Am I properly protected?

I have installed on my XP SP2 system the software listed below. Is my
computer adequately protected?

Ad Aware Professional SE
Spybot
Spyware Blaster
eTrust EZ Armor (includes EZ firewall, EZ antispam, EZ antivirus, and EZ
pest patrol)

Also is it possible to change ones computer IP address to segregate the
receipt of spam email from legit email? Well in this case spam is delivered
to a quarentine folder in EZ antispam. From that folder I choose what is and
is not legit.

If you are using high speed internet access I would also suggest that you
use a firewall device, even a NAT/PAT router, to protect your network as I
don't consider software firewalls reliable enough as they can become
misconfigured or disabled. Also using strong passwords for all users
accounts, not using an administrator account to browse the internet, and
keeping current with critical security Windows Updates is important and can
be automated. Microsoft has a free tool called Microsoft Baseline Security
Analyzer that can scan your computer for missing critical security updates
and other vulnerabilities. Your logon account password should only be used
for that purpose and nothing else.

I also like to configure IE to delete cached temporary internet files when
the browser is closed [advanced settings - security] and limit the amount of
disk to use for temporary internet files to 30MB. Any malware or parasite
scanner must be updated with current definitions before using. A backup
strategy is also important in being properly protected. Important data and
files need which may include your user profile folder under documents and
settings to be backed up to external media such as cdrom/DVD. I also backup
my system partition [the one that contains the operating system] to a Ghost
image file for quick restore and weekly backup my registry. --- Steve

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sec.../mbsahome.mspx --- MBSA
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/secu...2/Default.mspx
--- Protect Your PC tips.
http://www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de/erunt/ --- Erunt registry
backup program.

"Astiman" <Astiman@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:089341E9-81EF-46B8-A5A7-8B35908E3371@microsoft.com...
>I have installed on my XP SP2 system the software listed below. Is my
> computer adequately protected?
>
> Ad Aware Professional SE
> Spybot
> Spyware Blaster
> eTrust EZ Armor (includes EZ firewall, EZ antispam, EZ antivirus, and EZ
> pest patrol)
>
> Also is it possible to change ones computer IP address to segregate the
> receipt of spam email from legit email? Well in this case spam is
> delivered
> to a quarentine folder in EZ antispam. From that folder I choose what is
> and
> is not legit.

Steve thank you for your comments. I am the only one using my home PC.
Please explain what is a NAT/PAT router? I understand your recommendation
that I use a password for my login id.

Thank you,

Darrell
"Astiman"

"Steven L Umbach" wrote:

> If you are using high speed internet access I would also suggest that you
> use a firewall device, even a NAT/PAT router, to protect your network as I
> don't consider software firewalls reliable enough as they can become
> misconfigured or disabled. Also using strong passwords for all users
> accounts, not using an administrator account to browse the internet, and
> keeping current with critical security Windows Updates is important and can
> be automated. Microsoft has a free tool called Microsoft Baseline Security
> Analyzer that can scan your computer for missing critical security updates
> and other vulnerabilities. Your logon account password should only be used
> for that purpose and nothing else.
>
> I also like to configure IE to delete cached temporary internet files when
> the browser is closed [advanced settings - security] and limit the amount of
> disk to use for temporary internet files to 30MB. Any malware or parasite
> scanner must be updated with current definitions before using. A backup
> strategy is also important in being properly protected. Important data and
> files need which may include your user profile folder under documents and
> settings to be backed up to external media such as cdrom/DVD. I also backup
> my system partition [the one that contains the operating system] to a Ghost
> image file for quick restore and weekly backup my registry. --- Steve
>
> http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sec.../mbsahome.mspx --- MBSA
> http://www.microsoft.com/athome/secu...2/Default.mspx
> --- Protect Your PC tips.
> http://www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de/erunt/ --- Erunt registry
> backup program.
>
> "Astiman" <Astiman@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:089341E9-81EF-46B8-A5A7-8B35908E3371@microsoft.com...
> >I have installed on my XP SP2 system the software listed below. Is my
> > computer adequately protected?
> >
> > Ad Aware Professional SE
> > Spybot
> > Spyware Blaster
> > eTrust EZ Armor (includes EZ firewall, EZ antispam, EZ antivirus, and EZ
> > pest patrol)
> >
> > Also is it possible to change ones computer IP address to segregate the
> > receipt of spam email from legit email? Well in this case spam is
> > delivered
> > to a quarentine folder in EZ antispam. From that folder I choose what is
> > and
> > is not legit.
>
>
>

A NAT/PAT router is a device that is able to give your network computers
internet access by assigning them private internet IP addresses that use
your public IP for up to 254 computers. The term NAT is widely used -
network address translation though port address translation is more accurate
for what almost all homeowners use. These devices protect your network from
inbound internet traffic that is not in response to traffic initiated by
your computer which would be tcp/ip traffic that is not flagged with an ack
which means acknowledgement. Syn packets will be dropped which means a
request to synchronize with a port used on your computer to start a
connection. The link below explains this in more detail. Most of these
devices offer stateful packet inspection to some degree also and can be
correctly be called a firewall. Your software firewall also blocks inbound
non ack traffic and does stateful inspection of IP traffic.

