Server Help

[Cerium]

Im setting up a computer for one of my very computer-illiterate friends to use. Since this machine will be on my network with internet access, I need to secure the hell out of this machine. I need some decent antivirus and firewall software that works well but is also something I can show him how to use with relative ease.

Any and all suggestions would be appreciated; except those from blah-er, quanchi or the 3rd dummy I don't like.

Thanks
-C
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There are 7 user(s) ignoring me right now.

[Confess]

Spybot Search and Destroy is really nice for a Spyware remover/preventer.
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I know that I myself cannot do anything, that I will fall, and that I am a sinful man, but I know that I can do ANYTHING through God Almighty, whom strengthens me.

[D1st0rt]

Here's how I roll:

AdAware (Adware)
avast! (Antivirus)
Spybot (Spyware)
ZoneAlarm (Software Firewall)

If you're willing to shell out $50 bucks the ZoneAlarm Security Suite looks solid, and I would definitely trust a bunch of Israelis over donut eating corporate America when it comes to protection.
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[Muskrat]

My formula for quick free AV is AVG + ZoneAlarm Firewall. They are both pretty straightforward and effective.

If they are really stupid baby-proof their browser and email...

[D1st0rt]

I used to use AVG until it bugged me every day about how I "might not be using this software legally, GET LEGAL" because it wasn't supposed to be used on commercial machines.

[Muskrat]

Why would you use AVG on a commercial machine?

[Mine GO BOOM]

So, this is for someone stupid? Or at least, a normal user.

• Antivirus - Nod32 is my most recommended user antivirus application. It works great, and the only other recommendation I'd give is Norton Corp Edition (NOT the normal one sold in stores!). I have a copy of that because PSU gave it away free, not sure the normal way people can buy it. But Nod32 is wonderful for normal users and not too expensive.
  
  I personally use ClamWin because of the fact that it doesn't try to do anything on your computer, ever, until you ask it to. No residual scanner (I've never needed one), no prompts ever, and when it updates overnight, there is a normal attention bubble that appears in the system bar for a couple of seconds and disappears. So why have it? Every so often, I'll scan a file or two. Just right-click and Scan With ClamWin.
  
  
• Spyware - Windows Defender can do everything you need now. Spybot, Adaware, etc are now second place to Microsoft's solution. And for a normal user, they only need Windows Defender and nothing else. If they happen to get loaded with shit, whoever will fix their computer can run other software when needed. Bonus is that it updates along side the system, so for forgetful users the updates come to them even if they don't want it.
  
  I use nothing for spyware. Don't even bother running anything for it anymore. Sure, maybe once every three months I'll run Spybot and the others, but being a smart user has resulted in 0 spyware and 0 viruses on my system, even when other idiots use my computer. The key to that? VMware loaded up and set to full screen, they don't even notice it is a guest OS.
  
  
• Firewall - Default Windows Firewall. Why? Personal firewalls are pointless. I used to run Tiny Firewall (a better version is Kerio v2, not the newer ones) but then it didn't really do much. Sure, there was a couple of applications I don't want sending anything else out, so I block it on my hardware firewall, m0n0wall. For normal users? They sure as hell don't read what they click on, so any personal firewall is useless and only gets in the way. I've had to recently fix someones computer because it had three firewalls all trying to do things at once, and somehow one got set to super-secure mode which blocked all TCP traffic. That was fun to try and fix.
  
  Why only Windows's default firewall? It blocks most incoming ports by default, which is pretty much all a firewall needs to do. If you have software sending data out, a personal firewall is useless because your system is already compromised. Nothing is stopping that virus from disabling your firewall or just bypassing it completely. And most software that needs opened incoming ports already work nicely with Windows's firewall, such as all the IM applications. This firewall will stay invisible and pretty much out of the user's way. Anything more, and the user won't read the constant popups saying how many port scans it has blocked, or whatever.

[Bak]

if they're already computer illiterate just show them linux.
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SubSpace Discretion: A Third Generation SubSpace Client

[Cerium]

Thanks for the info.

Yes, this is for someone whos completely computer retarded (think "blah-er" minus the buzzwords). Most of what he'll be using it for is browsing and email, but on occasion we will play some games on it like Rise of Legends or other such windows-only games.

So far, I've set him up with XP Pro, Windows Defender and a user-only account. I've also setup remote desktop so I can just install software/updates remotely.
Haven't decided on any AV yet, but I'd like to stay as close to free and legal as possible.

The only major task left is sifting through microsoft's policy nonsense to prevent him from doing something stupid -- like installing anything.

[K']

PROCESS GUARD!
You don't want that mofo's comp operating without process guard.

Also, Murphy, why isn't zonealarm security suit (firewall/antivirii/antispyware) good?

[Solo Ace]

Cuz ZoneAlarm posts DNS requests to a main server, and they sell the queries! (According to Ek).

