11-29-13 17:28 Sean Dennis wrote to Ed Vance about Bsod

 SD> {at}MSGID: 
 -=> Ed Vance wrote to Holger Granholm <=-

 EV> As I understand it, there are those who can get past a Router
 EV> connection and get access to everything on a persons PC if a Admin
 EV> Account is used. Do you understand it the same way that I do?

 SD> That scenario is a pretty far-fetched one.  If you take proper
 SD> security cautions, such as changing the default administrator
 SD> username and password on your router, making sure your router's
 SD> firewall is turned on and other small issues, they can't get in
 SD> to your router.

Sean,

Thanks for the message.

I try to be as knowledgeable as I can about this stuff.
Once in a while I will check things out by going to GRC.COM and
running a Test.
A couple of weeks ago was the last time and everything then was O.K.

I just get nervous when I see Lights (LED's) flashing at times or
a icon (or Process) showing up on the Taskbar that I don't know what
it is for.

 SD> What you're thinking of is having ports open (again, turning on
 SD> a firewall is the key here) and making sure that you stay up to
 SD> date with the latest security
 SD> patches from Microsoft will help a lot.  Using common sense,
 SD> such as not downloading programs from unfamiliar places, not
 SD> running attachments in emails from people you don't know, et
 SD> cetera, will go a long way.

I wait for Woody Leonhard to say it is O.K. to allow a Windows Update
(WU) so something MS didn't do right doesn't gets into my computers.

As far as Common Sense goes, I haven't had any since I was a youngster
and my brain got infected with the "Ham Radio" Virus.  .... ..

I use McAfee SiteAdvisor when I look at Search Results Pages on a
Search Engine, even though SiteAdvisor has given me headaches from
my not seeing it turn Green on Firefox's Status Bar until I have it
Clicked it several times to Check It's Own results, OVER AND OVER....

I also watch AVAST!'s and WOT's indicators.

I use Dr.Web Link Checker Regularly to see what it says before going
to a link in a Email, or on a Search Results Page, and on web pages
in general.

I use Dr.Web even on Links from pages I read on Kim Komando, Ask Woody
& Ask-Leo before clicking on the Link, even though I'm Very Sure
anything posted on their web pages has been carefully checked first.

(I know You're shaking Your Head by now)

 SD> If you're not sure about your computer's or LAN's security, get
 SD> someone in there who does know.  You don't have to be paranoid
 SD> to the point to where you run into problems just using your own
 SD> computer.  95% of all of the maintenance and care that you'll
 SD> need to do on your XP system requires being logged in as an
 SD> administrator.

Even though I get most of my help by reading articles written by
Kim, Leo, Woody and some other trusted people who have Web Sites
to help guys like me, I will ask a man (who is the husband of a lady
who works at Chick-fil-A) about PC stuff, even though I know he WORKS
as a Programmer and isn't a PC Hobbyist like me.   He tolerates Me.

 SD> The administrator account, by default, allows access to
 SD> everything on a computer because that's what it's designed for.

I just want to DO IT from a Limited Users Account.

 SD>  However, if you have a strong password on the account and
 SD> don't leave the computer unattended with the administrator
 SD> logged on, you will be fine.

I do that.

 SD> There is more of a threat of a computer being compromised
 SD> physically than via the Internet, honestly.

The Wife doesn't care to use the computers in my room, She uses
Her C=64 with a 40 Column screen, and that's very seldom if at all.

 SD> In all of this, common sense and prudence will keep you from
 SD> having problems and headaches.

 SD> I have never, once, in the 20+ years I've had a computer, had
 SD> anyone "get into it" from the Internet.  I've had people try to
 SD> get into computers if they have physical access and via open
 SD> ports (such as telnet), but other than that, nary a problem.

It is the PEBKAC Errors, Problem Exist Between Keyboard And Chair,
that occure here all the time.

 SD> ... WinErr 002: No error...yet.

I like the Tagline, it made me think that the PC is still trying to
figure out what happened to it.   

Thanks! for Your message.

... . ..G...R... ..... ..()\/\/ .[] ..s. .... /\sCii
--- MultiMail/MS-DOS v0.49
--- SBBSecho 2.12-Linux