[Hidden-tech] Windows security 101 (for Mac users)

[Ron Miller]

You can test your system at www.grc.com by running the Shields Up! tests 
to see if your machine is visible to the outside world or not.

If you are running a good firewall, it should be in "Stealth" mode, 
meaning nobody can access your system.

Ron

Ron Miller
Freelance Technology Writing Since 1988
Contributing Editor, EContent Magazine

email: ronsmiller at comcast.net
web: http://www.ronsmiller.com
blog: http://byronmiller.typepad.com

Robert Heller wrote:
>    ** The author of this post was a Good Dobee.
>    ** You too can help the group
>    ** Fill out the survey/skills inventory in the member's area.
>    ** If you did, we all thank you.
> 
> 
> At Mon, 08 Jan 2007 17:01:55 -0500 David Spound <dspound at mac.com> wrote:
> 
>> MIME-Version: 1.0
>>
>>    ** The author of this post was a Good Dobee.
>>    ** You too can help the group
>>    ** Fill out the survey/skills inventory in the member's area.
>>    ** If you did, we all thank you.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> This botnet discussion reminds me that I need to install some protective
>> software for my new Windows XP installation running (very nicely) in
>> Parallels on my MacBook Pro.
>>
>> I am using Windows mainly for web access.  I am trying to use Firefox as
> 
> Why use MS-Windows for web access?  Firefox (and Safari) are available
> under MacOSX.
> 
>> much as possible. No Microsoft Office or Outlook for now, although I do rule
>> out a future purchase of the new version of Office. I might occasionally
>> access email through a web browser. I use safe computing techniques (no
>> clicking on ads, no opening attachments that I am not certain about, etc.)
>>
>> Please tell me what I need to buy in order to protect this installation of
>> Windows from viruses, spyware, etc. I have read some negative reviews of
>> Norton Antivirus.
> 
> The only real reason to bother with running a MS-Windows emulator or
> virtual machine would be to run MS-Windows only applications.  Web
> surfing, office stuff (word processing, etc.), E-Mail, etc. can and
> should be done with native MacOSX applications.
> 
> The *best* way to protect your Windows XP installation running in
> Parallels would be to completely disable any network access, except a
> virtual 'LAN' connection to the MacOSX host system (I'm assuming that
> Parallels works much like VMWare and creates a 'virtual' network
> card between the virtual machine and the host system and uses that to
> allow the virtual machine 'talk' to the host system).
> 
>> Thanks,
>>
>> David
>>
>> ++++++++++
>>
>> David Spound, M.Ed.
>>
>> Valley Mindfulness
>> Programs for Stress Reduction, Health and Well-Being
>>
>> (413) 219-0654
>> david at valleymindfulness.com
>> http://www.valleymindfulness.com
>>
>> A Taste of Mindfulness:
>> * Tuesday, January 16, 2007, 6:00­8:00 pm
>>
>> Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction:
>> * January 23­March 13, 2007 (Tuesday evenings)
>>
>>
>> MIME-Version: 1.0
>>
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>>                                                                                                     
>