«

"Mara" <> wrote in message
news:...
> On Sun, 12 Oct 2003 00:15:39 +0100, Jon Watson wrote:
>
> >Hi. I have had to reinstall the Tiny Personal Firewall 2 onto my Windows
XP
> >Home machine.
> >Reason? I performed the Shields Up test at GRC.com, only to find I had 2
> >ports open. I therefore had a fiddle and made a mess resulting in no
> >ability to access web pages. I downloaded a new set-up file for PF2,
> >disconnected from the web, and used ADD/REMOVE to uninstall PF2.
> >
> >Having reinstalled the new copy, I now find that on reboot I get the
> >following message in a yellow pop up
> >!Windows - Fatal Application Exit
> >Tiny Personal Firewall: KernalOpenFile: strlen(filename) <2?!?
> >
> >Web pages are slow to access, or not at all, and I am constantly hounded
> >with: -
> >MgsDigestComputeMD5:Unable to open
> >
> >Dos anyone have any answers please???
>
> Yes. Uninstall it again, and afterwards use a registry cleaner to clean up
the
> debris. Then, install a different firewall, such as Outpost or Sygate.
>
> "Check C: drive for debris, too."
>
> >
> >Regards,
> >Jon.
> >
>
> --
> The sysadmin has graciously deigned not to cast you headlong
> into a pit of rabid wombats. Please bear this in mind when
> composing your message or request. --asr

Thanks Mara. Quick update, used reg cleaner, cleaned debris from C:
installed V5 of the sygate firewall. Ran NAI Stinger and Trend online AV to
check for Trojans (all clear). Already using Spybot and Spyware blaster, so
ran again.

Was up to 3am, due to annoying problems like losing the ability to scroll up
and down!, Monitor settings messing up, loads of apps went missing etc
(thank god for System Restore!) and the Tiny Personal Firewall wouldn't
allow me to Add/Remove it, so I has to do a full reinstall and then
uninstall! God, my eyes are tired this morning!!!

I have one last worry now having checked back on GRC Shields UP, that port
1025 is now open, but I'll post that further down for added attention!
(hopefully).

Thanks to Mara and to all others who have given me valuable pointers and
advice in my hour of need.

Regards

Jon

Miggsee wrote:


> The XP firewall doesn't stop out going attempts to *phone home*.

So? That's not what he's asking for and arguably its needless complexity
for a simple home machine for a non-tech user.

Run AV and do spyware checks from time to time.

--
Mike
Block Banner Ads Now
http://everythingisnt.com/hosts.html

"Mike0000" <> wrote in message
news:HYnib.272929$. net...
> Miggsee wrote:
>
>
> > The XP firewall doesn't stop out going attempts to *phone home*.
>
> So? That's not what he's asking for and arguably its needless complexity
> for a simple home machine for a non-tech user.
>
> Run AV and do spyware checks from time to time.

I was stating a simple and important fact. My machines are as protected as
possible in today's world of computing.

There are new users reading this newsgroup, that do not know about all
malware, nor about Trojans. XP won't always protect them.

A decent firewall is configurable against out going *transmissions* from the
user's computer: Personal info spread; virus; worms; malware; relaying,
etc..............................

I would rather refer users to alternate methods of protection, than
suggesting they trust the complete reliability of XP's firewall.

I work with non-tech users every day! I teach them, not mislead them!

On Sun, 12 Oct 2003 23:04:45 -0400, Miggsee wrote:

>
>"Mike0000" <> wrote in message
>news:HYnib.272929$ .net...
>> Miggsee wrote:
>>
>>
>> > The XP firewall doesn't stop out going attempts to *phone home*.
>>
>> So? That's not what he's asking for and arguably its needless complexity
>> for a simple home machine for a non-tech user.
>>
>> Run AV and do spyware checks from time to time.
>
>I was stating a simple and important fact. My machines are as protected as
>possible in today's world of computing.

Firewall.com is an interesting place to visit.

http://firewall.com/cgi-bin/jump.cgi?ID=1286

[Emphasis mine]

"An Internet firewall examines all traffic routed between your network and the
Internet to see if it meets certain criteria. If it does, it is routed between
the networks, otherwise it is stopped. ****A network firewall filters both
inbound and outbound traffic.**** It can also manage public access to private
networked resources such as host applications. It can be used to log all
attempts to enter the private network and trigger alarms when hostile or
unauthorized entry is attempted. Firewalls can filter packets based on their
source, destination addresses and port numbers. This is known as address
filtering. Firewalls can also filter specific types of network traffic. This is
also known as protocol filtering because the decision to forward or reject
traffic is dependant upon the protocol used, for example HTTP, ftp or telnet.
Firewalls can also filter traffic by packet attribute or state."
>
>There are new users reading this newsgroup, that do not know about all
>malware, nor about Trojans. XP won't always protect them.

