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How To Avoid Viruses At Windows Install Time?

reallocate writes "Can a home user install and update Windows without being attacked by a virus or worm? I'm a Linux user; have been since 1995. Recently, I needed to install Windows XP Pro on a home desktop machine with a Roadrunner cable connection. I tried twice. Both times, the machine was attacked and rendered unusable before I was able to pull down the first update from Windows Update." Read on for more details of what went wrong and when.

Here's a synopsis of my install method:

  1. Put the Windows XP CD in the drive;
  2. Disconnect the cable modem from the network card;
  3. Reboot and install Windows;
  4. The box remains off the net during the entire install: no registering, no setting up an ISP, no activation, no network configuration, no nothing. (BTW, the only networking component that I install is tcp/ip. All the other MS stuff never gets on the machine.)
  5. Reboot; Windows runs and all is well;
  6. Install the current version of Norton Internet Security Professional from a shrinkwrapped CD (firewall, anti-virus, etc.);
  7. Configure the Roadrunner net connection and reboot to pick up a DHCP lease;
  8. Launch the Norton update facility (per Norton's recommendation, the built-in XP firewall is turned off);
  9. Complete the Norton update and reboot;
  10. Launch Windows Update;
  11. Start to pull down Service Pack One; per Microsoft's instructions, all firewalls are turned off.

That's as far I got. During the first attempt, I acquired a virus or worm before I could finish the Norton update (machine powered down). On the second attempt, I got as far as Windows Update and SP1(continual rebooting).

So...how would you do it?"

148 of 833 comments (clear)

  1. If you can stand waiting... by foidulus · · Score: 5, Informative

    You can get a cd from microsoft(more info here that would have a lot of the updates you are looking for. You could also download it from your linux machine, and then do the whole installation offline.

    1. Re:If you can stand waiting... by XaviorPenguin · · Score: 5, Informative

      There is another way. If you go to Autopatcher.com, you can download all of Service Pack 1 and pre-Service Pack 2 updates with all critical and recommended updates. It is a hefty download (300MB +) but it is worth it. It comes with:
      -Direct X 9.0b + Updates
      -XP Powertoys
      -SP1 Critical and Recommended Updates
      -Pre SP2 Critical and Recommended Updates
      - + More

      I use it and it is updated every month. Get it while you can!

      --
      Friends help you move...
      REAL Friends help you move dead bodies... ^_^
    2. Re:If you can stand waiting... by phorm · · Score: 4, Interesting

      You could also download it from your linux machine, and then do the whole installation offline

      Or better yet, use a morphix bootCD. You should be able to download the patches to Welchia et al directly (not using windows update), then reboot w/o the network cable in, patch, reboot, and you should be able to get the other less critical updates without being infected by RPC viruses.

    3. Re:If you can stand waiting... by LoneIguana · · Score: 5, Informative

      You can access the windows update catalog here: http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/catalog/en/d efault.asp There you can get secruity updates for all versions of windows. You actually download them to your computer rather then installing them. You could download them on another computer burn them to a CD, then install before connecting to the internet. The only problem is you need a computer with IE. Maybe get a friend to burn it for you?

    4. Re:If you can stand waiting... by TPS+Report · · Score: 5, Informative

      You can (with just a few mouse clicks) automatically create an up-to-date ISO of Windows XP/2000/2003 with XPCreate. It's a really nice utility.

      --
      I was told that I could listen to the radio at a reasonable volume from nine to eleven...
    5. Re:If you can stand waiting... by zoloto · · Score: 5, Informative

      DUDE THIS ROCKS!
      Actually, what you can do is use Wine or WinEX and install Internet Explorer 5.5 from an old 5.5 installation CD on Linux,... download then burn to CD and you'll be great. I did that just now and i have to say thank you for the link.

      It seems that any useful links, MS hides behind a rediculous naming scheme for some odd reason.

      Thank you again, if I had MOD points, I'd certianly give them to you.

    6. Re:If you can stand waiting... by BollocksToThis · · Score: 5, Informative

      The only problem is you need a computer with IE.

      If you go to the Microsoft download center, you can download every patch with (almost?) any browser. I downloaded service pack 1 and every patch after that using nothing but Opera.

      It was less convenient than using WindowsUpdate/IE, but it would still have worked on a linux machine. The best part is, when friends give me their computers to reinstall XP, I don't need to spend four hours downloading patches from scratch.

      --
      This sig is part of your complete breakfast.
    7. Re:If you can stand waiting... by gmplague · · Score: 2, Informative

      Actually, that's just the site that http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/ automatically redirects you to... I know that "rediculous" naming scheme may seem unfathomable to you, but I think at least a few people in the /. crowd are capable of handling it.

      --
      __________________________________________
      Take comfort in your ignorance.
      Grandmaster Plague
    8. Re:If you can stand waiting... by Condor7 · · Score: 5, Informative



      Autopatcher.com also has a Lite version and an UltraLite version.

      The UltraLite version contains only Critical and Recommended updates, along with IE and Outlook patches, and weighs in at 89MB.

    9. Re:If you can stand waiting... by flatface · · Score: 3, Insightful

      300mb+? At what point does it stop being just updates and gives out the entire damn OS?

    10. Re:If you can stand waiting... by jonfelder · · Score: 5, Insightful

      That's not too different from the amount of patches you have to download after a fresh install of linux. Hell, when I loaded Suse 9.1, there were at least 100mb of updates already. If I installed a distro that was as old as XP I could very well see 300mb of updates.

    11. Re:If you can stand waiting... by ron_ivi · · Score: 3, Insightful
      Slightly exaggerating. Most of that space is all the updates to non-linux (the "GNU/" part of "GNU/Linux") that's part of SUSE.

      Linux's updates shouldn't be more than a few megs, considering there are floppy-based distros where the whole distro fits in a meg or two.

      Of course if by "Linux" you're counting Wine & MSFT-office-warez & more, you'd have more security updates than a core Linux distro.

    12. Re:If you can stand waiting... by jonfelder · · Score: 4, Interesting

      You're being awfully pedantic there. Yes, technically the updates to Linux (i.e. the kernel) are small. However, I'm sure if you just patch kernel32.exe or whatever the binaries for the kernel under windows are, the updates would be small too.

      A system consisting of just the kernel and a few command line tools would be awfully boring and not a particularly fair comparison.

      By "Linux" I'm referring to the kernel itself, along with X and the base applications that come along with gnome or KDE. Installing a distro with the base set of libraries, GUI, window manager, apps, etc that give a reasonable approximation of what you get with windows (no gimp, no koffice, etc) will require a considerable amount of downloading of patches if it's as old as XP.

    13. Re:If you can stand waiting... by jonfelder · · Score: 4, Informative

      Sure. But *CAN* you do this?

      Absolutely. Just install the hotfixes that pertain to kernel vulnerabilities.

      But it's the *RIGHT* thing to do from a security point of view. If you're file-server is running X & Gnome & KDE & Wine & Kazaa, you're *BEGGING* for trouble.

      While you can't avoid installing the gui and what not in windows, you can turn off almost all of the running services. Technically, not that I'd advise it, you could avoid running IE, Outlook Express, etc...and forgo patching them in a server environment. Just don't run any apps either.

      The hard part about microsoft is that it's really hard to do that, since (as the article pointed out) the default install has everything with all the holes pre-installed and running.

      So does a default install of many distros...ones as old as XP even more so.

      I'm not a Microsoft advocate, I dislike Microsoft products for multiple reasons, but the size of the patches isn't one of them. All I'm saying is that when comparing a default (normal size) linux distro install to a default windows one, the amount of patches you need to install are similar.

    14. Re:If you can stand waiting... by ComaVN · · Score: 3, Informative

      MD5 is weak in the sense that it is possible to create two files with identical hash. It's NOT possible (at the moment) to create another file that has the same hash as an existing one.

      So, for this purpose, MD5 is adequate.

      You're right about SHA being better though.

      --
      Be wary of any facts that confirm your opinion.
    15. Re:If you can stand waiting... by Simon+Lyngshede · · Score: 2, Informative

      You can't use IE running under Wine, or you can, but you're not allowed to. The IE EULA states that you may not run IE on a platform for which it is not designed for.

    16. Re:If you can stand waiting... by zoloto · · Score: 2

      Actually, for your information, http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/ redirects you to this page: http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/en/default.a sp

      The one he has above which is this: http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/catalog/en/d efault.asp is quite different. Take a look at the URL and see for yourself.

      I could not find something like this simply on microsoft's site because it didn't have a "download only" option to go to their catalog and download the updates for installation later.

      As for your comment I think at least a few people in the /. crowd are capable of handling it. You apparently are not one of them.

    17. Re:If you can stand waiting... by dolmen.fr · · Score: 2, Insightful

      If you want to be constructive, tell us how to do the same (download all updates and burn a CD for installation offline) for GNU/Linux distros: Debian, Gentoo, Mandrake, Red Hat, Suse...

      Usually you can download ISO images of release-time distros. But for updates you have to be online.
      AFAIK, no Linux distro proposes a 'Update CD' updated after every new vulnerability fix published.

    18. Re:If you can stand waiting... by andy+landy · · Score: 2, Interesting

      The easiest way is to turn on the Windows XP firewall before you plug in the network/cable/dsl wire.

      * Install Windows
      * Install network drivers
      * TURN ON FIREWALL on the external connection
      * Plug in and dial the 'net
      * Run through Windows Update
      * (At your discretion) turn the firewall off again.

      --
      perl -e 'print "Just another Perl newbie\n";'
    19. Re:If you can stand waiting... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Right click on a Microsoft update, then choose properties, then digital signatures.

      I think you'll find they went one better and digitally sign every update with their private key.

    20. Re:If you can stand waiting... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Friends? XP? You got some pretty dumb friends. Why do you Linux people help these losers?

      My friends help me, I help my friends. It's not my decision what software they put on their computer, and when their courses dictate software that only runs under Windows, it's not my place to say "forget that, ditch your courses and use a MAN'S operating system".

