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I'm gathering these don't involve viruses as such? That's why I'm asking.
@ wrote:

I'm gathering these don't involve viruses as such? That's why I'm asking.
Yes and no.  The various shields do protect you against a lot more than just viruses.  If you mean would it prevent ALL hacking attempts.. well no.  But then again, no other solution will either.  Highly sophisticated hacking such as was done recently against a reporter are not likely able to be stopped completely.  But then again you are not going to be the target of that kind of attack either.

 

See This Thread for Webroot's take on this.
Totally agree with David. Keep a low profile in the web and you'll not be prone to hacking unless of course you have a mischievous friend who would be willing to waste his/her time hacking you. Or a nemesis with a grudge on you.:) Specific targeting hacking can't be stopped.
Also if your using a good Firewall Router you shouldn't have any concerns just keep the firmware updated if there are any.

 

Daniel
If the hack drops a malicious payload on your system, Webroot will quarantine it. WSA doesn't deal so much with attack entry points through exploits in programs as it does in what tries to get in through those exploits.
What would protect and block up those attack entry points?
Pretty much just keeping your software up to date. Java is a good example for instance. There are all kinds of security holes found in Java all the time. Unfortunately it falls on Java's developers to patch them whenever those holes are discovered. Similarly, try to keep your Adobe and Windows updates up to date.
Hi Jim:

The answers given by you, TH, Amit and Da vid are solid advice. My personnel set up is I am running Windows Firewall along with Webroot Antivirus. Also I have eliminated Java on my pc. I am using IE10 as my browser. And of course I keep all the patches up to date.
You'd think there'd be a way to use some sort of heuristical behavioral firewall to block such attempts. One that monitors behavior on computers and determines whether the rightful operator is the one doing things on it. Maybe that will be webroot's next product? And by java you don't mean javascript, right?
No, there is a big difference between Java and Javascript.



Regarding the behavior monitor, keep in mind WSA does monitor for the payload. To draw an analogy, the exploit is an open door and the payload is the bad guy trying to come through it. WSA can't help the fact that there is an open door because it can't go patch Java. However, it can stand at the door like a bouncer and make sure the bad guys don't come through it.  So basically it's doing what you're talking about but in different words.
Java, though it shares some syntax and other features with JavaScript, is a totally different programming language, and is used for different purposes than one might use JavaScript for.

One of the major differences between Java and JavaScript is that Java is a compiled, high-level, multi-purpose programming language, which can be used for a wide variety of different tasks.

Unlike JavaScript, which can be written and then immediately executed with a user’s browser, after writing Java code, it must first be compiled, or turned into code that can be understood by the computer.
@ wrote:

Pretty much just keeping your software up to date. Java is a good example for instance. There are all kinds of security holes found in Java all the time. Unfortunately it falls on Java's developers to patch them whenever those holes are discovered. Similarly, try to keep your Adobe and Windows updates up to date.
I try to keep all my software updated. But apps like truecrypt and 7-zip has not been updated for more than a year. Is my system vulnerable to attack through these kinds of apps that have not been updated for sometime?

 

Best Wishes,

Amit
@ I have that exact setup except for I use Firefox. 😉
@ wrote:



Regarding the behavior monitor, keep in mind WSA does monitor for the payload. To draw an analogy, the exploit is an open door and the payload is the bad guy trying to come through it. WSA can't help the fact that there is an open door because it can't go patch Java. However, it can stand at the door like a bouncer and make sure the bad guys don't come through it.  So basically it's doing what you're talking about but in different words.

Exactly the way we want. WSA has got our back. It stand in the doorway and fight the bad guys.:)
Regarding your question about Truecrypt and 7-zip, an old app is not necessarily an app with holes in it. Some very good software exists that has not been updated in a long time because it doesn't need to be - the developers got it right the first time. So no, just because an app is old, it doesn't mean it's full of security holes. What the app actually does has a lot to do with this. Java is used for web-based communications, Windows is your operating system itself, and Adobe Flash can be used in a variety of malicious ways. It's much harder for an attacker to utilize any exploit in a zip file creator like 7-zip. That's not to say it can't be done, but such programs don't warrant as frequent of updates as a Java or a Flash.
Ah thanks a lot Jim. I understand now.:)
It protects nothing... get rid of it
@ wrote:

It protects nothing... get rid of it

Hello suetuleu, Welcome to the Webroot Community Forum. :D

I've been using WSA since it first launch and I've never been infected. I do visit many websites and my wife is a happy clicker. 😉
@

If you're frustrated, disappointed or simply had a bad experience with WSA, a more constructive criticism would help everybody here.
@ wrote:

Java, though it shares some syntax and other features with JavaScript, is a totally different programming language, and is used for different purposes than one might use JavaScript for.

One of the major differences between Java and JavaScript is that Java is a compiled, high-level, multi-purpose programming language, which can be used for a wide variety of different tasks.

Unlike JavaScript, which can be written and then immediately executed with a user’s browser, after writing Java code, it must first be compiled, or turned into code that can be understood by the computer.

Thanks for copy pasting from here:

 

http://technicalcafe.com/2012/08/06/what-is-the-difference-between-java-and-javascript/

 

 

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