Passive Protection

[JAGO]

Alright guys, I'm a big fan of 'low-resource' applications, and I can't stand the thought of running any programs in the background, so I often rely on passive protection from a modified HOSTS file, Filterset.G, Spybot S&D's Immunize feature, and SpywareBlaster.

 

What are some other methods that I'm missing?

[DennisD]

Snap! Hosts file, Spyware Blaster and Spybot S&D. Haven't looked beyond these to be honest, so not really answered your question, but thought I'd mention it.

[Andavari]

Hosts file, Spyware Blaster and Spybot S&D. Haven't looked beyond these to be honest

The same here Adblock Plus for Firefox, McAfee SiteAdvisor Free for Firefox, MVPS.org HOSTS File, Spybot-S&D, and SpywareBlaster. Also I too haven't looked beyond these, and for the life of me I can't really think of anything more that is passive and offering invisible protection without consuming some resources.

 

Oh yeah, the only other thing I can think of would possibly be disabling unnecessary Windows services that "may or may not even pose a threat," but instead may alleviate some RAM usage for more important stuff (like Firefox being a glutton and currently munching on 47 MB of RAM).

[Anthony A]

Oh yeah, the only other thing I can think of would possibly be disabling unnecessary Windows services that "may or may not even pose a threat," but instead may alleviate some RAM usage for more important stuff (like Firefox being a glutton and currently munching on 47 MB of RAM).

 

 

47 MB of Ram is outstanding for Firefox My Firefox launches at about 41MB. None of my browsers use less than 47MB. Wheres the problem?

[CeeCee]

disabling unnecessary Windows services that "may or may not even pose a threat"

Easy way to (completely) close some pesky Windows ports is to use Windows Worms Doors Cleaner.

 

Note: Do not close NetBIOS or you might lose your internet connection. Use this method instead: http://irt.stanford.edu/security/howto/disable-netbios.html

[Andavari]

Easy way to (completely) close some pesky Windows ports is to use Windows Worms Doors Cleaner.

I used to use that, but my ISP software or configuration doesn't like it one bit and it isn't just the NetBIOS thing either. When I did my Windows reinstall some months ago it literally took me forever to figure out why I had no Internet connection then I remembered WWDC.

[CeeCee]

I used to use that, but my ISP software or configuration doesn't like it one bit and it isn't just the NetBIOS thing either. When I did my Windows reinstall some months ago it literally took me forever to figure out why I had no Internet connection then I remembered WWDC.

I haven't got any problems with it, (as long as i don't completely close NetBIOS port). Those other ports should be safe to close. But maybe there can be problems with some configurations. Go figure. ..

[Tom AZ]

The same ... MVPS.org HOSTS File ...

I'm not really familiar with these. Can anyone give me a simple explanation as to how a "MVPS.org HOSTS File" works, what it really does and how easy (or difficult) it is to install. Once installed, is it fairly "automatic" -- or is it something that needs to be managed manually?

[rridgely]

The best thing you can do to learn about the host file and how to install it is just to read this site:

http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm

 

Its pretty much set it and forget it. They do update it every now and then but you dont have to do it very often.

[Tom AZ]

The best thing you can do to learn about the host file and how to install it is just to read this site:

http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm

 

Its pretty much set it and forget it. They do update it every now and then but you dont have to do it very often.

If I were to give this a "test drive" and didn't like it, does it uninstall fairly easily?

[DennisD]

If I were to give this a "test drive" and didn't like it, does it uninstall fairly easily?

It's not really a case of uninstalling it Tom, it's only a file which you can delete quite easily.

 

I'll give you my experience with HOSTS file, because only a short while ago, I'd never heard of them.

 

First time I tried using a HOSTS file, with no knowledge of what it was, therefore no mental image of where it resided, how to use it etc, I installed a HOSTS Manager.

 

I must have done something wrong, because my pc was screwed up big time. It was a bad introduction to HOSTS, so it went the same journey as some other stuff when I did a complete reinstall.

 

This time, I decided to do it manually, and it was a piece of cake to do.

 

I downloaded the MVPS HOSTS file. I then went to start > my computer > C: drive > windows > system 32 > drivers > etc (etc being a folder, and not meaning carry on from here on your own).

 

In that folder, you will probably already have a HOSTS file with very little in it. If you want to check, you can open a HOSTS file with notepad.

 

Rename the HOSTS file, if there's one there, to anything really, maybe HOSTS.old. Do this because you don't want two files of the same name in a folder.

 

Then you can simply move or copy the downloaded MVPS HOSTS file to that folder.

