Network Security Warning ..... How to Protect Yourself On The Internet

[PCBruiser]

Fraoch, re IPX/SPX, bindings, you are in the wrong place for the bindings settings.. Right Click on your desktop networks, the Advanced Menu there then Advanced Settings.

Win98 SE has IPX/SPX, just changing the bindings is a little different procedure there, easier, in fact.

NetBIOS is in TCP/IP Properties/Advanced/Wins Tab.

Edit: Settings the same in XP Home and Pro.

[FB]

hmmm, maybe when i get my DSL in a month or so, i should get me a nice router as well...
any suggestions? for under 50-70?

[PCBruiser]

Check back a few posts, I recall that BestBuy is selling the Netgear for what $50 less a $10 rebate, and NewEgg has that one (and others with SPI) for less than $50.

[Fraoch]

Originally posted by PCBruiser
Fraoch, re IPX/SPX, bindings, you are in the wrong place for the bindings settings.. Right Click on your desktop networks, the Advanced Menu there then Advanced Settings.

Win98 SE has IPX/SPX, just changing the bindings is a little different procedure there, easier, in fact.

NetBIOS is in TCP/IP Properties/Advanced/Wins Tab.

Edit: Settings the same in XP Home and Pro.

Right you are, of course.

Many thanks!

[FB]

when i get home and away from dial-up at work, i will , this 28.8k is unbareably slow

BTW: i have "high-speed" currently in my dorm via the school's lan, but they have like 3 of 4 $200,000 plus hardware firewalls. I don't know what pertinence that has, but i already typed it and am not going to erase it

[adamsfbay]

PC Bruiser is right.

I don't have any real reason to run a home network, so I disable all file-sharing related services, and pair down my internet connection to only TCP/IP (removing QoS and Microsoft Client), also disabling LMHOSTS and NetBios.

There are a number of additional services that should be shut off for security if you're flying solo on a PC at home. There are also plenty of ways IE can compromise your security. It's probably a good idea to switch to Firefox just for this reason.

For a good compilation, I suggest:

http://www.beemerworld.com/tips/servicesxp.htm
http://www.techspot.com/tweaks/windo...curity-3.shtml
http://www.blackviper.com/WinXP/servicecfg.htm
http://www.techspot.com/tweaks/winxp...rvices-3.shtml

I also recommend running layered protection on your system.
For maximum security:
1 resident (in-memory) antivirus: I use NOD32 - it has the best heuristics and uses the fewest resources

1 backup (scan) antivirus to scan email attachments and other files: I use Kaspersky 4.5, it's by far the most comprehensive antivirus library and a good compliment to NOD32 as it has better malware and worm/trojan detection

1 antitrojan/antiworm resident (in memory): I use TDS-3 with Wormguard 3. It's not user friendly, but it's the most powerful trojan and worm detection out there.

1 Process protector: Many viruses, trojans, etc. can reach out and turn of processes on your PC before they can protect you. Process Guard runs at low level and lets you define processes which can't be shut down.

These programs minimally impact my PC performance, but I do have a fast PC. They are, in this day and age, the next layer of protection after you config your network properly.

-Adam

[PCBruiser]

Well, it is pertinent, for sure. Their firewalls protect you from the bad guys on their WAN side, but not the bad guys on their LAN side. So, if there are crackers on your school's LAN, you have the same problem there. That's one reason why a software firewall is also needed to protect you from internal crackers. Or, you can get a router now, and use it today when you connect to the school LAN. Routers can be "ganged" behind each other with the proper settings.

[PCBruiser]

Great points adamsfbay. Excellent suggestions for next steps.

[Bofinn]

Congrats PCB on becoming a sticky!

[PCBruiser]

Ummmm.........I think the THREAD is the sticky not me, I hope. Bunheads? ROTF.

[UH60LimaTI]

Originally posted by Bofinn
Congrats PCB on becoming a sticky!

Glad to see this thread has PINE TAR all over it now!!!

[Moop]

Originally posted by Bofinn
Congrats PCB on becoming a sticky!

I agree. This thread has been very informative.

[ATINUT]

This is the firewall/router I have. It's the Netgear FR114P firewall/router.

http://www.netgear.com/products/deta...114P.php?view=

I've had it for close to a year. I never did believe in getting a router that didn't have Stateful Packet Inspection, Intrusion Detection, and Denial of Service attack prevention. I give thanks to my brother who told me to get this type of a firewall/router. Wouldn't want to be without it.

[BillC]

Originally posted by ATINUT
This is the firewall/router I have. It's the Netgear FR114P firewall/router.

http://www.netgear.com/products/deta...114P.php?view=

I've had it for close to a year. I never did believe in getting a router that didn't have Stateful Packet Inspection, Intrusion Detection, and Denial of Service attack prevention. I give thanks to my brother who told me to get this type of a firewall/router. Wouldn't want to be without it.

I have one of these:

Netgear FVS-318

Was a pain to get set up, but after I got it working, has performed nicely. All scans I've tried (GRC, Norton, McAfee, etc) show my computer totally stealthed.

PCB: my apologies -- I know you don't want this to be a hardware thread (and the information you've been so kind to provide is absolutely priceless, IMO). I just thought that many people reading this thread might be scratching their heads as to what is available out there to help secure their systems, so a few product suggestions may not be totally out of order. If I'm threadjacking, I sincerely apologize.

Best,
Bill

[PCBruiser]

No problem, Bill, as long as it's brief and the hardware is used as an example of what is out there that fills the need rather then degenerating into a "mine is bigger than your's" discussion. Clearly folks need some hardware pointers for examples of ones that can fill their needs.