[lotuseclat79]

Inventor: SSL not to blame for security woes.

...explains what needs to be done to boost security on the Internet.

-- Tom

[Cheeseball81]

Good read...

[perfume]

Dear lotuseclat79,
I read the article very carefully and two things stood out!

1) Quote"There are attempts (at control)--for example, Visa and MasterCard will force merchants to go through the PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards) regulations. These are useful--they force Web site owners to go through particular security testing and design to make the site better." Unquote.

2) quote" I know for a fact that Microsoft would never turn off a site because the certificate has expired. Because maybe it expired, and (the owners) are working on getting an extension...you turn the site off, and they lose half a million dollars. There is a commercial issue here that is just hard to deal with."Unquote.

Now who will bell the big cat with 80% of the meat (Microsoft) that the end-users are getting the short shrift? People think a firewall, an A-V, an anti-spyware, an anti-malware, good browsing habits are enough! True, because the whole nexus makes the end-user beleive in the above concept.

The Egyptian security specialist has punctured that notion and what should the end-user do, dear lotuseclat79? Tell me?

[lotuseclat79]

Hi perfume,

End users need to harden their security software. If M$ can do it for the Air Force, then it certainly do it for their customer base otherwise.

The best end users can do is to learn how to harden their own systems rather than wait for M$ to help them out.

Linux, Unix, and Mac OS users fair somewhat better in regards to security - it helps not to be a target.

-- Tom

[perfume]

Dear lotuseclat79,
Thank you for the reply! I was actually waiting as to how you would go about answering my query?As usual your are "THE" top security specialist i have ever encountered.

I am actually saddened as to the number of visitors who frequent your post( especially this one), because all the secure notions we have about security are "so unsecure"!!

After reading your post yesterday, i installed the "Returnil Virtual system" on my PC. Some how, i don't know why, i am not able to understand using "SandboxIE"! I hope you can shed some light! I have read the FAQs and all the stuff and downloaded and used Sandboxie, still unsure!

[Elvandil]

If you like Returnil, you're better off, anyway. It protects the whole system. Unless you got the Premium version and keep saving changes to the "real" system, nothing can get through and your email is secure, too.

SandboxIE (Virtualizes IE, Firefox, or any other browser and works on most other programs, too)
VMWare Browser Appliance (Runs in the free VMWare Player. The Player also will run any of 100's of preconfigured operating system and appliance images downloadable for free from VMWare, and you can even make your own VM's to run in it with the open-source VMmanager)
Artificial Dynamics Safe Space (Similar to SandboxIE, safe browsing and protection from malware and hackers)
Fortes Grand Virtual Sandbox
Microsoft Web Sandbox (Open-Source) (In development but usable)
Returnil Virtual System (The Premium version allows you to save all changes inside the virtual OS to the real system, but even the free version has a virtual drive where items can be saved outside the virtual container)
Windows Steady State (Now supports Vista, too)

[perfume]

Dear Elvandil,
Your reply is re-assuring, to put it mildly! Thank you, and if i want to download and install the program in the "real" C: Drive, how do i go about it?

[Gizzy]

@lotuseclat79 - Thanks for the article.


@perfume - I made some pages in the library which may help you understand and strengthen Sandboxie more (or confuse you more since you don't understand it yet ...hope not )

Stop Keyloggers In Sandboxie <-- (a little outdated since it can be done without editing a file now, but it still works I just need to update that page for the newer way of doing it)

Sandboxie and System Restore <-- (this will only apply to you if you use system restore but if you only use images instead for your recovery and have system restore off then you can ignore this page)

But also if you don't pick up well to sandboxie there's also the others Elvandil listed

or you can use just Returnil.

There's also this page in the library Sandbox usually the main three I see used the most are
Geswall (free and paid version), Defensewall (paid only),and Sandboxie (free and paid version),

There's also safespace but I've heard it's development has stopped so no more newer versions, but since it doesn't use signatures like a scanner program it can stay strong for lot longer without updates, But I believe you said you tried it and had problems with it in another thread....?


