Could this realy be true?

[old.Kurt_Angle]

Well iv'e had my cable connected for less than a week and iv'e allready had to format and set the whole jobby up again

I was wondering if the reason for me just losing half my system files, all my registry, and a good few downloaded files, was due to somebody tapping in and messing me around?.

As iv'e never had this problem before, im pretty much sure, if not certain that it has something to do with it.
After my computer had tried and failed to boot on my main disk, it jumped and booted on my other disk. I tried and failed to reinstall the files, it wouldn't even scan the disk, the only option was to format and start over

In all im guessing i need somesort of better protection in case this comes around again, any recommends out there?

 

[SoWat]

Zonealarm. Highly rated software firewall, and it's free.

www.zonealarm.com is where you'll find it.

 

[old.Kurt_Angle]

Hey thanks alot.

 

[Ch3tan]

I second that zonealarm is good.

And it detected a trojan on my pc that my sister had had file sent to her. It detected it as soon as it activated and stopped it sccessing the net, mcafee missed it totally even though it was meant to detect it.

 

[old.Reverend Flatus]

Another option to consider is setting up another machine as a dedicated gateway/firewall. It can be done with a cheap old 486 with all free software.

 

[Testin da Cable]

aye
works like a dream

 

[SoWat]

The above two posts are aimed at surreptitiously dragging you into the world of Linux...run away, run away.

 

[Testin da Cable]

lol

 

[Embattle]

Originally posted by SoWat
The above two posts are aimed at surreptitiously dragging you into the world of Linux...run away, run away.

ESP by the inbred dog known as TDC.

 

[Testin da Cable]

censor you Emb =P

 

[old.Kurt_Angle]

Ok iv'e taken it all in, guess i could set up a firewall on my other computer, but iv'e only just got sorted on win32 I don't realy wana be scratching the old head playing with linux for a couple of years
I downloaded that zone alarm thingy anyway, seemed easy to setup, thx to sowat for the shout on it.

 

[old.Reverend Flatus]

Originally posted by SoWat
The above two posts are aimed at surreptitiously dragging you into the world of Linux...run away, run away.

I never said a word about Linux now did I?
Then again, it would be the OS of choice for such a job!

 

[Wazzerphuk]

Just use Win2k and secure it yourself.

 

[Testin da Cable]

ah and of course you'll buy W2k just to do that. and, for that matter, you know all about securing an inherently insecure os don't you =P

 

[SoWat]

Quick, Run...it's started!

...aaaargh, too late.

 

[Testin da Cable]

lol

 

[Wazzerphuk]

It's insecure yes, but I can't envision him using a *nix, and 2k will cut out 90% of the script kiddies out there, which is the main cause of this stuff.

 

[Testin da Cable]

true
I'm not saying it [totally] sucks, just pointing out alternatives

 

[old.Kurt_Angle]

Well iv'e got win2k pro, but i don't think ill bother with it, my dad runs it on his, he has no end of problems with it. On a lighty note, if not a scary one at that, iv'e had this zone alarm running all day, and it's blocked 76 attemps so far Dunno if this is normal or not, but it seems to be doing the trick

 

[old.Reverend Flatus]

it's blocked 76 attemps so far Dunno if this is normal or not, but it seems to be doing the trick

Well it depends on what it's "blocking"...it may be that some of the messages are legitimate replies to requests that your programs are sending that the software sees as "dodgy" (not allowed for in the firewall). Some connection attempts are benign, a bit like a door to door salesman ringing the bell and you're out (you can't tell whether a service is available without attempting to connect). Of course, some connections are attempts to see what your machine is with a view to some cyber-vandalism! Other stuff may be lan traffic leaking from a badly configured gateway. etc etc...

The point being, now you have some software in place showing you what you couldn't see before you have to decide whether this is legitimate traffic or whether you are being targetted (paranoia strikes!).

Welcome to the real world of the internet!

 

[Testin da Cable]

hehe indeed.
the crap my fw blocks is unbelievable sometimes ugh

 

[Wij]

Whatever happened to welcoming strangers into your home with a cup of tea ?

 

[Testin da Cable]

in my house is fine, it's only when their sticky fingers stray to my pcs that I get agitated heh

 

[old.Kurt_Angle]

Thanks rev i just about took all of that in. Guess i could just be suffering a case of paranoia, just that i don't fancy reinstalling it all every other day

 

[old.^S0LIDUS^]

 

[old.Reverend Flatus]

Originally posted by ^S0LIDUS^

And the relevance of the above to the current converation is?

 

[Wazzerphuk]

Kurt: If your dad is having problems with 2K, his machine must have some problems, or he broke the installation. If all the hardware and installation is working properly blah blah blah you shouldn't have a problem. 2K is the most trouble and problem free O/S I've ever had the pleasure of using.

 

[old.Kurt_Angle]

Hehe your right, me dad is abit of a pill when it comes to computers He constantly plays around with it, i think thats why he likes pc's so much
All taken in though, im gona plug me other computer back in and add win2k to it.

 

[Wazzerphuk]

I was a little dubious at first, I thought it might be a little overwhelming. Bollocks to that, it's simple and easy, you don't need to fuck around with anything as much as is made out, and is a hell of a lot stabler/securer/faster than any other MS made O/S.

 

[old.^S0LIDUS^]