[LINK] Web malware a 'loosing battle'

[Craig Sanders]

On Tue, Dec 18, 2007 at 02:01:20AM +0000, stephen at melbpc.org.au wrote:
> Malware flood driving new AV 
> 
> Symantec researchers say number of malicious applications is rapidly 
> outpacing the volume of legitimate programs, forcing a rethink of  AV 
> defense tactics  By Matt Hines. December 14, 2007 

the re-think is really simple if you don't have a self-serving profit
motive clouding your judgement:

1. don't use Microsoft Windows (any version)

2. disable java, javascript, flash, and other executable content.

3. for web browsing, use firefox (aka iceweasel) and :
   - install the adblock plugin to block ads and user-tracking web-bugs

   - install the NoScript plugin so you can selectively enable
     javscript, flash, etc for sites where you really need & want it.

   - install one of the cookie manager plugins so YOU have control over
     the cookie data.

   - install the CustomiseGoogle plugin so that google can't track you
     across the internet or (via CG's randomise cookie feature) compile
     a list of all the searches you have conducted.

4. for email, use thunderbird (aka icedove) and disable both image
   loading and HTML email (and find the 'view as html' menu option for
   the tiny handful of HTML emails that you actually want to see).

(the last item is for those who like GUI mail clients. personally, i
don't - i use the text-based mutt MUA. most people, however, will want a
graphical MUA).


in short: take charge of your own computer and don't let virus writers,
spammers, or marketing droids and other corporate scumbags "own" the
computer YOU bought with YOUR money.

until and unless you do this, viruses, spyware, and all the other
annoyances of the net will continually plague you.


craig

PS: this "re-think" has been known for years....but there's no money in
it for companies like Symantec.  It makes them pointlessly obsolete.


-- 
craig sanders <cas at taz.net.au>

<lilo> Fairlight: udp is the light margarine of tcp/ip transport protocols :)
		-- Seen on #Linux