What type of Anti Virus/Spyware...etc is needed?

[gonzobrian]

I've been wondering about what type of security, if any, everyone uses with their cabinets? I have all my computers networked together behind a hardware fire wall.  I use print and file sharing.  Recently my fianc

[JustMichael]

My cab is sometimes on the home network.  It has a network card in it and has its own cable that plugs into the wall jack.  I only plug it into the network when I want to update roms, add mp3's or change something.  Afterwards I disconnect it.  I don't use any firewall or AV software on the cab.  I can't see the point.  Nothing can get to the cab when it isn't connected.

[gonzobrian]

Yes I have thought about that but it is so much easier to use a wireless nic.  No cables.  And I have heard that an unpatched xp system can become infected in the time it takes you to download sp2.  I'm no network guy but...seems like if I'm behind a firewal I'm OK unless I download or install the offending program?  Any network admins out there?

[jcrouse]

Download and install the free version of AVG antivirus.

John

[Fozzy The Bear]

I've been wondering about what type of security, if any, everyone uses with their cabinets?

None at all.... My cab machine never gets connected to anything and all disks that go anywhere near it get a virus scan before they do... So none needed.

Best Regards,
Julian (Fozzy The Bear)

[gonzobrian]

Download and install the free version of AVG antivirus.

John

Thats what I use on my non critical computers.  There is also a lot of other good and free software out there to keep you safe.  Just seems like a pity to use your system resources to run them.  I guess not connecting the cabinet to the network is the way to go.  But moving files across the network is so much easier than moving them dvd/cd at a time.  Also having things like VNC to set up a game cab is so useful and much easier than standing at your cab with a keyboard balanced on your cp.

[deadkenndys1105]

The computer for my cabnet its going to almost never hook up to the net but im behind a firewall so im good.  I know were I get my roms from and I havnt had a problem with them. If you going to run a p2p program on there I might throw something in there.

[rugby1]

Yes I have thought about that but it is so much easier to use a wireless nic.  No cables.  And I have heard that an unpatched xp system can become infected in the time it takes you to download sp2.  I'm no network guy but...seems like if I'm behind a firewal I'm OK unless I download or install the offending program?  Any network admins out there?

Never put an open PC on an internet connection or unsecured LAN.  Driveby downloads are really bad....  I recently rebuilt my game machine.  After loading windows I plugged into the internet and tried to go straight to Microsofts page to download patches, SP2 etc.    I started getting popups and could not get to Microsofts page.... all the popups were directing me to a site where I could download microsoft patches for $39.95.    Drive-by download wrote a startup script that locked down all other websites except theirs where I could pay for patches....  Luckily I did have SP2 on a disc so did a selective startup to kill the script and then loaded SP2. Didn't have any problems after that.   I didn't download anything, just connected to the internet and it took less than 5 minutes before I had problems.  This was a completely reformatted HD and fresh XP install on it so I know that there wasn't a problem prior to hooking up my dsl modem.   I was kind of shocked that my system was "compromised" that fast....   I'm not planning on putting my cab online.   I can easily update via a 1 gig thumbdrive.  not even going to put a cd\dvd rom or floppy in it... thumbdrives are so much easier.

[krick]

Never put an open PC on an internet connection or unsecured LAN.  Driveby downloads are really bad....  I recently rebuilt my game machine.  After loading windows I plugged into the internet and tried to go straight to Microsofts page to download patches, SP2 etc.    I started getting popups and could not get to Microsofts page.... all the popups were directing me to a site where I could download microsoft patches for $39.95.    Drive-by download wrote a startup script that locked down all other websites except theirs where I could pay for patches....  Luckily I did have SP2 on a disc so did a selective startup to kill the script and then loaded SP2. Didn't have any problems after that.   I didn't download anything, just connected to the internet and it took less than 5 minutes before I had problems.  This was a completely reformatted HD and fresh XP install on it so I know that there wasn't a problem prior to hooking up my dsl modem.   I was kind of shocked that my system was "compromised" that fast....   I'm not planning on putting my cab online.   I can easily update via a 1 gig thumbdrive.  not even going to put a cd\dvd rom or floppy in it... thumbdrives are so much easier.

