Pc

[BESTY]

hi folks,anybody had a virus on there pc ,i lost all my stuff on mine last night .gutted.had to re boot with floppy disc,lost the lot,

[Loz]

This Microsoft Blaster Virus is really not friendly.

:duh: :yack: :yack: :yack:

but brothers stay clean!

:zee:

[Doodlebug]

My antivirus software detected and removed the blaster virus on the 14th. I was lucky I suppose.

:D

[BESTY]

My antivirus software detected and removed the blaster virus on the 14th. I was lucky I suppose.

:D

where do i get an anti virus set up mate :)

[ifraz]

You may also want to consider buying a firewall. From what I understand, not all Anti Virus software's picked this Blaster virus up. Also download all the Microsoft Update patches from their website, it'll protect you more next time.

You can buy Anti Virus and Firewall software from PC World or any other good computer store. They can also be purchased from any online computer shop i.e Microwarehouse

P.S. Not sure why you had to format your hard drive. All of the PC's I've seen and dealt with have not lost any of their files. It's a quick fix to put it right without causing any lasting damage to the PC or it's files.

[Doodlebug]

There are many antivirus products out there. I use Norton Antivirus 2003 by Symantec.

Check out Dixons, PC world etc.

It is also wise to install a firewall as well. There is one built into windows XP or Zonealarm is good they do a free version for home use.

:D

[BESTY]

cheers lads,just put a firewall in today,will get other tommorow.when i phoned freeserve about the problem my pc wouldnt respond to anything,he said it had the equiv to the sars virus,it was dead.wasnt best pleased,would like to catch who sets these virusis up

[UKPulse]

At the risk of casting virus-authors as stereotypes, I'd say they are all socially inept ****s.

I'd guarantee that none of them own a Lexus, coz if they did, they'd have more respect for other peoples property!! :o

[rusty]

I've been using the freebie version of Zone alarm on Xp for several months now on broadband and it is good. The blaster virus never got me, nor has any other form of attack other than the standard Email virus's which get picked up by McAfee virus scanner.

[Claire G]

PC World have a special offer on at the mo' for McAfee firewall and Anti-Virus malarky - it was advertised in the paper at the weekend and I think it was about £35-ish.

[Fidgits]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

DO NOT USE MCAFEE!!!

1. I hate it

2. it's :tsktsk:

3. Our complete network was protected with it, and i still managed to get infected last week (all up to date etc..)

Get Norton Antivirus, it may cost a bit more, but is well worth it!

[dark_is200]

At the risk of casting virus-authors as stereotypes, I'd say they are all socially inept ****s.

I'd guarantee that none of them own a Lexus, coz if they did, they'd have more respect for other peoples property!! :o

most virus writers are very clever, some just use tools by other people which isn't clever though. i don't think that the virus writers are socially inept, just the case that most people using PC's are technically inept and unaware of the details involved in using your pc:

if you compare computing to your car you find things that are pretty stupid,

1 - Car keys vs passwords

You would never give your car keys to someone but its often you use simple passwords

or give them out on request

2 - Virus checking

Would you use your car every day without ever checking its ok (tyres pressures etc.?)

3 - Security

Would you leave you car unlocked in the middle of the worst area you can think of

(e.g. Mossside) People do it every day with PC's

4 - Updates

A car manufacturer issues a safety warning about your car, you would update it straight

away, how many people ever update PC's with new patches from vendors?

If people do silly things and leave their computers in a dangerous situation there are always people that will take advantage in exactly the same way as your car, house etc. Until the average computer user learns to treat the computer in a similar way they will always have problems.

[dark_is200]

here is my home config (for the security conscious (paranoid??)):

Zoom ADSL modem (ethernet)

Linksys Firewall Router connected to Zoom on one side, PC1 on the other side

PC1: Cheap Pentium 100 with two network cards, running smoothwall

SMC 8 port switch

2 Linux PC's (running IPTables)

2 Windows XP PC's (running ZoneAlarm)

[stevenage_saint]

Couple of suggestions would recomend the Norton Antivirus( I use it) and have tried a number of alternatives. As long as you keep udating the virus definitions only you will not have any problems.

As for firewalls I have tried a number including MaCaffe, norton and Black ICe. I settled for Zone Alarm Pro with using broad band connection. It has to be one of the better firewalls I use. Also if you buy the pro version you can get extra software for free and a cheep option of buying an anti-trojan package. All of these add up to some not to bad protection. The reason i use them is I got atacked via a Microsoft website.

I would also recomend people look at using Opera, Mozilla or ( the last) Netscape in place of IE and Outlook the reason is they are not Microsoft products therefore do not get attacked as much and they have less bug fixes sent out for them. ANother bonus of Netscape 7.1 anti- popup software.

When it comes to antivirus dont cut corners as software like Panda, penecillin ect don't get updated as quickly as the likes of Sopus, Norton and MaCafee so I would only look at those 3.

[Fargo]

here is my home config (for the security conscious (paranoid??)):

Zoom ADSL modem (ethernet)

Linksys Firewall Router connected to Zoom on one side, PC1 on the other side

PC1: Cheap Pentium 100 with two network cards, running smoothwall

SMC 8 port switch

2 Linux PC's (running IPTables)

2 Windows XP PC's (running ZoneAlarm)

Errrr.. anyone seen Wargames....

