewall software *may* tell you that you have malware *after* the
malware has executed (and this assumes that you understand the personal
firewall's popups - most people don't). If malware has executed then you need to
follow Microsoft's advice:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/community/columns/secmgmt/sm0504.mspx
If the malware is sufficiently clever then don't expect any warning from the
firewall software at all.
Clever malware running on the same operating system as the personal firewall
software has just as much control (maybe more control) of the system as the
personal firewall software does.
To restrict the amount of control that malware gets (if you get malware) you
should be using a user account, not an administrator account, for most of the
work you do with your computer.

If a virus scanner finds a virus but is unable to remove it then you should
follow the same advice:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/community/columns/secmgmt/sm0504.mspx

Be careful when using free online virus scanners as they sometimes attempt to
encourage you to spend money by claiming that you have malware when really you
don't have anything to worry about at all.

As a home user it is not necessary to spend money on anti-virus software (If
you're not a home user then read the virus scanner's license terms).

It is also not necessary to spend money on personal firewall software. Spend it
on a firewall box.

If your system is already compromised/infected then installing all the software
in the world won't fix it. See Microsoft's advice.

Make sure you update your untrusted operating system as soon as updates become
available.
Some people seem to feel that if the operating system is untrusted then they
shouldn't trust the updates. Big mistake. Get the critical (high priority)
updates as soon as they appear.
http://update.microsoft.com
I don't recommend getting driver updates from Windows Update unless you are
certain that the update applies to your specific hardware or there is a problem
with the particular hardware.
Visit the hardware manufacturer's web site for driver updates and make sure that
the update exactly matches your hardware.

If you don't trust your operating system then, as has already been pointed out,
you should ask yourself why you use it. It may be that you have no choice about
using Windows, but there are alternatives.

Jason

>
> Thnx
>
>
> --
>
> Regards
> Robert
>
> Smile... it increases your face value!
>
>
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Received on Tue Feb 7 20:58:11 2006