 The magazine of the Melbourne PC User Group Editorial Ash Nallawalla ash@melbpc.org.au |
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Security and Privacy go hand-in-hand when it comes to computing. For most of
us, security does not involve national secrets but we do need to guard our data. Lax security measures often
arise from ignorance. We are all ignorant until a fact is brought to our attention, so the next alternative
is to read as much as is practicable on this topic.
There was a time when one could leave one's home unlocked and similarly, one could do likewise with our
computers. I remember the Internet of the late 1980s, when most universities on the Internet had a guest
account that would enable outsiders to use that machine with reduced privileges. It was convenient to use the
"finger" program to look up basic information about another user and whether they were online.
To borrow a phrase from "the events of September 11", the world will never be the same again for PCs.
Computer vandals have exploited every weakness in computers to spread their havoc. Windows-based PCs are the
most vulnerable because there are simply more of them and because of the security flaws that are slowly being
fixed by Microsoft.
PC Security
My family uses Outlook Express as their e-mail program and, had it not been for an antivirus program I
installed, they would have been infected by the currently prevalent Klez worm. I have heard good things about
an e-mail program called The Bat! and will check it out soon. Its Web site is http://www.ritlabs.com.
I use Microsoft Outlook, which does not have the same level of vulnerability as Outlook Express. Since
rebuilding my PC a few months ago, I can now reveal that I had no antivirus program on it because my copy of
Norton Antivirus 2001 does not work with Windows XP. As I use ZoneAlarm Pro and keep Microsoft
Outlook XP patched, this combination ensured that no virus got through.
I do not use the preview pane in my Inbox, as this can assist some viruses to trigger. I also delete a lot of
spam e-mail by deleting them unseen, thanks to the filters available in Outlook. I do not open executable
attachments or images sent by strangers. As I write this, we are told that viruses can now be sent inside
images.
A few Melb PC members (more probably their correspondents who have them in their address books) are still
getting infected by the Klez worm, judging by the complaints seen by the Internet admin team. Thankfully, the
number of such infections is on the decline.
McAfee VirusScan 6.0
I installed McAfee VirusScan 6.0 on this PC recently. I have been using version 4.0 on my office laptop for
nearly a year and was quite satisfied with it. I had not used it for many years since its shareware origins
some 12 years ago. At home I had been using Norton AntiVirus, so there was no need to try another
program.
Most of these antivirus programs perform the basic task of stopping a virus, so one has to look at other features to separate one from the next. I did not install its firewall, as I have one. It is very important for an antivirus program to have the latest definition file so that it can identify and block the latest nasties. If your program can fetch updates automatically while you are connected to the Internet, this is the best solution, at least for me. Symantec has long had a program called LiveUpdate and McAfee has Instant Updater; both perform the same function. I like the HAWK (Hostile Activity Watch Kernel) feature because it will monitor hostile activity, particularly worms that send infected emails to everyone in your address book. That one is unlikely to be seen in action because VirusScan ought to block the incoming worm! |
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I have McAfee VirusScan running on my PC now and am happy to recommend it.
Visit McAfee at http://www.mcafee-at-home.com.
Integrated Protection
I reviewed the firewall program ZoneAlarm Pro (ZA Pro) some months ago and confirm that it is doing its job
very well. It is a good example of integration of several discrete features that can also be obtained as
separate programs from various sources. Integration eliminates any inter-program conflict and when you use a
well-supported program, you don't need to worry about updates from numerous suppliers. If I did not have
ZoneAlarm, then I would have used the one in VirusScan.
Privacy
ZA Pro also includes controls to block cookies. I block only third-party cookies because many sites require
session cookies to ensure that you get a personalised experience. For those of you using Windows 2000 or
XP and need to create a username, avoid using your own name. Many cookies use that as part of the file name
and there is no need to reveal your username to anyone.
My e-mail address "leaked" out to spammers many years ago, so I cannot do a lot about that other than using
good filters. If you are new to computing, then get a free e-mail account from a service such as Hotmail and
only use it when dealing with unknown entities. Only after you feel that you will not get any unwanted e-mail
should you give them your real address. I often use that method when subscribing to newsletters.
Reprinted from the July 2002 issue of PC Update, the
magazine of Melbourne PC User Group, Australia
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