🚀 go-pugleaf

On Tue, 27 Mar 2007 18:59:10 +0100, nobody <nobody@nobody.abc> wrote:

>Why is this becoming an LINUX vs Windows debate ?

Because we are bored.

>BTW guys .. how do you truly know if you don't have a virus or backdoor with
>no antivirus ? yes taking care about what you do will keep you very
>safe.... i have not had a windows virus for aggggeeeeeeeessssss but when i
>last did i actually got it from a respectable website from the homepage.. a
>trojan. 
>
>So you might think you know your PC is clean but it might well be a
>different story, some back doors do actually get through software firewalls
>unknown and then all sorts of virus end up on your pc contacting home and
>taking part in things like DOS attacks from your IP.... not all viruses are
>malicious towards your PC, they have a bigger purpose as i said before ..
>like using your PC for a DOS attack against a server ... so just because
>you have not found your hard drive has been wiped or something, are you
>just assuming your PC is clean ?
>
>You guys make it sound like your experienced IT techs so you should know
>what i am saying anyway ... but what IT tech would run a windows machine
>without virus protection as precautionary measures ?

Smart ones?

The reason I know I don't have a virus or trojan is because:

1.  I use Process Explorer 
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/utilities/ProcessExplorer.mspx
to periodically monitor any and all processes on my machine.  I know
what should be there, so anything new or left-handed is immediately
spotted.

2.  I use TCPView
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/Networking/TcpView.mspx
to periodically monitor any and all TCP and UDP endpoints on my
machine.  If some app were "phoning home" it would show up there.

3.  I'm intimately familiar with my machines performance.  Any virus
or trojan would set off all manner of bells and whistles due to
performance problems, mysterious hard drive activity (visual and
auditory clues here) or network activity (visual clues due to the
network monitor in my system tray).

4.  I don't care if I do get a virus.  I have image backups of my hard
drive out the wazoo.  I do weekly backups as well as a backup prior to
the installation of any new software.  So if I *do* get a virus, I
simply reimage my hard drive.  I have actually installed several
viruses just for the fun of it.  Returning my system to a pristine
pre-virus state takes all of five minutes.

>BTW not trying to be big headed or something just i am a IT Technician and
>Network Technician and having had to fix all sorts of messes people have
>let themselves get into,,, even responsible people for that matter who only
>open up a document given to them by a work colleague for instance! I just
>think it is very irresponsible when people go around boasting how they
>don't protect their PC online which can intice others to do the same !

I'm not trying to entice anyone to do anything.  I understand that my
skill set puts me in rarified territory in terms of computer smarts.
I'm just telling you how *I* run *my* machine.  For the great
unwashed, I always recommend an antivirus product as well as a
software firewall.

>Just to end this banter lol . i am not biased towards either windows or
>linux, i use both ... and to show how much i care about security, even my
>linux machine has a virus scan, mostly to make sure i don't pass on a
>windows virus to a windows machine.

Early virus writers created their stuff for shits and giggles. Today's
virus writers do it for profit, and target the largest common
denominator which happens to be the Windows OS.  Rest assured that if
Linux had a 98% install base, the penguin would be crawling with
cooties.