Which security utilities in W 7

[hackerman1]

hi !

are there no safe alternatives to adobe flash player ?

I'd like to know too! But even if there were, does it matter given that Flash is embedded in sites such as YouTube, so one is 'forced' to use it?

hi !

by alternatives i meant another program that can be used INSTEAD of adobe flash player, on fx. youtube.

 

[Anderson2]

Download Flush Flash Cookies by Bobbi Flekman.
Select the Windows version and save flushflash.exe to your Desktop.
Double-click flushflash.exe to run it.
Select Everything.
Click Make it so!.
When the "Killed off all Flash cookies" window opens, click OK.
Close Flush Flash Cookies.

If you select everything, won't that also delete the Adobe Site settings you just modified for safety?

 

[jav]

If you select everything, won't that also delete the Adobe Site settings you just modified for safety?

It will delete.
But as I understood from Corrine's post.
He meant delete everything and THEN create flash settings so it will not store anymore.
So there will not be need for deleting again after some time.

 

[Anderson2]

Aha!

(Till Adobe surreptitiously changes your settings without telling you ......) Isn't paranoia great?

 

[manhunter2826]

^^Lol.

 

[Corrine]

Another security measure I would like to add to the mix concerns the use of search engines. It is well known that Google and others keep records of all your searches.

You may find this interesting: Mozilla exec suggests Firefox users move to Bing, cites Google privacy stance

Tracking cookies are not a security threat and some cookies are helpful (i.e., your logon cookie here at SevenForums ). I do block 3rd party cookies. Although, due to Hotmail imposes tracking cookies for logout ? The Register , if you use Hotmail/Live Mail, you will want to allow passport.com, live.com and hotmail.com (and msn.com if that is your home/start page). In Firefox, go to Tools > Options > Privacy. Under "accept cookies from sites, click "Exceptions", add those sites and select Allow. (Note that my favorite WinPatrol also includes a cookie manager )

Corinne, you are wonderful. I'm following this thread waiting for my new W 7 laptop to arrive. On my trusty XP laptop I too used Zone Alarm, Avast free, Firefox whenever possible, Secunia, intermittent Ad-Aware and Spybot,A Squared, frequent defrag and backups, etc. and my XP laptop has been trouble free till the screen display went (something to do with the cable). which is why I am forced into a new laptop.
I was unaware that Quicken - which I also use - uses flash cookies! Does it delete them when it shuts down? In your note do you mean do not use Quicken at this time or the LSo deleting utility while Quicken is running? My Quicken data files are kept encrypted in a TrueCrypt volume (though I know that in XP (and probably W 7) the data is still theoretically retrievable till I reboot the computer). Any security advice for Quicken users?
I use Foxit instead of Adobe but will check Adobe's flash settings as you indicate. I will also try WinPatrol when my new W 7 laptop arrives.
Thanks Corinne.

I know, it gets confusing. Most home PC's have Adobe Reader, Adobe Flash Player, Adobe Air and Adobe Shockwave Player, although I try to avoid products that require Adobe Air and am not a fan of Adobe Shockwave Player.

As you use Foxit, I gather (hope) you installed it without the additional tool bar. Did you uninstall old versions of Adobe Reader? I would -- and did on my computers (See How to uninstall the Adobe Flash Player plug-in and ActiveX control ).

With regard to Adobe Flash, I am not aware of alternatives (and personally do not wish to use Google Chrome). Based on the developer's note with regard to Quicken, I would suspect that it stores Flash cookies and use of his tool will remove that data. Thus, since you use Quicken, you should consider following the instructions for the Adobe Flash Player Settings Manager (see link in earlier post). CCleaner also has an option under Applications for Adobe Flash Player which I believe clears the LSO/flash cookies.

Another option for Mozilla-Based browsers is NoScript - JavaScript/Java/Flash blocker for a safer Firefox experience! - what is it? - InformAction. It takes a bit of training for trusted sites but well worth the effort:

The NoScript Firefox extension provides extra protection for Firefox, Flock, Seamonkey and other mozilla-based browsers: this free, open source add-on allows JavaScript, Java and Flash and other plugins to be executed only by trusted web sites of your choice (e.g. your online bank), and provides the most powerful Anti-XSS protection available in a browser.

I think you will find with Windows 7 that you will not need three anti-malware programs (SpyBot, AAW & A2). In addition, you will find that it will not be necessary to frequently defrag the computer. Personally, I allow the built in Scheduled Task (ScheduledDfrag) run weekly.

 

[Anderson2]

Another security measure I would like to add to the mix concerns the use of search engines. It is well known that Google and others keep records of all your searches.

You may find this interesting: Mozilla exec suggests Firefox users move to Bing, cites Google privacy stance

Interesting, though Google's tracking has been known for years. I do have Bing as one of my search engines but have for years used Ixquick for 99% of my searches for the reasons given earlier. If you have not tried it, it is worth a try.

Tracking cookies are not a security threat and some cookies are helpful (i.e., your logon cookie here at SevenForums ). I do block 3rd party cookies. Although, due to Hotmail imposes tracking cookies for logout ? The Register , if you use Hotmail/Live Mail, you will want to allow passport.com, live.com and hotmail.com (and msn.com if that is your home/start page).

I've never used hotmail and the like precisely because they require passport, etc.

As you use Foxit, I gather (hope) you installed it without the additional tool bar. Did you uninstall old versions of Adobe Reader? I would -- and did on my computers (See How to uninstall the Adobe Flash Player plug-in and ActiveX control ).

Oh yes. You probably know me by now. No tool bar! and I uninstalled all Adobe Reader versions since I never use them.

Based on the developer's note with regard to Quicken, I would suspect that it stores Flash cookies and use of his tool will remove that data. Thus, since you use Quicken, you should consider following the instructions for the Adobe Flash Player Settings Manager (see link in earlier post). CCleaner also has an option under Applications for Adobe Flash Player which I believe clears the LSO/flash cookies.

I'm going to have to investigate Quicken's use of flash cookies.
I did follow your instructions for the Adobe Flash Player Settings Manager. Thank you! I also use CCleaner intermittently and Better Privacy in Firefox which gets rid of the Flash cookies on exit and on a time basis. Actually I have 2 Firefox profiles which allow me to run 2 instances of Firefox simultaneously, one with very tight settings in Better Privacy and another for general use with a lot more useful addins and different settings for Better Privacy. I have NoScript in both Firefox profiles, and as you say it can be annoying until one gets used to how to use it. Also have the IE add-in so I can switch the Firefox window to IE on the rare occasions that require it because of Active-X.

I think you will find with Windows 7 that you will not need three anti-malware programs (SpyBot, AAW & A2). In addition, you will find that it will not be necessary to frequently defrag the computer. Personally, I allow the built in Scheduled Task (ScheduledDfrag) run weekly.

That would be nice. I definitely think I will start by using the built-in W 7 defragger and avoid purchasing an update to my PerfectDisk which is still at version 6. Experts keep saying that defragging is less necessary with the newer Windows file systems but I find it makes a difference to defrag every week or two or when things seem to slow down.