      Basically, I don't tell my friends to fuck off because I quite like having friends. I know how to fix their computer in a tenth the time or cost it would take them, they know how to do the same for my car, or my plumbing, or any of a hundred other things.

    21. Re:If you can stand waiting... by Jim_Maryland · · Score: 2, Insightful

      The one thing I'd love for MS to do is to actually improve it's update process so that installing a patch doesn't require additional patches after the fact. Example: Installing a fresh MS Win2000 system and going to the MS Windows update site initially requires 17 patches. After installing these patches, you recheck the site and you must now get an additional 35 patches. Why can't they consolidate patches? I can understand leaving patches as being available (incase a user has requirement for a particular level), but make some of the older ones obsolete. Doing so should reduce the size of the patch downloads significantly.

      MS also needs to deliver product CD's at a particular patch level so that newly built systems by default have many of the patches. PC vendors handle this somewhat by generally providing a "system restore" disk that is at a certain patch level, but MS really should consider quarterly releases of their supported operating systems. By this I don't mean a patch CD, but an actual OS CD with all the patches built in (sort of like "WinXP (Q3 - 2004)" or something like that).

      As for patch sizes, I agree that you have to look at patches beyond the kernel when considering the size. While these may be more critical, you certainly want to update everything typically on the system. While you may patch the core patches first, your likely to secure the entire system.

      Out of curiosity I checked the Solaris 8 & 9 recommended patch sets and they were at 138MB and 122MB respectively. I'm sure MS could get to this size if they started to obsolete patches more regularly instead of holding back to the all encompassing service pack.

    22. Re:If you can stand waiting... by lofoforabr · · Score: 2, Informative

      Yes, but normally, when you update your linux distro, you get newer versions of the programs and libraries.
      On MS, at least on our daily patching routine, the updates are only bugfixes, and usually don't introduce new features or enhancements.
      It's true, when I update Linux, it usually downloads tons of things. But just count how many separate programs there is. There are tons!
      On MS, you usually get updates on Windows itself, IE and Outlook.
      Did you ever get a new version of Paint, or WordPad, or some other component of Windows?
      On Linux, I get new versions of everything, from jpeg libraries to web browsers. It's way more programs to update.

  2. SP1 From CD by The+Snowman · · Score: 4, Informative

    When I install Windows it is behind a NAT firewall which helps (no open ports from the outside). The first thing I do is install SP1 from CD, next I update from Windows Update.

    I recommend downloading SP1 and burning it in Linux, then using that CD to patch up the Windows box before connecting it to the network.

    --
    24 beers in a case, 24 hours in a day. Coincidence? I think not!
    1. Re:SP1 From CD by Malc · · Score: 5, Insightful

      The article submitter could just as easily have written "Can a home user install and update Linux without being attacked". It doesn't matter which OS you install, if it's out of date then you're vulnerable. I think the article is almost flamebait!

      There are things the submitter could have done, like stopped all services that listen for connections. Ran Windows XP's firewall on their connection. Unbound Microsoft Networking Client from their NIC, etc. They could have booted up in safe mode with network support.

      But the solution you offered is probably the best. I recommend to everybody these days that they run behind a cheap NAT box. It doesn't matter which OS you use, keep your computer off the internet! A NAT box is the simplest and not particulary expensive solution, and it'll leave you much safer and require less effort on the vigilance (note: I didn't no vigilance ;)).

      We have incompetent IT guys at our place and Sasser is loose on the corporate LAN. We were trying to create a Win2K box but it kept rebooting. We just copied the patch for that over via CDRW, although the submitter could have downloaded everything they needed first from their Linux installation. In carpentry they always say "measure twice, cut once". This person didn't do enough preparation.

    2. Re:SP1 From CD by hawkeyeMI · · Score: 3, Funny

      Are you sure your wife's not just a pr0n fiend?

      --
      Error 404 - Sig Not Found
    3. Re:SP1 From CD by TrixX · · Score: 4, Insightful

      All the linux update tools I know (apt, red-carpet, urpmi) run perfectly with the firewall up and at maximum paranoia level. So I could install, set my firewall to reject all incoming connections, and update; that would leave me vulnerable only to very basic level exploits (like some hypothetical hole in ICMP).

      I've not used windows update, but the poster said it asked to lower the firewall, and I think that's a weak point.

    4. Re:SP1 From CD by msobkow · · Score: 3, Informative

      I run behind a firewall as well. Last time I did a WinXP install (not that long, unfortunately), I had no problems.

      But I don't install or enable any services during an initial installation, just the core OS. I don't do anything but install manufacturer's drivers before installing an anti-virus product.

      After the anti-virus is fully updated, then I start dealing with Windows updates.

      At no point have I ever had to disable hardware or software firewalls to install Windows updates. I have no idea why they continue to insanely recommend you remove all your security just to download updates -- you don't need to.

      In fact, the only time I shut down the antivirus is during a disconnected defrag. And there is no way to disable the hardware firewall.

      If you're connecting directly to the net with a Windows box, you're just getting what you deserve. Either hide it behind a hardware firewall, or accept the fact that you're just another spambot-in-waiting.

      --
      I do not fail; I succeed at finding out what does not work.
    5. Re:SP1 From CD by Lumpy · · Score: 2

      I recommend downloading SP1 and burning it in Linux, then using that CD to patch up the Windows box before connecting it to the network.

      I dont.. I reccomend you SLIPSTREAM the service packs into the windows install CD.

      I have here 3 XP install disks with SP1 SP1a and SP2 slipstreamed into them. now I dont need to install ANY patches and only hotfixes when I am done.

      do a search for windows XP slipstream for the full instructions.

      I am very suprised that other have NOT talked of this here already, I though it was a standard practice to update your install CD's.

      --
      Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
  3. Easy by daveschroeder · · Score: 5, Informative

    Do the installation behind a personal NAT/firewall device.

    (Or, read all the posts about how you can put together some huge, convoluted update CD that's never completely up-to-date instead of just spending $35 on a little hardware firewall.)

    1. Re:Easy by Phosphor3k · · Score: 4, Insightful

      OR turn on the windows XP firewall under the advanced tab on your network connection's properties before you plug the network cable in.

    2. Re:Easy by Josh_Borke · · Score: 5, Informative

      or install zonealarm. and don't turn off the firewall. I've never had to turn off my firewall when doing any windows update.

      I would update windows before updating the firewall, that way you don't have to worry so much about being shutdown while the firewall is down.

      my .02

    3. Re:Easy by Otter · · Score: 3, Informative
      OR turn on the windows XP firewall under the advanced tab on your network connection's properties before you plug the network cable in.

      I've installed Windows once (98, several years ago) and even I know about turning the firewall on. Why?

      Because this is at least the fouth freaking article Slashdot has run on this question!!!

      (Remember the one that linked to an article about "Installing Windows Safely" and all the posts were "Instead of linking to a large PDF, why not tell people to just turn the firewall off?"?)

    4. Re:Easy by moosesocks · · Score: 2, Informative

      No need to put together a huge convoluted update CD.

      Some people have already done it. Autopatcher contains every update available on Windows Update since SP1 and then some (it's advisable to download SP1 onto the CD as well, though most recent WinXP CDs have SP1 pre-installed).

      Basically, you put the CD in, click 'Update', and all the relevant patches are installed. No downloads. Only one reboot at the end. No virus risk. It's also excellent for my clients who are still on 56k :)

      --
      -- If you try to fail and succeed, which have you done? - Uli's moose
    5. Re:Easy by bcrowell · · Score: 4, Funny
      Or, read all the posts about how you can put together some huge, convoluted update CD that's never completely up-to-date instead of just spending $35 on a little hardware firewall.
      Well, yeah, but c'mon, there are plenty of ways to do it without spending any extra money on hardware or software. Some possibilities:
      • Use Lindows as a substitute for Windows.
      • Wait for the next version of Windows. MS says they're making security a top priority now, so I'm sure the next version won't have any vulnerabilities.
      • Run DOS -- I don't think anybody is writing viruses that can infect it.
      • When your machine gets attacked, look at your log files to see where the attack came from, find out who their ISP is, and then send a polite letter by U.S. mail asking them to make their customer stop behaving badly. Repeat until all the bad, naughty machines are gone from the internet.
      • Start your own internet. Only people you trust are invited to join it, and nobody is allowed to link it to the bad, old internet.
      • Call MS tech support and ask for help.
      OK, I admit that last one was a little silly.
    6. Re:Easy by pjt33 · · Score: 2, Informative
      If you RTFA, you'll see that
      per Microsoft's instructions, all firewalls are turned off.
      Microsoft need to fix one of the update process, the firewall, or the docs.
    7. Re:Easy by Salamanders · · Score: 2, Informative

      I actually got really good help from MS when I contacted them about a Windows Update issue I was having with XP.... It shocked the hell out of me. Proactively following up with me, various ideas to solve the problem, it was great.

    8. Re:Easy by Chess_the_cat · · Score: 2

      If you read the submitter's story you'll see that he can install Windows without connecting to the 'net. He unplugged his pipe, installed XP, rebooted. Why can't he turn the firewall on NOW before he plugs the box back into the 'net? Goodness.

      --
      Support the First Amendment. Read at -1
    9. Re:Easy by caffeineboy · · Score: 3, Interesting

      EXCEPT that the stupid XP firewall service is not started when the interface is started. You have your ass in the wind every time the machine boots.

      --
      +++ ATH0 +++
    10. Re:Easy by kalidasa · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Turn the machine on. Turn the firewall on. THEN plug in the ethernet cable. Or just use Windows catalog on another machine to download the service pack and all the security patches (there's a rollup for most of them), burn to Cd, and install them before plugging in the ethernet cable. Me, I just install behind a router with all the ports off. (Conveniently, my home Windows box is running through my Airport, and only my Mac is exposed to the outside world.)

