what firewall/antivirus?

[dejavu11]

I know very well what a DDoS attack is, and I was referring to DoS in general, like ICMP, SYN floods, SMURF attacks etc and I know how it works. And that's my point exactly, you can't save yourself with a firewall, let alone without it.
I was talking about you discouraging users from using firewalls and giving them a false sense of security.
Maybe the DDoS thing I mentioned was a little too far, you're right about that, casual users don't get attacked usually.
But you can't deny the fact that you can get attacked anywhere on the net. Some users have yet to realize that, or they just don't care.
Personally, I do care for my system alot, which is why I would rather go with the "better safe than sorry" variation.

I never said not to use a firewall, I said I didn't and that they're not required if you're a decent user.

"You can't save yourself with a firewall, let alone without it" <- So why have it?

Maybe I'm missing something but I still can't think of one instance on the typical windows home user PC that a firewall would actually save them so long as they were halfway knowledgeable.

And I completely agree you can get attacked anywhere at anytime, but I disagree that a firewall would do much of anything for you.

Same thing can be said about a virus scanner. Can it be of use? Of course it can, but if you practice safe internet usage you will never need one.

[Aes]

cloud your very persuasive. im back on linux's side lol.
if i were to dual boot xp and linux what would i need?
how much ram
how much hhd space
2 harddrives?

[Dragon[Sky]]

"You can't save yourself with a firewall, let alone without it" <- Well you can't say it's completely useless. I'd like to know what goes in and out of my system.
Typical windows home user...well if we're talking about gamers then there's not much reasons why you should use a firewall, but if you browse the internet all day long, then yes you do need a firewall.
About virus scanners, that's just +protection. What you got to lose? Nothing, only system resources.

EDIT: bmxerandre, if you want to dual boot you need 1 Linux swap partition (2 GB is enough), 1 boot partition (Ext3 filesystem preferrably) and 1 root partition, (Reiserfs or Ext3).
1 harddrive is enough.

[dejavu11]

cloud your very persuasive. im back on linux's side lol.
if i were to dual boot xp and linux what would i need?
how much ram
how much hhd space
2 harddrives?

1. Whatever the minimum ram for windows is, linux will run on that and less.
2. Few gigs for windows, few gigs for linux.
3. 1 harddrive is fine, 2 partitions is required.

[dejavu11]

"You can't save yourself with a firewall, let alone without it" <- Well you can't say it's completely useless. I'd like to know what goes in and out of my system.
Typical windows home user...well if we're talking about gamers then there's not much reasons why you should use a firewall, but if you browse the internet all day long, then yes you do need a firewall.
About virus scanners, that's just +protection. What you got to lose? Nothing, only system resources.

Unless you've installed something you shouldn't, nothing will be going out of your system that you won't know about. As far as things coming in your system I think we've covered that in previous posts.

Why would an internet browser need a firewall? Assuming you practice safe browsing you should have any weird traffic coming your way. Even if you practice poor browsing you shouldn't have any weird traffic coming your way save for downloading something you shouldn't have and/or using oudated software that is exploited by websites which you shouldn't be visiting.

System resources are exactly what you have to lose and I like my system to be as snappy as possible. There's no need for a firewall or virus scanner if you're safe, so why waste the resources on them?

I'm sure if I wanted to blow resources there's a ton of things I could install that I would use once every few months, but I'd rather not given the choice.

[Dragon[Sky]]

All I do all day is chat and browse the internet, nothing else. I have no problems sparing system resources for security.
It's a fact that you're more secure with a firewall and an antivirus running, you can't refuse that. Yes you can practice everything, but I'd rather let the firewall do it automatically for me.

[dejavu11]

All I do all day is chat and browse the internet, nothing else. I have no problems sparing system resources for security.
It's a fact that you're more secure with a firewall and an antivirus running, you can't refuse that. Yes you can practice everything, but I'd rather let the firewall do it automatically for me.

You'd be even more secure tunneling your connections through a secure VPN with packet inspection on the end. You'd be the most secure unplugging your modem and never going on the internet Those are most likely outside the limits which you decide to be worth it.

A virus scanner and a firewall our outside of the limits of what I consider to be worth it. Are you more secure with a firewall and virus scanner? Possibly, and by possibly I mean in certain situations which are avoidable in the first place.

Now as far as the firewall automatically practicing safe habits for you, can you give me an example where having a firewall has prevented something bad from happening for you?

[Dragon[Sky]]

Now as far as the firewall automatically practicing safe habits for you, can you give me an example where having a firewall has prevented something bad from happening for you?

Intrusive port scans, ad blocks, blocking attackers etc.
As I mentioned before, better safe than sorry.
After all, it's the user's decision if he/she will use +security or not.

[dejavu11]

Intrusive port scans, ad blocks, blocking attackers etc.
As I mentioned before, better safe than sorry.
After all, it's the user's decision if he/she will use +security or not.

A portscan will not harm your computer.
A firewall is not going to be blocking ads for you. A software firewall may be bundled with ad blocking software of some sort, but even then viewing an ad is not going to harm your computer.
What attacks has your firewall actually prevented?

I have also never said that you or anybody else is wrong for running a firewall, I have simply said that they are not required so long as a user practices safe habits. I'd even go so far as to say a firewall isn't needed with unsafe habits.

[Dragon[Sky]]

I know portscans are not offensive by nature, but it depends on the attacker.
And ads may not be harmful but they're annoying.
My firewall _has_ prevented attacks before, it's just I don't log them or remember them whatsoever.
What I tried to emphasize is, that personally I have no problems sparing system resources for a firewall. I'm just over-paranoid like that.

[dejavu11]

I know portscans are not offensive by nature, but it depends on the attacker.
And ads may not be harmful but they're annoying.
My firewall _has_ prevented attacks before, it's just I don't log them or remember them whatsoever.
What I tried to emphasize is, that personally I have no problems sparing system resources for a firewall. I'm just over-paranoid like that.

So what you're saying is you can't think of anytime your firewall has ever prevented something malicious from happening to your PC? You just assume it has? I know I'm playing the part of the devil here but that's half the fun 6):

Maybe we can agree on something... users should always keep regular backups of their important data in a safe place?

[Dragon[Sky]]

So what you're saying is you can't think of anytime your firewall has ever prevented something malicious from happening to your PC? You just assume it has? I know I'm playing the part of the devil here but that's half the fun 6):

No, I just don't remember anything relevant, I got plenty of stuff on top of my head right now. :P

Maybe we can agree on something... users should always keep regular backups of their important data in a safe place?

Yeah...totally...

[GunMan]

Dejavu11, a firewall saved my ass plenty times from those stupid "Click here to see a pic of......"

Denied request, bish. Those links are just too tempting to click.

[trancehax]

Well find yourself an AV with the option to " Lockdown Firewall "

[Walliegabe]

what firewall/anti virus do you use?

i use:
firewall: sygate
anti virus: NOD32

I just use Nod32 :P
best anti-virus, doesn't slow down my pc at all