[Virtualacorn-list] W7 gotchas?

[Alan Adams]

In message <53c967382aStuartlists at orpheusinternet.co.uk>
          lists <Stuartlists at orpheusinternet.co.uk> wrote:

> In article <52D39F78.9080902 at druck.org.uk>,
>    David J. Ruck <druck at druck.org.uk> wrote:
>> Most successful attacks come from the use of Windows applications, such
>> as automatically downloaded malware from an infected website or by
>> tricking the user to clicking on a link or an email attachment. Very few
>> are attacks are purely against the OS from external code, so if you
>> don't use any other Windows applications, infection from a memory stick
>> is one of the few remaining vectors.

> I find I can do a lot of stuff with !NetSurf these days, on this Kinetic,
> but do use Firefox on the PC on a fairly regular basis, though I try to be
> careful which sites I use.

> The PC is also used for generating .pdf files from scans (Acrobat 6) and I
> have Cooledit 2000 for "messing about" with audio. My camera software also
> resides on it along with a copy of Irfanview but I don't think any of
> these poses a risk

> Email and news is always done via this RPC

If you are staying with XP, then I strongly suggest you install 
anti-virus and anti-malware software. Microsoft Security Essentials, 
which does both jobs, will no longer be updated after April, so will 
become useless pretty quickly. Some malware has been found to use the 
automatic scan of an out-of-date antivirus produce to install itself. 
I'd recommend removing MSSE once you have the replacements downloaded 
and ready to install. (Don't install a second anti-virus product, as 
this can produce a lot of false alarms and inappropriate removal 
actions.)

I use AVG antivirus, and there are plenty of other free ones. For 
anti-malware Spybot Search and Destroy has a good reputation, and has 
been in the business for a long time. It's also free.

Don't forget to make sure you have a firewall enabled - either the 
Windows one, or another. Zone Alarm is pretty good.

-- 
Alan Adams, from Northamptonshire
alan at adamshome.org.uk
http://www.nckc.org.uk/