    11. Re:Easy by irc.goatse.cx+troll · · Score: 2, Interesting

      There isn't if you don't have a cd burner and you live out in the middle of nowhere (as she does now).
      I'm going to end up having to mail her a patch cd, which is really pretty stupid when you think about it.

      --
      Pain lasts, kid. Its how you know you're alive. Sometimes I think this growing up thing is just pain management-TheMaxx
    12. Re:Easy by Gordonjcp · · Score: 2, Informative

      Ahaa, you could make an ethernet "wrap plug" - get a normal RJ45, fit a wire from pin 1 to pin 3, and from pin 2 to pin 6. Crunch with your cable cruncher, and when you plug it in, the link light will magically come on!

  4. Its easy... by CyberBill · · Score: 4, Informative

    Leave the software firewall turned on if you can, if not, get a cheap Linksys Cable/DSL router, it will block all of those viruses.

    I have to reinstall most of my family's computers when I go home, I made all of them have routers. :P

    -Bill

    --
    -Bill
    1. Re:Its easy... by vnsnes · · Score: 2, Funny

      He can either disable the cable modem or unplug the network cable until the OS is up and running.

    2. Re:Its easy... by Deathlizard · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I'll second this. putting on the Built in Firewall in XP will stop Blaster from infecting the machine. Pretty unplug from the network, install XP, turn on the built in firewall and hit windowsupdate until you get all the patches.

      With Windows 2000 however, it gets fun since there is no built in firewall for that. You can use zonealarm to block the virus traffic, or you can use a Router/Firewall to block traffic. I know you can set IP security policies in windows 2000 without downloading anything but I never tried it on a machine that was unpatched and able to be infected.

  5. Firewall by jpaz · · Score: 5, Informative

    Keep the firewalling on, no matter what Microsoft says. I've never had an instance where having a firewall turned on kept windowsupdate from working properly.

    1. Re:Firewall by orin · · Score: 4, Informative

      This is absolutely correct. You can even use the simple Internet Connection Firewall that is built into Windows XP

    2. Re:Firewall by sumdumass · · Score: 2, Informative

      Are you sure that someone asking this question would know what to allow in and what to disallow?

      I agree that an aplication level firewall is great. ONe that can do nat also is even better. (thats why i like iptable/netfilter so much) I am afraid that the level of knowlegde needed to be using one of them aren't the same level most users have.

      Most tech supports personel also have a default answer for not being able to download somethign and that is turn the firewall off. I have a client that is an acountant and all that needed to be done is to allow her tax software directly conect to the efile site. Thier tech support (drake software) told her to disable the firewall and anti virus in order to conect. This left a windows xp machine completly unprotected, open to the internet, with thousands of people tax information including social security number and everthign. of course it got msblast and openserve worm and i think one or 2 others. TO open the rules up took 3 clicks with a witha popular software firewall product. There is no reason to disable it on broadband internet but they defenmded it with "well she could conect afterwards couldn't she?"

      Maybe the answer is that microsoft quit pushing holes in thier code and tighten it up a little. There is alot of stuff on the windows xp install that should be left off uuntill the user needs it. How will a user know if they need it? the instruction for whatever they are doing will tell them. simple as that.

  6. Easy by Masami+Eiri · · Score: 5, Informative

    We do this all the time where I work.
    Use another machine to burn a copy of the latest service pack, and the Sasser worm fix, and whatever other updates you want to include.
    After installing, install the updates from the CD, then check windows update for anything else.

  7. How do I do it? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    With LOVE.

  8. Probabl redundant at this point, but... by __aavhli5779 · · Score: 4, Informative

    Yes, a firewall and/or NAT is all you really need. Evidently Norton Internet Security did not live up to its promise, which comes as little surprise to me, I must admit.

    I've had success installing Windows XP and upgrading it with only Microsoft's Internet Connection Firewall enabled.

  9. Odd by The-Bus · · Score: 5, Insightful

    What about a router/firewall?

    How do you get these worms? This sounds incredulous...

    --

    Small potatoes make the steak look bigger.

    1. Re:Odd by Patoski · · Score: 3, Interesting

      How do you get them? All the RPC Worms which currently inflict unpatched Windows NT based OSes is how. These worms do network sweeps and will find a vulnerable machine anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes depending on the size of your network.

      I recall one particular instance at work where an outside laptop that was infected got plugged into the network (our network has about 2000 various boxes connected to it). Our security team got alerted by our intrusion detection systems was on the way to whack the offending user with a clue stick and unplug the laptop. Too late....

      During that time I had just finished ghosting a machine with SP4 integrated into the build. In only a matter of a minute or two the new box I was working on became infected and started doing net sweeps of its own (the whole process of infection was done silently of course). I don't doubt the tales of machines becoming infected in a very short period of time given the rate of infection with RPC based worms because I have seen it. All it takes is one rogue machine to infect other boxes it can talk to.

      --
      G. Washington on Government "it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master."
    2. Re:Odd by ktakki · · Score: 4, Interesting
      How do you get these worms? This sounds incredulous...

      Here's a snippet of the log from my Linksys router:
      00:00:26 TCP from 200.63.154.32:4927 to XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX:445
      00:00:29 TCP from 68.219.231.103:2712 to XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX:445
      00:00:29 TCP from 200.63.154.32:4927 to XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX:445
      00:00:32 TCP from 68.219.231.103:2712 to XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX:445
      00:00:42 TCP from 68.144.136.248:3225 to XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX:445
      00:00:59 TCP from 81.185.113.170:3646 to XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX:445
      00:01:36 TCP from 68.144.169.29:2873 to XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX:445
      00:01:52 TCP from 4.41.255.6:3139 to XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX:445
      00:02:07 TCP from 200.223.92.184:4958 to XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX:445
      00:02:08 TCP from 68.94.121.110:3927 to XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX:445
      00:02:10 TCP from 200.223.92.184:4958 to XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX:445
      00:02:11 TCP from 68.94.121.110:3927 to XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX:445
      00:02:19 TCP from 81.218.207.145:4814 to XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX:445
      00:02:28 TCP from 80.198.29.151:4015 to XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX:445
      00:02:48 TCP from 63.230.237.96:3181 to XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX:445
      00:03:00 TCP from 209.50.93.166:4294 to XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX:445
      00:03:12 TCP from 24.80.105.49:2350 to XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX:445
      The timestamp is hours:minutes:seconds. XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX is my WAN address (redacted), an East Coast Verizon DSL line. Port 445 is probably being targetted by W32.Sasser.

      Sixteen attempts in 3 minutes and 12 seconds.

      A couple of things are interesting about this log excerpt. First, there are no attempts from the 141.154.* netblock (where my WAN address resides). Second, I usually see a number of different ports listed (139, 1025, 1026, 1080, 3129, 5000), from both viruses and people probing for open proxies. Then again, it's Sunday night. I've noticed that virus traffic is higher during business hours in the US.

      k.
      --
      "In spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart." - Anne Frank
    3. Re:Odd by Funksaw · · Score: 2, Interesting

      It's not as incredulous as it might seem. I use a Mac for my day to day operations - so I don't get virii or trojans or worms - but I do keep a Windows laptop around - I usually only use it when I'm travelling on the road or the mac breaks down. Well, my cable modem's out for about 24 hours, so I decide to take the laptop for a spin earlier this month - connecting to my ISP through the phone line. This, of course, bypasses the router I usually keep the Windows computer on. Without exaggeration, the computer got attacked by the sasser worm within two minutes. PCCillin caught it, but not before it did some damage. I didn't think much of it, and I was back on the Mac within days and let the computer go through a reformat. A few days later, my girlfriend's computer starts having problems - basically, the guy who put it together was a whiz with the hardware but messed up on several software related issues - he didn't install service packs, he even got the partition table wrong (Over 2/3rds of the hard drive was unpartitioned - my girlfriend was using 40 gigs of a 120 gig drive.) So, we decide to reformat and install Windows XP. Now, I'm part of a university which has a licence to software, so I can just download stuff like antivirus programs and firewalls. I decide to download the antivirus first, then the spybot, then the service packs, then the hotfixes... big mistake. After waiting hours to do a complete reformat and another couple of hours tinkering with it to get it to work right, Windows XP reboots unexpectedly then keeps rebooting. I know *exactly* what this is, but the only way to fix it is a reformat - which means that we're going to get hit with the same problems again as soon as it comes online - we have to go online to download the patches... gah! Eventually, we drove back to my place, used my macintosh to download all the patches and hotfixes and whathaveyou - and we made sure to install the firewall -first-. The firewall did the trick, of course, and we were able to get it going. I had to explain to my girlfriend how to *use* the firewall, but considering the alternative, she was very pleased. But the fact that this can happen is completely insane! When the hell will Microsoft fix their operating system? Viruses have gotten progressively worse and more destructive over the past couple of years - and Longhorn is WAY too far away from release (not that I'd want all the DRM crap on it anyway) If it wasn't for the fact that games usually don't work on Linux, I'd have told my girlfriend just to switch over that day...

  10. Get a router. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Why don't people pay ~30$ for a router with built in firewall? Even if one got only one PC connected to it it's worth it. No worries about worms or hacks.

    1. Re:Get a router. by Bz3rk · · Score: 2, Insightful

      If you have been a Linux user since 95 then I'm sure setting up an old comp with IPCop or Smoothwall would be a simple solution for you.

  11. Heres a hint by Hido · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Well a good way of going about this would be to download the updates from microsoft. They do provide them in binary format which you can install without having to goto the windows update site. I got a XP box as well and I do not even try to connect it to any network before I have patched all I can. Plus a firewall between you and your connection would help as well while at it :) Trying running a gateway using FreeBSD or your fav *nix OS and that would get you well on your way.

    --
    Havin' it large, livin' the life, Welcome to the land of the rising sun.
  12. Firewall by fremen · · Score: 3, Informative

    ...all firewalls are turned off.

    Why don't you try turning the firewall on? It will block the RPC calls that are necessary to infect your machine with the most recent series of worms and allow you to install whatever patches are necessary worry free.

    Plus, it just makes your PC safer in general.