 

If you don't want it. Delete it and rename your HOSTS.old or whatever, back to HOSTS.

 

You'll find that the MVPS HOSTS file download includes a simple batch file (mvps.bat) that will rename the existing HOSTS file to HOSTS.MVP then copy the included updated HOSTS file to the proper location.

 

This is the dead simple way to do it, but by explaining the above, I hope I've given you a mental picture of what exactly is happening, and where. Plus, I got more satisfaction, and a better understanding, by doing it myself.

 

Hope this helps.

 

EDIT: Very important, and maybe someone else can confirm this. While using the HOSTS file I learned that you must disable in services DNS Client. Do this by Start > run, type services.msc, look for DNS Client, stop the service, and change it to manual by right clicking, select properties, and use the drop down menu, otherwise it will start up again. If you bin the HOSTS file, change it back.

 

If you don't do this, you will probably have serious problems connecting to the web.

[JAGO]

I'm not really familiar with these. Can anyone give me a simple explanation as to how a "MVPS.org HOSTS File" works, what it really does and how easy (or difficult) it is to install. Once installed, is it fairly "automatic" -- or is it something that needs to be managed manually?

Wikipedia -- "The hosts file is a computer file used to store information on where to find a node on a computer network. This file maps hostnames to IP addresses. The hosts file is used as a supplement to (or instead of) the domain name system on networks of varying sizes. This file is (unlike DNS) under the control of the user who is using the computer."

 

What I take that as, the hosts file blocks unwanted network connections by misdirecting them.

[Andavari]

EDIT: Very important, and maybe someone else can confirm this. While using the HOSTS file I learned that you must disable in services DNS Client. Do this by Start > run, type services.msc, look for DNS Client, stop the service, and change it to manual by right clicking, select properties, and use the drop down menu, otherwise it will start up again. If you bin the HOSTS file, change it back.

 

If you don't do this, you will probably have serious problems connecting to the web.

Yup! That's indeed true when you're using a big HOSTS files. I never had to do that before when I had my own HOSTS file. When I started using the MVPS.org HOSTS File I found out really quick that you definitely have to disable DNS Client. Actually I've set DNS Client to manual on my system because sometimes my ISP software uses it to "heal my DSL connection," which is funnily done 100 times quicker by just unplugging the modem and plugging it back in.

[DennisD]

I think my memory cells are jumping ship at an ever increasing rate.

 

I forgot to mention, that if you're using Firefox, to get rid of the message that appears instead of Ads, enter about:config in the address bar, and scroll down to "browser.xul.error_pages.enabled", right click, select "toggle" and set it to false.

 

I'm sure that's about it.

 

EDIT: Andavari, that usually works for me as well.

[Tom AZ]

It's not really a case of uninstalling it Tom, it's only a file which you can delete quite easily.

 

I'll give you my experience with HOSTS file, because only a short while ago, I'd never heard of them.

 

First time I tried using a HOSTS file, with no knowledge of what it was, therefore no mental image of where it resided, how to use it etc, I installed a HOSTS Manager.

 

I must have done something wrong, because my pc was screwed up big time. It was a bad introduction to HOSTS, so it went the same journey as some other stuff when I did a complete reinstall.

 

This time, I decided to do it manually, and it was a piece of cake to do.

 

I downloaded the MVPS HOSTS file. I then went to start > my computer > C: drive > windows > system 32 > drivers > etc (etc being a folder, and not meaning carry on from here on your own).

 

In that folder, you will probably already have a HOSTS file with very little in it. If you want to check, you can open a HOSTS file with notepad.

 

Rename the HOSTS file, if there's one there, to anything really, maybe HOSTS.old. Do this because you don't want two files of the same name in a folder.

 

Then you can simply move or copy the downloaded MVPS HOSTS file to that folder.

 

If you don't want it. Delete it and rename your HOSTS.old or whatever, back to HOSTS.

 

You'll find that the MVPS HOSTS file download includes a simple batch file (mvps.bat) that will rename the existing HOSTS file to HOSTS.MVP then copy the included updated HOSTS file to the proper location.

 

This is the dead simple way to do it, but by explaining the above, I hope I've given you a mental picture of what exactly is happening, and where. Plus, I got more satisfaction, and a better understanding, by doing it myself.

 

Hope this helps.

 

EDIT: Very important, and maybe someone else can confirm this. While using the HOSTS file I learned that you must disable in services DNS Client. Do this by Start > run, type services.msc, look for DNS Client, stop the service, and change it to manual by right clicking, select properties, and use the drop down menu, otherwise it will start up again. If you bin the HOSTS file, change it back.

