Internet Security and Software

1. 

   viking_transplant
   August 19th, 2009 - 11:28

   To answer your questions,

   1) Can you use a Knoppix live CD to hack a supposedly secure computer?

   Simply put, yes.

   2) How can I protect my laptop against such an attack?

   Some basic physical security steps would be
   -Take it with you. If you can't do that, then ..
   -Lock it in your desk, file cabinet, office, etc
   -If you can't do that, then lock it in someone else's.

   Some other technical security steps
   (provided that these are allowed by company policy)
   -Remove the CD Drive and Floppy as possible boot disks in the bios setup
   -Then password protect the bios.

   3) Would the administrator of my network even be able to detect such a hack?

   No, not if done correctly. A good forensic investigator (or hacker) can use a boot CD with an OS like Knoppix that can bypass Windows security and NTFS permissions. The forensic OS is booted, the computers partitions are mounted as read only, and the necessary data can be captured usually using netcat or cryptcat to send a binary image of the disks or partitions to a remote location for later investigation.

   There would be absolutely no trace on the hard disk or event logs of any of the activity EXCEPT that the system had been rebooted to boot the forensic OS CD. However, just because there's a note in the system event log that the system went down and eventually came back up does not in any way indicate that a forensic image was taken.
2. 

   Kenneth Ugochukwu
   August 19th, 2009 - 12:52

   If you are using windows, then,

   1. Install and update antivirus preferably AVG
   2. Install anti-spy
   3. Install a software firewall like zonealarm
   4. Install Mcafee site advicer
   5. Turn on automatic updates
   6. Do not download suspicious e-mail attatchments
   7. Install only trusted software. Do not install software which is downloaded from untrusted websites.
   8. Do not use P2P file sharing programs
   9. Pray regularly.
   10. If possible replace windows with Linux
3. 

   Josemedeiros
   August 19th, 2009 - 12:58

   Great Video!
4. 

   meecho
   August 20th, 2009 - 10:52

   Go to Yahoo Answers My Account > Questions tab to read answers then.

   The message is there. Your PC and/or Yahoo Mail are causing this trouble. Lets see if
   we can fix it. Follow all my steps. But do one at a time.

   First. Yahoo Beta Mail? Is that what you are using?
   If so Clear your browsers cashe.
   In Internet Explorer, click the Tools button, and then click Internet Options.
   On the General tab, under Browsing history, click Delete.
   Click Delete files, and then click Yes.
   Click Close, and then click OK.
   ———————————————-
   You did that right? Now Completely re-Download all your messages. Every one of them.
   Wait until they are downloaded. Don`t hurry. Hows that?
   —————————————-
   Well try this. = 2. In the new Yahoo! Mail, you don’t do this with your browser anymore.
   Now, just change your
   character encoding setting right in Yahoo! Mail!

   Here’s how:

   In the toolbar, click More Actions and select Set Encodings.
   From the list that appears, select the encoding that matches the message’s content.
   Note: Only one character encoding set may be viewed at a time. And in this case,
   changing your
   browser’s encoding setting will not work. Hows that?
   ———————————————————–
   Still can`t get it? Try Switch Back at the top of your page. (Don`t worry you can return)
   Hows that?
   —————————————————–
   Now you are in Original Mail Right? Messages all there?
   If not try this. = Select any email where the header information is displayed, but there is
   nothing in the
   "body" of the message where you would expect to find text, etc.
   Move your mouse to the area of the expected "body" of the message and right-click…on
   the menu that appears, click on "Encoding"…on the menu that appears, if "Auto Select"
   has a check mark, leave it as is…if not click "Auto Select"; then this menu will
   disappear…right click again in the "body" to cause the same menu to display again…then
   click on "Western European (Windows)"…you should now be able to view the "body" of
   all messages that you couldn't view before…obviously, if the problem somehow occurs
   again, do the same procedure described above again. I have no idea how or why these
   settings get "changed" or "corrupted" after everyday use, but apparently they sometimes
   do.
   Hows that?
   ———————————–
   Ok PC has problems then. Update your operating system, Browser, Shockwave Flash ,
   Java. Everything. Get all patches. The whole works. Also try Firefox browser.

   Note in Original / Old / Yahoo Mail in a pinch try this. =
   Put message in Print Copy. Then read it. OR
   Click Reply on Message to read it. Then backbutton out. OR
   Put message in Excel or Wordpad to read it.
5. 

   John Arne Riise
   August 21st, 2009 - 04:12
6. 

   meecho
   August 21st, 2009 - 04:27

   make sure your system date is correct – adjust the time
7. 

   jake
   August 22nd, 2009 - 01:53

   remove mcafee in add/remove control panel in safe mode. if you dont want mcafee anymore ? or look in mcafee options
8. 

   vark114
   August 22nd, 2009 - 17:30

   in all actualality, you'd have to charge more because if you are providing all the software and you're responsible for making sure nothing goes wrong, then it will cost more for the software. if they use their own software and you keep up their system and something goes wrong, then you are liably for any repairs or such.
9. 

   All is On
   August 22nd, 2009 - 19:29

   Securing Windows operating systems from Internet assault is not a single application, or even a suite.
   It's layers of protection, user habits, threat landscape awareness, system configuration, real time protection, and more.

   Although 'all-in-one' suites may be OK, (CareOne, McAfee, or Norton) plenty of freeware is available that will do the same job (maybe better???) & don't deplete your system resources (and therefore speed).

   Generally speaking: as a system's convenience, interactiveness & flexibility increase: security decreases.

   Look through some of the suggested freeware here, study up, and pick some of the frontline, real-time defenses. Create a restore point after each install, then run the system to verify that application's 'friendliness' with your system before adding other applications.

   Sorry, but using Windows requires you to become a security expert, it's that simple. Something they don't tell you when you buy this system…
   Add this to your frontline, realtime counter-measures arsenal:
   "Sandboxie"
   runs your programs in an isolated space which prevents them from making permanent changes to other programs and data in your computer.
   Use it for:
   Secure Web Browsing: Running your Web browser under the protection of Sandboxie means that all malicious software downloaded by the browser is trapped in the sandbox and can be deleted when closing the sandbox.

   Enhanced Privacy: Browsing history, cookies, and cached temporary files collected while Web browsing stay in the sandbox and don't leak into Windows.

   Secure E-mail: Viruses and other malicious software that might be hiding in your email can't break out of the sandbox and can't infect your real system.

   Freeware. (http://www.sandboxie.com/)
   Not overly difficult to use. Don't presume total impunity: it does have limits: listen to 'Security Now' #174 for more details (http://www.grc.com/securitynow.htm)

   Freeware.
   Not for 64 bit Vista platform.
   Recommended by Steve Gibson (Security Now & GRC)
10. 

    Eclipse
    August 22nd, 2009 - 20:16

    You can only have 1 anti virus product on your computer but you can have 2 anti spy programs on your pc….

    This is what I have they are both free and can be downloaded at CNet.com dowloads :

    Malwarebytes free home edition
    Super Anti-Spyware free home edition

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