Replies

First of all, upgrading any OS, do a clean install and start from scratch! If one does not do
or have done this, there’s no point in even wasting time listing your ‘worries’…..

Whatever you read here, Windows 7 in fact makes much better use of available memory.

Next, your hardware – it needs to be ready for the Win 7 change. If yours/any is junk, don’t
blame Microsoft. On any properly configured system, Win 7 will run just as well, if not better
with the same set up. If not, one should upgrade the hardware – yeah, that sucks……

Re: Let’s put your firewall to the test

Fred, some users may get ‘worried’ when they use the fantastic online Shields Up firewall testing utility that you mention in your article.

For many years I have set up my client’s PCs with 3rd party firewall software (too many confusing pop-ups for the average user) and now
gone back to basics, configuring their PCs with Microsoft’s own basic firewall.

Naturally, now outbound traffic is not monitored and the leak test(s) will fail. Also, when using the XP’s (and later) firewall, one will not get a
perfect ‘TruStealth’ rating – at best, the test will show a combination of Stealth and Closed ports.

Optimising the firewall settings within the modem and/or router (if capable) is the only way to get TruStealth (for incoming traffic).

What is your spin on this and how important is outbound traffic monitoring?

“David wrote: I ‘upgraded’ from Windows 98 on an old computer to Windows XP Home “

David, if you installed Windows XP Home over Win 98, I would definitely do a clean install of XP.
As you have a copy of XP Pro, it’s worthwhile doing this anyway, as the XP Pro version is more
secure than the Home version

On a single user PC, that is up-to-date with all the latest MS patches, updated and patched 3rd party
software and solid security programs installed, I don’t see any reason to run that PC with limited
privileges.

Then, if your PC is say, a family PC where your children have access, it’s a whole different kettle of fish.
In that case, you would need to create at least one other account (or one for each of the kids) with limited
privileges and password protect your computer administrator account. I’ve worked on many PC’s that were
totally messed up by unexperienced users (or kids who think they are computer whizzes). The whole idea
behind giving them limited privileges is, that no harm can be done to your precious machine by them say,
deleting system files, installing unwanted or infected software or messing around with your files. And those
examples are exactly some reasons why you DON’T want to give your kids (or others who should not have
full access on your machine) full administrative rights. Sure, functionality is somewhat reduced and some
programs and utilities may not fully work in a restricted account, but that is exactly the idea behind it!

That brings me to the poll question of this thread: ”Should I go to a single-account configuration?“

This of course cannot be answered with a simple yes or no answer. In your case, if you’re the only user, then
the answer is yes, you having full administrative privileges. If others have access to your PC, then the answer
is no. In that case, of course password protect your account and let them use either the Guest Account (enable
in control panel/user accounts), or create an account for them with restricted privileges.

Dear Yardena,

Re: Protected Mode in IE 7 and 8 on Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7

Thank you for a great article!

I always wonder how the average PC user (guess the majority of users
in the world) are having a hope in hell to keep their systems clean, up to
date and secure…..

Anyway, as to the Protected Mode settings:

Protected Mode in IE7 and IE8 on Vista and Windows 7 appears not
to work with UAC turned off! On all systems, I always turn the UAC
off, as I find all the warning windows a major headache and most
confusing and annoying for the average user. More so, users have
grown to like Vista (and probably Win7 as well) much better with UAC
turned off….

Question: do you have any comments on the above and are there any
work-arounds regarding this issue, being – can Protective Mode
be enabled in IE without having to turn the UAC back on?

Next, most users would not know how to open attachments in the inbox
safely. As you suggest, contacting the sender, may not be a secure
solution at all! He or she may have un-knowingly attached an infected file!
My routine strategy is to save the/any un-opened attachment to my desktop
(or other location) and scan the file with my virus program (in my case MSE),
before opening the file.

Question: what are your thoughts and remarks regarding that routine?

Many thanks for a reply or inclusion in the next newsletter,
keep up the good work,
Hans Bool