When you "connected to the internet" were you behind a router?

Routers are so cheap, there's no reason to not use one.

A machine on a dialup connection, or plugged directly into a cable/DSL modem will get hammered within minutes of getting online.

A router acts as a kind of hardware firewall that keeps you somewhat safe as long as your computer has all of the windows security updates and you don't browse to the "seedier" parts of the internet like porn or warez sites.

If you need to get online without a router, you had better install Zone Alarm from a CD first so you at least have a software firewall for protection.

The bottom line: computers behind a router are usually safe from major virus/trojan/worm attacks as long as they aren't used to surf the web.  My arcade cabinet falls into this category.  They can, however be infected by other infected machines on your network so make sure that everybody has up to date anti-virus programs.


On my primary (non-mame) computer, I use the following products...

AVG Anti-virus (free edition)
Zone Alarm (free edition)
The Proxomitron web filter (blocks ads, popups, and harmful content)
 + Proxopatcher (updated interface for Proxomitron)
 + JD5000 Proxomitron filter set (I have "JD_Extra" as my default set)
Spybot S&D (the immunization feature is nice too)
Ad-Aware
HijackThis

[SteveJ34]

If you want to use a wireless NIC in order to have the capacity to attach your game cab to the household network, simply disable the nic card in network settings when not in use.

A few mouse clicks can have it enabled again whenever you wish to move files.

Problem solved.

[PCtech]

If you want to use a wireless NIC in order to have the capacity to attach your game cab to the household network, simply disable the nic card in network settings when not in use.

A few mouse clicks can have it enabled again whenever you wish to move files.

Problem solved.

Are you talking about doing this without Anti-Virus/Anti-Spy software.  Doing the above without these software packages, will leave you open to attack.

Here is what I did:

1) Install Anti-virus/Anti-spy software before connecting to the internet, if possible (download programs from protected PC, get a disk...etc)
2) Connect to internet, download, all patched/updates.
3) disable network card, as described above.
4) Un-install Anti-virus/Anti-spy software

Uninstalling Anti-virus/Anti spy software, will free tons of resources, and you won't need them as long as you are not connected.

As far as I know (and I work on PC's for a living) this is the best method....any other is going to leave you open to attack, or eat resources, that could be used by the games.

Althogh this method is a pain in the ass, it is the most efficient, and safest way to do it IMHO

Good Luck!

[SteveJ34]

If you want to use a wireless NIC in order to have the capacity to attach your game cab to the household network, simply disable the nic card in network settings when not in use.

A few mouse clicks can have it enabled again whenever you wish to move files.

Problem solved.

Are you talking about doing this without Anti-Virus/Anti-Spy software.  Doing the above without these software packages, will leave you open to attack.

Here is what I did:

1) Install Anti-virus/Anti-spy software before connecting to the internet, if possible (download programs from protected PC, get a disk...etc)
2) Connect to internet, download, all patched/updates.
3) disable network card, as described above.
4) Un-install Anti-virus/Anti-spy software

Althogh this method is a pain in the ass, it is the most efficient, and safest way to do it IMHO

Good Luck!

It was my understanding the original poster did not intend to use this system to browse the internet per say...rather, just wanted an occasional link to home network for moving files, etc.

I fully understand the need to be protected in todays world.

The method you outline certainly won't harm anything.

[gonzobrian]

Thanks for all the input.  I am behind a router/firewall.  I do not intend to use the computers to surf but would like to occasionally download updates to the fe I use and to move files around, etc. So what I am hearing is that I do need to run anti virus etc as long as the computer is online.  At this time I will use PCtech's advice and install this stuff while I'm on line and then uninstall it when I'm done. 

[subcriminal]

Slight case of over the top paranoia! If you really want to fix the problem install Linux on it. That'll cure all it's ills. As for hackers who the hell would want to hack a windows based arcade maching?!

