I dislike Zone Alarm...

[Go Aweigh2452]

Lesson learned...

Got hit with the recent (17 Jan) Sality virus that sends your computer info to some place in Russia. They (Norton) say you have to open an email with "Administrator" in the subject... wellll, I don't open any emails without knowing who they are... Buuutttt, got infected... I think it was a rider in my sisters email on 18 Jan... got her computer fixed the past week via long distance...

So I clean my laptop all up and make sure everything is fine and just for a another safety measure, I install zone alarm (ZA) when I am already using zone alarm on the desktop behind the linksys firewall and behind my Norton firewall and behind my windows XP firewall... So I download ZA and upon initial install, it then takes priority in loading over my Norton antivirus... you guessed it... I get not one, but 35 viruses in about 5-15 seconds... plus a bunch of adware junk... So I do the safe start, clean up, manually delete all infected system.ini files and lots of registry files and uninstall ZA... Now I am running one more set of antivirus scans at home while using the work computer (now) to download more info on this nasty virus and also sending a nasty gram to ZA for their stupidity in overriding my antivirus software.

Lesson learned.... watch what you load up and make sure it doesn't override your antivirus...

I wasted an entire evening doing all this crap cause some jerk thinks its cool to collect info on other people...

I think it is time to download mozilla and forget about IE... that at least may help slow this crap down...

[SomeSailor]

Generally speaking... you should only run one antivirus program or another at a time. Same logic goes for firewalls. If you have two running... something has to give and eventually you'll be exposed.

An exception is having a couple of other virus scanners installed, but not running just for that extra feel-good.

The most important part of setting up a firewall is knowing what ports to filter.

Here are the ones I allow:

TCP 80 :)

All others are blocked from new connections.

And these are blocked exclusively, but open by IP.

TCP 135, TCP 139, TCP 445, TCP 2869, TCP 3389
UDP 137, UDP 138, UDP 1900

Anything else... I establish on a "as-needed" basis.

I use my new router's firewall to exclude connection outside those in my network, I use WPA2 to lockup my home WiFi network, and use my older Linksys AP to allow 1 open connection as a free hotspot. It's only 802.11B and my new router also allows filtering for the times of day, by IP address and MAC.

Zone-Alarm is a good program, as is Microsofts and a couple of others.

[Go Aweigh2452]

Well, I uninstalled my 2005 version of Norton as the directions on line said to and tried reinstalling only to find that they don't allow that version to be downloaded??? So, I went to Office Depot Sunday AM and after buying the new version of Norton Internet 2006, she still would not load... but if I paid an additional $69, Norton would help do it. Went to use the online Norton clean up and it found the virus and malware (by this time I had 1488 copies on my puter (one in every executable program on my laptop) but Norton only lets you see that you have a problem and will not let you delete them (remember, I had to remove all of Norton as part of their fix). So I used the free Trend Micro housecalls to find AND delete them all...

I've been using Norton the past several years so I know it is a good product.... but.... The biggest problem I saw with the new Norton 2006 is it actually requires you to uninstall the windows firewall and replace it with the Norton version. It does not accept just turning the firewall off... It lets you know that... very painful program.

So, Bottom line... I am now using Trend Micro 2006 and it cleaned up my puter in one application, no hassle, no problem...

Now, I am in process of unregistering and returning the Norton product. This of course means going through automated phone hell and maybe having the opportunity to talk with some semi-English speaking person someplace in India I think... at least it sounded that way when I got disconnected twice and I hit the wrong key on the phone once too. Or, for $39 I can buy my way out with out going through phone hell...

But I am now protected once more... thanks to Trend Micro... ;)

[SomeSailor]

I really like Avast. I use it alongside my firewall and Norton. They're all about the same these days... so I opt for free. :D

You just need to only have one at a time running. Norton will run alongside Windows firewall, just don't install Norton's. I just did the same on the mother in laws yesterday.

You really need one or the other anyhow. Understanding the types of protocols YOU need and locking out everything else is the most important part.

[Go Aweigh2452]

Well, I liked what I read about PC-cillin: It is real time... Plus, PC-cillin protects your wireless network with Wi-Fi Intrusion Detection. Block fraudulent Web sites, phishing emails, and pharming attacksscams designed to cull financial data, user names, and passwords and new Anti-Fraud Toolbar is nice too.

PC-cillin cost me $9.43 with all the rebates and I get 12 months 24/7 telephone suport. So, I think this will be fine.. at least better than Norton...

So you installed Norton on your MIL? Why not Avast if it is so good and free?

[pkrogh]

And our Linksys wireless won't run thru Norton firewall for some things so
we had to turn it off and use the MS firewall!!

Wish these guys would get it together. :(

Pete