a little off topic, PC spyware question

[Doc Frankenfield]

since many of the DCC controls utilize some form of PC or tablet and they are connected to the web in some fashion, can anyone recommend a good spyware package? we are using Webroot on our main PCs but need to add a viable spyware package.
 thanks for any input

(Posting here as I would rather get quality responses and not get all the crap from Feeblebook)

[John]

Webroot has a PCMag Review  - https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/webroot-secureanywhere-antivirus

Please provide some more information ..

1) Operating system of your "server"  -- what is the web software you are using ..

2) Is your railroad infrastructure on a private IP net

3) Do you allow connection to the internet -- why do you need this?

4) Are you running a firewall

5) Are you running a wireless access point

anything else you can tell us .. what is your concept of operations .. by that I mean -  we run a wireless access point, anyone can log in and run trains == or we allow remote access from the internet to control trains ..  etc


One other thing -- most of the model railroad software is webserver based - or specialized protocol .. your biggest "threat" is your user base screwing something up. I don't see much risk of any attack other than getting malware onto the servers .. so keep your antivirus signatures up to date, isolate you train network from the internet, and make a complete backup of your system servers .. (which you should be doing anyway)

John Berger CISSP, ISSEP, CE|H, Security+, CYSA+

[peteski]

. . . can anyone recommend a good spyware package? we are using Webroot on our main PCs but need to add a viable spyware package.
 . . .

I had a double-take at your post.  I think you mean ANTI-spyware  or ANTI-virus package. Or are you thinking of becoming a shady hacker sending spyware onto the Interwebs?   

[wvgca]

a really good anti-spyware package is Malwarebytes ... i even bought the lifetime version way back ..

[Sumner]

...... isolate you train network from the internet.....

Yep, if you are running something like DCC++EX with the WiFi shield on the Arduino it can create its own hotspot and you aren't connected to the internet.  I run that mode and/or also have a Raspberry Pi with JMRI on it connected to the DCC++EX Command Station and the Pi becomes an access point that you connect to with a wireless phone throttle or tablet and again you aren't connected to the Internet so no worries.  Both access points can be running at the same time with DCC++EX and you have the option to connect to either.

Sumner

[John]

Yep, if you are running something like DCC++EX with the WiFi shield on the Arduino it can create its own hotspot and you aren't connected to the internet.  I run that mode and/or also have a Raspberry Pi with JMRI on it connected to the DCC++EX Command Station and the Pi becomes an access point that you connect to with a wireless phone throttle or tablet and again you aren't connected to the Internet so no worries.  Both access points can be running at the same time with DCC++EX and you have the option to connect to either.

Sumner

I don;t use DCC+ .. but have similar setup using an old Linksys router and a PI  -- works great and keeps the railroad isolated from the rest of the house network .. as an aside - Hans Tanner of IOTT has a nice video on hacking loconet and doing a MITM ..have you seen it

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I don;t use DCC+ .. but have similar setup using an old Linksys router and a PI  -- works great and keeps the railroad isolated from the rest of the house network .. as an aside - Hans Tanner of IOTT has a nice video on hacking loconet and doing a MITM ..have you seen it

Time to war drive Timonium!