What security measures do you think I have in place? I answered the
question.

Why would anyone *install* spyware? That doesn't make sense since most
people are trying to keep it *out* of their computers.

How's Comodo working for you? I tried it a year or so ago, but it
kept blocking stuff that I didn't want blocked, and didn't need
blocked. I went back to ZoneAlarm.

-Al-

Hi ST,

Could you explain why online scanners are not reliable ?
TIA

...as a matter of fact, I've got one *right now* (San Miguel-Pale
Pilsen...mmmh :-)

Thanks. And, with the exception of a router and reliable back-up software,
it's all freely available :-)

Yes, it's because too many users are blinded by marketing ballyhoos and
don't bother to research or question the motives of the makers of software
security ware. Many user apply some sort of a software because of an
appealing website or good looking icon and don't care to research for
alternatives and appropriateness.
If you're running a car without preventative M&R it'll come to a grinding
halt eventually.

Apropos marketing,  here is a good example:
Go to...
http://www.sunbelt-software.com/Home-Home-Office/Sunbelt-Personal-Firewall/
...and follow all the hype created by Sunbelt's *Marketing Department*.

[quote]
Still use the free Windows XP firewall?
Unfortunately, this gives you a false sense of security. It only protects
incoming traffic. But outgoing traffic, with your credit card info, social
security number, bank accounts, passwords and other confidential
information is not protected. The WinXP firewall will let it all go out.
But... SPF will block that data if you buy the FULL version! You absolutely
need a better, commercial-grade firewall.
So here is the *killer deal*....
[/quote]
Yeah, right. Talking about (killer deal) scare tactics :-)

Then read in...
Windows Personal Firewall Analysis
http://www.matousec.com/projects/windows-personal-firewall-analysis/leak-tests-r
esults.php#firewalls-ratings
...a more realistic view which obviously was drafted by the head of
Sunbelt's *Operations Department*.

Sunbelt Software - the vendor of Sunbelt Kerio Personal Firewall

[quote]
Sunbelt Software is committed to providing the strongest possible security
products to its customers, and we will be working to correct demonstrable
issues in the Sunbelt Personal Firewall. Users can expect these and other
continuing enhancements for the Sunbelt Personal Firewall in the near
future.

However, we have some reservations about personal firewall "leak testing"
in general. While we appreciate and support the unique value of independent
security testing, we are admittedly skeptical as to just how meaningful
these leak tests really are, especially as they reflect real-world
environments.

The key assumption of "leak testing" -- namely, that it is somehow useful
to measure the outbound protection provided by personal firewalls in cases
where malware has already executed on the test box -- strikes us as a
questionable basis on which to build a security assessment. Today's malware
is so malicious and cleverly designed that it is often safest to regard PCs
as so thoroughly compromised that nothing on the box can be trusted once
the malware executes. In short, "leak testing" starts after the game is
already lost, as the malware has already gotten past the inbound firewall
protection.

Moreover, "leak testing" is predicated on the further assumption that
personal firewalls should warn users about outbound connections even when
the involved code components are not demonstrably malicious or suspicious
(as is the case with the simulator programs used for "leak testing"). In
fact, this kind of program design risks pop-up fatigue in users,
effectively lowering the overall security of the system -- the reason
developers are increasingly shunning this design for security applications.

Finally, leak testing typically relies on simulator programs, the use of
which is widely discredited among respected anti-malware researchers -- and
for good reason. Simulators simply cannot approximate the actual behavior
of real malware in real world conditions. Furthermore, when simulators are
used for anti-malware testing, the testing process is almost unavoidably
tailored to fit the limitations of simulator instead of the complexity of
real world conditions. What gets lost is a sense for how the tested
products actually perform against live, kicking malware that exhibits
behavior too complex to be captured in narrowly designed simulators.
[/quote]

Anybody who worked for a large company understands the fundamental
differences between Marketing and Operations.
'nuff said :-)

Cheers...

Well, here is what *I* use:
Process Explorer
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-au/sysinternals/bb896653.aspx
AutoRuns for Windows
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-au/sysinternals/bb963902.aspx
TCPView for Windows
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-au/sysinternals/bb897437.aspx

A number of good quality tutorials can be Googled.

WALLWATCHER - Collect, View, and Analyze Router Logs
http://sonic.net/wallwatcher/