  13. Use NAT by hkb · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Duh.

    Perhaps also turning on the firewall just actually might work. Windows is targeted for the average Joe. Microsoft doesn't want to have to incur the support costs of explaining to average Joe how firewalls work, so they suggest you keep it off.

    If you've really been using Linux that long, you'd have a clue. Really, this submission just sounds like a troll...

    --
    /* Moderating all non-anonymous trolls up since 2004 */
  14. loose wire by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    It seems more likely you have a dodgy connection or overheat problem than a virus there. Did you detect a virus with Norton or are the shutdowns/reboots all you base this on?

  15. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 4, Informative

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  16. Simple, Get an external Router. by kevlar · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Barring the fact that I don't believe you when you say that you get viruses over the 20 minutes that it takes to download and install the patches, the fix is simple: get some sort of router/firewall combo, or install a soft firewall before doing the update.

    Alternatively, shut down all the services so that you have nothing listening, but if you're too lazy to do that, go out and spend $40 on a Netgear router and voila, you're safe from that crap.

    1. Re:Simple, Get an external Router. by yamla · · Score: 4, Informative

      You don't believe you can get infected in 20 minutes? The record at the undergraduate department of Computing Science at the University of Alberta is SIX SECONDS from plugging in an installed, unprotected Windows XP system until the time it is infected.

      It is highly unlikely that you could run an unprotected XP system with no firewall and no patches, hooked up via a cable modem or ADSL, for even ten minutes before getting infected.

      --

      Oceania has always been at war with Eastasia.
    2. Re:Simple, Get an external Router. by tomakaan · · Score: 4, Interesting

      If definitely believe him. I've seen it happen all the time. My situation may be unique since I'm on a large college network, but I've seen blaster/welchia/gaobot/sasser infect a machine in a quarter of that time without the proper Windows Updates.

    3. Re:Simple, Get an external Router. by Qzukk · · Score: 3, Interesting

      I don't believe you when you say that you get viruses over the 20 minutes that it takes

      Aside from the terminology, consider that at the peak of infection, many nimda attacks were being logged EVERY SECOND by logging machines setup for capturing and monitoring attacks. Slammer was scanning 55 million hosts PER SECOND. These things just pick random addresses and spit data out. If you haven't been getting any of these hits then either you're behind a firewall, or you're less random than the rest of the internet.

      20 minutes is a long time to go without protection in computer time, especially on today's wild west of an internet.

      Agreed though, the questioner should have just gone and gotten a firewall (or used one of his linux machines). I've never seen anything on windows update suggest that I turn off my firewall.

      --
      If I have been able to see further than others, it is because I bought a pair of binoculars.
    4. Re:Simple, Get an external Router. by kevlar · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Actually.... jusdging by my router logs, I can believe it now...

      Sunday, June 20, 2004 20:12:54 Unrecognized access from 24.164.33.43:9118 to UDP port 1026
      Sunday, June 20, 2004 20:16:48 Unrecognized access from 218.88.103.123:3822 to TCP port 1025
      Sunday, June 20, 2004 20:16:51 Unrecognized access from 218.88.103.123:3822 to TCP port 1025
      Sunday, June 20, 2004 20:16:57 Unrecognized access from 218.88.103.123:3822 to TCP port 1025
      Sunday, June 20, 2004 20:21:46 Unrecognized access from 195.250.112.73:35973 to TCP port 443
      Sunday, June 20, 2004 20:22:18 Unrecognized access from 222.183.185.252:3881 to TCP port 1025
      Sunday, June 20, 2004 20:22:21 Unrecognized access from 222.183.185.252:3881 to TCP port 1025
      Sunday, June 20, 2004 20:22:27 Unrecognized access from 222.183.185.252:3881 to TCP port 1025
      Sunday, June 20, 2004 20:31:26 Unrecognized access from 193.227.0.37:3365 to UDP port 1434
      Sunday, June 20, 2004 20:45:50 Unrecognized access from 24.164.31.171:8860 to UDP port 1026

    5. Re:Simple, Get an external Router. by ScrewMaster · · Score: 4, Interesting

      My firewall logs show that I get worm propagation attempts at a significant rate, sometimes dozens per second (you can hear the drive in my firewall machine chattering when that happens.) Mind you, I'm on Comcast and there's a bunch of machines on my subnet that are infected as hell (I've reported this to Comcast, but the same IPs keep showing up, sometimes with attempts from multiple worms!) but I have no problem believing that this dude got infected in twenty minutes. I'm surprised it took even that long. Last year, my cousin hooked up her Win2K box to her brand, spanking new cable modem. After two or three minutes, a console window popped up and she watched some nut case typing in "SECEDIT" trying to guess her admin password. Things happen FAST nowadays.

      --
      The higher the technology, the sharper that two-edged sword.
    6. Re:Simple, Get an external Router. by 87C751 · · Score: 2, Interesting
      Getting a virus within 20 minutes each time sounds more like you've got something stuck in your Master Boot Record or wherever that's simply returning with every reinstall.
      My personal record is less than 3 minutes after the first network-connected boot, while downloading round 1 of the Win2000 updates, on a heavily firewalled corporate intranet that unfortunately has some less than thoroughly careful users in outlying areas (read: people in the Far East divisions that move their laptops from home to work and back). Besides, when one boots from a CD and nukes/recreates the whole partition structure as part of the build process, lingering MBR problems aren't much of an issue.

      Aside: has there ever been a post-NT MBR virus? I can't recall any MBR infectors since the boot-from-floppy days.

      --
      Mail? Put "slashdot" in the subject to pass the spam filters.
    7. Re:Simple, Get an external Router. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

      Sunday, June 20, 2004 20:31:26 Unrecognized access from 193.227.0.37:3365 to UDP port 1434
      Sunday, June 20, 2004 20:45:50 Unrecognized access from 24.164.31.171:8860 to UDP port 1026

      ^^ RIGHT THERE! That was 14 minutes! You could have EASILY installed a few critical updates. You just need to install them between attacks, and unplug your network cable before each new attack starts.

      How hard is that? What is everyone here complaining about?

  17. Worst case scenario by gwoodrow · · Score: 4, Funny

    So the WORST case scenario is that you don't actually succeed in getting Windows installed? Man, talk about a win-win situation!

  18. Slipstream it! by DarkHelmet · · Score: 2, Informative
    Easy... I would Slipstream a copy of Windows SP1 or SP2 onto a burned CD, so that the windows I install is a fresh copy that's not suseptible to worms off the bat.

    Even better, I would get a hardware firewall, so that none of the ports that worms travel through are even open.

    Basic security from automated attacks isn't particularly hard, you know. Why is this even on slashdot?

    --
    /^[A-Z0-9._%+-]+@[A-Z0-9.-]+\.[A-Z]{2,4}$/i
  19. Download the Service pack before install by borwells · · Score: 4, Informative

    Download the SP1 Network install before beginning your XP installation. Stick it on a CD or a Samba share and install it prior to connecting to the Internet.

    --
    "We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them."
    1. Re:Download the Service pack before install by pyrrhonist · · Score: 2, Insightful
      Download the SP1 Network install before beginning your XP installation. Stick it on a CD or a Samba share and install it prior to connecting to the Internet .

      Figuring out how to do this with only one machine and no installed OS is left as an exercise for the reader.

      --
      Show me on the doll where his noodly appendage touched you.
  20. External firewall? by pilkul · · Score: 5, Informative
    You say you're a Linux user; why not plug one of your Linux boxes to the 'net, use it as NAT-routing firewall using iptables, and download the updates from behind the firewall? It's always worked for me. Or if you only have one machine, you can buy a cheap NAT router for 50$ nowadays.

    This solution seems so obvious to me that I wonder why you even bothered to ask. With your apparent technical knowledge, surely you must've thought of this. I'm inclined to think this question was just a veiled way to start an article bashing Microsoft about all the worms affecting their system.

  21. Here's my checklist by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    1. Install behind hardware firewall.
    2. Submit article to Slashdot that amounts to a backhanded slam against XP disguised as a question from somebody who is a novice.
    3. Watch the flames on a wasted sunday night.

  22. use a nat router firewall by bstil · · Score: 3, Insightful

    All you need for a home installation is a NAT firewall connected to your cable modem/dsl. As long as your firewall is properly configured and no other computer on your NAT network is infected, you should be okay.

  23. For the love of god... by alyandon · · Score: 2, Informative

    Just turn on the internal XP firewall (Network Properties -> -> Properties -> Advanced) before you connect to the net. You'll be safe long enough to get SP1/Kerio/etc all downloaded and installed.

  24. firewall or CD by Cyberop5 · · Score: 2, Informative

    When I'm forced to build an XP box on an unsecured network, I leave it offline until the install is done, enable the integrated windows firewall, plug the CAT 5 in, and fetch the updates. The built in firewall is typically good enough to fend off blaster, nachi, etc. After that, I install antivirus then Zone Alarm and disable the integrated firewall. Whenever possible, run behind a hardware firewall and you won't have this problem.

    If you have another windows XP box, you can use the corporate windows update to download all the patches and service packs to CD and update the system offline.

    FYI, if you do get infected, running "shutdown -a" from the command dialog (windows+R) will abort the 1-minute shutdown timer.

    --
    Urgo: "I want to live. I want to experience the universe and I want to eat pie!"
    Jack: "Who doesn't??"
  25. Hardware "firewall" by azulcactus · · Score: 2, Insightful

    As of now I have performed only a couple reinstalls in the past couple years but never have had an incident of getting "owned" before installing my patches. I have a Netgear MR314 router that I make sure to turn all port forwarding off before putting a "naked" box on the network. Sure, it isn't fool proof and I would not consider it a firewall, but the nature of NAT does a sufficient job of blocking unrequested packets from coming in. After Windows installs I turn of superfluous services (such as messenger), install anti virus software from cd, plug in the network connection and then update that and Windows.

    Of course if your problem is most hardware routers will not work with your ISP, then this tactic is not going to work well.

