How good are these two security measures?

LOG

LOG

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I'm not sure what either is actually called, only what they do.

The first one is used as a form of password protection, specifically against keyloggers I believe, since it opens a mini-keyboard on your monitor and then you just need to click in your password.

The other I've never actually seen in action, only heard of. It's some program that essentially put trust-control around the kernel of your computer. It's pre-programmed to only allow in the specific elements that a basic computer should have. As soon as anything that's not in the original programming tries to go through the kernel, it stops it ask for your permission to let it pass. Denial will kill the program. At least that's how I understood it.

Can anyone offer any input on these. Especially whether or not they're available for commercial/public use.
 

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I wouldn't use either, ever.

1. Keyloggers have to be installed. Don't install stuff you don't deliberately choose to install.

2. Don't run in Admin. Create an everyday account and run as a user.
 

Lhun

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LOG said:
What does doing this stop exactly?
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Well, contrary to popular advice it doesn't really help against malware. It does help against the user(s) accidentally breaking vital parts of the system though, so it's not a bad idea. Normal users don't really need administrator privileges anyway, or at least not often enough that switching to an admin/poweruser account is a big hassle.
 
ejket

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Prevention is really the best plan. Use a NAT router to protect against casual external attack. Avoid common attack vectors such as MS net software in general: instead use Firefox, Thunderbird, Miranda, or whatever alternatives you prefer. Install a script-blocking plugin for your browser, such as NoScript for Firefox---you don't need it turned on all the time, but when you're not on a familiar, trusted site it's smart to see what they throw at you without needing to experience it first hand. Don't install stuff directly from the net: save and scan everything first. Scan every attachment you get by email whether you think it's executable or not. You can even install Linux in a VM and use it for casual net browsing.

You get the idea. Security isn't just a piece of software, it's a state of mind.
 

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Lhun said:
Well, contrary to popular advice it doesn't really help against malware. It does help against the user(s) accidentally breaking vital parts of the system though, so it's not a bad idea. Normal users don't really need administrator privileges anyway, or at least not often enough that switching to an admin/poweruser account is a big hassle.
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It stops a naive click-happy user from installing Trojans.

Which they will do. Particularly the ones that mimic actual dialog windows from the OS or legit anti-virus products that claim to have an "update."
 
alleycat

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I would suggest using an onscreen keyboard for keying in sensitive passwords (for example, your bank account). One comes standard with Windows, and sometimes with whatever security software you're using. Doing that offers a certain level of protection. There are two types of keyloggers; one is software loaded on your computer without your permission, the other is hardware that can be installed on someone's computer (this is probably not something you have to worry about unless you happen to live with someone you don't trust).

As for browsers, Firefox is considered a little more secure than IE (and FF has some helpful security plugins available such as NoScripts). It's a fairly straightforward download and setup. You can have both it and IE on your computer at the same time (I do).
 
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ejket

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LOG said:
So is anything besides MS/IE a good idea. Or do I just want to try and find the most obscure browser possible?
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Just use any browser other than IE. I do all my browsing with Firefox in Linux, and that's pretty safe, but it's not a choice for everyone.
 

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LOG said:
Quoted.

So is anything besides MS/IE a good idea. Or do I just want to try and find the most obscure browser possible?
Click to expand...

Keep IE around in case you find one of the increasingly rare I.E. only sites--

But get Firefox.

Mostly though? Read the screen. Think before you click. Don't let ANYONE else use your account, or the Admin account.
 

Lhun

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Just to go against the mainstream, i recommend Opera instead of Firefox. It's faster, less cluttered, and just the overall better browser. :p



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