Sky Have Cut Off Internet

[colin-bennett]

Originally Posted by PeteTheMusicGuy

At the end of the day it is up to the EU to make sure that the PC is patched protected amd updated and it many cases it can be done for free as well.

The ISP has the right to disconnect accounts that are kicking out SPAM as it's has an effect on other users of the service

I agree
But it is the ISP advertising free protection from this happening.

[PeteTheMusicGuy]

Originally Posted by colin-bennett

I agree
But it is the ISP advertising free protection from this happening.

Not all ISP's offer free protection and no protection software is 100 per cent accurate. I’ve never used any over the “free protection� offerings from any ISP. I use software that I have used for years that is also free.

The free protection software is normally optional so it's up to the EU to install it and make sure it is regularly updated. The only worse thing than no protection is out of date protection

[Kymmy]

Looking at the sky site they actually are stating that if you need help with the IS program then either go to Mcafees website or call Sky tech support......

Where can I find more help with my McAfee security software?

If you would like more information on how to use your new McAfee security software, please visit McAfee's website or call Sky - follow the Contact Us link on the right of this page to find contact details for the Sky Broadband team.

Oh well Sky have then made this thier own mess......

Kymmy

[colin-bennett]

Originally Posted by Kymmy

Looking at the sky site they actually are stating that if you need help with the IS program then either go to Mcafees website or call Sky tech support......



Oh well Sky have then made this thier own mess......

Kymmy

I agree
I am sure Paul with have other comments to make ??

[Paul K]

Comments? Sky tech support will help customers with mcafee issues but if EUs do not run scans or do not update software then how can Sky be blamed for the end user intervention? Sky supply a tool, that tool is part of a package that the EU has the option to install or not and has the option to use properly or not at end of day. (Personally we didn't install it as it is bloated and slow, AVG then went the same way on the last version build so we now use Avast, spybot s&d and adaware as a multi layer approach.
As I pointed out previously no tool is perfect and often it is reliant on the user not doing anything daft that negates that protection offered by the product.
Sky tech support will do anything within their remit to assist end users with Mcafee releated issues and if the issue goes deeper than they can support they then give the mcafee support number for further assistance as obviously they are better trained in there product. In cases of accounts offlined due to abuse it is too late for BB tech support to assist and only the abuse team can have any significant impact at this point. All tech tier 1 can do at this point is tell the EU what they need to do to sort things out and get online or pass them through to the relevant department.
I can remember a number of years ago a number of people on this forum stating how daft it was for an ISP to not offer even a basic free tool to assist in securing or protecting the pc. Are we now saying the ISPs is wrong for providing a tool to assist a customer if the customer then still becomes infected? The OP hasn't even said if the connection was protected by the mcafee software he just states he ran spybot after the event.
If you notice on sky.com it states:

McAfee Internet Security Suite helps:
Keep you safe from spam, online scams and adware
Keep your children safe online with parental controls
Block, clean and remove viruses, and block spyware
Secure your identity and conceal your computer from hackers
Improve your PC's performance

in other words it is not guaranteeing 100% protection, it is saying it will help to protect the connection etc.
No service is perfect and no single tool is perfect but what is worse, giving the customer a free to use option that can help them protect their system or just release them into the wilds of the internet without anything at all?
If customers are still getting caught out through infections etc when running protective software tools provided to them how bad would it be if they had gone online with nothing?

[Captainslow]

Would a clean install of windows and changing the WPA password on the router get rid of the bot net?

Many thanks

[Kymmy]

Originally Posted by Captainslow

Would a clean install of windows and changing the WPA password on the router get rid of the bot net?

Many thanks

Bot Net is just a simple program that's running on your system that outsiders can control, it uses common ports so nothing to do with the WPA on the router.

They're normally installed by running a bit of rogue software, visiting a bad website or opening a bad email attachment.

A clean windows install will get rid of the program but there's always a chance that you'd do exactly the same thing that let the original one in...

Kymmy

[Ben B]

Just when you do a clean install you install XP make sure you add all latest updates including Windows XP SP3. Install some decent anti-virus, I would recommend Avast or Avira Anti-Vir (both of which are free). Plus also, some decent anti-spyware, I would recommend Spybot or AVG (again, both of which are free).

Hope this helps,
Ben

[Kymmy]

The best protection against bot nets isn't the virus, spyware or adware removers but simply a properly set up firewall...