XP won't protect them at all. Only knowledge, and the right tools, will protect
their systems.

>
>A decent firewall is configurable against out going *transmissions* from the
>user's computer: Personal info spread; virus; worms; malware; relaying,
>etc..............................

This is exactly right. These days it is becoming increasingly common for boxes
to suffer infection attempts within minutes, and sometimes even seconds, of
connecting. Users may not become aware they are infected until their firewall
alerts them of *outbound* connection attempts. Since there are so many software
firewalls available that do in fact alert on both incoming and outgoing
attempts, a single-direction firewall such as the one built into XP should not
even be considered an option if security is a consideration - and if security
isn't a consideration, that box should not be allowed to connect to the
internet.

"Why take such a large risk when it isn't necessary?"

>
>I would rather refer users to alternate methods of protection, than
>suggesting they trust the complete reliability of XP's firewall.
>
>I work with non-tech users every day! I teach them, not mislead them!

If you can read this, thank a teacher.

"And I do. "

--
I always try to go the extra mile at work, but my boss always
finds me and brings me back.

"Mara" <> wrote in message
news:...
> On Sun, 12 Oct 2003 23:04:45 -0400, Miggsee wrote:
>
> >
> >"Mike0000" <> wrote in message
> >news:HYnib.272929$ .net...
> >> Miggsee wrote:
> >>
> >>
> >> > The XP firewall doesn't stop out going attempts to *phone home*.
> >>
> >> So? That's not what he's asking for and arguably its needless
complexity
> >> for a simple home machine for a non-tech user.
> >>
> >> Run AV and do spyware checks from time to time.
> >
> >I was stating a simple and important fact. My machines are as protected
as
> >possible in today's world of computing.
>
> Firewall.com is an interesting place to visit.
>
> http://firewall.com/cgi-bin/jump.cgi?ID=1286

Great link! I think Thanks!

> [Emphasis mine]
>
> "An Internet firewall examines all traffic routed between your network and
the
> Internet to see if it meets certain criteria. If it does, it is routed
between
> the networks, otherwise it is stopped. ****A network firewall filters both
> inbound and outbound traffic.**** It can also manage public access to
private
> networked resources such as host applications. It can be used to log all
> attempts to enter the private network and trigger alarms when hostile or
> unauthorized entry is attempted. Firewalls can filter packets based on
their
> source, destination addresses and port numbers. This is known as address
> filtering. Firewalls can also filter specific types of network traffic.
This is
> also known as protocol filtering because the decision to forward or reject
> traffic is dependant upon the protocol used, for example HTTP, ftp or
telnet.
> Firewalls can also filter traffic by packet attribute or state."
> >
> >There are new users reading this newsgroup, that do not know about all
> >malware, nor about Trojans. XP won't always protect them.
>
> XP won't protect them at all. Only knowledge, and the right tools, will
protect
> their systems.

Agreed!!

> >A decent firewall is configurable against out going *transmissions* from
the
> >user's computer: Personal info spread; virus; worms; malware; relaying,
> >etc..............................
>
> This is exactly right. These days it is becoming increasingly common for
boxes
> to suffer infection attempts within minutes, and sometimes even seconds,
of
> connecting. Users may not become aware they are infected until their
firewall
> alerts them of *outbound* connection attempts. Since there are so many
software
> firewalls available that do in fact alert on both incoming and outgoing
> attempts, a single-direction firewall such as the one built into XP should
not
> even be considered an option if security is a consideration - and if
security
> isn't a consideration, that box should not be allowed to connect to the
> internet.
>
> "Why take such a large risk when it isn't necessary?"

He can think of it as *insurance*.

> >I would rather refer users to alternate methods of protection, than
> >suggesting they trust the complete reliability of XP's firewall.
> >
> >I work with non-tech users every day! I teach them, not mislead them!
>
> If you can read this, thank a teacher.
>
> "And I do. "

~

> --
> I always try to go the extra mile at work, but my boss always
> finds me and brings me back.