[Kurokawa]

First, let me say: yes i realize this thread is old and mostly dead.

But in any case i must point out flaws in in:

1. Anti-virus programs do not work! Norton and McAfee are horrible. There's a bigger chance you'll end up with a virus with it than without it. I know this because I don't run A-V software on my self-built system and it is virus free, unlike my parent's computer which their A-V keeps saying that Window's Autorun feature is a virus.

1.a. The only reason people ever get Viruses is because they're do not surf the web safely and visit sites that will be the most likely to have a Virusfile. (pornsites anyone?)

2. Administrator account - follow the advice on changing it's name and password. DO NOT leave it untouched under any reason. Why? because if you do not change it and leave it as it's hidden administrator self, you have just made yourself hacked because that is the first thing any hacker will check for, an unchanged admin account. Trust me, i know this as well.

3. Power user, admin, regular user. Nothing major to say here. The advice listed already is usefull and helps. But it does not mention the risk that if you are logged in as a reg(restricted) user, a hacker still can log into the admin account. Why is this? Because you are not logged in. The OS has written into it a restriction that an account can not be logged into the same system twice in the same instance. Logging into a restricted account leaves backdoor login access to a hacker.

4. For passwords, do not use words. a password like theology38 is not a good password, Brute forcing will crack that, and brute force is the basic cracking style. Be sure to follow the guidelines above, but insure that whatever you do in following that does not make your password have a complete word even if it's M1lw4UK3e

[Mhurron]

Originally Posted by Kurokawa

1. Anti-virus programs do not work! Norton and McAfee are horrible. There's a bigger chance you'll end up with a virus with it than without it. I know this because I don't run A-V software on my self-built system and it is virus free, unlike my parent's computer which their A-V keeps saying that Window's Autorun feature is a virus.

Wrong on just so many levels.

1.a. The only reason people ever get Viruses is because they're do not surf the web safely and visit sites that will be the most likely to have a Virusfile. (pornsites anyone?)

Wrong again. Case in point - Code Red

2. Administrator account - follow the advice on changing it's name and password. DO NOT leave it untouched under any reason. Why? because if you do not change it and leave it as it's hidden administrator self, you have just made yourself hacked because that is the first thing any hacker will check for, an unchanged admin account. Trust me, i know this as well.

Mostly irrelevant for home users. Lets also just say, I don't loose any sleep over having root and administrator account names at work.

3. Power user, admin, regular user. Nothing major to say here. The advice listed already is usefull and helps. But it does not mention the risk that if you are logged in as a reg(restricted) user, a hacker still can log into the admin account. Why is this? Because you are not logged in. The OS has written into it a restriction that an account can not be logged into the same system twice in the same instance. Logging into a restricted account leaves backdoor login access to a hacker.

Unless you are already compromised, no 'hacker' is logging in anywhere. There is no extra 'risk' to running as a restricted account.

4. For passwords, do not use words. a password like theology38 is not a good password, Brute forcing will crack that, and brute force is the basic cracking style. Be sure to follow the guidelines above, but insure that whatever you do in following that does not make your password have a complete word even if it's M1lw4UK3e

13375p3ak isn't going to save you. People brute forcing passwords on client machines happens so infrequently. It's just not worth it.

[Kurokawa]

Right...... Whatever makes you sleep tight and happy.

Experience is still the better. And I am right on the A-V. If you feel you must go with any A-V do not go with Norton or MA, if anything at all go Zone-Alarm. Norton and MA are too wreaked with bugs to be a help but will be a nice headache when you get "Windows core process is a virus, please take action"

And question for you: how do you think people get compromised?

As for my Number 4, do you realize you agreed with me?

[Ellipses]

Originally Posted by Kurokawa

Trust me, i know this as well.

That's a tremendously irresponsible attitude in general, especially when it comes to the subject of security.

[Kurokawa]

Originally Posted by Ellipses

That's a tremendously irresponsible attitude in general, especially when it comes to the subject of security.

So I guess having knowledge and experience is officially deemed "irresponsible attitude".

Well, I'm so glad I went to school to learn and spent my free-time learning how to have an "irresponsible attitude".

[Ellipses]

No, asking people to trust your information just because you claim to be knowledgeable is irresponsible. That's exactly the kind of thing that gets people who aren't knowledgeable into trouble.

