Trojan questions

  • Thread starter Thread starter Sharkman
  • Start date Start date
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Sharkman

I've set up my email (outlook express) with no preview pane
pane so usually I dont open emails from those that I dont know. Once in a
while one slips by me and I accidently open the email (I'd never open the
attachement) and once I've even clicked on the spoofed site (but never
entered any information).

So my questions are:
By opening the email can a trojan or virus be loaded on my system?
By clicking on a phony web site, can a trojan or virus be loaded on my
system?
And will zonealarm, adaware, spybot and cwshredder protect me?
Is there any other software that I should be using?
Should I clear my cookies on a regular basis?

Thanks again for the help
sharkman
 
Hackers are very busy so there are always new ways to infect a computer.
It's a lot safer than it used to be, but clicking can still get you in
trouble. Just keep all of your anti-programs up to date, and download the
latest updates from MicroSoft.
As for other software, I like Webroot's Spy Sweeper. www.webroot.com
They have a free trial version which detected a backdoor logging program
that had been transmitting all of my data which none of the other programs
were detecting.
 
1. It's possible to get infected by opening a webpage.
2. It's possible to get infected by opening a email (because, the e-mail
could be in HTML format and that would work like a webpage).
3. It's possible to get infected by "doing nothing" (Sasser, MSBlaster,
etc).

ZoneAlarm will protect you from 3 and maybe 2. But for better security,
you'll need a Antivirus program too, and let windows check for updates and
update itself once or twice a day.

And, no, it's usually not neccessary to clear your cookies.

// Chen
 
So my questions are:
By opening the email can a trojan or virus be loaded on my system?
Yes.

By clicking on a phony web site, can a trojan or virus be loaded on my
system?
Yes

And will zonealarm, adaware, spybot and cwshredder protect me?
Click to expand...

Mostly, but they don't deal with trojans or viruses.
Is there any other software that I should be using?
Click to expand...

Something that checks the health of your entire system such as Norton
Systemworks.
Should I clear my cookies on a regular basis?
Click to expand...

Yes, maybe once a year or so. Many cookies come to you with an expiration of
100 years.
 
thanks...

--

Mostly, but they don't deal with trojans or viruses.


Something that checks the health of your entire system such as Norton
Systemworks.


Yes, maybe once a year or so. Many cookies come to you with an
expiration of 100 years.
Click to expand...
 
I've set up my email (outlook express) with no preview pane
pane so usually I dont open emails from those that I dont know. Once in a
while one slips by me and I accidently open the email (I'd never open the
attachement) and once I've even clicked on the spoofed site (but never
entered any information).

So my questions are:
By opening the email can a trojan or virus be loaded on my system?
Click to expand...

Possibly if the mail is in HTML - for best security have OE Tools -
Options - Read page set to 'Read all in Plain Text', and on its Security
page have 'Restricted zone' selected . With that, the Preview is safe
too, and if often more convenient than opening
By clicking on a phony web site, can a trojan or virus be loaded on my
system?
Click to expand...

Yes, unfortunately. You would need to use Internet Options - Security
to turn off Active content and scripting. which a lot of innocent sites
use. When the Windows XP Service Pack 2 comes out, very soon I hope,
that has a lot of improvement in this area
And will zonealarm, adaware, spybot and cwshredder protect me?
Click to expand...

They will do about as much as is possible; but use them regularly and
remember always to update their definitions (or get the latest version
of CW Shredder)
 
thanks for the info, alex

--


Alex said:
Possibly if the mail is in HTML - for best security have OE Tools -
Options - Read page set to 'Read all in Plain Text', and on its
Security page have 'Restricted zone' selected . With that, the
Preview is safe too, and if often more convenient than opening


Yes, unfortunately. You would need to use Internet Options - Security
to turn off Active content and scripting. which a lot of innocent
sites use. When the Windows XP Service Pack 2 comes out, very soon
I hope, that has a lot of improvement in this area


They will do about as much as is possible; but use them regularly and
remember always to update their definitions (or get the latest version
of CW Shredder)
Click to expand...
 
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