Re: Windows 98 box is 'owned'

[Patrick Benson <benson () chello se>]

Darren Kirby wrote:

> You all pretty much suggest installing software firewall, spyware checkers,
> anti-virus scanners, even a hardware firewall...all my mom does is play
> freecell, check email once a day, and browse the web infrequently (1-2 times
> per week), so this hardware firewall seems a bit extreme.

> This is discouraging, as I don't have the time (nor knowledge) to monitor this
> computer all the time. Perhaps it is time to say screw it and install
> Slackware with a nice KDE desktop for her, because at least I would know how
> to help with her problems, and it seems a lot easier than:

It seems quite obvious that it would be better to install an operating
system that you are familiar with, in this case Slackware, and the
bundle of card games that goes with KDE surely is more than a match
compared to Microsoft's version. Add some iptables rules to allow smtp,
pop and http and disallow the rest, if that is all that your mom really
needs... The KDE desktop shouldn't be so intimidating to her. With
Firefox or Mozilla and Kmail things would look pretty much as they do in
Win98.
     
> 1) reinstall OS
> 2) install firewall, AV, etc...
> 3) patch OS in 5 minute window available (as mentioned by Kelly Martin)
> 4) educate Mom on use of AV, anti-spyware, good web practices (don't open
> attachments, click on pop-ups etc...)
> 5) monitor until eventually another virus finds its way in.
> 6) Lather/rinse/repeat.
>
> Sorry if I sound affected here, but being a unix guy I do not see how this
> makes windows an 'easier' desktop to use. What do you all think? Is this
> really what you have to do to have a usable windows networked machine?
> Again, not trying to be a troll here, it is an honest question.

If your mom is not bent on learning all those points, mentioned above,
it would indeed be a waste of time on her part if there were other
alternatives that you, yourself, were more acquainted with. Using Linux
+ iptables or let's say OpenBSD + pf would be more efficient because if
she should run into any problems with firewalling, you could agree on
using ssh between each other's machines, that's a level of trust and
another matter, altogether...

Regards,
-- 
Patrick Benson
Stockholm, Sweden