[Mine GO BOOM]

[D1st0rt]

[Doc Flabby]

My setup - runs like a dream

anti-vir http://www.free-av.com/ - free anti virus software. I like this one because it doesnt slow down my computer and its german, probabbaly the best free av out their.

windows firewall - its acctually really powerful and is included in windows 2000, not many people realise its full power or thats its in windows 2000 http://homepages.wmich.edu/~mchugha/w2kfirewall.htm

anti-spyware - spybot http://www.spybot.info/. The best feature of spybot is not its excellent spyware remove but its "immunize" function this is a must if u insist on using IE.

firefox - because ie has an unpatched root vunrability that was discovered 2 weeks ago. firefox patches these things next day or sooner

opera - use if when accessing "dodgy" sites as you can disable javascript very easily in it. also very few people try to attack it. its popup blocking is excellent too.

peerguardien2 http://phoenixlabs.org/ - protect yourself against getting sued. only use this while torrenting as it blocks some ips that subspace servers are on. Its very easy to enable and disable so this isnt a problem.
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Rediscover online gaming. Get Subspace | STF The future...prehaps

[Mine GO BOOM]

[Bak]

[Dr Brain]

Nothing to stop linux literate people from playing them, you mean. For a newbie, WINE can be quite daunting.
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Hyperspace Owner

Smong> so long as 99% deaths feel lame it will always be hyperspace to me

[BDwinsAlt]

Like Flabby said, AntiVir is awesome.

Here is what I would use for someone who is very computer illerate.

1. AntiVir
2. FireFox
3. Firewall, Windows firewall + router

That's all I can think of at the momment.

Some good things about AntiVir are it can scan at a scheduled time. It will update at a scheduled time too. I personally hate the norton products, I haven't try the corp one. Of course firefox wins over IE.

That's just what I think.

(I never get spyware since I've used FireFox so I don't use any spyware software.)

Some Extensions I can think of that I use are:

1. NoScript
2. Fasterfox
3. IE Tab (To use activex stuff)
4. DownThemAll!
5. Allow Right-Click
6. Forecast Fox
7. Nuke Anything

Just go to the mozilla site and search for the names.

[Bak]

[Cerium]

Bak:
He was probably refering to me. I'm not the linux nut you guys are. My only experience with it is remotely through putty, and I've never used/installed/whatever WINE.


BDWhatever:
You're the 3rd dummy I was refering to.


Everyone suggesting linux:
Not going to happen. Yes, in the most abstract sense it is probably more 'secure' in that there are far less exploits for it. However, as stated above, my experience with it is less than satisfactory. In my incapable hands it would probably be a sitting duck.

Besides, for all intents and purposes, the XP setup he's getting will be secured enough that it will be useless as an IRC drone and as long as I periodically update the various definitions, I think he'll be safe.

To somewhat derail this topic: I do have plans to throw Ubuntu on my laptop so I can play around with linux and get used to it, though I fear that the frustration of finding and downloading several peices of lego-software will lead to a broken laptop and a hole in the wall.

[K']

Murhpy, it would appear that your dissatisfaction from ZASS actually be invoked from its largely encompassing services' scale of execution rather than incompetence of service.

And, as we always know, it is more often than not the end-user who be the source of all trouble.

The cases which you've mentioned; a block of 95% of traffic, most likely occured from a neglegeant user being too reckless or lazy to make proper use of its highly-arbitrary connection authorization scheme.
The dummy most likely pressed deny on everything out of panic and let a few slid by with the allow.

The uninstall giving trouble...what have you messed up?
It never gave me any trouble.

As for false-positives...feh; They're advisements by most, ignorant users may be paniced by it, I suppose.
As for me, I take it as nothing more than the notice it is, I pay it personal discreation and research before I decide upon proper action.
I like being noted about every beep that stirrs up...I'm this kind of a person (control freak), I don't want unauthorized code to execute on my machine.

Were you to say that the service actually fails (and I have seen a bit of bad-behaviour on that end, however, the nature of the 'failure' in question was not such that it would normally compromise the system) then I would have a quarrel with it.
As it stands, it works quite sternly.
All in all, the service allows a very wide breadth of configuration and control as well as automatation - and it works.
It filters the shit out.

I think you've grown somewhat lazy.
It's like MAC people or Firefox people when they bash the other side.
It's not about being handed a software that by default set to counter the common breaches so you can sit laid back and do nothing and say "I'm secured!" until someone slips it by from your back oriffice and then you all scream like Jack Thompson.
It's about being able to say "my software allows me the freedom to configure it to the kind of security I want, and if I'm having a fucking clue and am half-savvy, I can make sure to adapt it according to the varying reality to keep on countering new threats.

So zonealarm is 'complicated', so what?
The average windows user would say the same about unix.
And it's not that unix is really more secure than windows, it's just that it allows a certain depth of user control which windows does not, so if you have a clue, you can make sure it's more tightly monitored and protected than the other OS.

[Smong]

I just remembered in control panel -> sounds, you can set a sound each time a program starts. If it doesn't help you find naughty programs then it's at least a good audio feedback for starting programs.

(On a side note quick reply has lost its preview/submit buttons, with the forum selector/permissions appearing in that location).

[BDwinsAlt]

What was wrong with my suggestions? Other's suggested the same thing.

[Smong]

No one is criticizing your suggestions (yet), Cerium just called you a dummy in general.

[K']