"Jeremy" writes:

"Bluesea" wrote in message
...

You're using OE, right? Are you aware that if you go to Tools -
Options - Read and check the box next to Read all messages in plain
text, it will prevent any html-borne nasties from working?

I have, from necessity, become quite the advanced amateur when it
comes to malware, spyware and viruses.

Bummer. Back in 1986 when I bought my first computer, I bought a Mac.
That's all I use now, although I have one Mac running NetBSD just for
variety. As far as I can tell, Windows is simply a personal security
risk and I don't need the headaches. Life is too short.

I have set up my Security Zone to maximum, for IE6, OE and Outlook
2000. All of my emails are in text only--no html.

As they should be- not for security but for maximum compatibility with
the computers your recipients may be using.

I run several different types of spyware/malware scanners: SpyBot
Search & Destroy, AdAware, A-Square, Spyware Guard, Spyware Blaster,
CWShredder. I run AVG Anti-Virus and I update the signatures at
least once daily. My email server at EarthLink also scans all
incoming emails with Symantec Anti-Virus and anything containing a
virus doesn't get into my email box.

I have spam control turned on, and BrightMail provides the spam
signatures. I have encrypted all of my data files, using
professional encryption software from PC Guardian.

I use ZoneAlarm as my personal firewall, and I have it set to close
all ports whenever my screensaver activates (after 10 minutes of no
activity), just to be sure that nothing gets by me if I leave my
computer for a break.

Wow. I use ipfw (which is standard with OS X) configured with
BrickHouse. It runs in the background and I never think about it. If
I'm feeling suspicious I run snort. Mail for OS X has built-in
Bayesian filtering so I rarely see spam in my Inbox; my ISP uses
Postini on the server side which is pretty good at isolating spam and
viruses.

I use dial-up internet, not broadband, so I don't have an "always
on" connection.

I use DSL and host four Web sites from my computer (OS X comes with
apache). I've had literally tens of thousands of attacks from script
kiddies and the like, so far nothing has gotten past ipfw and
snort. My computer has been always-on on the Internet for nearly 4
years with nary a problem so far- not to say that someone won't come
along and successfully attack. One thing about the future is that it
is always changing.

Finally, I use the Anonymizer cloaking service, to strip out all
JavaScript, ActiveX Controls, Cookies, pop-ups a,d all my browsing
is via SSH encryption. Even my ISP can't see where I browse,
because everything goes through the Anonymizer proxy.

Huh. Have you tried the current security recommendation which is to
use any browser other than Internet Explorer? FireFox works well; I
prefer Camino for OS X (an offshoot of Mozilla) or Safari.

My computer is so protected against intruders that one third of my
system resources are used up just running all that junk in the
background!

"Find the cost of freedom..." ;-)

And, you know what? I STILL get an occasional browser hijack or
spyware applet deposited on my hard drive (Stay away from the New
York Times web site--they always put spyware onto your
computer--read their privacy policy!).

No spyware from them on my computer. Are you sure about this?

When I got my first PC in 1990 (DOS 3.3), I embraced the prospect of
sophisticated technology. Now all I get are headaches when I try to
use my computer.

Well, there are many alternative solutions to this. There are dozens
of GNU/Linux options which are excellent, as well as BSD options which
are also excellent. They'll run on your computer so you don't have to
buy new hardware, unlike switching to a Mac. Although if I was going
to do that, I'd install that stuff on a second hard drive and boot
from that until I was sure I liked the way it works.

It seems like everyone thinks they have the right to control my
computer remotely. And the big internet sites--the ones you would
not ordinarily suspect of abuse--are the worst ones of all.

Even Western Union is now SELLING your financial information--your
bank account number, dates and amounts of transactions, names of
your payees--when you use their funds transfer services to pay your
car payment or send money to relatives! Their disclosure statement
says that they reserve the right to sell the info to "neighborhood
merchants, florists, stock brokers and insurance salesmen."

I reserve the right not to use their services. And I have told them
so. More consumers need to do this, of course. Once they get the
message that these policies cost them money, they might look at
changing them.

That $.37 stamp doesn't look so expensive by comparison anymore.

I've always thought that the USPS was a great deal.