 

If you don't do this, you will probably have serious problems connecting to the web.

Thanks, DennisD, this is really helpful. Just curious, when it's all said and done, does the "host file" function somewhat similarly to "SpywareBlaster?"

[DennisD]

Totally different Tom, a HOSTS file redirects 100's of the ads that normally adorn most sites you visit to I think, a dead end. All you get is a blank space in its place.

 

Actually, what you would get is a message in place of every ad saying something like "cannot find server", which is why you use that little trick in Firefox to prevent that. Don't know about IE, never use it.

 

There's a really good and clear explanation of the HOSTS file here, which is well worth reading in conjunction with Jago's post.

 

If you download the MVPS HOSTS file, open it with notepad, and see the list of what it blocks.

 

Why don't you give the HOSTS a try Tom, and if you've any more queries, ask.

 

Hope this helps.

[LUSHER]

What's the definition of "passive protection" (as opposed to active) again?

 

From the examples you gave it seems to mean blacklists.. But then antivirus are really just very complicated blacklists really...

 

Or does passive protection mean "low resources consumption protection". But that does seem to be the case... otherwise why not simply say that?

[LUSHER]

Thanks, DennisD, this is really helpful. Just curious, when it's all said and done, does the "host file" function somewhat similarly to "SpywareBlaster?"

 

Of course it's different, one blacklists domains via dns lookups, another stops activex controls.

[Andavari]

What's the definition of "passive protection" (as opposed to active) again?

Passive = not active or operating, just like what SpywareBlaster does to block stuff.

 

Active = producing or involving action or movement, just like an anti-virus resident shield.

[JAGO]

Passive = not active or operating, just like what SpywareBlaster does to block stuff.

 

Active = producing or involving action or movement, just like an anti-virus resident shield.

The end result is that you don't consume memory with passive protection .

 

So no one has any other ways? Blah .

 

Totally different Tom, a HOSTS file redirects 100's of the ads that normally adorn most sites you visit to I think, a dead end. All you get is a blank space in its place.

 

Actually, what you would get is a message in place of every ad saying something like "cannot find server", which is why you use that little trick in Firefox to prevent that. Don't know about IE, never use it.

 

There's a really good and clear explanation of the HOSTS file here, which is well worth reading in conjunction with Jago's post.

 

If you download the MVPS HOSTS file, open it with notepad, and see the list of what it blocks.

 

Why don't you give the HOSTS a try Tom, and if you've any more queries, ask.

 

Hope this helps.

Thanks for the Firefox toggle! And a little info... the HOSTS file redirects the ads to the local machine that sent them (127.0.0.1)! So aside from protecting your computer, you waste their bandwidth, .

[Andavari]

And a little info... the HOSTS file redirects the ads to the local machine that sent them (127.0.0.1)! So aside from protecting your computer, you waste their bandwidth, .

I had always thought it 127.0.0.1 and 0.0.0.0 just redirected to your computer, thus you don't actually contact the ad server at all - or something like that. Not that I really care as it blocks the ad servers which are one of the major slowdowns of websites loading slowly or not at all.

[LUSHER]

Passive = not active or operating, just like what SpywareBlaster does to block stuff.

 

Active = producing or involving action or movement, just like an anti-virus resident shield.

 

If something isn't active or operating, how does it protect you?

 

Surely something what be watching for it to know when to do something? That sounds really active to me? Like if you are using host files, something must be watching for the system to make domain lookups and then block them if the domain is set to loopback....

 

And trust me, I know how Spywareblaster and all the other things you mention work (probably better than most of you on this thread), but this whole/active passive thing puzzles me.

 

Seems to me what you are referring to is using built in windows features like setting activex killbits (spywareblaster), to do this "passive protection". It is built in, so you don't really need spywareblaster running (hence the myth about such protection using zero resources). In fact you don't realy need spywareblaster, you could edit the registry directly really...

 

Same for hosts files, it is just built into windows.

 

But this theory fails, when you start talking about adblock plus...Since that definitely isn't part of windows by default. Hack it isn't even part of firefox typically... Why do people think adblock plus is "passive" protection. Because it shares the same memory space as firefox, so people think this protection is "free"...??

 

I mean why isn't third party firewalls considered passive protection (or is it?). Because people see it appears as a seperate process in the task monitor?

 

Never mind, I think too much...

[Andavari]

If something isn't active or operating, how does it protect you?

As in SpywareBlaster it's the killbits it places in the registry. Similarly some other security software can also do that however as of yet I haven't seen anything that does it as robustly as SpywareBlaster.

 

You really need to do some research on the subject by browsing written articles, security sites, etc!