Security Risks?

P

ppsking

Active Member
Joined
Jul 24, 2006
Messages
54
Reaction score
0
I just love my iBurst, but I have one concern. When I open my dashboard, I click on connect and surf away. How safe is this......or let me rather ask how easy it is for someone to use my bandwidth. :confused:

Same applies for internet banking. Is it possible for someone to intercept the signal and get access to my bank account? :eek:

And as I mentioned in a previous thread.....try and keep the technical terms to a limit.......I am still new at this! :D
 
Firstly, the dashboard just opens your iBurst connection. I cannot use your iBurst by running the dashboard on my pc. (your login is stored on your pc)

Secondly using internet banking with iBurst is as safe as with Telkom ADSL/Vodacom 3G/MTN/CellC or any other way. Your browser (Internet explorer) encodes the data and only the bank server can understand it.

Hope that helps.
 
Thanks, Pilgrim. I feel much better now. Not that I have money in the bank that they can take.............but who knows what happens with tomorrows lottery!! :D
 
As with any other broadband connection, the onus is upon the user to install proper firewalls and protections against outside attacks.

IMHO running "software firewalls" on an OS full of known security vulnerabilities is asking for trouble. A router with firewall is highly recommended. This is from experience.
 
To complicate things even further, should one be concerned about running personal firewalls on holey OSes behind a firewall/router combo?
 
I'm using an iBurst desktop modem connected via Ethernet.

A hardware firewall is your best option, but if you don't have that, I would recommend a 3rd party firewall, e.g. Zonealarm, McAfee, etc.

I'm using Norton Internet Security, which includes Firewall, Anti-Virus & Anti-Spam - combined with Office XP it works very well for me.

The Windows Firewall is very basic, but is better than nothing.
 
kingrob said:
I'm using Norton Internet Security, which includes Firewall, Anti-Virus & Anti-Spam - combined with Office XP it works very well for me.

The Windows Firewall is very basic, but is better than nothing.
Click to expand...

I guess it's time I get my Norton Internet Security then. I have the Anti-Virus, so let's keep it in the family :D
 
I have the Norton Internet Security plus Windows Defender and have no problems.

Before Windows Defender I had spyware everywhere and before Norton my machine was a paperweight :)....
 
GavinMannion said:
I have the Norton Internet Security plus Windows Defender and have no problems.

Before Windows Defender I had spyware everywhere and before Norton my machine was a paperweight :)....
Click to expand...

So are you recommending either one of them or both? Is it better to have two running? :confused:
 
Hye guys is it really neccesary to have a software firewall if I have a hardware firewall on my Netgear 614 router? (in case anyone knows if the firewall is maby crappy on my router...)

I have disabled the firewall on my Laptop, and it works fine, no attacks r anythign get through all of a sudden.

is it safe to disable it on my PC which I use much more frequently?
I still run NOD32 on both PC's for AV protection.
 
If you have a router there is no real need to have a software firewall running. But I do it anyway.
 
For what, Mr Mannion, to protect you against ailens?

Seriously though, a hardware firewall has always been good enough for me. At least my desktop runs as fast as it can, which is important as I used my desktop to do work and I hate a slow PC.

However at my workplace I use ZoneAlarm to prevent other employees from snooping my PC, have caught them red-handed doing it.
 
I agree, a hardware firewall is superior to a software firewall - but if you're paranoid about internet security, you can use both.
 
Ever since I installed a router my McAfee Firewall has received no attacks or queries on any ports. So basically the hardware has made the software redundant.

However, McAfee Firewall may help prevent applications that are not legit (e.g installed spyware) from gaining outbound access from your computer without your permission. I know McAfee Firewall asks if you'd like to give a new application permission to use the Internet. Something a hardware firewall would not ask or block on the fly.

As always though you must have virus protection, and I find the Mcafee Spam filter to be fantastic, especially against those emails titled "Enlarge your p**** by 1000 metres"
 
Jongi said:
If you have a router there is no real need to have a software firewall running. But I do it anyway.
Click to expand...

Thats the same thing I do.. but I took the plunge yesterday and uninstalled my firewall. Its going fine..

I think ill leave it that way, unless I use a new AV that has one of those security suites whihc do alot of other stuff too, then ill probably use it. but for now NOD32 is best, very low on resources. Those secxurity suites from Zone Alarm and McAffee etc suck up alot of ram and CPU, especially with their on access scanning.
 
I really don't have anything good to say about McAfee, even if I have a very good friend working for them in England.

I downloaded the 'McAfee Managed Virusscan & Firewall' from Standard Bank's Internet banking web site, installed it and... then the fun started.

Changes is saw on my system:

1. Took me almost a minute to login - when you typed in your password the system would do nothing, you had to wait for almost a minute.

2. McAfee client refused to update the anti-virus definitions, I had to uninstall it, install it again (that's after having to login to internet banking constantly for the downloads) and then it still wouldn't update.

I was pulling my hair out! I looked at all my installed software, services running, incompatible drivers, and thought to myself - the only major change I made to my Windows XP Home system, was to install the XP Transformation Pack - and that only give you Vista skins?

Solution? Uninstalled McAfee, went to Incredible Corruption and purchased Norton Internet Security, PROBLEM SOLVED!

Hooray!
 
lol.. Norton..

Im shure theres something alot better than Norton you could be using. But actually Norton is fine, it does get most viruses blocked and runs everything you need in one app.
But it uses huge amounts of memory and slows things down (maby not as much as McAfee i geuss) it also does not get quite as many viruses as the top AV's.

You could try Kaspersky, Bitdefender and a few others.. NOD32 is probably best for a small, fast effective AV.
 
I read that Symantec is one of the companies optimizing their software for the new Intel Core Duo CPU - I guess it will be much faster when you do a full system scan.... a full system scan on my P4 3Ghz HT takes more than 30 minutes!!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X