Quick question from a tech idiot

[drg650r]

Hello everyone. This is my first, and probably my only, post here. I just have a question that I figured this would be a good place to ask.

I recently purchased a laptop to replace my tower of 3 years that has become infected will a virus, worm, or spyware (or maybe many of each) that has caused it to operate very poorly. My paranoid concern is if I use the same modem and router that I was using with my tower, is there any chance that my new laptop could be infected with some of the same things that were harming my tower? In other words, can either of these two hardware devices store these harmful things and transmit them to a new computer?

Thanks so much, I really appreciate the help.

Dan

[krazyko]

You can get infected again but not by the router or modem storing any of that information.

[blackbox_ns]

I would not think the router or modem would be the issue. More so the downloadable content from web sites, emails, and such. There are a few things that you could do to protect yourself, and are most likely already on the machines. One would be to make sure the Firewall is on, via Control Panel / Security Center. Even though the firewall won't do much for viruses, its just good practice. Windows Defender is another utility that may be already on the machines already aswell, this will help with spyware, etc.

Probably your best defense would be to get a third party Antivirus utility that scans the machine, and any downloaded files in real time.

[Done_Fishin]

Defence is better than cure .. as said you can't get infected because you're using the same hardware .. only because you are using the same techniques that got you infected in the first place .. you need to become security aware! and that means thinking about what you are doing all teh time .. not believing for one instant that the files you are downloading are "DANGER FREE".
EVERYTHING is a potential risk whether it's from a pals CD DISK, USB Drive, Magazine CD/DVD, Internet download and even a Microsoft Download.
There are traps all over the internet for the unwary. you're looking for a file using a search engine and you click on a site .. you don't know if that site is friendly or hostile .. you assume hostile .. regardless whether you have been there a thousand times before or not. Routes to sites get hijacked and the files you can grab might get infected as you download them .. that's not to say that the site is giving you an infected download .. the hijacker will inject some code into the download which will cause the infection. If the site gives a download checksum .. use it to verify that nothing has been added. If there is no checksum .. run a virus scan on the file before opening it. Run a virus scan anyway!

Always "save to disk" then virus scan the file and never "run" from the source or site

Never believe that the file is clean just because you get a clean bill of health .. not finding a threat and not being infected are two totally different things .. I cleaned a friends PC of 12000 infected files 2 years ago and kept a copy of the clean files on my PC .. 18 months later one of those clean files was labelled a threat! Not finding is NOT the same as not having. Always keep your defences up to date and run a regular check at times when you aren't using the PC or laptop.

If you use e-mail .. NEVER have the browser window open or automatically open your mail. these are prime ways to get infected. If you just see headers in the window you can delete anything that looks suspicious before it gets opened .. there are messages going around that will infect you as soon as your program opens them .. unless they are opened in text mode, Pegasus is the only program that does that to my knowledge .. and it's an old program from 20 years ago ..

Some infections arrive in parts and wait for the catalyst to arrive to set them running and give you an infection

I see you're using XP .. so replace the Windows firewall with something like Zone Alarm Free version and also try using AVG Free (from Grisoft) a very good free antivirus that gives regular updates.

Windows firewall will block a lot of stuff from getting into your computer but if something gets in via the backdoor then windows firewall does little to block that gem from getting out and inviting friends in for a party .. a program like Zonealarm will ask you what you want to do when something tries to make use of your PC's facilities that hasn't been checked out before.

like I said .. you need a rethink of the way you use your computer .. nothing is infallible but you sure can make it as difficult as possible for something to happen by using "internet common sense" and a healthy view towards security .. don't even trust your mother when she gives you something to look at or play with .. don't even trust your security advisor .. or me .. Check before opening anything .. and make sure that you have an antivirus program that is watching too ..

The only person you have to blame if you get an infection of any sort is YOURSELF!! and we are ALL "only human", aren't we ??