[dax]

#1  Don't use wireless.  It's as simple as that.  If you use wireless, you are a hundred times more vulnerable in every aspect over regular net connections.  It doesn't matter if you're using encryption or any of that crap, wireless is insecure.

#2  Always run Windows Update and make sure your system is fully patched.  Alternatively, check out BigFix.com, which is an alternative to Windows Update.

#3  I second someone else's suggestion of AVGFree.  It's a great program that is not a resource hog and is standard equipment on all my systems now.

#4  Get Ad-Aware.  I used to recommend Spybot, but that software doesn't seem to be well-supported anymore so it's not that useful.

#5  Get Startup Control Panel and Startup Monitor from http://www.mlin.net/ - this is a great set of utilities to monitor and prevent programs from auto-installing on your PC.

#6  As everyone says, use a router/firewall.  You should *never* have a PC with a publicly-accessible IP address.  It should always be a VPN via DHCP from something like a LinkSys cable/dsl router plugged into your broadband modem.

#7  DO NOT USE IE.  Again, do NOT use Internet Explorer.  You have been warned.  DO NOT USE OUTLOOK either.  Both of these programs are responsible for the vast majority of worm/virus infections on PCs and are riddled with vulnerabilities.  Download Firefox (http://mozilla.org/) and Eudora (http://eudora.com/) - far better alternatives.  It also doesn't hurt to disable microsoft's preview pane in whatever e-mail client you use.  Personally, I disable all html e-mail so spammers can't track me.

#8  Disable a bunch of dangerous Windows services.  If you are running XP, chances are there are a ton of services and settings in your machine which are making you vulnerable.  Get TweakUI from Microsoft and fine-tune settings that are otherwise not easy to get from a standard installation.  Go into the control panel and look at services and system settings and disable the remote assistance "feature" (aka "security nightmare").

[PCtech]

Slight case of over the top paranoia! If you really want to fix the problem install Linux on it. That'll cure all it's ills. As for hackers who the hell would want to hack a windows based arcade maching?!

I dunno, I make about $200 a month on the side, cleaning crap off of PC's that nobody in there right mind would want to break into...plus spyware doesn't discriminate.

Maybe over the top, but better safe than sorry in my opinion

[gonzobrian]

Slight case of over the top paranoia! If you really want to fix the problem install Linux on it. That'll cure all it's ills. As for hackers who the hell would want to hack a windows based arcade maching?!

I dunno, I make about $200 a month on the side, cleaning crap off of PC's that nobody in there right mind would want to break into...plus spyware doesn't discriminate.

Maybe over the top, but better safe than sorry in my opinion

Thats what I thought.  Once this stuff is in the wild so to speak no one is sitting there controling where a worm or virus goes.  To bad they dont know how much fun my family and my self have on the cab maybe they would leave us alone. 
Paranoia, maybe but after I spent one weekend reinstalling on two machines and running my suite of free apps to clean up my main comp I would hate to do this same for my game cab.  It would take a lot longer.  I'm looking into drive image right now to get a good snap shot of my system to make a restore easier.

[leapinlew]

I don't run any antivirus anymore... pretty much anything made nowadays slips right past'em. I pretty much just use common sense and I only use IE when I have to. The problem is heuristics really... there needs to be a new antivirus engine. The whole idea of fixing something after it becomes a problem isn't cutting it anymore. Also, Antivirus has become some of the worst bloatware out there.

At my job, I run antivirus on multiple levels. But to be honest, it's just about worthless. There is only so much you can do to protect users - until the answer is education. The virus community moves much faster then the antivirus people.

"Just cause the attachment says 'Naked Pictures of Jessica Simpson - CLICK ME' doesn't necessarily mean there are pics in there"

On a dedicated arcade machine... once it's setup, I don't update it enough to even worry about setting it up on the wireless network. And, if there is a rom I want on it - I'll create a cd or transfer it via external hard drive.