nanog mailing list archives
FW: WashingtonPost computer security stories
From: "Joe Johnson" <jjohnson () jmdn net>
Date: Sun, 15 Aug 2004 14:09:50 -0500
On Sun, 15 Aug 2004, Hank Nussbacher wrote:
Retina scan on something and some virus/worm got in and it took some registry editting and safe mode work to get it removed - and I know
what >I
am doing.As far as I know, there is no remotely exploitable hole in windows that doesn't have a patch for it, nothing majorly in the wild anyway. I run
my
fully patched XP laptop without firewall directly connected to the internet all the time and the above you mention doesn't happen to me. A lot of the problems with windows that people complain about, isn't Microsoft caused apart from them designing a bad
driver/library/registry
model for how things are installed and ran. I usually run windows boxes
for two-three years without reinstalling them, other people have to re-install every 3-6 months. Looking at their usage pattern and mine,
they
install games and other programs and de-install them all the time,
whereas
I usually stick to a fixed set of programs and rarely install new ones,
and I always apply new patches when they're available via Windows
Update.
I can also run my machine for months without it crashing, which seems
an
unobtainable feat for a lot of other people. I see a pattern. Bad hardware and application software cause a lot more problems than the operating system itself. -- Mikael Abrahamsson email: swmike () swm pp se
I agree totally. The only times I ever have to reinstall a machine is when a user has installed a virus or malware on it. We use a NAT firewall on each remote office and at each teleworker's house (usually a basic Linksys or Netgear residential or SoHo class router) and Symantec Corporate AV that updates from the main NOC's LiveUpdate server. All patch the Windows Updates automatically and I've never had trouble with devices catching the Nachi/Welchia or Blaster Worm, because we stayed on top of patches. There should never be a reason to reinstall Windows except some software that a person installed or hardware failure. Joe Johnson P.S.: Teenagers really are the exception, though. I can't even begin to count the number of times I've had to help my sister over the phone because her kids installed something or another that caused the system to grind to a halt.
Current thread:
- Re: Phishing (Was Re: WashingtonPost computer security stories), (continued)
- Re: Phishing (Was Re: WashingtonPost computer security stories) Richard Cox (Aug 17)
- Re: Phishing (Was Re: WashingtonPost computer security stories) Petri Helenius (Aug 17)
- Re: Phishing (Was Re: WashingtonPost computer security stories) Alexei Roudnev (Aug 17)
- Re: Phishing (Was Re: WashingtonPost computer security stories) Eric Kuhnke (Aug 17)
- Re: Phishing (Was Re: WashingtonPost computer security stories) Tim Wilde (Aug 17)
- Re: Phishing (Was Re: WashingtonPost computer security stories) Edward B. Dreger (Aug 17)
- Re: Phishing (Was Re: WashingtonPost computer security stories) Petri Helenius (Aug 17)
- Re: Phishing (Was Re: WashingtonPost computer security stories) Brett (Aug 18)
- Re: Phishing (Was Re: WashingtonPost computer security stories) Christopher L. Morrow (Aug 17)
- Re: WashingtonPost computer security stories Alexei Roudnev (Aug 15)
- Re: WashingtonPost computer security stories Fred Baker (Aug 15)
- RE: WashingtonPost computer security stories Michael . Dillon (Aug 16)
- Re: WashingtonPost computer security stories Jeff Shultz (Aug 16)