today I checked windows updates and I didn’t have to dl any crictical updates but I did dl all the software ones to be sure.
Anyway I noticed that Ill turn my comp off for a long while least before the updates and Id turn it back on and Id check the control panel then check network connection well usually it says enabled firewalled but it would say enabled just enabled and I checked to see if it was on and Id check to see if the firewall option was on and it is so it doesn’t look like its appearing in the description.
is this just a windows thing or possably something virus related ?
The build in firewall in windows isn’t exactly good. For instance it can’t stop outgoing traffic. I suggest you get and better one and do not use the build in one. Best is to get a router with hardware firewall. (about 40 euro) If you can’t afford that, there are some decent free software firewalls.
I also wanted to ask you about the free scans etc Ive tryed em all over the past week and I tryed the symantec 1 last night and it said I had 1 that it thinks is a BAT.trojan but none of the other scanners picked this up and I used Panda Mcafee etc do they do this sometimes ?
Do you mean the online scans or the free av software (both perhaps)?
The good online scanners are using the same database as the software. If not, then their is definatly something wrong at their site
The free av software, like Avast Home, also uses the same database and normally also the same scanning engine as the paid version. Difference between them is mostly the configuration options the user has, the support you can get (telephone, email, etc) and some other things. eg. Avast Pro has a script blocker, p2p protection and some things that the free version hasn’t.
Two other things:
1] There is no application, nor will there ever be, that can recognize all harmfull things out there in that big world. So it is possible that one picks it up and another not. That is why I recommend to use a good AV like Avast, Spybot s&d, Ad-Aware and HijackThis. Although they do overlap (up to a point) each can handle different things. Besides the
resident scanner of Avast, nothing of the others has to be running in real time. A scan with them (say once a week) will be enough.
2] Although the developpers do their best. Things can go “wrong”. There are so much applications that they can’t know them all. That can cause waht is called “a false positive”. Sometimes it is their own software that causes it and they will solve it, but sometimes it is someone elses his software and besides from notifying the other, there is nothing they can do about it. A example of the last one can be read HERE
I hope this info answers your question(s). If not, just ask and we will try to help.
Yes what I’ve been doing is a lot of the sites offer a free scan which I started with Panda antvirus then a few others I ran the symantec 1 and it said I poss had what I listed above…but I’ve run everything else and nothing shows up
Im wondering if its just symantec getting confused because Avast has done the same with the win95mataya’s thing
I follow Eddy’s advice of a combined approach to defence.
There is no Aspirin tablet that will cure all pc headaches, rather more of a take this pill, see this specialist for this, and we need a blood test to check for that.
I might be over simplifying things, just trying to give you an example from real life if you got sick your doctor would follow that route in his advice. It works for me, with my machine!
Ok I took your advise and went ahead and installed the demo version of zonealarm I guess im still a bit paranoid everytime I see something new.
I noticed since I installed it its blocked 580 intrusions 10 have been high rated what does this mean to me?
this is the typical one
The firewall has blocked Internet access to your computer (NetBios Name) from 61.180.94.134(UDP Port 1029) and these seem to be the high rated ones
If you are being blocked, it’s nothing to worry about, that’s what a firewall does. Without one, it’s like going off for your summer holiday and leaving a sign on the door saying “no-ones home help yourself”
ok did that and this is what I got monitor.dslreports.com scanning 4.29.165.127
does not respond yo a ICMP ping TCP ping UDP ping
probing TCP ports with SYN packets
TCP probe finished
probing udp ports for echos
UDP probe finished
Scan complete
Open TCP port 139 was Not seen microsoft netbios check skipped
It can be a lot of things. Don’t worry. They are blocked. That means whatever it was/is it didn’t come into your system. You can get those msg’s from all kinds of things. Say my system is infected with the sasser worm then you can see something like:
Blocked incomming from 82.74.128.67 (my IP)
Isn’t that a great thing The sasser worm was not able to spread from my system to yours in this example.
Only start worrying about things blocked if things on your system that need to connect to the outside world (browser, email and such) stop working.
Well said Eddy, and much more succint than my reply.
ok did that and this is what I got monitor.dslreports.com scanning 4.29.165.127
does not respond yo a ICMP ping TCP ping UDP ping
probing TCP ports with SYN packets
TCP probe finished
probing udp ports for echos
UDP probe finished
Scan complete
Open TCP port 139 was Not seen microsoft netbios check skipped
You have learned how to “lock your front door”
First lesson I learned here (I’m a newbie too) don’t panic!
The more you use this forum, the more you will learn that there are some very knowledgeable people who will help. As a guess (without further investigation about the ip addy in China) it’s probably a spam relay. Just a pc set to send out messages automatically.
If you have the time to work through everything in Eddy’s signature I think you’ll find you have a secure machine.
Most everyone on this forum follows the same ideals, that’s why we are here. To learn and to give back.
Sorry for the late reply (had to make some coffee)
There are various free versions you can download, Zonealarm being one of them, also Sygate and Outpost. They all work without problems with avast.
If you can’t afford the pay for versions, these will at least offer some protection, I’m not proud and use Sygate for my pc.
I wish I was in a position to pay for avast, unfortunately I’m not, so I use the free version and the Sygate firewall. It’s a great combination for my machine.