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Thread ID: 16170	2002-02-28 10:59:00	Some Internet Basics!	Guest (0)	Press F1

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
37432	2002-02-28 10:59:00	After noticing the two messages about rather large phone/ISP bills related to the Internet. So I thought that I would put up a post with a few basics regarding Internet security. Feel free to add some more. 1. Firewall, a must have (especially for people with broadband). A firewall will prevent incoming and outgoing activities through your Internet connection. It will bring up a message saying whether you want to allow some program access to the Internet. If in doubt choose no. Good ones to allow access are your email client and browser. Remember to keep your firewall updated. Some good free firewalls are ZoneAlarm <www.zonelabs.com and Outpost <www.agnitum.com (note that Outpost is still a BETA). 2. Antivirus software, another must have. Scans your files for viruses. Always remember to scan any email attachments or files from disks before opening them. IMPORTANT: An Antivirus program is only as good as the latest defintion file you have, so always remember to keep the virus defintions updated. A good free Antivirus program is AVG <www.grisoft.com 3. Be particularly wary if you ever happen to find yourself at a porn or warez site, there are quite often sites which will try to get you to install some particular 'dialler', do not give it the OK to download and install. 4. File sharing or P2P programs are quite bad when it comes to viruses so always scan these files with an upto date antivirus program before running them. 5. Don't open email attachments from people that you don't know. 6. Be wary of who you let use your computer. 7. Don't have your modem configured to automatically dial your ISP, this makes it far to easy for trojans to gain access to the Internet. 8. When you don't need access to the Internet, feel free to unplug the phone line from the modem, there is no way that your computer can ring up a far away place with out access to the phone line. 9. Visit Windows Update <www.windowsupdate.com and get the 'Critical Updates'. Any problems feel free to ask them here at PressF1, myself and most of the others will be willing to help. JM PS. If you click on the 'View' or 'Respond' button, the websites in this post will show up as clickable links. This is courtesy of John Calvert's extensive testing of how to make the links clickable.	Guest (0)
37433	2002-02-28 23:42:00	Thanks JM - but I have a question about Zone Alarm. On the download page they seem to recommend a pay-for product, Pest Control, to check out the PC for Trojans and Spyware. In your opinion (!): Is there any way of detecting these without paying for a product to do so? Is there really any need to check for these before installing a firewall product? Thanks, Nick	Guest (0)
37434	2002-03-01 00:52:00	Hi Dutch Nick, to get rid of spyware the best program would probably be Ad-Aware <www.lavasoft.de and get RefUpdate from their as well which makes it easier to keep the reference lists for Ad-Aware up to date easier. In the way of trojan removers, I personally haven't used any so I can't recommend any. Some of the others here might be able to recommend some though. JM	Guest (0)
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