http://www.inetdaemon.com/tutorials/...andshake.shtml

Beyond the technical explanation you can by a NAT router at places such as
Best Buy, Wal-Mart, Amazon, Staples, etc. There are wired and wireless
version. The wireless versions can also accommodate wired network computers
and are manufactured by the likes of Netgear, D-Link, Linksys, Belkin, etc.
Just tell them you are looking for an internet router or firewall router and
they will know what you want. --- Steve

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16833124001 -- LINKSYS
BEFSR41 router.

"Astiman" <Astiman@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:6AAFEF3C-61B4-4375-B203-07F1A6EF5A86@microsoft.com...
> Steve thank you for your comments. I am the only one using my home PC.
> Please explain what is a NAT/PAT router? I understand your recommendation
> that I use a password for my login id.
>
> Thank you,
>
> Darrell
> "Astiman"
>
> "Steven L Umbach" wrote:
>
>> If you are using high speed internet access I would also suggest that you
>> use a firewall device, even a NAT/PAT router, to protect your network as
>> I
>> don't consider software firewalls reliable enough as they can become
>> misconfigured or disabled. Also using strong passwords for all users
>> accounts, not using an administrator account to browse the internet, and
>> keeping current with critical security Windows Updates is important and
>> can
>> be automated. Microsoft has a free tool called Microsoft Baseline
>> Security
>> Analyzer that can scan your computer for missing critical security
>> updates
>> and other vulnerabilities. Your logon account password should only be
>> used
>> for that purpose and nothing else.
>>
>> I also like to configure IE to delete cached temporary internet files
>> when
>> the browser is closed [advanced settings - security] and limit the amount
>> of
>> disk to use for temporary internet files to 30MB. Any malware or
>> parasite
>> scanner must be updated with current definitions before using. A backup
>> strategy is also important in being properly protected. Important data
>> and
>> files need which may include your user profile folder under documents and
>> settings to be backed up to external media such as cdrom/DVD. I also
>> backup
>> my system partition [the one that contains the operating system] to a
>> Ghost
>> image file for quick restore and weekly backup my registry. --- Steve
>>
>> http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sec.../mbsahome.mspx --- MBSA
>> http://www.microsoft.com/athome/secu...2/Default.mspx
>> --- Protect Your PC tips.
>> http://www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de/erunt/ --- Erunt registry
>> backup program.
>>
>> "Astiman" <Astiman@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:089341E9-81EF-46B8-A5A7-8B35908E3371@microsoft.com...
>> >I have installed on my XP SP2 system the software listed below. Is my
>> > computer adequately protected?
>> >
>> > Ad Aware Professional SE
>> > Spybot
>> > Spyware Blaster
>> > eTrust EZ Armor (includes EZ firewall, EZ antispam, EZ antivirus, and
>> > EZ
>> > pest patrol)
>> >
>> > Also is it possible to change ones computer IP address to segregate the
>> > receipt of spam email from legit email? Well in this case spam is
>> > delivered
>> > to a quarentine folder in EZ antispam. From that folder I choose what
>> > is
>> > and
>> > is not legit.
>>
>>
>>

"Astiman" <Astiman@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

>I have installed on my XP SP2 system the software listed below. Is my
>computer adequately protected?
>
>Ad Aware Professional SE
>Spybot
>Spyware Blaster
>eTrust EZ Armor (includes EZ firewall, EZ antispam, EZ antivirus, and EZ
>pest patrol)
>
>Also is it possible to change ones computer IP address to segregate the
>receipt of spam email from legit email? Well in this case spam is delivered
>to a quarentine folder in EZ antispam. From that folder I choose what is and
>is not legit.

Spam email is directed to your email address and not to the i.p.
address assigned to your computer by your Internet Service Provider.

Your best protection against spam emails is to have a decent anti-spam
program. You have one from a reputable company, but I have no
specific information as to how well it compares with similar products
from other companies.

Other means of protecting against spam include not using your actual
email address on web pages or in postings to newsgroups. Often it is
a good idea to have an additional email address for use as a
"throwaway" when you have to provide a valid email address to at a web
site in order to gain access etc. Gmail and Hotmail accounts are
good for these purposes.

Almost all i.p. addresses are assigned dynamically which means there
is no guarantee that you will get the same i.p. address each type you
connect. In practice, i.p. address assignments for high speed
connections (cable or DSL) tend to remain constant over a period of
several days or even weeks, but do change periodically. I.P. address
assignments for dial-up Internet service will most likely change each
time you connect.


Hope this explains the situation.

Good luck

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

In memory of a dear friend Alex Nichol MVP
http://aumha.org/alex.htm