Re: MacBook/Parallels/Vista

Tech-Archive recommends: Repair Windows Errors & Optimize Windows Performance

"BrendaT via MacKB.com" <u39458@uwe> wrote:

Hi,

New MacBook - what should I do re security overall esp. back ups? Should
anyone care to tacke this you have to keep it REALLY SIMPLE. Thus far
security has been a non-issue ie nothing done. I have never touched a
firewall or looked for one. I was hoping to plug potential holes before I
really get rolling. I haven't installed Firefox. Am told I should ASAP as it
is more secure and better than Safari and for sure Explorer.

Safari is considered secure (at least as secure as FireFox). IE is a
different issue since it is vulnerable to various sorts of ActiveX
exploits (though if everything is up to date, it limits the risks quite
a bit.

As for everything, you have multiple solutions.
For comprehensive, bootable backups, I use SuperDuper!. It creates
restorable bootable backups. It's fairly easy to use yet powerful and
configurable. You need to have a fairly large external disk though...

With an external disk, you can also use Time Machine (shipping with
Leopard, aka MacOS X 10.5). It's a pretty decent solution. Very easy to
use in any case (but has some limitations too). At least it's an
incremetal backup solution.

I also use Retrospect at work. It makes incremental backups, backs up
mutliple computers (Windows and Mac) accross a network, etc.... Sounds
good, but I HATE the software :-(

Now for a firewall. I strongly recommend to activate the one built into
your Mac (you didn't tell us what version you use, so it's difficult to
provide more details).
The rule is to block everything you don;t need. Some people block
everything, then re-open specifically the ports you need.
If you are serious about network security, you could consider Little
Snitch. Excellent software allowing you to monitor outgoing traffic of
an application to application base.


Also worried rewireless.

For Wireless security, try using WPA at least. WEP is really not very
secure.

For antivirus on a Mac.... Welllllllll it's up to you. Most current
antivirus solutions scan for Windows virus on your Mac (which helps
avoid sending them to your friends on Windows.
I'm not sure there are any Mac virus spreading out there. It doesn't
mean it can't happen, just that the few exploits that have been
attempted never actually spread or could be avoided very easily.


Read in Parallels boomph about installing Kaspersky?

Well Parallels lets you run a virtual PC on your Mac. The PC side has to
be protected the same way any Windows machine should.
There are multiple solutions out there but you DO need an antivirus (I
would take a good one). A proper firewall and anti spyware might be
welcome too (though it depends on what you do with Parallels - I hardly
ever use the Internet access on my setup, except to install updates).

Make sure Windows is also maintained properly up to date..
(Make sure MacOS X is properly maintained and kept up to date too)


Corentin


--
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