  26. Autopatcher! by calebb · · Score: 3, Informative

    I can't believe nobody's posted this yet!

    Autopatcher

    AutoPatcher was started in October of 2003. It was started by Jason Kelley and was a simple batch program that would install many updates silently. Upon reaching version 2.65, Jason was contacted by Antonis Kaladis, who offered to help make a VB front-end for the program. And thus, the current incarnation of AutoPatcher was born.

    Not only does it install all your Windows updates with just one reboot, it can also (optionally) install many other programs such as the Windows XP Powertoys, IESpell, etc. There's even some registry config options such as increasing the max connections per server (IE) to something greater than 2.

  27. Re:Where from? by FoolsRun · · Score: 2

    pretty smart worms if they can find your connection in the twenty minutes it takes before you can patch. I don't disbelieve the author, but it does seem like a match to start a Microsoft bashfest when it seems more like a case of significantly bad luck to me. I run XP and I've installed and reinstalled XP on numerous machines both NAT routed and otherwise and never had a virus problem before I could patch. -- M

  28. i'm installing right now... by phrasebook · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I'm putting XP on my laptop next to me right now actually. I think it is pretty safe because a) it is connected to the net using NAT, not directly to the modem and b) I slipstreamed SP1 into my XP CD, so that when I install it I'm already at SP1 level. See here for instructions (that's win2k, but same for winxp of course). And I dunno why you'd bother with Norton Anything quite frankly. Maybe you can just buy a cheap router doing NAT and put it between the modem and computer while you get updates.

    1. Re:i'm installing right now... by phrasebook · · Score: 2, Interesting

      We'll see how not running Nortn anything works for you when Outlook auto-installs the next mass-email worm.

      I don't use Outlook, but it's well known that that isn't the default behaviour anymore anyway. I use PINE on a separate system.

      Got Windows? Connect to any other system, ever, including using removable media? You need antivirus software.

      No you don't. I connect to all kinds of machines and have never had a virus, ever. Although I hardly ever share removeable media. How do you think I'm meant to get one? Connecting to machines doesn't mean getting infected. The only way I can think of is by running a suspicious .exe or a macro in a Word document or whatever. Never done anything like that myself.

      It amazes me that people think they're somehow an isolated little island. "Oh, nobody will infect me, I'm too small."

      Nobody will infect me because they can't directly connect to me and I have enough experience and common sense to avoid getting into trouble. I don't see why that sounds too good to be true - I find it quite easy. What amazes me is the amount of crap people install on their Windows machines in the name of protection...

  29. Firewall by $exyNerdie · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Like others have mentioned, use a Router (eg. from Linksys, DLink, Netgear) as firewall or get FREE Zonealarm firewall or just turn WinXP's firewall on. You need a firewall or use another box (e.g Linux) as proxy to connect to web.

  30. Found at isc.incidents.org: by BandwidthHog · · Score: 5, Informative
    --

    Quantum materiae materietur marmota monax si marmota monax materiam possit materiari?
  31. but if you can't.... by Mydron · · Score: 5, Informative
    There are a few guides out there explaining what to do. Most of them involve shutting off windows services (such as file sharing and the windows network client) and using the firewall included with Windows XP before connecting to the internet.

    Here is a fairly comprehensive guide, aptly named: Windows XP: Surviving the First Day

    1. Re:but if you can't.... by dknj · · Score: 5, Informative

      This is a pretty poor Ask Slashdot article, IMHO. Here is how I do it within an hour and have nothing to worry about:

      1. Unplug network cable
      2. Install Windows XP
      3. Upon first boot turn on the Windows Firewall and reconnect network cable
      4. http://www.windowsupdate.com
      5. Wait for patches to download, then remove network cable and reboot after patches have installed
      6. Return to http://www.windowsupdate.com and download the remaining patches
      7. Reboot (no need to unplug network cable this time) and install a Virus Scanner/Firewall Suite.

      This takes an hour and isn't rocket science.

      -dk

    2. Re:but if you can't.... by innosent · · Score: 3, Informative

      Problem is, the Windows Firewall is almost completely useless, and the average computer is probably hit by an attack every 20 minutes, which is far less time than it takes to download all of the patches, especially since the first reboot will only cover SP1, which only eliminates about 5% of the active exploits. The original (I'm told the SP2 version is better) windows firewall does not protect people from any of the attack vectors I've seen coming through my network so far this year. It is a "stateful firewall", it's just that the only state it maintains is an open one. It does not protect the computer from access to system services (most notably RPC), so it cannot protect people for long enough to patch their systems. There are only two methods for a clean install, either install and patch offline from CDs, or install from behind a stateful firewall (either a cheap linksys/dlink/netgear type or your network firewall). All installations we do at work are done initially on the private segment of the network, with packets sent through a NATd portion of the firewall (which by the nature of NAT accomplishes exactly what is needed). Of course, we also drop packets which have no legitimate purpose on our network, and log the supposed legitimate ones, which is probably a bit beyond the requirements for installing XP on granny's computer.

      --
      --That's the point of being root, you can do anything you want, even if it's stupid.
    3. Re:but if you can't.... by dknj · · Score: 4, Informative

      Except the firewall will block incoming connections. Don't go to other sites which will exploit old IE bugs and install spyware/viruses/etc, go straight to windows update after installing windows. That will patch up to SP1.. there is a known bug with the firewall that will leave the machine vulnerable for a few seconds (enough to get infected) during the boot before SP1 finishes (or it may be another patch that fixes it.. i don't remember), this is why you remove the network cable before you boot the second time. After you patch it completely, you can install your firewall suite and virus scanners (as i stated).

      I used to do this on a daily basis, before I switched to a fully automated ris build, and never had an infected machine.

      -dk

    4. Re:but if you can't.... by Glamdrlng · · Score: 2, Informative

      The ICF is no less useful than a linksys box running NAT. I frequently run portscans on machines running ICF, and the only ports that ever come up are the ones I've opened.

      --

      Yes, my only tool is a hammer. And you're starting to look like a nail.
    5. Re:but if you can't.... by innosent · · Score: 2, Informative

      The ones you've opened, like 135,137-139, and 445? You don't open ports in XP, you close them, the OS starts with all services enabled, all relative ports open. The ICF doesn't do anything about these ports, unless explicitly instructed to, and these are the ones that matter. NAT, or more accurately PAT (Port Address Translation), maintains the source and destination ports, just as a stateful firewall will, and makes the machine inaccessible to non-solicited ip/port combinations. This way, only the requests and responses to/from windows update/symantec/whoever are allowed to pass through, which is exactly how all home machines should always be, and exactly what is needed for a clean install. In addition, there have been vulnerabilities in the ICF itself, which will remain open until SP1 is installed. Host-based security is a nice addition to network security, but I would be very nervous having the machines I administer connected the internet with nothing more than ICF and an AV package, even though all of them are up to date on patches. There are more vulnerabilities out there, patches from Microsoft are far from pre-emptive, and signature-based (AV) software is reactive, often missing signatures until it is too late (someone had to get infected to get the signature).

      --
      --That's the point of being root, you can do anything you want, even if it's stupid.
    6. Re:but if you can't.... by fucksl4shd0t · · Score: 3

      How ironic! Wern't Windows 2000 and Windows XP supposed to be the most secure Microsoft OS's ever?

      Right. They were.

      And I remember a certain Microsoft CEO of a previous era saying something like, "Windows NT is going to be so easy to use, all point 'n click, that you will be able to hire sysadmins off the street."!

      Right, and it happened.

      I guess I'm not quite understanding your point.

      --
      Like what I said? You might like my music
  32. Re:Where from? by saroth2 · · Score: 2, Informative

    That's not true, a worm needs no user intervention in order to infect a computer. Think Sasser .

  33. make sure you block all incoming ports by steve.m · · Score: 3, Informative

    sasser exploits a vulnerability in lsass.exe, which listens on 445. Some software firewalls leave this open, as it is required for Active Directory logins under some circumstances. If you do that and then go straight to windows update you should be fine.

  34. I work for an ISP by mAineAc · · Score: 2, Informative

    I have people do this all the time without any problems. I have the WinXP firewall enabled then connect and go to windows update. No one has an issue doing it this way.

  35. Re:you need a router by CrazyGringo · · Score: 2, Funny

    We should just put the whole internet behind a firewall. Problem solved. :) On a more serious note, can you imagine the kind of trouble we'll have with IPV6? I'll be arrested because my toaster was hijacked and launched a DOS on army.mil

  36. Here's your problem(s) by ellem · · Score: 2, Informative

    1 - Hardware Firewall Only. Software firewalls are for pikers and people waiting to be hacked.

    2 - Download SP1 to a CD.

    3 - STOP USING NORTON for ANYTHING OTHER THAN ANTIVIRUS

    4 - Read 3 again

    --
    This .sig is fake but accurate.
  37. Re:Windows XP: Surviving the First Day by eltoyoboyo · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Excellent article. And this is the number one article on the sans.org reading list. ... Couldn't help noticing number three with its provocative title: Penetration 101.

    --
    Have you Meta Moderated t
  38. Get A Cheap Hardware Firewall by jjohnson · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Buy a LinkSys cable/dsl router for $50, which includes a firewall (if you can't afford a Cisco Pix). I've never had anything get through to any Windows box I was installing up to the point I got it completely updated.

    No one should have any Windows box directly on a cable/dsl line anyway.

    --
    Anyone who loves or hates any language, platform, or manufacturer, doesn't know what they're talking about.
  39. February? by wcbarksdale · · Score: 5, Funny

    Windows Security Update CD: February 2004

    Updated Date: April 16, 2004

    This CD includes Microsoft critical updates released through October 2003

    Well, as long as that's clear.
    1. Re:February? by pogle · · Score: 2, Informative

      I work part time for a cableco, and while it is our official policy that we do not support, endorse, or have anything to do with routers, I still recommend them. I explain that the cableco cannot support them, etc, first. Then I explain the benefits of getting one; few people bother unless they have multiple computers, but I feel better whenever I convince someone that its a worthwhile investment.

