When Does a Computer Become Susceptible

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Fri Dec 21, 2012 6:30 am

When does a computer first become susceptible to the bad things that might happen on the internet?

When activating a brand new computer (home built) that has never been connected to the internet and does not have a browser installed but is connected to a home network, is it susceptible a virus from the internet?

Can a hacker access data on that computer?

Might the OS bring with it a virus"

algale · Post by **algale** » Fri Dec 21, 2012 6:37 am

I'm not very knowledgeable about such things but there was a story a few years ago where they bought some brand new computers and found that some came preinstalled with various spyware programs.

ryanbp01 · Post by **ryanbp01** » Fri Dec 21, 2012 8:38 am

I would think it would become susceptible as soon as it is connected to the internet, provided you do not some type of detection software installed. I wouldn't know of any pre-installed spyware, but if there was and it became known, I would imagine it would hurt sales for that particular brand.

BPR

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Fri Dec 21, 2012 10:05 am

The reason I ask is this. I just finished assembling a computer for one of the kids. I installed Windows 7 and originally nothing else. Everything seemed to be working fine so I downloaded Firefox and then immediately Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE).

I then ran MSE and MSE reported corrupted files. Those files were quarantined by MSE.

I have since installed their copy of Office and IE (because that is the browser they use). I then removed Firefox.

I have since delivered the computer and they are using it for whatever; probably downloading games and music. It is working and has given them no problems (that I have heard about).

I am just a bit confused by the quarantined files and where they could have come from. MSE was run two additional times with no issues..

backhertz · Post by **backhertz** » Fri Dec 21, 2012 10:48 am

In the service I maintained huge mainframe computer systems during the early 1980s. I've built & used PCs since 1990 or thereabouts and have never had a virus other than an occasional trojan- a virus or piece of malware that was piggy backed with something else. Some trojans are simple and some are very persistent. For the persistent ones, I found going to Symantec's web site would provide me a tool to remove the persistent trojan which would be well protected deep in the OS registry.

I always used virus protection, stayed away from sites which were known for infecting computers, and I guess was just lucky. I also never opened any email from someone I didn't know… until the other day.

I also use a MacBook which is normally immune to viruses by the operating system. Hackers go after Microsoft systems because Microsoft operating systems make it easy- at least in the past to infect a system.

I opened a personal email on my Yahoo Mail account from a 10ER forum member and it was suspicious with just a link. Well, it apparently went to my address book at 9:37 through 9:40 P.M and sent out messages to I believe everyone in my address book. I discovered this in my sent folder. Each message had a different subject, but it was weird that it started at the first address and ended at the last in 3 minutes time.

In the immortal words of Homer Simpson, "Dohh!" I learned the sender had received an email from another 10ER member. It sucks.

I changed my Yahoo mail password and all seems to be okay.

I know some game sites often include trojans- or software you never downloaded which continually prompt you to purchase more games. I've only seen that on Windows OS machines. I've heard from people who go to porn, hacker websites, or sites to download pirated software, often download more than they thought they were. I stay away from those sites by simply practicing 'safe computing'.

I also stay away from forwards. People will receive a forward from one person they know who forward messages to everyone they know all day long. These so-called good intention email forwards that promise a surprise if you forward the well-intentioned message to 10 others will give a sender a surprise- but not the one they expected… I think this activity ends us wasting much of the Internet because good-intentioned people don't have a clue that these messages will multiply faster than a pair of rabbits or rats and tie up the Internet with junk mail.

For people using Windows machines, the use of a virus/security package is critical to keeping one's system safe. MacBooks are renown for their virus immunity, but I read the first computer virus many years ago effected Apple machines only.

Just practicing safe computing will usually keep a system safe. it doesn't hurt to include a paid for or even a free security program that is updated as needed to keep a computer safe from the latest threats.

jhut83 · Post by **jhut83** » Fri Dec 21, 2012 11:00 am

MSE has an unfair evaluation process when it comes to third party browsers. I've seen this same thing happen many times. I wouldn't worry about it.

terrydowning · Post by **terrydowning** » Fri Dec 21, 2012 11:14 am

A brand new computer has a life expectancy of less than 30 seconds if connecting directly to the internet without going through a NAT router. It will be attacked as soon as it pops up. It doe not matter what the OS is either. USE A NAT ROUTER IF YOU'RE ON BROADBAND! Use a decent virus protection as well. Cheap insurance really. Again, don't believe the hype that Macs and Linux are safer, they aren't. There are just fewer of them.

robinson46176 · Post by **robinson46176** » Fri Dec 21, 2012 11:18 am

Here is another thought... I have been told in the past that some antivirus programs will tag harmless unused files as dangerous and quarantine them during the first few runs just to convince people that they are doing something so folks will continue to pay big bucks for them and their updates... That people think "hey, that $$$ anti-virus found stuff that my free one missed".

I can't back that up, it is just what I have been told.
The one and only virus I recall ever getting came with new software on a floppy disk. Does that tell you how long ago that was?

I was not even on the web so it was probably early 1990's. It was harmless, displayed some kind of simple firework on the screen once... I surf pretty carefully. Now I did used to have to clean out some ad-ware stuff with windows but don't see it with Linux. Even with Linux I still run a Linux anti-virus. I should check all of that stuff out and be sure it is current. I just tend to forget about it these days.

I forget about a lot of stuff these days...

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Ed in Tampa · Post by **Ed in Tampa** » Fri Dec 21, 2012 12:25 pm

dusty wrote:When does a computer first become susceptible to the bad things that might happen on the internet?

When activating a brand new computer (home built) that has never been connected to the internet and does not have a browser installed but is connected to a home network, is it susceptible a virus from the internet?

Can a hacker access data on that computer?

Might the OS bring with it a virus"

From removing viruses from people's computer that would never look at those things, the minute you go look at a picture of a nude woman. Almost every case of I have found of viruses has been when a person that would never look at those things, looks at a porn site or tries to watch a movie illegally (usually mild porn)

The minute a computer is connected to the internet it is susceptable but it is highly unlikely unless you have someone mad at you and is trying to make your life rough.

Can they get data yes but..... They would have to be really good. They would have to figure out your address, guess when you have the computer on, or catch the ping when your computer connected. Then they would have trick your computer into accepting more than a acknowledgement ping and send a trojan in to send the data. Or you made your data sharable with the network which I hope you didn't do.

Could it come in a operating system. The only way is if you are using something other than a manufactures disk to load the operating system from. Many bootlegged operating system and program disks are filled with the most vile viruses.

Having been an operating system programmer and debuging specialist for IBM I know that some virus protection programs that I know of will not detect it. In fact if you are using bootlegged anything it could have written code into the actual OS or program to ship your data anywhere and they could have spread it out throughout the OS that no virus protection or even a hot shot programmer would find unless they saw the data being shipped downline.

Having run about 8 years with no virus protection of any kind I can attest that if you don't go where you shouldn't, don't click unless you know exactly what you are clicking on, don't trade email with people that don't know to wipe your address before they forward the email, and you don't try to get something for free because we know nothing is really free, you probably will not get a virus.

Have I gotten viruses absolutely but everytime I can trace it back to one of these causes. Do I now have antivirus, yes I installed it about 2 years ago on Dusty's advice Microsoft Security Essentials. However I do not keep any personal data (data I don't want shared) on my computer. It is kept on thumb drives that are only inserted into the computer when I'm not on line, and my computer is CCleaned and shut down and rebooted before I go back on line. I admit I am a tad paranoid.