http://www.realtechnews.com/posts/1511
Now it only takes 12 minutes to infect an unprotected PC running Windows
Now it only takes 12 minutes to infect an unprotected PC running Windows
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PC infected in 12 minutes
- Thread starter ~loserman~
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Militar said:
yup, viruses and hackers will probe your machine for vulnerabilities and try to compromise it. Its very common, and a lot of it is automated. A windows machine, unprotected, just sitting there with an internet connection can get compromised.
I have a Gateway laptop at work that I decided to wipe clean and reinstall windows on 6 months ago. I reformatted and fdisked the master boot record. It was totally clean. After reinstalling Windows XP, the first thing I did was install Norton Antivirus and then run Live Update. Since I only had a dial-up connection, it took me a good 30 minutes to update the virus definitions. When it was done, I ran a scan just to be safe and I was glad I did. In that 30 minutes that I was unprotected (at least from viruses that the definitions didn't include), I had three occurances of the blaster worm on my computer. I learned my lesson and now I will not connect a Windows PC to the internet without a up-to-date virus protection program installed and running. This means that I have to use my Mac to download the definitions file and transfer it to the new Windows installation so I can update it offline. What a pain in the rear!
This claim seems odd, my mother has a Win 98 system that she uses for email and the web.
My parents have a cable modem that first runs to a netgear router, then to the two computer (XP, win 98) and an airport express (my gift for my pops wireless laptop XP system).
She has been using this computer for about 2 years, the first year without any antivirus software. Even after I installed Norton antivirus a few months ago, there has not been one virus found.
She does not surf and does not get many odd emails. Why does her computer not become infected with the spyware/addware/viruses?
My parents have a cable modem that first runs to a netgear router, then to the two computer (XP, win 98) and an airport express (my gift for my pops wireless laptop XP system).
She has been using this computer for about 2 years, the first year without any antivirus software. Even after I installed Norton antivirus a few months ago, there has not been one virus found.
She does not surf and does not get many odd emails. Why does her computer not become infected with the spyware/addware/viruses?
The netgear router is a good level of protection. It likely has a built in firewall which helps protect from the shotgun approach that many malware programs use. Also, her computer is not connected directly to the internet rather it is connected to the router which is connected to the internet. Computers that connect directly to a broadband modem or those that dial-up are much more likely to be infected.roadapple said:
I run XP, and the only protection I have is a netgear router. I built it in October or so, and have had 3 adware programs. My sister, on the other hand, has no idea what she's doing and click the banner ads on her computer. Once a year or so she complains her computer's broken, so I reinstall Windows for her. If you know what you're doing, you're not very likely to get any viruses even without Norton or one of those programs (which just makes the problem worse in my opinion) installed on the computer. A router has been all I need to keep my computer healthy.
roadapple said:
Most of these "fast" viruses take advantage of XP specific vulnerabilities. That is why a Windows 98 PC is less likely to get infected so quickly/easily.
Anyway, back in the blaster days, I had a pc that got infected within 10 seconds of being connected to the internet. Of course, I didn't have a firewall on, but 10 seconds without even opening a browser window is just ridiculous.
12 min is too much!! I posted long time ago about a private customer, bought a PC, no idea about computers, plugged and boom! 
.
He's one of these guys who critics me as mac user!
.He's one of these guys who critics me as mac user!
AmigoMac said:12 min is too much!! I posted long time ago about a private customer, bought a PC, no idea about computers, plugged and boom!
He's one of these guys who critics me as mac user!
I'm a mac user since late 2001, and try to convert everyone I meet. But I have used old computers (my sisters) running windows 98 or XP, and have not had the overnight invasion that is often mentioned, she uses outlet express and IE.
Does everyone else have this "BOOM" virus infection with XP?
~loserman~ said:
Recently I installed Windows 2000 Pro on Virtual PC so I could use the ATOs Windows Online Tax application, the only time I connected to the internet was to grab the official Windows updates, then I downloaded a bunch of apps that were listed in a post here to my Mac (avg, adaware, etc) and transfered them over to Virtual PC. When I ran the adaware app there were already 3 types of Spyware installed. So I believe this article 100%. Windows is flawed and unless something amazing happens with Longhorn I can't see this changing.
gco212 said:
The big problem is that 95% of people have no clue how to protect themselfs against viruses other than Norton or AVG.
WOOT WOOT!!! 500th Post
SP 2 solves a lot of this stupidity, but you have to connect to windows update to get it, and while you're online.....BZZZAT, you catch a digital cold!
Talk about Catch 22.
They really need to start selling Windows shrinkwrapped as an up-to-date version with SP1 & SP2 already on board or at least an update CD added in the pack. But as far as I am aware the Windows shrinkwrap version on sale everywhere still needs to have all these updates added.
Talk about Catch 22.
They really need to start selling Windows shrinkwrapped as an up-to-date version with SP1 & SP2 already on board or at least an update CD added in the pack. But as far as I am aware the Windows shrinkwrap version on sale everywhere still needs to have all these updates added.
Militar said:
When you think about it Win98 is a bit old so maybe hackers will think that any computer that's running it is proably not worth hacking since the comp running can't possibly be of much value.
Many times when a client of mine has a spyware problem; the result will be a reinstall. The problem is just so advanced and massive, it's not worth trying to fight it. A 40min. reinstall is needed all the time. It's a shame, but it's what brought me to the lighter side.
risc said:
Did you have your OS X firewall up at the time? For that matter, doesn't VPC have a "firewall" of sorts, in that you have to enable its IP address in a special way for it to be hit from the outside?
And you really, truly, literally only visited websites whose top level DNs were owned by MS? I completely believe you, but this is stilll so hard for me to believe. What is the vector? Are you really getting infected directly through the chain that gets you to microsoft.com? That seems hard to believe. OTOH, if this is an intrusive attack, how did it get past the OS X firewall and into VPC?
True. It's only a 150Mhz Pentium Pro overclocked to 167Mhz. With only 24MB RAM, I would not be able to run Windows XP. I thought of upgrading to 64MB but the type of RAM my computer requires is very difficult to find. Its not on a firewall, because I have no clue how to get my computer working on some of the gaming sites that I visit.chv400 said:
runninmac said:The big problem is that 95% of people have no clue how to protect themselfs against viruses other than Norton or AVG.
WOOT WOOT!!! 500th Post
Yup, if you know what you're doing, it's not hard to avoid adware and viruses, but most people don't know what they're doing.
And congrats on 500.