[Unregistered_User1]

At the risk of casting virus-authors as stereotypes, I'd say they are all socially inept ****s.

I'd guarantee that none of them own a Lexus, coz if they did, they'd have more respect for other peoples property!! :o

A small minority of virus-authors are intelligent people... they have to be. These people get paid by an organisation to cause as much havoc as possible in that organisation. There are other people who are paid from the same organisation to try and stop them. I am a senior analyst now for a major blue-chip organisation, but I started out as a trainee computer programmer and was amazed at the amount of money which was ploughed into security. This cat-and-mouse strategy helps organisations to tighten-up their virus-checking / security algorithms. Who do you think writes the anti-virus code?.. and who do you think tries to tighten-up the virus-checking algorithms before the anti-virus software is released??.... virus writers!!!

I must agree though that not all virus writers are "clever"... most copy-cats use one of the many, many easy-to-use virus creation programs which just produce hybrids. A decent virus-protection setup will spot these hybrids a mile-off and you should never be infected by one of these simple copies.

[Unregistered_User1]

I would also recomend people look at using Opera, Mozilla or ( the last) Netscape in place of IE and Outlook the reason is they are not Microsoft products therefore do not get attacked as much and they have less bug fixes sent out for them.

Micro$oft own ~97% of the browser market via their free give-away of Internet Explorer. This is why most virus hybrid copy-cats attack IE.

On the flip-side though, most internet websites only cater for IE usage and do not take the time to accept Netscape browsers. There is nothing wrong with Netscape as a browser. Micro$oft programs (Word / Excel / Project etc.) deliberately interrupt Netscape which is why Netscape users get so many software conflicts... it has nothing to do with Netscape and more to do with Micro$oft wanting to monopolise the browser market.

[Unregistered_User1]

here is my home config (for the security conscious (paranoid??)):

Zoom ADSL modem (ethernet)

Linksys Firewall Router connected to Zoom on one side, PC1 on the other side

PC1: Cheap Pentium 100 with two network cards, running smoothwall

SMC 8 port switch

2 Linux PC's (running IPTables)

2 Windows XP PC's (running ZoneAlarm)

Jees... how much upper memory have you got assigned for all the DLL's you must be running..?

Do you have rear port access disabled to your PC1? I believe most standard firewalls don't allow you to specify this type of access (and so cannot disable it). You have to manually write a script to flood your "backdoor" so no more data can come thru.

Just to ensure your PC is totally secure!

[Claire G]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

DO NOT USE MCAFEE!!!

1. I hate it

2. it's :tsktsk:

3. Our complete network was protected with it, and i still managed to get infected last week (all up to date etc..)

Get Norton Antivirus, it may cost a bit more, but is well worth it!

I'm looking for customer testimonials at the moment Ian, guess you won't be up for that! If you've any comments you want me to pass to the powers that be, let me know.

(Only 3 weeks left before I leave for pastures new!!!)

[Fidgits]

Well put it this way Claire...

My company was happy using Macfee for 'n' number of years, but the recent attacks have demonstrated serious flaws in their Anti-virus system (remember were an internet security company) and our whole company is now switching to Symantec due to these flaws!

[pacemaker]

first off agree with earlier reply that Zone Alarm is excellent

you can test your secutity by visiting this site:

https://grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2

secondly i have tried many antivirus software and believe the following to be among the best, and its FREE:

http://www.grisoft.com/us/us_dwnl_free.php

you gotta protect yourself its a dangerous world out there

[BESTY]

first off agree with earlier reply that Zone Alarm is excellent

you can test your secutity by visiting this site:

https://grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2

secondly i have tried many antivirus software and believe the following to be among the best, and its FREE:

http://www.grisoft.com/us/us_dwnl_free.php

you gotta protect yourself its a dangerous world out there

cheers mate :P ,i`m new to computers,not that good,yet.

[BESTY]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

DO NOT USE MCAFEE!!!

1. I hate it

2. it's  :tsktsk:

3. Our complete network was protected with it, and i still managed to get infected last week (all up to date etc..)

Get Norton Antivirus, it may cost a bit more, but is well worth it!

I'm looking for customer testimonials at the moment Ian, guess you won't be up for that! If you've any comments you want me to pass to the powers that be, let me know.

(Only 3 weeks left before I leave for pastures new!!!)

i heard about norten antivirus,where do i buy that :)

[BESTY]

many thanks too all,my head is full now,my pc will be like fort knox :)

[Fidgits]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

DO NOT USE MCAFEE!!!

1. I hate it

2. it's  :tsktsk:

3. Our complete network was protected with it, and i still managed to get infected last week (all up to date etc..)

Get Norton Antivirus, it may cost a bit more, but is well worth it!

I'm looking for customer testimonials at the moment Ian, guess you won't be up for that! If you've any comments you want me to pass to the powers that be, let me know.

(Only 3 weeks left before I leave for pastures new!!!)

i heard about norten antivirus,where do i buy that :)

PC World