Take control of security

I want to install spam and virus filters in the internet based systems
in my office. My work involves a lot of downloading from the net, and
therefore always run the risk of viruses affecting the operating
systems. I want an economical security service provider with
state-of-the-art security techniques.


--
edwardwalker

On Mon, 13 Apr 2009 02:25:55 -0500, edwardwalker
<> wrote:

>
>I want to install spam and virus filters in the internet based systems
>in my office. My work involves a lot of downloading from the net, and
>therefore always run the risk of viruses affecting the operating
>systems. I want an economical security service provider with
>state-of-the-art security techniques.

What are your present security arrangements on your system ?

On Mon, 13 Apr 2009 02:25:55 -0500, edwardwalker wrote:

> I want to install spam and virus filters in the internet based systems
> in my office. My work involves a lot of downloading from the net, and
> therefore always run the risk of viruses affecting the operating
> systems. I want an economical security service provider with
> state-of-the-art security techniques.

You are not going to find anything better than the Vista FW and Vista in
itself due to the advanced features the FW and Vista are using.

Jesper's Blogs-
At Least This Snake Oil Is Free.
http://msinfluentials.com/blogs/jesp...l-is-free.aspx
Windows Firewall: the best new security feature in Vista?
http://blogs.technet.com/jesper_joha...01/426921.aspx

Exploring The Windows Firewall.
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/tec...l/default.aspx
"If you try to block outbound connections from a computer that’s already
compromised, how can you be sure that the computer is really doing what you
ask? The answer: you can’t. Outbound protection is security theater—it’s a
gimmick that only gives the impression of improving your security without
doing anything that actually does improve your security. This is why
outbound protection didn’t exist in the Windows XP firewall and why it
doesn’t exist in the Windows Vista™ firewall."

Managing the Windows Vista Firewall
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/m.../cc510323.aspx
*(read twice!)*

If on high-speed Internet connection use a Router, if applicable update the
firmware and implement Countermeasures against DNSChanger.
http://extremesecurity.blogspot.com/...-hijacked.html

Avira AntiVir® Personal - FREE Antivirus
http://www.free-av.com/
(The free version won't scan your emails.)
Why You Don't Need Your Anti-Virus Program to Scan Your E-Mail
http://thundercloud.net/infoave/tuto...ning/index.htm
Ensure your e-mail program is configured to display e-mail messages in
'Plain Text' only.

Windows Defender - Free (build-in in Vista)
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/secu...e/default.mspx
WD monitors the start-registry and hooks registers/files to prevent spyware
and worms to install to the OS.
Interesting reading:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,136195/article.html
"...Windows Defender did excel in behavior-based protection, which detects
changes to key areas of the system without having to know anything about
the actual threat."

Routinely practice Safe-Hex.
http://www.claymania.com/safe-hex.html
Hundreds Click on 'Click Here to Get Infected' Ad
http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,2132447,00.asp

On-demand scanners:
SuperAntispyware - Free
http://www.superantispyware.com/down...NTISPYWAREFREE
http://www.superantispyware.com/supe...freevspro.html
--and--
Malwarebytes© Corporation - Anti-Malware
http://www.download.com/Malwarebytes...html?tag=mncol
--or--
http://majorgeeks.com/Malwarebytes_A...are_d5756.html
--direct--
http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam/program/mbam-setup.exe

Some more useful applications:
SpywareBlaster - Free
SpywareBlaster is not a scanner application.
It prevents the installation of ActiveX-based spyware, adware, browser
hijackers, dialers, and other potentially unwanted software.
Blocks spyware/tracking cookies in Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox.
Restricts the actions of potentially unwanted sites in Internet Explorer.
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html

["SpywareBlaster is not a scanner application. It blocks the installation
of most ActiveX-based spyware, adware, browser hijackers, dialers and other
unwanted programs from the user's computer (it does so in real-time).
SpywareBlaster works by blacklisting the CLSID of known malware programs,
effectively preventing them from infecting a protected computer and also
allows the user to prevent privacy hazards such as tracking cookies."]

CCleaner - Free
Cleans temporary internet files, cookies, history, recent urls, application
MRUs, etc. ...(*Tune out the registry scanning/fixing option!*)
http://www.ccleaner.com/download/bui...wnloading-slim

If Windows Defender is utilized go to Applications, under Utilities
uncheck "Windows Defender" (so it won't delete the history of WD).
If you wish, click 'Options' button the 'Settings' [check] 'Run CCleaner
when the computer starts'.
--or--
Setup CCleaner to Automatically Run Each Night in Vista or XP
http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windo...n-vista-or-xp/

CW Shredder - Free
Is a premier tool to find and remove traces of CoolWebSearch – the name for
a wide range of insidious browser hijackers – from your PC.
http://www.softpedia.com/get/Interne...Shredder.shtml

Educational reading:
10 Immutable Laws of Security.
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/l.../cc722487.aspx

Security Watch Revisiting the 10 Immutable Laws of Security, Part 1
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/m...ritywatch.aspx

Security Watch Revisiting the 10 Immutable Laws of Security, Part 2
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/m...tch.aspx?=blog

Security Watch Revisiting the 10 Immutable Laws of Security, Part 3
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/m...3.aspx?pr=blog

Good luck

"Kayman" <kayhkay-nospam-@operamail.com> wrote in message
news:14jddkqopd3tx$....
> On Mon, 13 Apr 2009 02:25:55 -0500, edwardwalker wrote:
>
>> I want to install spam and virus filters in the internet based systems
>> in my office. My work involves a lot of downloading from the net, and
>> therefore always run the risk of viruses affecting the operating
>> systems. I want an economical security service provider with
>> state-of-the-art security techniques.
>
> You are not going to find anything better than the Vista FW and Vista in
> itself due to the advanced features the FW and Vista are using.
>


Err except the Vista firewall does NOT protect against viruses OR spam.....

--
Asking a question?
Please tell us the version of the application you are asking about,
your OS, Service Pack level
and the FULL contents of any error message(s)

edwardwalker wrote:

>
> I want to install spam and virus filters in the internet based systems
> in my office. My work involves a lot of downloading from the net, and
> therefore always run the risk of viruses affecting the operating
> systems. I want an economical security service provider with
> state-of-the-art security techniques.
>
>

This really isn't a Vista question but Untangle is excellent and it has a
free version. You can also purchase it installed on their hardware if you
don't have an extra box to put it on yourself.

Malke
--
MS-MVP
Elephant Boy Computers - Don't Panic!
http://www.elephantboycomputers.com/#FAQ

edwardwalker wrote:
> I want to install spam and virus filters in the internet based systems
> in my office. My work involves a lot of downloading from the net, and
> therefore always run the risk of viruses affecting the operating
> systems. I want an economical security service provider with
> state-of-the-art security techniques.
>
>

It's a worthless effort. What you need is a network proxy software that
only allows users to go to approved sites and reduces the site contents
to plain text viewing in a browser if they are allowed to go to a site.

You don't allow any user to have full admin rights on the computer,
which mitigates damage to the network and the machine.

You set-up an email proxy on the network that strips any threats out of
the emails like executables, scripts etc, etc on sending or receiving
emails.

You also set up an email proxy to redirect what you considers junk
emails from domains to a junk area that never reaches an inbox on a
user's machine.

You want to lock the network down then lock it down, but you don't
half-step if you're going to do it.