A firewall is protection against attacks by hackers. A virus is a different type of attack and requires a different type of protection (anti-virus software). There are commercial, shareware, and freeware packages of both firewall software and anti-virus software. In addition, Microsoft DOES issue updates to patch security issues with the operating system & it's other products, BUT MS NEVER eamils you. It is your responsibility to go to the Microsoft "Windows Update" (or "Office Update") site and download & install the updates. Moreover, just getting a firewall and anti-virus package doesn't protect you in an ongoing manner unless you get the updates to the virus definitions and intrusion signatures on a frequent basis. It is often recommended that you do this at least once every two weeks. I do it daily. But then I design & program systems for a living.
P.S. There is "spyware" to worry about as well. Don't you wish these guys would "get a life"?
Larry - do you know the demographic of the people who write the most viruses? They are generally 12-14 year old boys who are suffering from a low sense of self. And they believe that by writing viruses (and thereby spreading their popularity), they become more self important.
I recently read about the guy who wrote the "Melissa" virus and he said "I didnt think it would cause that much damage". Well, duh. Most of the kids who write these things can simply download the virus toolkit from a hacker website, make some modifications an release it to the public. Then, they fell better and more powerful because they can watch (on CNN) about how much damage their virus does.
Norton Anti-Virus does live update for those people who are connected to the web and a firewall will keep out some of the nastier worms that do all sorts of things like email hosting (aka mass mailing) or email forwarding (turning your server into a spam server).
The MOST COMMON form of infection comes from people infecting THEMSELVES! The Anna Kournakova virus caused such a problem because it promised people a naked picture of tennis' hottest star. Thereby opening the picture, you infected yourself.
Another common virus is not a virus at all. It is the USER causing the problems. If anybody remembers the "delete the program with the teddybear icon" email, it was instructing you to delete the java script debugger that is part of windows. So, if you DO that, you are damaging your own computer and Norton (or McAfee) will not protect you from that. It is like putting a
16" bowl blank on your lathe and turning it on highest speed. EXPECT something to happen. Something very bad.
Best way to protect yourself is to practice safe computing:
Purchase and install an antivirus program
Get behind a firewall (whether windows xp firewall or other doesnt matter).
If somebody sends you an attachment you didnt ask for, delete it and dont open it. (Remember pandora here)
If you get email from somebody you dont know, delete it and dont preview it or open it (see #3).
If you get email from somebody that says "forward this to everybody you know", dont as it is likely a hoax.
If you get email from somebody that promises great riches, it is probaby a hoax again.
If you get email from somebody that tells you you are already infected, it is likey a trick to get you to damage your own computer.
Computers are not hard but you have to use some common sense.
However, if it wasnt for the jerks writing viruses, I would not have my woodshop nor my lathe.
I'm with ya there brother! Their stupidity has allowed for a ton of new tools and dust collector to outfit my shop this year. I hate 'em, but I love 'em. I'm pretty well set now, so if they are reading this...you can give it a rest now.
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