ANOTHER computer question - updates - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

mpolli · #1 03-15-2009, 01:21 AM

I have a Dell with XP. It often gives me the message "Automatic Updates have been installed, computer will restart in 5 min". (Of course it never says what it is updating). So when I finally let it restart, do you know what the first message I get is???

"Updates are ready for your computer"!!!

WTF? What is it updating, and why does it want to update as soon as it just got done updating? Can I turn this off some how?

aklim · #2 03-15-2009, 08:10 AM

Start, Settings, Control Panel, Automatic Updates. Click on "Turn off updates"

Jim H · #3 03-15-2009, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mpolli

What is it updating, and why does it want to update as soon as it just got done updating?

Some Windows updates seem to want to install one at a time, and the computer must be restarted before it will accept the next update. As posted above, you can turn off automatic updating, but do click the Update command now and then to stay current.

Gurkha · #4 03-15-2009, 11:46 AM

If you are turning off auto update, make sure to do manual update via start>manual update otherwise a un-patched OS can lead to serious consequences like getting hacked or loss of data.

Brian Carlton · #5 03-15-2009, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gurkha

If you are turning off auto update, make sure to do manual update via start>manual update otherwise a un-patched OS can lead to serious consequences like getting hacked or loss of data.

I'm curious if anybody with FF has been "hacked"? Many claim dire results if the updates are not performed religiously........but, what's the real situation?

Sure, somebody........somewhere had it happen one time.......that doesn't define the level of risk.

Gurkha · #6 03-15-2009, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Carlton

I'm curious if anybody with FF has been "hacked"? Many claim dire results if the updates are not performed religiously........but, what's the real situation?

Sure, somebody........somewhere had it happen one time.......that doesn't define the level of risk.

http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/030909-mozilla-patches-fastest.html

You will see that FF is not as secure as they claim and more and more hacks are targeted toward this browser. The fact that its getting popular also is one of the reasons for the increasing number of attacks. FF's earlier premise was that it was designed to be hack proof, now they don't claim that anymore and instead harp on their patch issue speed.

No browser is bullet proof but as per Secunia, one of the oldest browser Opera is the safest having the least number of holes.

Patching the OS is necessary regardless of using a secure browser, there are other OS related exploits that can be pertained to security as well.

diametricalbenz · #7 03-15-2009, 12:21 PM

I agree, those XP patches must be current to minimize vulnerability. Sure it's annoying but they're free.

Brian Carlton · #8 03-15-2009, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gurkha

http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/030909-mozilla-patches-fastest.html

You will see that FF is not as secure as they claim and more and more hacks are targeted toward this browser. The fact that its getting popular also is one of the reasons for the increasing number of attacks. FF's earlier premise was that it was designed to be hack proof, now they don't claim that anymore and instead harp on their patch issue speed.

No browser is bullet proof but as per Secunia, one of the oldest browser Opera is the safest having the least number of holes.

Patching the OS is necessary regardless of using a secure browser, there are other OS related exploits that can be pertained to security as well.

I see the claimed vulnerabilities in FF. However, the real question is the capability and the success of the hackers at taking advantage of said vulnerabilities.

Not to discount the use of the patches, but the question remains as to how much risk does a FF user assume when using the browser...........with or without the patches?

Gurkha · #9 03-15-2009, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Carlton

I see the claimed vulnerabilities in FF. However, the real question is the capability and the success of the hackers at taking advantage of said vulnerabilities.

Not to discount the use of the patches, but the question remains as to how much risk does a FF user assume when using the browser...........with or without the patches?

If you look at the vulnerabilities, it gives hackers a fair chance. Don't worry, good old Mac is not invulnerable either as per this report and being a Unix user and developer, I suspected that for a long while. Compared to Linux Mac is far less secure. Both are Unix derived but looks like Mac has been napping around with their purported hype of secure OS vis a vis Windows. OTHOH, apart from Linux, folks at Windows have been working hard patching the holes.

http://searchsecurity.techtarget.com/news/article/0,289142,sid14_gci1350613,00.html

BOSTON -- Calling Apple's Mac OS X one of the easiest operating systems to crack, a security researcher on Wednesday demonstrated several methods to hack into a system and execute arbitrary code to take full control of a computer.
...
"Steve Jobs' fairy dust only protects against the most naive attackers," Dai Zovi said. "Writing exploits for [Microsoft] Vista is hard work. Writing exploits for Mac is a lot of fun."
...
"It's like going back in time," he said. "You can get a Mac and it is 1999 all over again."

mpolli · #10 03-15-2009, 04:19 PM

OK. I let it reset AGAIN...

