Minimum security for online-racing?

[Ralph_B]

Would be interested in online-races and perhaps a NoGrip-league. Only have one problem: Have running two PC's at home. One is for working and gaming, and the second one, an old Athlon700 for internet only. No way to run modern games like GTL on this veteran. My faster gaming-machine (Athlon64 3500 with a Geforce6800LE GFX-card isn't connected to the net so far and I haven't installed most of the necessary programs for internet - of course also no Firewall, Antivir or something like this. Wouldn't be a problem, to connect this babe with my wireless-LAN, but I don't want to install loads of crap for this. So what is the absolute recommended minimum to take part in online-races for your opinion? I don't intend to do any other internet-activities with it, exept racing - no downloads, browsing piggy sites, no E-Mails or whatever.

Specially I am interested in a good protection from viruses and intrusion. Have running Norton-Internetsecurity on my Internetcomputer, but it is a big performancebrake and gave me a couple of other problems in the past. So what would you suggest as a minimum-protection according to the described use of my gaming-PC.

Greetings,
Ralph

[vrmx]

Just install the Norton Internet Security. I use it too and don't really see any performance hit because of it in games on my system :).

[Jim]

Norton is apparantly a big memory eater. I find the free ZoneAlarm firewall works well, and I use avast! antivirus, again free which has daily updates.

Can't understand people buying all this software, the good free ones do the same thing! :P

[richard]

l use avast anti virus which as Jim says is free and checks for updates everytime you connect.
For the firewall l use Sygate Personal Firewall which is free.

[MudSnow]

I also use Sygate, and CounterSpy. No antivirus, and no problems. Counterspy has prevented lots of browser junk and spyware from being installed, and is preventative, rather than reactionary. Most other antispy software just (attempt to) remove spyware AFTER it is installed.

[Hakker]

I use Avast also together with Sygate Personal Firewall and the only game which would not accept this has a lot of old cars and Starforce protection :twisted:

[John_Schoen]

Strange, I thought that was in the demo only and solved with new Starforce drivers? GTL and Sygate Personal don't bite eachother here. :)

[Hakker]

:pIndeed the demo. Santa hasn't arrived here yet.

[Tarzan]

Why install anything at all? If computer is for games and internet only used for a few racing games what you want to protect against? There are some good online scanners if you must. This assuming you use XP SP2 with build-in firewall activated. Lightest there is and it is not insecure in any way, perfect for your use. If worried about IE cripple it, disable ActiveX, Java and install Spybot&Destroy, Spywareblaster - perhaps also IE-Spyad https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/ehowes/www/resource.htm#IESPYAD. "Immunize" yourself against 1000s of known problems. Not resident or taking up any space. Dont even need Firefox. Dont use MSN, use Miranda or whatever compatible. Uninstall Outlook Express, use Gmail or simular.

If you want AV program on hd Avast lets you activate and deactivate modules so it can be very light. Put game folders in exclusion box and there will be no slowdowns - if there ever would. More and more I dont even use real time shield because "Webshield" module picks up some and I scan all downloads with Avast and Bitdefender commandline tools. Any resident real time stuff looking at files is what you should avoid cause that can slow down things. High security then depends on clean computer but shouldnt be hard when use is racing only. Installing fat Norton suite seems like overkill.

"preventative, rather than reactionary" is what its about. Vista, may be also IE7 for XP, will start to include databases of known crap sites etc. Probably tightly connected with Microsoft Antispyware program. Just what S&D, Spywareblaster is doing. Almost stupid not to, 100% effective. Why Norton and friends does not you can guess but there is a reason many security programs have been accused of false positives.

If still not happy about security tweak or harden XP settings. http://blogs.msdn.com/aaron_margosis/archive/2004/06/17/157962.aspx is one of the most effective ways. Free and easy. Be careful if you run into some old "service-guide" some things have changed in SP2. Since minimal is a goal there will be some to fiddle with though.

If I send you an infected and packed installation file called "funny.exe" Avast or any other AV couldnt see into you would get virus, keylogger or other evil if you clicked on it. Cant beat real time protection 100%, is needed but some can survive without. Shield should at least be configurable.

[Ralph_B]

Thanks for your opinions, guys! Indeed I don't want to run anything else related to Internet exept online-racing and perhaps some dogfights in Pacific Fighters on this machine. For all other activities in the net I have a seperate system, but to slow for the newest games. Further I don't intend to visit unknown hosts and am moving only on well known terrain like NoGrip, where I haven't seen much bad activities for a long time.
I agree, that Norton Internetsecurity is to heavy, when you don't use the computer for other things than online-gaming. I noticed on my netcomputer, that it slows down things a lot - not FPS perhaps, but booting, starting programs and building up websites. And I have big problems to close down all backgroundactivities, even I don't need any security while working exclusively offline.
Of course I don't need all those features for gaming like Outlook, Netmeeting and other crap, so away with it!

What about the build-in firewall of a router? I have a fast TDSL-connection with a wireless LAN from German Telecom. As I know, this router has something like a minimalistic firewall. Apart from Tarzan's and other's suggestions, would that be enough - always having in mind, that the computer isn't used for anything else like gaming?

Regards,
Ralph.B

[Dan]

I'm using kerio firewall and norton A/V.. this combo seems to work pretty well ;)

I wouldnt rely on the routers firewall though unless you have customised its setup and are sure it blocks everything.. install a software firewall on the pc too :)

[Lord_Verminaard]

A hardware firewall is the best way- or at least a broadband router that does NAT (network address translation). My rig is just a simple linksys cable/dsl router with 5-port switch, so my pc and my girlfriends laptop can be online. The NAT takes care of most security risks. I dont run any type of spyware protection or anti-virus. Been this way for 4 years and never had a hint of problem. ;) I also use Firefox as my browser. Symantec products are crap crap crap, we see more pc's come in that Norton's have hosed than pc's that actually run well with it. XP's built-in firewall (which I have disabled, not a need when using NAT) will work fine, no need for ZoneAlarm or any other software firewall. Bottom line, if you need some kind of software for protection, dont buy anything!! ;) AVG is a great antivirus and it's free (http://free.grisoft.com) XP's built-in firewall is fine. Microsoft anit-spyware is decent, has nice real-time protection but it's not needed if you use Firefox.

Overall, spyware/viruses arent a problem if you dont download them- so use yahoo mail or gmail or similar, and dont click on pop-ups!!! ;)

Brendan