Security concern

hi

let me start off by admitting that i am completely and utterly ignorant when it comes to computer tech (i only use it for minimal purposes).. that being said, i have a couple of security concerns i would appreciate if any one give
me some feedback on them...

i ve just bought a new computer.. after i installed the OS (win xp home sp2) i immediately installed kaspersky internet security 7.0... and then i had to update it so i connected to the Internet and KIS updates takes forever
and my connection was slow also.. so the computer was connected to the Internet for a very long time was no protection (or obsolete protection as KIS was updating)....



1- what are the security risks of connecting to the Internet BUT not doing any browsing or downloading except the KIS update definition files downloads...?


2- what are the security risks if i connect to the Internet (ie hook the ethernet ADSL cable coming from a router and have no antivirus suite installed.. but DONT DO ANY BROWSING or DOWNLOADING..... i had to connect to the Internet before i installed KIS so as to activate my OS from Microsoft?


also windows not updated until KIS finished (after a long time) then i ran windows update which took even LONGER time


N.B. i have been attacked before on a different computer but on the same network by an ip from china (i dont know the type but i think its the one that over traffic the Internet?!?)but KIS blocked it.. so i am concerned that this guy who might know my ip address, attack the new computer during the time where KIS was updating.. esp when the attack hit when i opened an email (spam) that had the subject of my financial advisor company name..


i will be using this computer to access sensitive financial online data.. and i am PARANOID about my safety and security online esp of the issues mentioned above.....
currently
i have windows updated ........KIS 7 running and updated with firewall to max... and thats it
before i start using it for sensitive online action.. i need to feel more protected.. i am still concerned about keyloggers, rootkit virus, trojans,...etc...


3-how to 100 % check that the computer was not infected by anything of anytype during the updates download?

4-how to add more protection for the future?

i am actually considering to write zeros to the WD 160 hard drive.. is that reasonable

please any feedback is immensely appreciated
thanks

 

hi thanks for the detailed reply

1-
i just realized that during the time i was updating kasper and windows (again it took a long time to update mean while the system was with no/obsolete protection)... another computer on the lan had a trojan virus in it.... what are the risks on my computer...

please note that i dont understand the mechanics of LAN,..etc.. all i know is that this other computer (the infected one) has an ethernet cable from the cpu to a d-link device that has multipe sockets for ethernet cable (where i plug my ethernet cable from new computer to it) and then there is another cable that goes from the d-link device to the router which is connected to my regular phone line....

and when i first ran KIS it said it detected a network connection and asked what to do i choose "internet in stealth mode"


i think it look like this

infected pc ---> d link switcher -----> router ---> splitter---> my regular phone line
my pc ---------> d link switcher -----> router ---> splitter---> my regular phone line


2- how to check that nothing bad got in either during windows activation (how ever i reformated the disk full format and re install the os and this time activated after i updated kasper but before updating windows) or that my security is not compromised beacuse the time i spent on the net updating and not fully protected while a computer on the network had a trojan

3- if you were in my shoes...
ie
1-been attacked before but on diffret computer same ip
2-connected to the internet to activate windows and there was nothing running but windows firewall however formated the disk after
3- spent a LONG time updating KIS 7 before windows updates and there was an infected pc with a trojan on the computer network
4- have a win xp sp2 home edition, KIS 7 only

what would you do to use this system for online sensitive financial data access with a peacful mind?

thanks for ur help and support

 

i checked and found that i have a repotec RP-IP1800 which is both a modem and a router but with no hardware firewall..

also the trojan that was in the infected computer on the network (even though i didnt share both pcs) was Packed.Win32.NSAnti.r..

sorry i havent been able to the run the things in read and run me because i was not able to use the pc i was visting some relatives..

i am not sure what to do right now, i am going to say my issue in breif again

when i first turned on my new built pc
-i installed the OS winxp sp2
-then connected to the net with nothing but windows firewall (no hardware) to activate windows
- installed kaspersky internet security 7
- updated kasper ( toke a looong time with windows unpatched)
- updated the windows
- ran a full kasper scan that was clean..

ALL THROUGH This, there was a computer on the network (though not sharing with it, it just connected to the same dlink and the same router as mine) that had a trojan (Packed.Win32.NSAnti.r)... obvisouly i didnt know that..

obvisouly i disconnected the infectd pc form the network but it was there during the first steps where the computer was unpactched and still updating..
i also ran counterspy scan and spybot scan on the pc and it turned clean...


do i run more scans.. what prog u recommend
do i write zeros to the drive and redo the whole things

now i dont know what to do.. what's next.. do i use it for online financial usage or not yet...will u use it ???

thanks

 

and i did ccleaner
and i have nothing installed so there is nothig to remove from control panel
and i will run avg antispyware