Although I'd agree that just wising up a little to how malware infections happen is the best form of prevention, I just can't condone the use of the word "noob".
I'd be more than happy to offer some serious suggestions if I had them. I really don't know, though. Honestly, all the products out there right now seem to dissapoint me. :( Sorry dude.
honestly i recommend you install ubuntu or something... or at least read up on some of the latest shit... its about to blow away every os. shits going up exponetially.
I don't think I've tried FC6. I'll have to check it out. I think my main turnoff with Linux was basically that I just have everything so customized in windows already. I strip down explorer (GUI) so it's pretty plain looking and use a lot of keyboard shortcuts to get around. I use my mouse as little as possible. But when I do use the mouse, I have it all tricked out with the 5 extra buttons on it. I think I was having a bitch of a time getting a driver that worked good for my mouse in Linux back in the day. Ditto for getting keyboard shortcuts and shit too. I also have weird fucking scripts that fuck with the registry in windows to change the functions of the mouse buttons when I'm using different programs.
i feel on switching over tho.. im still on os x most of the time. my goal is to be on linux completely by next year as my main compy /server. I just need some better sound recording shit on linux. Right now its clumsy as fuck. Im hoping they put tracktion on linux.
Cool. Ubuntu looks like it's got a pretty wild GUI. Yeah I think my problem is just switching. I'm so damn used to the Win2kpro/WinXP shit that I have tricked out. I already hate Vista. I have everything right now just totally stripped down, clean, fast, and efficient.
i used os 9 for 3 years after os x came out... switching is hard... its gonan be even harder for me now cuz i got the whole command vs control thing coming. So i just play with the box i have on suse 10.2 for now to get used to it. here is my LIVE screen shot http://spy.sxealex.com
yea... read up on it and learn a bit b4 u switch... mostly on how to make it dual boot. there are a million and 1 how-tos. you probably wont feel comfortable using it right away.
Honestly, I'm using a laptop so I'm not completely sweating it. All I need is something that detects viruses and other stuff and takes care of it.
post by ArrowHead NLI at May 24,2007 12:51am
I just built a whole new system, and still bought XP pro. I'll be using this OS for a long time. Vista seems unnecessary and bulky, and linux will just never be an option. It's hard enough to get the companies that produce software to make versions for both PC and Mac. Why waste time creating a dual boot system so I can still play my games and record when I can just use the same OS to do everything?
As for anti-virus, I haven't run any for about a year or so. In that time, I've had less problems than when I ran Norton all the time. Good data backup habits are far more valuable than any useless antivirus tool.
linux = no virus. not virus detection just barely any risk. same with almost any current unix based system
Same with most macs. It's meaningless.
Why write viruses to exploit systems that MOST people are not using?
If everyone were to follow your lead, and switch to Linux, do you think things would remain that way?
yes.
the systems are built differently requiring social engineering in viruses. inother words u gotta install something with a password to "infect"(more like break) yourself. In addition holes would be fixed in one day on linux stuff.
windows has an open registry.
i can write a program to change anything on your computer.
i can put it on a cd to auto run.
unix based system dont work like this.
dont get me wrong...you can defintaley set windows up to get close to this secure but the base of it is not secure. and its not secure by default. (maybe vista is i dunno)
Vista sucks more than XP. Besides, if you had no additional firewall and ran a malicious batch script i could poke several holes into your firewall. This has been done by just viewing a site or running a binded batch script in a program. Basically, a more constructive trojan.
Even though i love linux, linux != non-vulnerable. With FireFox as their main browser, injecting a shell script + Batch script into a malicious webpage and having an FF<2.0 view it, BAM! CP down for the count for ANY windows or *nix operating systems.
if you take a the average linux user, the average windows user, and the average mac user, let them configure a system, and then try to hack the machines, the windows one (on average) is the most secure.
True, most Windows security programs are GUI's and simple to use. As most Linux security programs are console-based and have advanced options for more security. Like Snort, which is cross-platform, but more *nix users use it.
But, then again, these programs are more vulnberable to BoF's that can be exploited to gain a shell instantly. Also, the average Window User typically doesn't keep up-to-date with security updates. So, basically, once they get a shiny new firewall, then a 0-day BoF comes out, system pwned because they didn't get a patch and computer used for building enemies botnet. :p
my traffic doesnt warrant a firewall
how would u plan on "injecting a shell script into a malicious webpage"?
also firefox is the main browser in gnome desktops only for the most part. Thats a broad generalization. Im sure if u hack away enough at one system you could get into it. I dont think its as easy as windows via a malicious page. If it is... you gotta show me how.
and rev that stament 3 posts up is wack if your really mean the average user. the average windows user does not configure a system they just press ok till IE opens up and they can check their myspace. The average user brings their compy to a comp shop when they have spyware.
my pc is loaded with spy/adware and i cannot get rid of it..
but i use my mac all the time and just use the pc to download stuff cause of its super big hard drive (probably the reason of all of the spy ware and such)
my traffic doesnt warrant a firewall
how would u plan on "injecting a shell script into a malicious webpage"?
also firefox is the main browser in gnome desktops only for the most part. Thats a broad generalization. Im sure if u hack away enough at one system you could get into it. I dont think its as easy as windows via a malicious page. If it is... you gotta show me how.
No, FireFox is very fast to fix their holes and less is found in FireFox. But, for those that don't update + the amount of private exploits the threat is definately there. Such exploits as:
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/22826/info are what i'm talking about.
Although, seriously, Windows is ungodly easy to inject shit from just viewing a page via php.
Wipe the partition, reinstall Windows and start fresh.
i tried doing that but i put the windows disk in the computer it goes through a few screens and then says cannot find such and such a file....
now it is a copy of the disk, but it worked when i originally installed it.
guess i have to get another xp disk.
http://spy.sxealex.com 