      People get irritated at the cost of cable modem service, at the cost of the cable modem itself (whether buying or renting). Telling them to go spend even more money afterwards doesn't go over well. Cable modem manufacturers should start following linksys and making 'all in one' units, with DOCSIS compliant cable modems and a cable/dsl router built as one box; the configuration was a bit weird, but it seemed infinitely more secure by default.

      --
      http://thechubbyferret.net - Ferret pictures and informative links.
  40. RTFQ by Adam9 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Launch the Norton update facility (per Norton's recommendation, the built-in XP firewall is turned off);

    ...

    Start to pull down Service Pack One; per Microsoft's instructions, all firewalls are turned off.


    reallocate was just following the instructions that Microsoft and Symantec gave him/her.

    1. Re:RTFQ by AKnightCowboy · · Score: 3, Insightful
      reallocate was just following the instructions that Microsoft and Symantec gave him/her.

      If ANY piece of software ever lists "disable all firewalls" as a part of the instructions, toss it and run away. There's no reason to ever disable a hardware firewall on a properly written piece of software. As for software firewalls, well those are trash so I won't even bother.

    2. Re:RTFQ by SirCrashALot · · Score: 5, Insightful
      As for software firewalls, well those are trash so I won't even bother.

      That depends entirely on what software you are talking about. All a hardware fireall is, is a firewall from a company that realized people won't pay $$ for a piece of software. I.e its a software firewall, just running on some different hardware.

    3. Re:RTFQ by photon317 · · Score: 4, Interesting


      There's really no such thing as a hardware firewall. All hardware firewalls are in fact software firewalls running on a peice of hardware, just like all software firewalls do. Perhaps a better re-statement of your point is to say that you should use a seperate non-windows-based firewall rather than one which is installed locally on the windows machine. Personally I use a Sparc/Linux box for this, but you can have good results just using a netgear nat box or something. NAT is the ultimate home firewall anyways, just dont start routing inbound ports through it to your PC and you're gtg.

      --
      11*43+456^2
    4. Re:RTFQ by fataugie · · Score: 4, Insightful

      That depends entirely on what software you are talking about. All a hardware fireall is, is a firewall from a company that realized people won't pay $$ for a piece of software.

      You're fucking kidding, right?

      So, what you're saying is, a majority of Fortune 500 companies can throw their Cisco PiX firewalls away and just install ZoneAlarm? Think of the money they'll save!

      So that's what the second step to profit is...

      --

      WTF? Over?

    5. Re:RTFQ by jhoger · · Score: 2, Informative

      There are reasons for choosing a dedicated firewall over a add-on software to a general purpose computer.

      Having worked for a firewall company, you are correct, there is no inherent difference between the software in a firewall that runs on your computer and one that runs on separate hardware... a so called "hardware firewall" (the correct term I would use is "dedicated firewall")

      Hardware firewall are just dedicated computers. They don't generally implement hardware state machines, or whatever. They are typically an embedded OS and TCP/IP stack with stateful packet inspection, NAT, application level gateways, etc. No sane person would try to implement that in silicon, and certainly not silicon that can be kept up-to-date. It's software, plain and simple.

      HOWEVER. You should not run your firewall on your general purpose computer.

      A dedicated firewall defaults to being "safe" out of the box, unlike your typical operating system. It doesn't have a lot of crap running on it that could be compromised. The amount of software on there is minimal (depend on that... the economics of mass producing hardware enforces that rule for you).

      Another way to think about it is: if the hacker is battling to get into your network, would you rather have him hacking away at a little box on the edge of your network that will probably trip alarms and if compromised just fail closed, or would you rather have him on your desktop hacking away directly trying to get in, where, when he defeats your desktop firewall, he's inside the gates?

  41. Heh by kastberg · · Score: 2, Informative

    What about using Tiny Personal Firewall? It fits on a floppy (last time i checked atleast)

  42. Buy a Linksys Broadband Router by pixel_bc · · Score: 2, Informative

    ... or any brand name for that matter. My windows box is behind one of these and I've never had any problems. You can choose to forward any ports you DO care about (it blocks by default), and you can also set up some cool net policy stuff on the later models.

    Seriously -- you can pick one of these puppys up for about $50... and they're incredibally functional if you ever decide to start you own little home network (5 ports is the norm for the price).

  43. I don't give a DAMN what Microsoft says. by grioghar · · Score: 3, Interesting

    " Start to pull down Service Pack One; per Microsoft's instructions, all firewalls are turned off."

    Firewall is on before I connect to my cable modem if you're going to be DUMB enough to connect it without a hardware firewall protecting the machine. Get an intermediary device like a Linksys or Netgear router, and now you don't have to worry about it. And seriously. Don't install your AV until AFTER you've installed all your updates. You're only complicating the registry before it needs to be.

    Seriously, is Slashdot a "News for Nerds", or "HOWTOs for N00bs"? Some of these questions would be better handled by Google and half a brain about networking.

    --
    Can you ping me now? Gooood! | Manhappenin.Net - Things to do
  44. Howto from SANS Institute Storm Center by MDFedderly · · Score: 2, Informative

    step 1:
    do not connect the pc to any phone or network and no wireless connections either.

    step 2: install winxp

    step 3: admin password
    --at least 8 chars long
    --letters numbers AND other charactors
    --not a dictionary word
    --not easily guessed

    step 3: networking setup
    choose custom
    unselect client for msft networks
    unselect file and printer sharing
    (you can enable after it's all patched up)

    on the 'will this computer coneect to the internet directly...' dialog, select the proper settings as they will be, but it still should not be plugged into the network

    don't activate, remind every few days

    step 4: user accounts
    setup whatever user accounts you need, same rules apply to passwords. also, if your account has no password, it will not be accessable through the network.

    step 5: verify network settings
    in the network connections dialog, for each connection,
    -- make sure client for msft networks and file & printer sharing are STILL off
    -- turn on the windows based firewall

    reboot now

    step 6: windows update pass 1
    -- you can now get online, because you should be safe enough with the firewalling set up

    step 7: run windowsupdate/reboot as needed until the system is FULLY patched.

    step 8: install other software, such as virus checking.

    (it's still a bad idea to disable the firewall, but it's much safer now than before)

    for the pdf guide that I basically copied here, check
    http://isc.sans.org

  45. Re:Its easy... go to grc.com by acariquara · · Score: 2, Informative
    As the title says, there IS a single-step solution, at least for the Blaster variants and other things that attack DCOM service.

    Go to grc.com and get DCOMbobulate, click DCOMbobulate me! and you are safe from those worms.

    While you are at it, get also the UPNP disabler and Shoot the Messenger! to avoid getting popups offering U N I V E R S I T Y D I P L O M A S (yuck)

    --
    Dear aunt, let's set so double the killer delete select all
  46. XP software firewall is useless before SP2 by majid · · Score: 4, Insightful

    It is not active during startup or shutdown. This window of vulnerability will be fixed in SP2. That said, I wouldn't trust a "firewall" written by people clueless enough not to enable it before the network stack goes up.

    1. Re:XP software firewall is useless before SP2 by initialE · · Score: 2, Informative

      Well if you don't trust the built-in firewall, just turn on the IP filter before patching. It's under IP settings->Advanced->Options-> TCP-IP filter
      Enable only IP port 80 and you're set. Heh or you can do what Scott Riley down at Redmond recommends and use IPSec to specify rules...

      --
      Starbucks, Harbuckle of Breath.
  47. Try going here instead... by Arivia · · Score: 2, Informative

    http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/search.aspx?dis playlang=en If you visit the Windows Update site in anything other than IE, you'll get redirected to there-but it works in Firefox. Also easier(because of the non-ActiveX packaging) to just download and burn.

    --
    The role of the writer is not to say what we can all say, but what we are unable to say. -Anais Nin
  48. Hardware firewalls. (simple iptables) by darkonc · · Score: 2, Informative
    I pretty much refuse to run a Windows box on the net without a firewall... The $40 cable routers will generally do a fine job. If you're doing it in the same place as your Linux box, you can use IP Tables to do the same thing..

    Get either a dumb hub or a crossover cable, and connect the Windows box by that.
    turn on NAT via iptables:

    • iptables -t nat -I POSTROUTING -s 192.168.1.0/24 --out-interface eth0 -j MASQUERADE

    • iptables -I FORWARD -m state --state RELATED,ESTABLISHED -j ACCEPT
      iptables -I FORWARD --in-interface eth1 --out-interface eth0 -j ACCEPT
      # turn off most packet forwarding (other than outgoing connections above) iptables --policy FORWARD DROP
    Turn on packet forwarding
    ( echo 1 > /proc/sys/net/ipv4/ip_forward )

    This, of course, presumes that ETH1 is facing your windows box with an IP address in 192.168.1.{1-254}.

    You can then either set your Windows box IP address manually, or learn how to turn on dhcpd (i'm not going to go there, but it's not too hard.). In any case, this should be enough NAT protection to allow you to get out on the net from your Windows box without opening it up to inbound virus connections. You can then get to places like Microsoft and Norton's without being pre-emptively infected.

    --
    Sometimes boldness is in fashion. Sometimes only the brave will be bold.
  49. Re:I CALL BULLSHIT ON ARTICLE by binaryspiral · · Score: 2, Informative

    Benna, you're ignorant if you think it's bullshit - infected zombie machines are common and infect people quickly.

    Want proof these worms are targeting every IP out there - go visit dshield.org, and you'll see what the Internet is dealing with.

    My firewall logs a regular blip of hits on port 445, 25, 135, 3127, 1434, 1433.

    All of these are various worms looking for an unprotected host. Until then... keep using linux, you're much better off.

    It's almost common for a fresh install to be infected on the first few minutes of connection to the Internet - Microsoft made it far to easy.

