CurlyWhirly Posted September 8, 2005 Report Share Posted September 8, 2005 http://www.bbcworld.com/content/clickonlin...665&co_pageid=3Crikey only 8 seconds to get infected :o Within half an hour the PC was unusable! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-pops- Posted September 8, 2005 Report Share Posted September 8, 2005 I often wonder how much more efficient the Internet and, indeed, our own computers would be if they didn't have to spend so much effort and time in fending off all of this malware. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thos Posted September 8, 2005 Report Share Posted September 8, 2005 It really is frightening and you are right, pops. I sometimes think that I am paranoid about security, spending, it seems almost as much timeon scanning, updating, backing-up etc. as I do real work (or play) on the machine.Thos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CurlyWhirly Posted September 8, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2005 I often wonder how much more efficient the Internet and, indeed, our own computers would be if they didn't have to spend so much effort and time in fending off all of this malware.Very true. That's one disadvantage about owning a PC.I sometimes think that I am paranoid about security, spending, it seems almost as much timeon scanning, updating, backing-up etc. as I do real work (or play) on the machine.I know it takes up a fair bit of time doing the above tasks but thankfully I quite enjoy it.p.s. I forgot to say in my original post :blush: The video is more exciting than reading the article! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catgate Posted September 8, 2005 Report Share Posted September 8, 2005 I often wonder how much more efficient the Internet and, indeed, our own computers would be if they didn't have to spend so much effort and time in fending off all of this malware.I often wonder what sort of a 'buggers muddle' those poor souls get into. who have believed all the hype, and just gone out and bought a computer and plugged it in regardless, in all trusting innocence. I fear they are in tha majority. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-pops- Posted September 8, 2005 Report Share Posted September 8, 2005 catgate, I spend a lot of my time sorting out just that.All machines I build for people are equipped with fairly comprehensive protection and, frankly, I'm surprised that all commercial machines aren't fitted with at least the basic software to give some resistance against attack but, it seems they are not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artist Posted September 8, 2005 Report Share Posted September 8, 2005 Even WITH all the protection I have still had the odd virus..........I know so many people who have some sort of protection but never run it or update it. My niece said she thought that as it was installed that was it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belatucadrus Posted September 8, 2005 Report Share Posted September 8, 2005 Reminds me of one of my ex employers, when at a loose end I checked the state of the AV protection on our departments PCs. Basically installed by the IT dept and left, it was possible to update via the company LAN, but none of them had been configured to do it, so I set about setting the lot. Then found that about a third of the PCs had an AV version that was so out of date it wouldn't accept the updates, so I downloaded the new version from the company Intranet and completely reset them to. What's particularly dim about it was that the company was extremely rigorous with it's license compliance, so was paying annualy for all the relevant AV licences, many it had never actually installed and almost none were being updated properly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CurlyWhirly Posted September 9, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2005 Slightly off topic but if the same machine went online running Windows 98 I wonder if it would also get infected?My guess is that it would but it would take a little longer than 8 seconds as most malware seems to be targetted at XP now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andsome Posted September 9, 2005 Report Share Posted September 9, 2005 The local supplier that built my computer, had some time ago employed a young man who was very adept at computer construction. He had just completed his first job, and went on line to test the modem. Net result, a virus. Needles to say, it was drummed into his heed to install an AV program before testing. Now they ask all potential customers if they have a preference for a certain AV program, BEFORE they take on the job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
expertec Posted September 9, 2005 Report Share Posted September 9, 2005 catgate, I spend a lot of my time sorting out just that.All machines I build for people are equipped with fairly comprehensive protection and, frankly, I'm surprised that all commercial machines aren't fitted with at least the basic software to give some resistance against attack but, it seems they are not.Cue Microsoft and their OS with built in firewall and antivirus... or would they end up in court again? (Not that it seems to bother them very much). ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CurlyWhirly Posted September 9, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2005 Cue Microsoft and their OS with built in firewall and antivirus...Well I will be sticking with McAfee as they have years of experience on security issues along with other well established brand names such as Symantec, AVG, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thos Posted September 9, 2005 Report Share Posted September 9, 2005 If only it was possible to accurately identify and stop SPAM getting into inboxes, I am sure much of the virus problem would vanish.When I was on dial-up with Gateway and subsequently with Tiscali, someone sold all @Gateway address list and I was getting 150-200 unwanted Spam messages per day with many of them containing viruses. It was one of the reasons I changed to broadband with a different ISP and stopped using the old address completely. I don't think I have had a single Spam message since and consequently no viruses via E-mail.Malware is a different matter. They are picked up at plenty of reputable web sites, of course, but can easily be dealt with.Thos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CurlyWhirly Posted September 9, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2005 Malware is a different matter. They are picked up at plenty of reputable web sites, of course, but can easily be dealt with.Yes that's true but the point I was making when I originally posted was how risky it is to go online with no anti-virus and firewall in use!If only it was possible to accurately identify and stop SPAM getting into inboxes, I am sure much of the virus problem would vanish.I hardly get any SPAM :rolleyes: You can still pick up viruses from clicking on infected links in websites as you probably already know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-pops- Posted September 9, 2005 Report Share Posted September 9, 2005 Computer "viruses" were around from before the Internet was even a twinkle in the eyes of Tim Berners-Lee. The days of computer information being on punched cards, paper tape then magnetic tape and discs the size of dinner plates. They all had the potential of containing little bits of wrong code that seemed to regenerate itself on each use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CurlyWhirly Posted September 9, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2005 Computer "viruses" were around from before the Internet was even a twinkle in the eyes of Tim Berners-Lee.Crikey I didn't know that :o You know in the article where it mentions that the 'naked' PC was unusable within half an hour of going online well this got me thinking, how come most (if not all) anti-virus software doesn't alert you with security warnings?I don't mean the action of clicking on an infected link on a website page for example but I am referring to malware that routinely scans IP addresses looking for a security hole like the Sasser worm as featured in the video.With all that suspicious activity going on it's a wonder!I know that firewalls can be configured to block suspicious network activity silently but I don't seem to have this option on my anti-virus package (in fact any anti-virus software package I have ever used). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-pops- Posted September 9, 2005 Report Share Posted September 9, 2005 The first virus I encountered was on a works computer somewhere between 1974 -1978. The virus had the habit of changing every third, fourth or fifth digit or letter to a "d". It did this at random times and, if left, eventually all the screen became filled with "d". The "infection" was introduced to the computer from a Winchester disk brought in from a computer consultant who was supposed to be updating the machine. This was long before Windows and the Internet and it caused many problems as the computer system was used in processing control in a chemical works. It's a good job that nothing dangerous was being dealt with.For those who don't know, a Winchester disk was a device about 15 inches diameter, weighing over 3Kg used very much as a removable hard drive. It had a capacity of 30MB which was absolutely enormous - more than anyone could possibly ever want!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
expertec Posted September 9, 2005 Report Share Posted September 9, 2005 I know about Winchester disks... there was quite a good history of computing in my A+ course. :)Oh yes, and for anyone who didn't know, spam is about that old too! :rolleyes:http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/2996319.stm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andsome Posted September 9, 2005 Report Share Posted September 9, 2005 We first bought Spam during the war. :D :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CurlyWhirly Posted September 9, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2005 The first virus I encountered was on a works computer somewhere between 1974 -1978.Crikey you are a PC veteran B) I was only a young boy then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andsome Posted September 9, 2005 Report Share Posted September 9, 2005 The first virus I encountered was on a works computer somewhere between 1974 -1978.Crikey you are a PC veteran B) I was only a young boy then.I was quite mature then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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