In Which Time is Peacefully Passed

[arcane]

My new laptop just arrived which makes me happy. With the aid of wireless technology I am able to write to you all here. Currently, I am lounging in one of my favorite spots on campus, in a quiet, rarely trafficked hallway just outside of the room designated for rehearsal space

Comments

[talmanes]

I have prepared the aforementioned disk. It sits now beside my desk, waiting to be used.

I am ashamed that I don't know what the difference between an anti-trojan and and antivirus is, and I don't know what an anonymiser is. I feel so insecure in my computer's integrity now that I may cry.

I do, however, feel rather cool about the fact that it takes more than one bit of antispyware to fortify a computer. It takes at least one scanning program (like Ad-Aware), but you're better off with two (like Spybot: S&D), or even three (add in CWShredder), because none of them is perfect. You should also have something to immunize yourself (Like Spybot: S&D's alternate features, and/or SpywareGuard & SpywareBlaster--or are these anti-trojans?), and you need something that checks your registry (like HiJack This!). It's not quite as simple as just running Ad-Aware and hoping for the best.

Still, you (meaning shoukinkasegi, of course, since arcane doesn't know more about computer security than I do, to my knowledge) seem much more knowledgable than I do about these things. I'm just a paranoid PC owner who believes in safety against the enemy. If you'd care to enlighten me, I'd be happy to add new programs to my regimen.

[shoukinkasegi]

Not to be smart-alecky, but antitrojans work vs trojans and antivirals work vs virii. Or, logically - all trojans are virii but not all virii are trojans. (I'm sure that made a lot of sense, apologies, it has been a long day.) An anonymiser can either be web-based or a desktop app. I prefer desktop. Would recommend CAWS to you but my own CAWS is acting up (more likely due to overtinkering on my part than anything, really) that I'm not 100% on it. That is, I don't recommend something until I am absolutely SURE it works. But fwiw, CAWS masks your IP like nothing else in the world. (Side note: There used to be a Firefox extension that juggled your proxies... but I think it's not compatible with 1.0PR... and I've updated all the machines to 1.0 so nevermind that. But if you're still on 0.9x then hunt this extension down and install.)

Ad-Aware is good. Get the pro version and keep the definitions up-to-date (this appplies to antivirals and antitrojans as well...) I won't say no to TWO antispyware, but I'd suggest go with just one antiviral: Avast! It's a realtime scanner and really quite well written piece of software. May take a chunk of your system resources but on mine it runs fine (and this machine is a 2-year old frankenputer), so a newer system like what Mr A has should handle it superbly.

Registry. "Even the most macho techs don't usually mess with the registry." For one good reason. You snafu on the reg, it'll be a big pita for you. (Now I don't know whether I'm just being superstitious or keeping my professor's superstitions, but I RARELY mess with the reg. Even with reg checkers, reg editors or reg mechanics UNLESS I have the machine fully ghosted. And I mean fully.)

I forgot one thing. A washer. Or cleaner, Or whatever they call it. Windows Washer 5 (or whatever the latest is) is user-friendly and easy, although I prefer Evidence Eliminator 5, which is SO thorough that it deserves the name. I mean everything is scoured. Make sure you tweak the exclusions before running EE5 if you'd rather not wake up in the morning with your backups zapped.

For an antitrojan recommendation I'll go with TDS-3 Professional (site here). This app is so.... smart, you'll have to read the manual ;)

Firewall: Try Sygate Personal Firewall Pro.

Now don't take my word for it. I'm just an ex-corporate IT drone who had a really good sysadmin who taught me a lot of tricks. That was years ago. Now I'm freelancing. Best way is to sub to newsgroups (keyword: security + privacy), read up and keep abreast of trends. Sounds like a tall order? Get Thunderbird and plug in all the rss/xml/etc feeds from groups/blogs/sites and you'll feel better about keeping watch on stuff that matters (: