[vox] [OT] Length of time to infect a Windows computer?

[Richard Crawford]

On Sat, 2004-09-25 at 12:54, Bill Kendrick wrote:
> On Sat, Sep 25, 2004 at 11:39:53AM -0700, Richard Crawford wrote:
> > It led me to wonder: how long does is the average Windows PC on-line
> > before it's compromised?  I'm sure that it has to do with the user's
> > browsing habits and all that and the tightness of the original
> > installation, but surely there are numbers on this somewhere?
> 
> I coulda sworn there was an article about that which I added to LUGOD's
> "Reasons to Avoid Microsoft" page, but couldn't find it. :^/
> 
> I did find this, though:
> 
>   PCs 'infested' with spy programs
>   http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/3633167.stm
> 
>     'The average computer is packed with hidden software that can
>     secretly spy on online habits, a study has found.'
> 
> (It's about Earthlink's study of their own customers' computers.)

Scary.

Every now and then I'm asked whether I recommend putting a firewall on a
new Windows computer.

"You'd be foolish not to put a firewall on it in addition to the one
built in to XP -- not to mention AdAware, Spybot S&D, and replace your
Internet software with the Mozilla suite.

I was on a library school-related mailing list when this topic came up. 
Someone was buying a new computer and wanted to know if she really
needed a firewall.  Someone else said, "You're fine if you're on
dial-up.  If you're on dial-up you don't have to worry about any of
that."

I nearly choked.
 
-- 
Richard S. Crawford / http://www.mossroot.com
AIM: Buffalo2K / ICQ: 11646404 / Y!: rscrawford
""We live as though the world were how it should be,
to show it what it can be." --"Angel", Season 4 ep. 1