Problems with violent websites and emails...

I'm finding that occasionally I open a bad email, or bump into the odd website, that hits my PC with a super nasty "favorites bug", and/or things that even Spybot doesn't know about, and it always messes up my PC's OS a little, even when my security softares block it.
BlackIce and/or Norton AVS popups claim to have blocked it, but things just don't run right after it, until I've done a serious registry cleanup, or installed my latest clean registry backup, and have run all my cleaners.

Seems that the registry backup is the only surefire method of dealing with Internet bully bugs.

In this old W98se desktop I'm running a Router, and: Tiny personal Firewall, BlackIce, Norton 2002 AVS, and Spybot, all up to date, but still the little nasties get through, like bugs to a light through an open window.
It seems there is really no-way to really protect my PC from those nasties. It's frustrating, like being hounded by a hundred extremely aggressive mosquitoes. Is there a Real way to protect my W98se machine from those nasties?

Is there a way to open a super nasty email, which is designed to destroy my PC's OS, and have the PC not be vulnerable to it's intended OS destruction?

Is there a surefire way to open a buggy government or corporate response email, and block the spywares they sometimes include in their emails?


Feels like I'm asking if there's a way to dive into the water, and not get wet, or kick the hornet's nest, and not get stung. I guess you know the feeling.

 

What program are you using for emails? Outlook should block 'any' active content from senders you havn't put on a safe list preventing nasties and anything else like pictures. Have you changed your security settings?

Why are you running 2 firewalls ? I've not heard anyone say anything good about BlackIce ever.

Why would you want to open it ? Make sure your security settings are set to prevent active content in emails, It sounds like you have changed your settings to allow everything through.

buggy government ? corporate response email ?

I seriously doubt that the government is even sending emails to you let alone emails that contain spyware, more likely this is spam using an attack method called 'Phishing'

Well the answer there would be to not dive into the water, and lets face it kicking a hornets nest is just silly

 

Thanks Matt


I'm not using OE, I've got TPF blocking it completely. I'm only using Fastmail and Yahoo. It prevents a lot of invader grief.

I'm using Tiny Personal Firewall as an internal blocking agent, to prevent everything in my PC from connecting to the Net, that I don't want connecting to the Net. It's like having a little cop in my PC, and BlackIce is one of only two firewalls that works with SeaMonkey, so I've read. The other firewall option is too expensive for me at this time.


"Why would you want to open it ? Make sure your security settings are set to prevent active content in emails, It sounds like you have changed your settings to allow everything through."

I've got pretty much everything blocxked from getting through, and still it gets through. My next option to make this PC safe would have to be to pull the power plug, and leave it off. not an option.
I'm a bit of a antiwar antagonist, and an active environmentalist and such, trying to wake up those who are wrecking this planet, but they fight their lessons. I upset the so called "authorities" and the polluters a lot, sort of like greenpeace does, but in a way that they really feel the sting of their evils. In retaliation they often try to do things that will damage my PC's OS, and I'm finding that my computer is really not safe at all. It runs along the lines of "if a professional crook wants to rob you, they can get through any security." so If the big boys wants to wreck your computer they can get through your aftermarket tissue-paper security like it isn't even there. But Hey!, I haven't had to format-C for a whole two months. This is a record.

It's not that I want to open buggy emails. It's just that the odd email is sent to look like something I'm into, and when I open it, it bites.
Or, sometimes I accidentally open one when it's in the day's mail, after I've deleted the last, and the next one pops up open.

I hope to one day find a security system that really does work to protect my antique PC, without me needing an army.

So do you have any good advice on how to super protect a PC from the bad boys?

 

Well my first point would be that you are running an outdated and no longer supported operating system, which means there an no security patches being made for it any more so its never going to be safe.

Also have a read of this

How to Protect yourself from malware!

 

Thanks for your input; it's appreciated.
Re: link: I read all that months ago, and applied all of it that I could. There's a lot of good stuff in it, and it's well written and presented.

I'm finding that there are avid W98 diehard enthusiasts who are still building patches and softwares for 98, probably the old guys who worked on building 98, still trying to make their baby run smooth, with new ideas.

W98 is a good simple system to learn on. And I'm working on it, now into learning the registry. It's exciting and fun.
Some swear by the W98 system, because they've learned it inside and out, and have it working at peak. It's all I can afford these days.

So it seems what you are telling me, is that W98 can never be secure, and that I have no option but to suffer the hits to this PC.
Oh well.. It seems my only option is to just grin and bear it; the story of my life. I suppose I must try harder to recognize and avoid the hack hits, and continue-on trying to wake the baddies from destroying our planet so hard, and I'll do formats and reloads when ever a slam-hit happens.
Sort of makes me feel like an ant dodging designer-shoes on a busy uptown street in New York City at lunch hour.


So is there anybody out-there, in computerland, who has managed to reasonably secure W98se from the Internet bullies?