Is your computer security up-to-date?

Generally speaking, it's not a problem, unless you give them the "keys" to all your routines (length of your password, port you use with such and such application, IP address). But what exactly were you thinking of?

Ctb, Tarun: is it possible to avoid this particular discussion in this thread? (you should start a thread about it)

Just because you've been over misinformation does not make it any more correct. That goes for services too, which has been debunked by many websites.

Because false positives are always amusing. Many of these websites that mark pages as safe or not often do not properly update their information.

Do you have an exact link to the page that says my website is "malicious"?

In all honesty, the users themselves are typically the weak link in security systems. They give out information they shoudn't be giving out, they use the same (easy) passwords for everything, they fall victim to social engineering, etc.

Something I don't think I've seen mentioned is to use a Limited User Account and turn on Data Execution Prevention. Also, disable all dynamic web content by default (javascript, activex, etc.) and enable them on a per-site basis. Ditto for cookies.

Neither Antivirus nor antispyware is going to be that helpful for smart users that have implemented all of the other precautions. I run AV and malware scans periodically, and they've never found anything on my machines; eventually, I stopped running them in the background and only use them for system scans on a scheduled basis.

In the end, it really comes down to not visiting shady websites and downloading untrusted content.

can someone hack into your system just by browsing/being on the same webpage?

are script/cookies from guildwarsguru safe?

I've always wander. cos i clear my browser cache and cccleaner everything everyday and there seems to be a large amount of cookies from guildwarsguru.

are avg free editions, rootkit, anti-spyware good?

What is your view on programs to manage several passwords? Are they too much of a risk??

Sorry, I forgot to reply!

No no one can hack by simply "browsing", hacking involves active operations/programs that send stuff to your computer (while browsing is "mainly" about receiving information from server).

I'd say script and cookies are safe on GWG once logged in. If you use Firefox, install the NoScript plugin:
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/722

AVG is good, but I'd say that if you're going free, get AntiVir which seems just a little bit better (note that there's a new version of AVG and I don't know it well):
http://www.free-av.com/en/download/index.html

A must have, if they're "trusted". But be carefull to protect them with a strong password (8 to 10 characters, with special ones and numbers). I'm personally using this one that I highly recommend (it copies the password to the clipboard when you double-click, so you actually never see your passwords which is a bonus, plus it'll clear the clipboard whenever the application is closed/minimised and it's very light and can be put on a USB):
http://passwordsafe.sourceforge.net/

Fril Estelin

Thank you very much Fril Estelin, no problem with waiting, I visit this forum everyday :P, has become a habit, unless I am not at home.

And thanks for all the advise. /give 1 Spiked Eggnog

1. Yes

2. Yes (NOD32 updates everyday, at times it pissed me off when im doing PvP)

3. Yes before shutting down my PC I always run them

4. No (have my windows updater set to off)

5. Yes any file I download I scan it with atleast 2-3 online scanner (rarely download anything beside music and movies)

6. Have atleast 3 kind of pw I use (Medium)

7. Yes (CCleaner)

8. Yes I set my system restore to save once a week (does that count)

9. Right now nothing anymore, since my sister got herself a MAC she doesnt use my PC no more (usually her that get them nasty spyware on my PC), also my brother is smart when it comes to removing virus/spyware/etc

Well, I'm not worried the least bit, I do use FW+AV
But what software im not gonna post here
Cause there are lots of lame scriptkiddies trying to find exploits on ppl from here
I'm not worried they will get in they are just annoying and im tired of filing abuse crap to their isp

But most of all im not worried cause I KNOW what I'm doing
I dont go to "hack/cheat" sites etc and run shitty software software by some homecoder

Most my gaming is on a linuxrig anyway ;D

1) Yup. Although Avast is a stupid piece of crap that I want to toss in a deep fat fryer... I seriously hate this thing... it doesn't seem to do much.
2) Either when it prompts me, or when I remember.
3) Spybot S&D about once a week, Ad-Aware maybe twice a week.
4) Whenever it prompts me.
5) Yes. That, and I hardly download anything too...
6) Apparently, I do.
7) I clean out the cache, but not saved passwords, because I have a nasty habit of forgetting my username and password on several places.
8) Most of my data is gaming stuff (Oblivion, Morrowind, Guild Wars, etc...) not really much that's essential... if I lost it, it would just be a pain to replace but it wouldn't be devastating.
9) Well, for starters, every time my mom asks "Should I click on this link?" I say "No. You should never click on those ad banners or popups."

Same here... I dont go to dumb wesites that could give me viruses. Firewalls are annoying as hell. and If a hacker can crack my password ill give him a cookie.

Variation of a favorite password of mine: [email protected][email protected]+th

Ya brute force that punk.

But I do do all the above security updates. I use reskining apps to make my window look different.

A virus/trojan can get caught from any website, via the dynamic ads for example. There's even been some very famous cases of trusted website being hacked, one good example is the superbowl website last year (of course, any person with up-to-date software wouldn't have had any problem since the website hacked pages would use two windows vulnerabilities that were patched at the time of the hack):
http://blogs.zdnet.com/security/?p=15&tag=nl.e589

Unless you use a password manager, that's a "cognitively expensive" password (i.e. it requires a lot of attention and memory). You can't afford that with every password . But soon enough our fingerprints will be enough! (sarcarsm!)

no matter what site you visit it will always have spyware in them...

Fril beat me to it I didnt see it...

1) Do you have an antivirus and a firewall running at all times (even when playing games)?

Yeah, got enough of a computer to let them run at all times

2) If so, are they automatically and regularly updated? (daily to hourly)

Daily

3) Do you run regularly anti-spyware software, such as Lavasoft AD-Aware and Spybot Search&Destroy (S&D)? (weekly or monthly)

Once a month at most, then again im not stupid to browse on site's i shouldnt be on.

4) Do you regularly update your Operating System and all applications? (possibly using the automated features such as Windows Automatic Updates)

I choose my updates because i want to know whats being installed

5)

Yes

6) Most importanly, do you have strong passwords and do you make sure not to use the same passwords for different site/applications?

Yes.

7) Do you regularly clean your browser and application data (such as caches, saved passwords)? (weekly)
Look at the very usefull tool CCleaner for this job.

I almost never clean them, but if i do i clean them manually.

8) Do you regularly back-up your sensible data? (monthly)

No, but then none of my sensible data is on my C drive.

9) What do you do to raise awareness about security and trust around you (e.g., other people using your PC, members of your family, friends, guildies, Alliance members, colleagues)?

Hardly ever, only people i really know.

1) No
2) No
3) No
4) No
5) N...
6)
7)
8)

But I DO keep curtains over my windows. That typically keeps internet burglars out.

-edit-

brb a burglar just came through my internet tube

After putting NOD32 through some torture tests, I have found it to be a bit too invasive and hardcore for its own good. If you are sensible and intelligent, net and tech savvy, you need not worry about viruses/worms. As far as spyware is concerned, it comes in many forms. I use SpyBot search and destroy and run it about every 6 months and immunize each time. I recently had my 6 month run, it found 1 entry, and it wasn't even a legit entry. GG? Nothing gets into Rahja's PC without Rahja knowing about it. That is all.

Yes to all, but it seems playing the BWE2 and linking accounts has sent a free invite to me and other players to a free hacking, awesome job. So 6 years without so much as a pop up, and playing the beta gets my main hacked, GG.

Erm, that was four years ago, Harv.

Fril Estelin, eh? Whatever happened to him?

I'm using "Animate Forum Thread horror"