@Elvandil - I've been using returnil for over a year now and I like it very much,

But I still prefer a sandbox type program (not just sandboxie),
Because I make too many changes to have it turned on all the time, so I just use the session lock when I want it's added protection and,
with returnil it is suggested to run from a limited account with it, because otherwise malware could get just as high of computer privileges as returnil has,

Where as with a sandbox type program it's restrained to the sandbox (not that I'm saying malware has never broken out of a sandbox),

With a sandbox type program malware can only do harm as far as the sandbox allows it to,
but with returnil malware can make system wide changes,
returnil should erase any changes made, but if malware tampers with returnil's own files then you're in trouble.

Though if it's not the only security on the computer and/or the user is using a limited account then I think it's a great program.

But all that being said the malware would most likely need to be aware of returnil to do any harm to the actual computer.

[perfume]

Dear Elvandil,lotuseclat79 and Gizzy,
I have bought the Returnil Virtual System Premium Edition and am reading the "Help" section,before i can present before you how i have fared! Thanks a lot to the three of you!

DearGizzy,
Geswell has a free ware version whereas Sandboxie dosen't!

[Gizzy]

Originally Posted by perfume

Dear Elvandil,lotuseclat79 and Gizzy,
I have bought the Returnil Virtual System Premium Edition and am reading the "Help" section,before i can present before you how i have fared! Thanks a lot to the three of you!

DearGizzy,
Geswell has a free ware version whereas Sandboxie dosen't!

Nice to hear about you buying returnil, it's a great program.

Sandboxie and Geswall both have free and paid versions,
I'm currently using the free version of sandboxie.

[Elvandil]

Originally Posted by perfume

Dear Elvandil,lotuseclat79 and Gizzy,
I have bought the Returnil Virtual System Premium Edition and am reading the "Help" section,before i can present before you how i have fared! Thanks a lot to the three of you!

DearGizzy,
Geswell has a free ware version whereas Sandboxie dosen't!

All these programs are based on the same idea. It is really a matter of personal preference which you use. As you can see from what Gizzy has said, it may take some time before you can settle on one that you like. The degree with which you can put up with the inability to make system changes has a lot to do with it. And how hard it is to enter and exit the sandboxed or virtual state. Returnil Premium makes all this easier, but less safe to the same degree.

I, too, find Returnil too restricting since I install 10's of new programs every day. So I use a sandboxed browser, or just rely on my recent drive image. At times, I fire up the VMWare browser. The appliance actually runs in Ubuntu, so installing it gives you a safe browser and some chance to work with Ubuntu, too, though there may be no real advantage to the appliance over a straight VM of Ubuntu. Something like 463 operating systems have free images downloadable from VMWare and browsing in a VM is as safe as you can get.

[perfume]

Dear Elvandil,
I was an Ubuntu user, but switched over back to(sic!) Windows, when they made me take a test as to my ability to cope with Linux! So, naturalliment, i failed and was softly told to get out of Ubuntu!LOL


Will try Returnil and if not happy will "junk" it! Dad can afford to lose a few Euros! I think his pockets are stuffed with them! Some one has to spend them and let it be i !

[Elvandil]

There are choices. If you get into the habit of making all your system changes on a schedule, like weekly, then being in the Returnil "sandbox" will not interfere with your daily routine.

GesWall may be the least intrusive in that way, but you then have to deal with all the popup warnings.

But if you search around and experimant, it is possible to have security with a tolerable level of inconvenience that is far less in amount than the frustration of getting infected.

[perfume]

Dear Elvandil,
I don't mean to praise you, but all your posts are highly educative! I actually "bookmark" and later take a paper copy of your posts! I have a concept called" lateral learning" and that happens when somebody posts a query which demands your attention, time and a post, i view your post and the O.P too and that helps me a lot!

When i was a newbie and you were talking about Macrium Reflect, i immediately downloaded the software and learnt how to backup and (as you always say) RESTORE the image (from their blog site)!

Grateful!