Re: [Thinkpad] Re: [OT] Free Windows Security Update CD

We did discuss this in August 2003.
http://illuminati.stderr.org/pipermail/thinkpad/2003-August/003888.html
(and other posts in the same thread).

I am a dialup user of Win2K SP2 on a 600E. Since my ISP now
offers a cheap unlimited plan, I am now online several hours
per day. However, this is a dynamic IP, so not as attractive
to malware purveyors as a 24/7 static IP. No security updates
(the most critical one would not run on SP2; the executable
said I had to update to SP3 first). Nothing (that I know of!)
from Microsoft since before August 2003. I have all
services that I don't need turned off. There are sites which
explain what is what. Windows Update is turned off. Scripting,
for example, is turned off. So are lots of other things. I do
not use Outlook, OE, Word, Office, or IE. My ISP is proactive
about email-borne malware. YMMV

I have a virus scanner, AVG ... but have it turned off. I just
use the scanner in batch mode from time to time. It always
reports thumbs up. Like ten minutes ago. I had not run it in
8 weeks. Also use Ad-aware, spybot search & destroy,
regCleaner, startupClean, all rarely.

In the past 6 months, I did get one nasty. While travelling I
turned off Zone Alarm. When I got to the B&B & discovered they
had broadband, my eyes lit up and I downloaded the Knoppix CD.
Unfortunately, I forgot to turn on ZA first. Fortunately, the
malware was not destructive, and didn't take too many steps to
remove.

So, "so far, so good". I would not recommend this approach for
everybody.

I would also like to point out that running all the security
patches and actively running virus detection software in
themselves do not guarantee immunity. There is the 29 days
between security packages, and the time between when malware
first appears and your virus program vendor issues a new
signature file. Insufficient, and perhaps unnecessary. YMMV.

-- 
happy
Jonathan Berry and Erika http://www.islandnet.com/~jberry/fun.htm
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