Online Security

[Cadire]

Below are a few simple steps to secure your PC whilst online:

Firewalls
Get a decent firewall. Most people will be served well by a software firewall. Zonelabs offer a pretty decent free program, and a very good pro version of same prog (not free). There are lots of other programs available. Do a Google search to see what's available.

Setting up a firewall may seem a daunting task, but it's actually pretty straightforward, especially when you get past the technobabble so beloved by software companies. Read the help files provided and make sure you understand the system before using it in anger. A lot of people end up opening up everything on their system, simply because they haven't bothered to read the best way to secure it. This is a bad thing!

A short article on using Zonealarm with DAoC is here.

Antivirus
Anyone using a PC today really needs to be running some form of antivirus software. It's simply not worth risking your data by not using one, especially as a lot of free programs are available. One of the best is AVG I actually use this myself, with no problems whatsoever. Frequent, and free, updates are available via the program itself.

IRC
IRC is not a place to frequent if you have absolutely no idea about online security. People will attempt to portscan you, send you trojans/virii, you name it, they'll try it.

However, it's no difficult task to secure yourself from such miscreants. mIRC, the most popular client, can be configured to maximise your online security. Take a look at this site for information on making life tough for the bad guys.

The above, very simple, steps are all that any Internet user should need to be safe online. Combined, they will provide you with all the security you could reasonably require. Of course a determined hacker will try his damndest if he really wants to get into your PC, but most are just script-kiddies who will pass you by in search of easier prey.

Obviously nothing can prevent you from providing access to your PC. Giving login/passwords to 'close' friends is going to bypass all the hardwork you've put into securing your system. you have to remember, that people online are not your friends until they prove otherwise. Your criteria for trusting people online should be severe in the extreme.

Hope that helps. I'm sure others will add suggestions.

 

[kestral]

A very nice posting with excellent information. Thank you very much for it. I hope everyone reads it and takes what they can from it.

 

[old.tRoG]

[Edit: Mind you, nothing beats just being cautious, and not downloading every .exe that flings it's trojan infested self at you.]

 

[Alrindel]

Visit the Microsoft Windows Update website regularly and make sure you have the latest security patches for your version of Windows - and ESPECIALLY that you have the latest version and latest patches for Microsoft Internet Explorer, if that is the web browser you use, and for Outlook or Outlook Express if that's the program you use for your e-mail. MSIE and Outlook are the weakest security points on a Windows machines, and people are constantly finding new ways to trick them into downloading and executing trojan and remote host programs that can, once installed, open up your computer to outsiders like a tin of cat food.

 

['Shy]

I downloaded Zone Alarm last night after reading this but now I'm having serious trouble getting into the game. Yes I read all the help files, yes I did what it said. In the programmes menu I have patch.bin and login.dll all ticked to trusted as advised in that CamelotVault article but when I get to the loading screen it always freezes. I can't use windows key to crash myself out and see whats going on behind the screen, can't alt-tab, can't alt-esc. I tried ctrl-y as also suggested but nothing. So the only way out of that screen is to switch off the computer and reboot.

Can anyone suggest what else I need to do to get me in?

 

[Gabrial]

Originally posted by ~shy~
I In the programmes menu I have patch.bin and login.dll all ticked to trusted

How about GAME.DLL?

 

[Damon_D]

If it stalls on you when you get the loading msg , hit shift+y
Aye you prob dont have the game.dll checked

 

['Shy]

Thanks all, I added the game.dll and all is fixed - yay! Annoying it didn't do it by itself like the other two files did tho. Ctrl-Y didn't work..

Righty, back to those MP orders I have queueing!

 

[Col|]

As far as I know, to get a game to load through the Zonelabs firewall, it's not ctrl + y or shift + y, it's ALT + y. This won't set the relevant game files to trusted, but will tell the firewall to let the game through while you are logged in, as said before, you need to actually go into the firewall program and set it to trusted so you don't have to keep doing this.

 

[Sibanac]

Cadire, please add the following :

Do NOT EVER store any important passwords in a text file or an online (hotmail, yahoo) mailbox EVER, print them out or write them in a small book and store it in a draw in your desk.
This way if sameone could get access to your harddrive atleast they cant get to your passwords

 

[sieben_dapoet]

Check out www.grc.com for some very good security 'free' programs.

Most other sensible things have been said but remember to turn off windows file sharing *IF NOT NEEDED* and other services like telnet/webhosting etc...

GRC has some good port scanning stuff to let you check what ports you have open on your own PC ! closing them is another matter

 

[adaptive]

I've taken to using firewalls a while back and I tried Zonealarm and didn't get on well with it. I highly recommend "Tiny Personal Firewall".

It takes a little more care setting up, but if/when you realise you need to alter something (or want a little more control then zonealarm appears to give) this is a really easy bit of software to get on with.

 

[Munkey-]

Never ever give your credit card number and expiry date out to anyone.

Ever.

Not even microsoft.

Or the makers of DaoC.

Or the Swedish.



(However, Munkey will safely store your credit card details until you need them!)

(Which is when he tells you he spent all the cash in your account)

 

[Sharma]

Norton Firewall + Mcafee Virus Scan (enterprise edition) Works like a charm, i use +x on irc also to negate people gettin my IP from there, i can say my PC is fairly secure and i make sure i scan every exe that touches my computer, i can say im suprised as ive found a virus on every exe im sent, so ive basically ignored EXE files ove irc now and MSN.

 

[talen_sun]

/bumppage

I know this is getting on a bit, but I've just had to do a search as I couldn't remember the name of the anti-virus after a cleaning up reformatting session.

It has useful info, so I figured I'd let all those that have joined recently have some free advice!!

Thansk again to all above for a lot of cool info!!