Is your PC safe when not logged on to the Internet ?

[John Bull]

I am on Cable Fibre Optic Broadband.
When looking at my Desktop, not being logged on to the Internet, am I immune from infection ?
Can I turn my Firewall and AV off ?
I don`t think so.

Every one of my stand alone programs are on scheduled auto-update including Windows.
All these connect to the Internet and download their material without me having any knowledge of it other than perhaps a pop-up saying an update is in progress.

So unknown to us Broadband users the Internet is always connected except when the PC is completely shut down or if during Standby and Hibernate the local connection is severed.

Hence if a Malware Rootkit or bug exists in the system it can operate Inward and Outward bound traffic without showing any signs of activity. There would obviously be no pop-up to say we are being burgled.

Normally the Firewall and AV programs are still live and should do their work in the normal way even with the Internet closed, but if they are shut down for some reason then the Malware can operate freely.

I have recently come across a program that requires the Internet, AV and Firewall to be shut down before running - GMER. Bearing in mind what has just been said, that sounds like big trouble.

Your comments on this personally puzzling situation would be gratefully received. Particularly the shutting down of the AV and Firewall programs.

John Bull

Example :-
After a long shutdown on Hibernate, no Firewall activity had occured. I manually updated MBAM, it took less than a minute, but in that time with no Internet connection open on my part ONE intrusion was blocked by my Firewall :- Protocol = TCP, Source IP = 58.218.204.110, Destination IP = ME, Souce Port = 12200, Destination Port = 9090. The IP track is shown here :-

[officemanager]

You are correct what you are saying.
Since Gmer is a root kit remover software it most likely need your anti virus software and internet disabled as Gmer and anti virus software can conflict with each other.
The internet shut down is to stop any possibilities of infection happening while anti virus is disabled.
Once Gmer has finished you just enable your anti virus software again and reconnect to internet.

[John Bull]

Originally Posted by officemanager

You are correct what you are saying.
Since Gmer is a root kit remover software it most likely need your anti virus software and internet disabled as Gmer and anti virus software can conflict with each other.
The internet shut down is to stop any possibilities of infection happening while anti virus is disabled.
Once Gmer has finished you just enable your anti virus software again and reconnect to internet.

You cannot disconnect the Internet unless you pull the cable out by it`s socket or cut the power supply. Both of these will not be of much use to GMER will they ?

If GMER requires that the AV and FW be disabled in order for it to work, then that is absolute rubbish. It does not achieve anything - the Internet is as live as if you had your browser opened !
Suggestion :- The only way GMER can work without a live AV, FW and Internet connection is in SAFE MODE.
If GMER is really asking us to kill our AV and FW whilst having a live Internet cable connected - THEN DUMP IT !

[root]

pull the power from your modem then there is no risk.

you can disable AV and firewall and run GMER.

then you get the scan results/fixes from GMER stop that process and thurn on your AV FW and plug the modem power back in.

problem solved.

not all tools are required to be run with a live connection to the internet.

[officemanager]

To John Bull
Well obviously you know better!!!
Cheers