Note how my posts don't say a single thing about whether or not you actually are knowledgeable. I have no idea, which is pretty much the point.

[Mhurron]

Originally Posted by Kurokawa

knowledge and experience

Going on what you have said you have neither.

Anti-virus programs do not work

Oh but they do, they are not however silver bullits

There's a bigger chance you'll end up with a virus with it than without it.

Bullshit. You are no more likely to get a virus simply by running any program beyond running Windows.

I know this because I don't run A-V software on my self-built system and it is virus free

Anecdotes are not evidence.

unlike my parent's computer which their A-V keeps saying that Window's Autorun feature is a virus.

Says the person with so much 'knowledge and experience' who apparently can't understand that most likely there is actually something going on here.

The only reason people ever get Viruses is because they're do not surf the web safely and visit sites that will be the most likely to have a Virusfile

Nimda (computer worm) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Morris worm - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sasser (computer worm) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Knowledge and experience indeed

Administrator account

Targeted attacks do not happen to home users. Most users run their existing user as admin so this also doesn't do anything. Most exploits are buffer overflows which do not need to know the name of the superuser. This doesn't do anything but make the user feel like they have done something.

But it does not mention the risk that if you are logged in as a reg(restricted) user, a hacker still can log into the admin account

That's quite the steaming pile you're serving up here. Do you know what happens when other users try to log onto a Windows desktop OS? The current user gets kicked out. If that doesn't clue someone into the fact something strange is going on, well, there is nothing that is going to save them. By default there is no way to remotely log onto a Windows desktop uninvited. Lets also not forget, 'hackers' do not log on to client desktops.

Your passwords advice is taken from a million other sources, I know you didn't think of that one.

[Jarre]

Yeah Norton and Macafe are shit, but other ones are good. F-Secure and Kasperksy labs (what i currently use) are very good.

You don't have to browse just porn sites to get virus's, any potential download, music anyone, films, games, cracks, cheats etc? Also people who browse their mail in email programes with teh preview pane open, some viruses in emails are activated when you look at the email in the preview pane. Also as people found out with somepage, it got hacked (a normal website) and if suers clicked on a specific harmless link it installed a virus.

You must understand that viruses are everywhere if your not carefull. Any AV is better than non. Also don't forget about spyware killers to keep on your system and have a good firewall. Windows firewall isn't always the best choice.

[Kurokawa]

Mhurron

(obviously has some extra pronunciations)

You aren't a hacker and obviously don't know any. So as such, I refuse to argue any further with someone who is too ignorant to know what the hell they are arguing about because they think their glorious crap is good.

[IfritnoItazura]

No offense, Kurosawa, but what is your computer security background? Many things you say are very questionable. ("There's a bigger chance you'll end up with a virus with [either Norton or McAfee] than without it," for example, is utterly false.)

[Feba]

You aren't a hacker and obviously don't know any.

I doubt you even know what a hacker is.

I refuse to argue any further with someone who is too ignorant to know what the hell they are arguing about

You should really know who you're talking to better.

You have absolutely no idea what the fuck you're saying, your advice is mostly downright wrong, and even dangerous to anyone that follows it. Listen to Mhurron, he knows more about computers than you likely ever will.

[Yellow Mage]

Originally Posted by Feba

I doubt you even know what a hacker is.



You should really know who you're talking to better.

You have absolutely no idea what the fuck you're saying, your advice is mostly downright wrong, and even dangerous to anyone that follows it. Listen to Mhurron, he knows more about computers than anybody else likely ever will.

Quoted for truth.

Just trust us when we say you do not want to screw with Mhurron, especially on matters concerning Computers.

Feba's post should be fixed on that, by the way; I'll do that now.

[Feba]

I wouldn't say anybody else. I have like one person on my buddy list who seems to be slightly more knowledgeable about computers than Mhurron.

Of course, there's also the very real possibility that that person is either a savant or omnipotent.

But still, Mhurron can beat my ass into the ground on a computer debate, and I've been using computers literally longer than I can remember. I've likely spent more time typing than I have speaking.

[Yellow Mage]

Well, that's why I kept that word "likely" there.

[Kurokawa]

My final words in this:

Enjoy your belief that kittens are the only hackers out there, I might just cry but probably just laugh. It may keep you safe most of the time, but not always. And if you believe hackers don't attack personal computers, there would be no need for this topic. Peace out, and enjoy your ignorance.