PC Pals Forum

Technical Help & Discussion => Broadband, Networking, PC Security, Internet & ISPs => Topic started by: bat69 on January 06, 2003, 12:45

Title: Be warned
Post by: bat69 on January 06, 2003, 12:45
HERE (http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1105-979066.html) is an article warning of some possible bad times to come for us.

I suggest everyone reads the PC-Pals security guides, published at the bottom of the page. Keep yourselves protected
Title: Re:Be warned
Post by: Adept on January 06, 2003, 13:50
That's scary Bat :(

I hope people will take the following quote to heart:-

"We are no longer responsible only for our own machine. If you're connected to the Internet, you need to be a good neighbor. Some home users on ADSL aren't concerned about viruses, but their machine could be leveraged to attack someone else. Users have to learn that they're responsible for the Internet as a whole."
Title: Re:Be warned
Post by: Mustapha Phagg on January 06, 2003, 14:35
Very interesting reading, it assumes that everyone that uses the internet is also computer litterate whereas in reality many people only wish to surf and or play games. They have no interest in fire walls or anti virus software and do not even think about other people accessing their machine.

What sort of persuasion could be levied at the unprotected computer user? if any authority has or hope to have the power to impose their ideas on the masses would it be yet another case of Big Brother is watching you.

There is always one R.Sole that wil ruin a harmless hobby by turning it into the worlds most deadliest predator.
Title: Re:Be warned
Post by: Tony on January 06, 2003, 15:42
Quote
Quote from: Mustapha Phagg [br /

if any authority has or hope to have the power to impose their ideas on the masses would it be yet another case of Big Brother is watching you.

There is always one R.Sole that wil ruin a harmless hobby by turning it into the worlds most deadliest predator.



There you go Mustapha,

slagging off G.Dubya again   ;D
Title: Re:Be warned
Post by: Adept on January 06, 2003, 18:52

it assumes that everyone that uses the internet is also computer litterate whereas in reality many people only wish to surf and or play games. They have no interest in fire walls or anti virus software and do not even think about other people accessing their machine.


Very good point there Mustapha. If PCs are going to be sold by all and sundry as consumer items, then it's up to the computer manufacturers and software companies to make sure that anti-virus and firewalls are fitted as standard and are as foolproof to use as the average video recorder.

I have a nasty feeling that the Swiss-Army Knife PC is going to soon die a death, to be replaced by consumer-friendly "black-boxes", which don't have the power of a PC but are simple enough for Joe Public to use :(
Title: Re:Be warned
Post by: Simon on January 06, 2003, 19:19
Well, I've always thought that a Firewall and Anti Virus measures should be an integral part of Windows.  Uncle Bill has made half an effort with XP Firewall, so I wonder if Anti Virus software might be included with future versions of Windows?
Title: Re:Be warned
Post by: bat69 on January 06, 2003, 19:23
Thats exactly as I see it too. Every operating system should have these security/safety measures built in ... but with Microsoft's history of vulnerabilities, somehow I wouldn't trust what they have to offer  :-  Maybe if they spent a little more time getting rid of the bugs and security flaws, BEFORE marketing the product, there would be less risk for the average end user
Title: Re:Be warned
Post by: Hitch on January 06, 2003, 23:25

Well, I've always thought that a Firewall and Anti Virus measures should be an integral part of Windows.  Uncle Bill has made half an effort with XP Firewall, so I wonder if Anti Virus software might be included with future versions of Windows?


He wanted too, but he was stopped by the damn idiots!!!
Once again its a case of if the boy God tries to add things to the OS or browser like a firewall and AV software people get all bitchy about fair trade.
There was talk some years back about a version of IE with full protection in all areas but again he was blocked.
You will never get what you want whilst so called consumer groups block the people that can do this for us.

Shoot Sun, and Unix users..then blow holes in AOL MD's to et what ya want...thats what i say.

Of course before you do let me uninstall my sun java console, take off netscape and reinstate IE and make sure i dont run Linux on the spare PC :)