How to keep a Win XP PC secure in an infested LAN

[adithyagenius]

In my hostel we have LAN and no PC is connected to net but some idiot brings an infected pen drive or floppy ( in 2007? ) and infects his PC and the whole LAN. This happens atleast 1-4 times a week ending with mass formats, data loss, frustration and blame games. My friends in hostel tried using nod32 trial with windows firewall but it couldn't prevent this.
Is this due to firewall or is it because nod32 doesnt scan LAN data transfers? The LAN consists of different versions of windows which are updated to different extents. Because there is no internet updating is not possible.

[Choto Cheeta]

Is this due to firewall or is it because nod32 doesnt scan LAN data transfers?

Didnt get ur point...

NOD32 will scan all Files which are comming to ur PC... so reset a sure even u are browsing on the network, as soon as u access a directory on a infected system which has one virus, ur AVS (NOD32) if it has real time scanning turned on with default settings will make sure, as soon as windows accesse that file, it warns u and take action as per ur settings...

[adithyagenius]

^^
So nod32 is good enough.
So where else can I improve my PC? Firewall or some other settings?

[Choto Cheeta]

When u have NOD32 then I wont suggest any other AVS, as it is good enough...

now for LAN Interface, if the only reason is Virus then u dont need any other stuff, as same like Internet, but if u are having Hack or illigal system access attacks, then hell yeah u need one Filewall, Free option, Zone Alarm...

Paid option I would say Zone Alarm security suite but thats costly and hard to come by a india so, if going for paid then KIS 7.0 under Rs. 1200/- comes with all Filewall, AVS, Spyware protection and all stuff

[adithyagenius]

Originally Posted by Choto Cheeta

NOD32 will scan all Files which are comming to ur PC... so reset a sure even u are browsing on the network, as soon as u access a directory on a infected system which has one virus, ur AVS (NOD32) if it has real time scanning turned on with default settings will make sure, as soon as windows accesse that file, it warns u and take action as per ur settings...

If AMON is the real time scanner and can do all the things you said, why does IMON exist?

[Choto Cheeta]

Sorry to say, its all part of the thing called NOD32 Control Center, part of the total Real time scanning...

These are just fancy names used by all total part of the process Real time scanning

Please Do correct me if i am wrong...

[adithyagenius]

In my hostel, nobody is good enough to try hacking. Do you think windows firewall is enough?

[satyamy]

Originally Posted by adithyagenius

In my hostel, nobody is good enough to try hacking. Do you think windows firewall is enough?

NOD is Good
Windows Firewall I never trust
Why dont you use a Good Antivirus Like "Kaspersky Internet Security"

[adithyagenius]

I heard Kaspersky is a resource hog and I want to play games like crysis. Is kaspersky a system hog compared to nod32? I can disable antivirus while playing single player games, but for old LAN games like condition zero I need the Antivirus on. I tried Norton Internet Security 2007 but it kept nagging with popups.

[praka123]

do u have a good config system?then why dont you try using windows inside linux using vmware?howto is there in opensource section @infra-red-dude.i think this will save you from direct lan infection.

A Note on Running XP on Ubuntu, through VMWare
Running XP (or ANY operating system) on Ubuntu through VMWare presents NO security risks, no matter how insecure the OS is that is running through VMWare. The whole point of VMWare is that it's a *virtual* machine. The two can not directly communicate with each other without the means of Samba or SSH (Windows SSH program: http://winscp.net), just as you would have to communicate with a separate, physical machine.

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=342631

i mean there are AV's for windows viruses which can work in linux.for eg:try clamav.also secure with lokkit firewall script(not necessary)

[adithyagenius]

^^
I tried VM Ware. It couldn't utilise my GeForce 7600GT for gaming. I am using windows for gaming. For all other applications, linux has alternatives.

[Choto Cheeta]

I can disable antivirus while playing single player games, but for old LAN games like condition zero I need the Antivirus on.

Just commenting on this, there will be option on any AVS to exclude certain files or in the AVS network settings, exclude certain ports

So manually, add those Gaming EXEs in the exculsion list and the port which u will be using to connet to lan gaming servers to the exclusion list of ur Firewall (if any) and AVS network settings

[adithyagenius]

Originally Posted by Choto Cheeta

Sorry to say, its all part of the thing called NOD32 Control Center, part of the total Real time scanning...

These are just fancy names used by all total part of the process Real time scanning

Please Do correct me if i am wrong...

I just read the description of AMON. Its a RESIDENT realtime scanner. I think resident means its scanning only local files. The other modules are IMON (POP3 + HTTP) and DMON (office macros i think) and EMON (outlook scanner). So which module will scan LAN.
Is there a different version of NOD32 for LAN computers which has a module for scanning LAN?

[Choto Cheeta]

Originally Posted by adithyagenius

I just read the description of AMON. Its a RESIDENT realtime scanner. I think resident means its scanning only local files.

Well I said about the Control Center as its a part of the control center which I refer as the entire Real Time Scanner