Hackers?

Just like nouellette said, upgrade to anewer version like windows-xp would help increase your security.  Working smart helps also.  Careful about "napster" like programs, also chat rooms.  I use Norton 2002 and it is so simple to use.  Do the windows update thing several patches can help prevent hackers from getting to your system.

I disagree, stick with Windows 95 as long as you can (and you probably can't upgrade very far anyway due to hardware restrictions if your running 95 now).  The reason for this is (and I'm assuming its only your computer, no network) 95 isn't a network operating system, that was NT's job back in the day, so you have very few services running that will allow exploitation.  Make sure your file and print sharing are off (if you need to know how to do this just ask), install a software firewall if your going on by a dial-up... I would go with hardware if your using DSL/Cable.  You can pick up an old 486 computer for 10 dollars and run a linux firewall/router (the software is free!) that runs off of a floppy disk.  With write protection on your floppy, its impossible to "own" this firewall past a reboot... so it's nice like that.  

Other then that I would follow the instructions listed above, don't run attachments, turn off activeX and most java related things in internet explorer.  In general just be paranoid.

Jim

nuh-uhh- the coolest thing about 9x is that they are so far behind, that they don't have much that lets someone HACK or Control them! They don't have the versatility that XP and 2k have, so their being so old is good. A firewall like ZoneAlarm (there is a free version, but the $$ is well worth it)can keep you out of their radar. I've been at this for a bit, and 95 is the most insecure with physical access, and the password's are weak for your shares, so DON'T SHARE :) use a FW and AV software, just like any other OS, if you wnat to stay secure. Looks like great minds do think alike. If you did get a program like subseven or back-oriface, then the hacker's can do much much more, but 98 or 95 can do quite a bit still, I wouldn't count on the fact that it's so old that someone won't take your PC on, but a good firewall and av is a great step fwd! Read the Hacking Exposed Series (www.hackingexposed.com) if you want to know some good stuff, these guys are pretty up todate, and I have all their books.
-NEO

how come i didn't see halcyon985's post... hmm. 5:38 PST...

All good sugestions, but 95 is still less vulnerable than any other windows OS, due to the fact of it's antiquity, and very naive nature, it is not a NETWORK style OS like it's younger kin. It does have bad password algorythims, and the MS 97 is real bad, but I think that an AV and a FW would be more than enough.
Outlook and eurdora have about equal security flaws, as does most software that do the same functions, on the same OS. It's your PC, but an upgrade wouldn't hurt, linux would be a better way for you to go, only have a dozen "viri" for it, but you'd have to learn CLI ;) X-windows is nice though, does most everything win32 does.
ehh. You'd be surprized, not many hackers i know would even bother a 9x machine.
-NEO

> Outlook and eurdora [sic] have about equal security flaws

You are wrong.  

EUDORA does not process any JavaScript code
embedded in an HTML-formatted message.  So, EUDORA
is "immune" from any JavaScript-exploiting virus.

EUDORA does not "auto-execute" attachments.
So, EUDORA is "immune" from viruses like SirCam and NIMDA,
which infect your computer when you "open"
a piece of E-mail.

EUDORA does not trigger any "web-bugs"
(one-pixel-by-one-pixel pseudo-image files)
which are embedded in an HTML-formatted message.
Just "previewing" such a message with Outlook
tells the sender of the E-mail that you have "opened"
the E-mail message, and thus "qualifies" you to receive
more spam to your E-mail ID.


If you have any information about exploitable "security flaws" in EUDORA,
please share them.

ok, so EUDORA sounds real good!
Hey has anyone heard of http://www.oddpost.com?

I really didn't want to spark all this debate over software. Shelley1 to answer your actual question, I would suggest you read about hacking, in books like the "hacking exposed" series. Google will help you a lot! Otta gives you some good best practice advise, and common scams. The debate over which software is better, is really which is better for you, ease of use, your understanding of the internet and it's dangers. "Security is not a program, it's a precess."-Bruce Schneier. The more you understand what a hacker will do, has done in the past and future, the better off you'll be, in theory;) A good firewall, and a good anti-virus program will do you good, no matter what windows OS you have. Anti-virus software has heuristic's and they are an advanced way of finding viri that haven't been detected yet. Some more best practices, Do not runn your windows box as Admin or Power User, avoid that as much as you can. Our comanpy was not hit by the IluvYou virus because of this fact, your running 9x so you have no say in the matter, i suggest you upgrade to a newer OS. There are lot's of free utilities, and even OS's (linux). Why limit yourself to 1 oc, you could get VMware and have winows on linux or vice versa. But again, to learn about hacking and hackers, you'll need to read stuff for yourself.
GL
-NEO

> http://www.oddpost.com

It's about the worst batch of HTML that I've seen:

 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="no"?>
 
 A:link { text-decoration:none; } A:visited {
   text-decoration:none; }

 If you&rsquo;re having trouble logging in to Oddpost,
 please try closing all open browser windows, reopening
 Oddpost, and logging in again. If that doesn&rsquo;t
 fix the problem, try emptying your browser&rsquo;s cache.

See?  Incorrectly-embedded XML,
incorrectly-embedded "style-sheet" code,
and other oddities.

P.S. As an alternative to EUDORA,
see: http://WWW.PocoMail.COM

Wow I have so many comments, I don't know what to do, but I did talk to my isp provider about hackers, and he told me it would be harder than hell for them to do that, so I really don't know what to do at this point, I will ask them about Eudora tho, thanks everybody, Shelley1

Well the person at your ISP is either clueless or just trying to give you a false sense of security.

Jim

In short:

set your internet explorer security settings to medium-high

whenever you use a credit card, make sure it's from a reputable seller and MAKE SURE U CAN SEE THE PADLOCK IN THE BOTTOM RIGHT

never open e-mails with attachments from people you don't know

get a firewall and antivirus

use eudora (if u want to be really safe - antivirus will usually do)

(and anyway, if u use dialup, ure more likely to get struck by lightning than get hacked into) - just get antivirus

I Need to close port 5001. It has a trojan on it calles Sockets de Troie. How do i close it. I scanned my computer over 100 times with different trojan and virus scanners and it didnt detect any infected files. I Have a router, a firewall, and another firewall called Zone Alarm. Those will stop the trojan from connection to the internet but how do i close the port. Please help. My email is matt@comprotech.com.

(and anyway, if u use dialup, ure more likely to get struck by lightning than get hacked into) - just get antivirus

I again cannot stress how wrong this is.  Anyone who believes this is being nothing short of foolish.  The only difference between the cable connection and the dialup is the *usual* amount of time connected.  Which doesnt mean your not connected for a half hour at a time.  Thats plenty of time to start cracking a box.  Firewalling is just as important for dialup as it is for cable.  It only takes a couple seconds of internet connection for a trojan to upload sensitive info it has found on your computer.  And antivirus cant stop all trojans, hence the post completely unrelated at the bottom of this.

Jim  

> Comment from hitbyaparkedcar

Please do not try to "piggy-back" your question here.

Instead, open a new question, assign some points to it,
and wait for a flood :-)
of detailed comments about disabling "rogue" services,
and editing the Windows Registry.

how do i do that

> how?

Just "click" on the hyperlink:

http://www.experts-exchange.com/Security/Win_Security/qAskQuestion.jsp

and fill-in the form.