On 1/16/2025 1:13 PM, Bennett Price wrote:
I know that there are workarounds to install Win 11 on older machines.
What I'm wondering about is whether installing aftermarket virus
software (Norton, AVG, etc.) would keep Win 10 safe after MS stops
supporting it. Clearly, Win 10 won't get patches to Notepad, Snipping
Tool, etc. but would anti-virus software keep Win 10 safe from malware
on the internet?
What support that MS will stop providing can't be provided by
aftermarket software?
I just moved from XP a year ago. I haven't used AV since
about 2000. Microsoft want you to believe that your computer
will turn into a pumpkin without their oversight. The lapdog
tech media are only too happy to print their pre-written press
releases. Microsoft usenet shills like "Head of Cyber Security"
will try to shame you into thinking you're too dumb to understand.
What does updated security on Windows provide? It gives you
patches for known exploits. Most of those exploits are mainly
relevant in corporate settings. See, for example, this list of
patches from last Sept:
https://isc.sans.edu/diary/Microsoft+September+2024+Patch+Tuesday/31254
Keeping up to date can help in a limited way. If you don't
trouble yourself with security then updates and AV are your
only help. But it won't help much with 0-days or "social
engineering" attacks.
Real security means avoiding script in the browser
or email, using a Firewall to stop in/out that you didn't instigate,
and being careful about email attachments, downloads, sneaky
links, scary popups, etc. That means watch out for scam tricks.
(Sometimes that's not about the computer. The woman I live
with got scammed out of $390 by calling a number from a webpage
popup that told her that her computer was infected. She gave
them her credit card number. How did that happen? Her ignorance
coupled with enabling javascript in the browser, which made the
popup possible. AV would have done no good.)
Also good is to set up a HOSTS file and block surveillance. That's
not only good for privacy. It's also security. Hackers will buy ad
space on mainstream sites like the NYTimes, then use it to force
you to visit their domain so they can run an attack script. NYTimes
doesn't care. Google, who sold them the ad space, doesn't care.
They all just want their money. So ads have also become one of
the biggest security risks.
Another good idea is to use disk image backup and backup all
important data: email, taxes, business records, etc. Also, avoid
having sensitive data on your computer at all, if possible. Avoid
online shopping.
Finally, disable services and software associated with remote
code execution. Things like Remote Desktop are among the most
common problems. If you can call into your computer from
elsewhere then so can other people.
Twenty five years ago, when AV updates were 1 MB once a month
and attacks came from kids, AV was a good idea. It's waaaaaay out of
date now. The attacks are often coming from government sponsored
hackers, or even our own NSA. Open networks are not safe. But people
want to shop and use the Internet with abandon. And most people
can't be bothered with details. That's how Apple built their customer
base. People mistakenly think Macs are safe.
People don't want any hassle. You can't have it
both ways. If you can't be bothered then get AV, accept having a
slow system, and hope for the best. Otherwise, play it safe. Don't
buy precut salads in supermarkets and don't enable browser script
when you don't have to.
Also, these days it's wise to freeze your credit. I'm careful in
general and only use credit cards in a limited way, yet 3 times in
the past year someone has tried to get a credit card in my name.
They were stopped only because my credit is frozen. And I don't shop
online generally. So my personal data is not in most of those hacked
databases.
This isn't paranoia. It's simply the facts of life in a world where
people are running headlong toward automation. When databases,
police, hospitals, banks, etc are connected to the Internet, it's clear
that even the techies don't understand what they're doing. Disaster
is only a matter of time.
--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
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