  50. Very very simple. by skinfitz · · Score: 2, Informative

    1. Disconnect machine from net
    2. Install XP
    3. Before connecting to net, enable XP firewall. (Right click on network connection, properties, advanced, "Protect my computer.."
    4. Turn on Automatic Updates (Right click on My Computer, properties, then click tick box on automatic updates).
    5. Connect to net.
    6. Let it patch itself, or if you want, do it manually via Windows Update.

    Really, why this simple simple process seems so difficult to Linux users is beyond me. You wouldn't connect a Linux system running say, an old version of Samba or Apache to the net without IP Tables now would you?

  51. If you play a Microsft CD... by Spoticus · · Score: 5, Funny

    backwards, you can hear satanic messages. But even worse, if you play it forward, it installs their software!

    Thanks, I'll be here all week... try the veal...

  52. Get someone else to do it... by oogoliegoogolie · · Score: 2, Informative

    ...because obviously you're too stupid to do it yourself.

    You say you've been using Linux since 95, yet the obvious solution of using a firewall excapes you! If you're such a linux expert then where's your iptables firewall machine? Or even your $50 router/firewall. I have one for sale for $40 if you want. That's Cdn $$ too! Man, even installing sygate, zonealarm, or any other personal firewall right after winxp is installed would prevent the shit out there from getting onto your machine.

    I've been using Linux since 95 too, but I know better to put any machine, Linux or Windows, directly on the net or in the DMZ unless that's my intention. Windows is much worse than other OS's, but I wouldn't even put a fresh linux install of any distribution on the net without doing some work on it first.

  53. OP: The 100% best answer by Glonoinha · · Score: 5, Informative

    Go to Best Buy and get a Linksys BEFSR41 router / firewall device.
    Plug your computer into the LAN side.
    Clone the MAC address of your computer.
    Change the password on the router to something other than 'admin'.
    Plug in your cablemodem into the WAN side.
    Enjoy your new worm/virus/trojan free existance.

    How many times do we need to spell it out??

    --
    Glonoinha the MebiByte Slayer
    1. Re:OP: The 100% best answer by Samhain138 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Why should the poor guy waste money in order to install WinXP?
      Doesn't Microsoft want people to install/update their product?
      And yes, they can do something: let pirated copies of WinXP update.
      Also, they should try this thing... What's its name... Oh, QA!
      I had the same problem: I am a linux user and I tried to install WinXP.
      After I installed it, I went to "windows update" right away.
      But while doing it, I got popups, I got "your computer will shut down in..." (I know, I know, shutdown -a, but still...).
      That's the most user-unfriendly experience I ever had with a computer/software.

    2. Re:OP: The 100% best answer by tiger99 · · Score: 2, Informative
      To add to that, if you don't want to buy a firewall, and you have an old PC handy, configure it with something like OpenBSD. For the minimal cost of a second network card, you have a firewall, in fact a much better one, because you can configure it any way you want. OK, it is larger than the Linksys, but you can dispense with the screen, keyboard and mouse (in fact you don't need a mouse anyway, it can be configured in text mode) once it is set up. The big advantage is that bug fixes will be available very quickly.

      But of course I will never install any M$ product again, ever, I have already wasted far too much time.....

      Even Zone Alarm (probably the best software firewall, don't use XP's own, it is useless) on any Windoze box with dialup shows an alarming number of serious intrusion attempts. No-one should ever be on-line without at least Zone Alarm, if they must go on line at all with Windoze. I do all my browsing and email in SuSE Linux now, my Windoze PC is only for a few programs that really need it, and they are being used less and less.

      The sad thing is that the vast majority of the public don't read Slashdot, or anything else for that matter, and so don't have a clue about the risks they are taking and the effect they are having on others. We are probably all agreed that spam from (usually) broadband-connected PCs with one or more trojans is a very real menace. It seems that in the UK (and likely the same in most places) 1 in 3 PCs is infected with at least one trojan, doing the work of the bulk spammers. I for one am sick of it, so I tend to tell everyone, at every opportunity, to get a properly configured firewall, and of course fully up to date anti-virus software. Even Linux users have to take these precautions, root access to a Linux box on broadband would be a hacker's delight.

      We may need laws to enforce safe use of the internet, if present trends continue. I had not checked my email for 4 days, when I did, there were about 50 spam emails showing an act that in the UK is illegal between male and female. I really do not want that kind of thing. I am quite sure that most of them had come via trojaned PCs. In fact under existing UK law, the owners could probably be prosecuted.

      The vast majority who leave their wireless networks unsecured are even more culpable. A spammer sitting in his car with a laptop will not be caught except by accident, one who operates illegally on-line with a direct connection might be.

    3. Re:OP: The 100% best answer by raymo03 · · Score: 2, Informative

      Yeah, I definitely agree to this. We bought a Linksys router to do windows 2000 installs. Before that, a new machine would get hit within 5 minutes by some blaster variant. Now we can get the machine completely set up before we switch it over to the university network.

    4. Re:OP: The 100% best answer by kannibal_klown · · Score: 2, Insightful

      But seriously, the Linksys hardware isn't that expensive. While a slow PC would be more versatile and probably perform better, you're talking about losing some convenience.

      A Small PC would:
      Be Louder
      Use More Electricity (cost more)
      Generate More Heat
      Take Up More Space
      Probably Be an Eye-Sore
      Harder to use / configure for the less tech savvy

      Sure, if you're a geek and don't mind, then sure, go for it. But really, you can find a good Linksys Router / NAT for really cheap if you look in the sale ads. While it might not be as good, I think the convenience far outways the monetary costs and geek-factor.

    5. Re:OP: The 100% best answer by boskone · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Maybe someone in the embedded business can answer this, but why don't the cable modems that we all have to buy or rent for broadband COME WITH basic TCP drop functionality for incoming connenctions. You could make it port 80 configurable from the inside or even require that it be configued via the USB port to be more secure. that way, the 90% of folks who ahve no need for incoming connenctions would be fine, and the other 10% of us could figure out what settings we'd like to use.

    6. Re:OP: The 100% best answer by racermd · · Score: 2, Informative

      Perhaps it's already been said in a post further down - A complete solution is to compile a custom-install CD of Windows XP that includes SP2, all current hotfixes, system drivers (better than MS-supplied ones, anyway), and any other extras you can think of. Heck, this works with DVD+/-R discs so you'll have more than enough space for those really big programs (like MS Office). Details on how to do this are all over the internet, just use Google to find it. I update my install CDs/DVDs every month. In fact, I have a CD for simple, bare installs and a DVD for more complete installs complete with applications. What about the old CD/DVD every month? I archive them and use them as a starting point if I ever have a complete loss of my systems. (Knocking on wood) Even if you only go so far as to patch up to SP2, you should patched well enough to get online and get the rest of the updates in a much more reasonable time.

      Of course, this is no guarantee of true network security. For that, you'll need something between the internet source (cable modem, DSL adapter, carrier pigeon, etc.) configured appropriately to filter the traffic.

      What works for me is a Netgear RT311 - a 1 WAN, 1 LAN, SPI NAT router (with the latest firmware update) - and the custom CD mentioned above. I've *never* gotten a virus during a standard Windows XP install from just being connected to the network behind the router. I can leave an unpatched system up for weeks at a time and never see a problem, not that I ever really do that. The fact that I *can* do it is a very secure feeling, indeed. And the fact that I'm, at most, 1 month from being completely up-to-date on my own systems at any given install makes the update process that much quicker and safer.

      The Windows XP built-in firewall is a complete joke, as mentioned before. It's not that it doesn't work - it does. It's just that it's not a very efficient solution. Enable it on a lower-powered system, and you're going to be using almost all of your CPU time just analyzing packets of data. Besides, you really want to prevent the traffic from getting to your system in the first place, which is why I can't stand using ZoneAlarm or any other software-based firewall as a primary point of defense. It should be used as a last-resort solution or in cases where you won't have a physical firewall to protect your computer (a roaming laptop is a great example). Given a lack of other, more effective blocking, software firewalls should be a *requirement*. But it should be complementary to a proper firewall whenever possible.

      --
      My sources are unreliable, but their information is fascinating. -- Ashleigh Brilliant
  54. I've never gotten a virus or a worm by rfc1394 · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I have a linksys wireless router between my DSL modem and my computers. I've gotten malware and spyware on my main computer (I found out later when I ran a checking program) but never got a virus or a worm. When I later installed Apache locally on a Win 98 machine and put in a .hosts file with a list of all the adware companies and their servers routed back to localhost, (which causes the local copy of Apache to try to serve them and report no such page) it also stopped almost all popups and a lot of in-line ads.

    --
    The lessons of history teach us - if they teach us anything - that nobody learns the lessons that history teaches us.
  55. Visa by gmuslera · · Score: 4, Funny
    • Windows XP Pro Original - US$ 200
    • Follow the Microsoft Instructions - US$ 0
    • Apply recommended patches by microsoft using microsoft recommended way - US$ 0
    • ...
    • Getting worms, viruses, and trojans even after all of this work: priceless
  56. Burn it by y00nix · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I would follow the recommendation of our friends at thebroken.org and burn your computer from the inside out.

  57. Are you serious? by FullCircle · · Score: 2, Insightful

    So I should reinstall my OS and depend on some third party tool to remove crap installed on it?

    What you are saying is that it is impossible to install Windows cleanly?

    Try using a firewall/router instead.

    If you can't afford a hardware router you can't afford Windows. Add $50+ to the TCO of Windows.

    Or if you can't afford that, use another free OS, such as any BSD or Linux.

    --
    If tyranny and oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy. - James Madison
  58. This is exactly how to do it. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

    1. Pull machine off net
    2. Install box
    3. Configure TCP/IP and enable windows firewall
    4. Plug in network cable
    5. Windows update
    6. Repeat windows update

    Job done.