I'm not saying don;t use the other programs, in fact totally the opposite and keep them totally upto date with regular scans but most bot nets are that new that AV's just dont find them and a firewall won;t stop them from installing but will stop them from communicating.

Kymmy

[Ben B]

Originally Posted by Kymmy

The best protection against bot nets isn't the virus, spyware or adware removers but simply a properly set up firewall...

I'm not saying don;t use the other programs, in fact totally the opposite and keep them totally upto date with regular scans but most bot nets are that new that AV's just dont find them and a firewall won;t stop them from installing but will stop them from communicating.

Kymmy

Yes, of course, and using the standard Windows Firewall would probably be more than good enough. Though if the OP was looking for something separate, I would recommend the free version of Zonealarm, though running lots of separate software can be a pain in the backside. Which is why these security suites such as Norton (personally hate that one) and McAfee are increasingly popular.

Ben

[colin-bennett]

Originally Posted by Paul

Comments? Sky tech support will help customers with mcafee issues but if EUs do not run scans or do not update software then how can Sky be blamed for the end user intervention? Sky supply a tool, that tool is part of a package that the EU has the option to install or not and has the option to use properly or not at end of day. (Personally we didn't install it as it is bloated and slow, AVG then went the same way on the last version build so we now use Avast, spybot s&d and adaware as a multi layer approach.
As I pointed out previously no tool is perfect and often it is reliant on the user not doing anything daft that negates that protection offered by the product.
Sky tech support will do anything within their remit to assist end users with Mcafee releated issues and if the issue goes deeper than they can support they then give the mcafee support number for further assistance as obviously they are better trained in there product. In cases of accounts offlined due to abuse it is too late for BB tech support to assist and only the abuse team can have any significant impact at this point. All tech tier 1 can do at this point is tell the EU what they need to do to sort things out and get online or pass them through to the relevant department.
I can remember a number of years ago a number of people on this forum stating how daft it was for an ISP to not offer even a basic free tool to assist in securing or protecting the pc. Are we now saying the ISPs is wrong for providing a tool to assist a customer if the customer then still becomes infected? The OP hasn't even said if the connection was protected by the mcafee software he just states he ran spybot after the event.
If you notice on sky.com it states:

in other words it is not guaranteeing 100% protection, it is saying it will help to protect the connection etc.
No service is perfect and no single tool is perfect but what is worse, giving the customer a free to use option that can help them protect their system or just release them into the wilds of the internet without anything at all?
If customers are still getting caught out through infections etc when running protective software tools provided to them how bad would it be if they had gone online with nothing?

Nice one Paul
Good rant

[Paul K]

Rant? Care to point it out to me Colin since you seem to be so sure I have "ranted"?

[Kymmy]

The simple fact that Sky supply the software and point out that they will help with the software simply means that Sky will be at fault in the EU's eyes if anything like a botnet happens...

I think that Sky's problem is that they've not detailed the fact that they're offering program support and not a program service... They'll help with any problems arising in the technics of the program but if a botnet gets past it (and a lot will) then it's nothing to do with them or the program...

It's a simple case of EU's not being PC savvy....

I spent most of my working life in Electronics and PC support, I've had problems with EU's trying to comprehend what a right click was, I've had to explain that pressing the power switch on a monitor is not shutting down the PC and most importantly I've had to explain that the only way a PC can be 100% safe from the internet is to cut the modem cable!!!

In this thread Sky did the right thing, they shut off someones service that could have a detrimental effect on others (get them blacklisted), the arguement about the software is really invalid as we all agree that no AV/firewall will 100% stop all attacks...

Kymmy

---------- Post added at 09:42 ---------- Previous post was at 09:38 ----------

Originally Posted by colin-bennett

Nice one Paul
Good rant

Play nice please Colin Don;t make me get my mod hat on :p

Paul's just stating the facts, nothing more and nothing less...

Kymmy

[Chrysalis]

Ultimately if the EU is trojaned etc. and is then doing things like sending spam, ddos, scanning for other victims then they need to be cutoff, however I think easynet (sky) are doing it the wrong approach they seem to cut people off without any kind of warning or contact first.

[Captainslow]

All sorted now gents, I formatted the HD using restore disk and installed XP to SP 3 and installed Kaspersky Internet Security 2009 for her.

My mum is very click happy and I have had to have strong words with her about the nasties out there.

thanks for the advice.