On another subject, does anyone have experience with the Opera browser? I have been trying out Safari which is OK but locks up quite a bit. I use FF at work and don't like it much.

Gurkha · #11 03-15-2009, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mpolli

OK. I let it reset AGAIN...

On another subject, does anyone have experience with the Opera browser? I have been trying out Safari which is OK but locks up quite a bit. I use FF at work and don't like it much.

I have been a Opera user since the slow painful dial up days. I started ten years back with version 2x which used to be paid and have never looked back ever since. It has been improving over time and the latest one is an excellent all round browser, mail client, rss and news reader. It also does torrents and IRC.

tyl604 · #12 03-15-2009, 05:41 PM

Windows, just like any other operating system, tends to have bugs in the programming of the operating system. These bugs could be a security risk that may allow hackers to break into your computer, slow down the performance of your computer and its applications, and downright crash your computer so it is almost unusable. When these bugs are found, Microsoft releases patches and updates to the Windows operating system so that windows users can download these patches and install them, and hopefully fixing the problems they may be having. In the past you had to go to Microsoft's site or have a CD sent to you in order to get these updates, but now with the cheap and fast Internet access, Microsoft is using a service that will automatically download these updates to your computer, and notify you so that you can install them. This service is called Microsoft Windows Automatic Updates.
This application was introduced in Windows 98 as an optional download, and now comes built into the operating system for Windows XP. This service runs in the background so you normally do not notice it unless there are updates available. The application will routinely connect to Microsoft Windows Update servers to determine if there are new updates available. If there are new updates available, it will compare those available updates against a list of updates already installed on your computer. If the new update is not installed on your computer, the Automatic Update service will download the update to your computer and notify you. This notification will come in the form of a small icon near your time. If you double click on that icon, it will give you the options of getting detailed information about the updates and then installing them.
Automatic Updates does not require much configuration, but in case you feel it is not turned or there are some options you would like to tweak there is a settings screen that you can go to. In order to view these settings you would do the following steps for your respective operating system:
Windows 2000:

Click on the Start Menu
Click on Settings
Click on Control Panel.
You will then see an icon called Automatic Update. Double click that icon to get to the settings window.

Windows XP:

Minimize all the windows so you can see your desktop.
Right click once on My Computer
Left click once on properties.
In the properties window, click on the Automatic Updates tab to see the settings

The settings are self explanatory. You should make sure you have a check in the "Keep my computer up to date" checkbox. You should also set the Settings for "Download the updates automatically and notify me when they are ready to be installed.". The reason I do not have you use the option for automatically installing the updates is because many of the updates require you to reboot your computer, and if you not present at the computer when it installs the updates and reboot, you have the potential for losing information that you were working. With these options configured you will now start to receive the updates and patches from Microsoft and be notified when they are ready to be installed.

It is important that install the updates when they become available. By installing these updates you are guaranteed to have all the released security updates and operating system fixes installed on your computer which will make your computer more secure and stable. Most cases of computers being hacked tends to be because they have not been updated in a long time. I can not stress the important of updating the operating system on your computers when updates become available.

Source: www.bleepingcomputer.com Has LOTS of info for the beginner which includes me.

nickofoxford · #13 03-15-2009, 11:11 PM

Windows is only updating because the Automatic update time and day that is set up was probably when the computer was off. What happens is when you are on the computer one day and the set time/date to update comes around, BOOM you have 120 updates. When you restart and get more updates it is because the update can only be installed after the previous update, Microsoft is "patching their patches"

so to speak.

I leave my computer on 24/7 and have updates and McAfee definition updates set to start at 3 am, doesn't bother me a bit.