    1. Re:This is exactly how to do it. by phasm42 · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Mod parent up. I don't understand why this guy simply didn't use the XP firewall and be done with it. It would've worked better, and he wouldn't have had to install Norton BS. Plus, in step 11 HE TURNS ALL FIREWALLS OFF. Of course he's getting infected. I don't think many people have pointed that out, but he got infected because he turned off the damn firewall like an idiot. Reading MS's line on the subject: here, they say to turn off ANTIVIRUS, not firewall. So he probably turned off all of NISP, not just the AV portion.

      --
      "No one likes working in a hamster wheel, and your shop smells of cedar shavings from here." - TaleSpinner
  59. We have to get creative here. by BroncoInCalifornia · · Score: 4, Insightful
    Here are some ideas:

    1) Hide behind a NAT router - Install windows disconnected from networks. Find someone with DSL and a NAT router. Intall all the patches from the safety of their home network.

    2) Before installing windows, format the disk to have a FAT partition. Boot Knoppix Linux from a CD. get on the internet and download the patches to the FAT partion. Boot Windows - install patches.

    --

    Religion is the main cause of atheism.

  60. Do it right: Use hardware... by KC7GR · · Score: 2, Informative

    Use a hardware firewall, or a decent router with a firewall built in, instead of depending on something that's software-based. That way, the nasties are stopped before they even get to your computer.

    I've not had personal experience with them, but others I've spoken with have had good luck with Linksys and D-Link. For my part, I've always depended on our Watchguard Firebox II to handle things.

    Granted, such a unit is well beyond the cost range of most home setups (unless you get a phenomenal deal on it used, as I did). However, before I had the Firebox, I was part of the Beta testing team for the Zyxel 'Prestige 312' combo dual-Ethernet router/firewall. The 312 has been discontinued for some time now, but it performed like a champ for me.

    If I were going to pick another unit today, I would look at Zyxel's ZyWall 100 series, or something similar. They're quite a bit less expensive than Watchguard's products, and I see no reason they shouldn't work just as well.

    If the 100's a little too costly for you, the entire ZyWall series comes in a variety of sizes from 1 on up. The number usually designates the number of VPN connections the unit allows.

    If you're a DIY'er, you can, of course, just get hold of a spare PC, stick a couple of NICs in it, load it up with FreeBSD or some such, and turn it into a router/firewall.

    The bottom line is that I don't believe any purely software-based firewall can ever be as secure as one that's hardware-based, and dedicated to the purpose of just being a firewall. I certainly don't trust Uncle Bill or Symantec to do it right (witness the problems you've already had).

    Happy hunting.

    --

    Bruce Lane, KC7GR,

    Blue Feather Technologies

  61. Hardware Firewall Appliance, not just builtin by billstewart · · Score: 2, Informative
    Some of the people replying to this message seem to think you're talking about XP's built-in firewall features. While they may be nice, a cheap hardware NAT firewall is just about a necessity for installing Windows safely, because you need to reduce the rate of attacks until you can get all the updates installed, which might include firewall updates.

    NAT is an evil abomination that breaks the Internet's end-to-end model, but for machines that will really never receive incoming connections (VOIP, games, IM, etc. as well as web servers), it's cheap insurance, and for machines that aren't ready to connect to the net, like unpatched Windows, it's pretty much essential. And once you've got your machine patched, you can then open up whatever ports you want on your firewall, if it's bright enough to do that.

    --

    Bill Stewart
    New Fast-Compression-only CPR http://preview.tinyurl.com/dy575ks
  62. Re:This is insane by woefulhc · · Score: 2, Interesting

    For the most part, people don't realize there are other options. (Check any number of previous /. discussions.) In certain instances they don't know they have other options. Dell/HP/Compaq/Gateway don't offer Linux. They tell you they include Windows.

    In other cases they literally do NOT have a choice. My brother in law is headed to medical shcool. He was presented with a list of requirements for his computer. One of those is that the computer have Windows XP Professional installed. Half of the requirements are to prevent the students' computers from bringing down the school's network. All of those could be met by using a Mac or installing Linux. Neither is presented as an option. It will take considerably more effort on my brother in law's part to find out if he can use a Linux computer than it would to just click on the "purchase here" link.

    I've strongly suggested that he make the effort to see if he can use Linux and avoid having to purchase the software they recommend (which cost more than the hardware). However, he isn't so interested in that effort or the effort the might be required in running a linux box.

    I have no question why he thinks his only option is a Windows computer. He wants to be a physical therapist, not a computer expert.

    --
    Paul
  63. serious problem , easy to fix by Blue_MiSfit · · Score: 2, Informative

    This is a 100% true story. Any time this year I tried to reinstall a machine at school (UC Santa Cruz) that was connected to the network, it would immediately be attacked by blaster. No warning, the system would get the RPC death knell and die. This was with a copy of XP that I made that had SP1 slipstreamed into it. The answer, however, is very simple. 1) Download the SP2 network install ahead of time and burn it on a CD (throw on your chipset drivers too) 2) format and reinstall with the network unplugged 3) install chipset drivers (for DMA) 4) install SP2 5) plug into network and run windows update etc... volia. If you can't get ahold of SP2 ahead of time, use any decent software firewall (Zone alarm and norton both work pretty well) or a hardware firewall preferably. They aren't really necessary though, SP2 will save your life.

  64. NEVER connect a PC directly to a cable modem by krick-zero · · Score: 2, Informative

    You should always use a router between your PC and the cable modem. My PC is safely hidden behind the router and has never been hacked.

  65. Hardware firewall all the way by adrenaline_junky · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I tell every person I know who gets a broadband connection to buy a hardware firewall device. If they invest in a wifi router for about $80, then they not only get a built-in firewall but also wifi a hub/switch as a bonus. As far as I am concerned, this is an absolute requirement these days.

    The NAT that is setup by default for all such routers is just the ticket to avoid viruses like blaster.

  66. Cert.org by The_jos · · Score: 2, Informative

    Cert/CC has an article called "Before You Connect a New Computer to the Internet"

  67. NAT-Router / Hardware-Firewall / Old PC by Tux2000 · · Score: 2, Informative

    Like many others said: Get a cheap "internet router" that does NAT (Network Address Translation). If the attackers can't get to the fresh XP machine, they can't kill it. Easy, isn't it? Just turn OFF UPNP support and all DMZ / port forwarding stuff on the router.

    If you still have a spare PC (minimum 486SX-25, 8 MB RAM, Floppy, two ethernet cards), give fli4l (or any other small Linux router software) a try. Download size is a few MBytes (ask your friends / neighboors), complete boot floppy is created within a few minutes on any Windows system. No linux knowledge required.

    Keep the NAT router between the XP machine and your internet connection even after you have completed the XP setup. Though the router may not help against using IE and Outlook, it will help against all TCP and UDP based attacks. All viri and worms that spread by connecting to any TCP or UDP port on your machine will fail to infect your machine thanks to the NAT router.

    Tux2000

    --
    Denken hilft.
  68. and play an *BSD CD forwards by hughk · · Score: 3, Funny
    ...and you find it full of daemons!!!!

    Sorry, I couldn't help it!

    --
    See my journal, I write things there
  69. router by DerWulf · · Score: 3, Informative

    Pick up a router from SMC ( I can recommend the 7008/4 ABR series). Even if you don't want to setup a home network, this is the best way to go I think. Even with the sygate firewall it could ( in theory) happen that the software silently crashed, leaving the icon still in the system tray until you move the mouse cursor over it. Also I wouldn't rely on Windows Update to keep your computer safe. If your unpatched version can get infected, your updates will not prevent infection when someday an exploit gets releases sooner than the patch. When using a router, all incoming connections will be refused by default since the router itself is only running the administration tool. Add a personal firewall for save measure in case the router gets compromised and you are set to go. Also you can seamlessly add computers to your network, all sharing the same internet connection and printer. As a side note, the Norton firewall has crappy configuration options and its all in baby talk. I didn't like it very much. Zonealarm doesn't work well with edonkey, overnet, emule, also, if you forbid all the notorios windows applications (explorer.exe, alg.exe, svchost.exe) all access to the network, you are in for a very unstable windows expierence. Sygate is still the best of the three.
    I bought the router to finally rid me of the personal firewalls tedious configuration ( which btw, you have to do again on each install, with the router it stays with you forever ;)

    Not associated with SMC, I just picked up the model mentioned above friday and I am very happy with it.

    --

    ___
    No power in the 'verse can stop me
  70. Enable the built in firewall by cascadefx · · Score: 3, Informative

    Enable the built-in firewall in Windows XP before going online. This will resolve a lot of your problems.

    Also go into the widnows update site (on another connected computer) and click the update options to the right. There is an option to turn on the catalog view (or something like that... in Linux right now). This will allow you to search for all the updates of a particular Windows platform.

    Use this to download the patches and burn them to a CD... Use this CD to patch your system.

    Jim

  71. hardware by portscan · · Score: 2, Informative

    just buy a hardware firewall. do the install with the network cable unplugged, then plug in from behind the firewall to get the updates.

    alternately, you could download all the service packs, patches, etc., burn them to a CD, and do the install completely disconnected from the internet, then run the patches, then connect.

  72. An alternate approach by babbage · · Score: 2, Informative
    Hmmm...
    4. The box remains off the net during the entire install: no registering, no setting up an ISP, no activation, no network configuration, no nothing. (BTW, the only networking component that I install is tcp/ip. All the other MS stuff never gets on the machine.)

    Using TCP/IP may have been a mistake. It was, after all, the vector by which the malware installed itself to begin with.

    A better approach may be to do this with two computers, where one is the machine onto which you need to install XP and the other is already up & running with whatever operating system you like.

    This second computer will act as a bridge to the internet, speaking TCP/IP only on its WAN interface, and speaking a non-routable protocol like NetBEUI to the XP machine on the LAN interface.

    This way, the XP machine can only speak to other local machines.

    With a setup like this, you can download the necessary service packs and other updates to the gateway machine -- people have already explained this in some detail elsewhere in this discussion -- and then the XP box can access the updates by regular old fashioned Windows file sharing.

    Once you have the minimal updates, then and only then does it make sense to turn on TCP/IP support on the XP machine.