Can I record transmitted info?

[JennEmile]

Is it possible to record information transmitted from my computer to the internet? Maybe there's a program that could do it? I would like to see what kind of information is transmitted from my computer when I'm not actively surfing so that I can review it later or even in real-time.:mellow

[method77]

this (http://www.monitoring-spy-software.com/) and this (http://www.exploreanywhere.com/sb-intro.php) will do the trick

[JennEmile]

Thanx...but will any of those programs record the info transmitted by Windows XP background services and any other type of "spyware"? (in quotes because I scan my computer for spyware using adaware and spybot and I know my computer is transmitting other info just by watching my dialup icon in the system tray):mellow

[method77]

I don't think there is much you can do about that. If it's spyware you're worried about, just do a frequent search with spybot and you'll be ok. Just don't forget to update the software.

[mrlipring]

apart from using a firewall to give selected applications access to the net.

[JennEmile]

yeah, I have McAfee Firewall...but I wanted to know what everything is tansmitting verbatim. I've been searching now for a while and still can't find any info. I know there's gotta be a way.

[Krell]

JennEmile

The most logical, simple two fold approach would be to set your firewall to ASK you if a service can access the net, therefore you get to see what it is connecting to.

The other is to use a packet sniffer to record the data in to log files, at the size of your chosing, since you will not be on your machine then, it could be small, but this is NOT something you want to do while you are using P2P !!!!

There are a few like CommView that are easy to use, Sniffem, SnifPro, HttpSniffer, Email Sniffer, Sinus Packet Sniffer, UltraSoft Sniffer . . .

I would have to look on a CD to see what else I have, but they are obtainable on P2P.



Can yo be more specific about what and why you are concerned with services etc? Anything other than the usual "phone home" concerns?

[JennEmile]

Thanx for the info Krell. I'll check those out. By-the-way, which do you highly recomend(sp?)? I'm subscribing to another forum in which we were discussing how some of the Windows XP background service gather info and send it back to Microsoft. I wanted to know what the information is exactly and, perhaps, if anything else on my confuser is doing that too.:mellow

[Krell]

Traitor


Dont you know this is the best place to get accurate information?

: )


Honestly, listen, you could spend a voracious amount of time on this, and it wouldnt help you in the long run. Windows send back metrics on usage, performance stats, it phones home when some services fail, and les than 30 minutes ago I had an outgoing request for Recource Manager, as I am spankin the hell outta my machine with DC++, sweet.

Either learn to configure your firewall, or get one that you CAN, like Sygate Personal Firewall Pro. Then, just say no.

I also want to work with you turning OFF the services that you dont need, so launch Task manager, and tell me how many services are running right now. 20? 30? 40?





EDIT as far as what I recomend, are you using one computer, non networked, with one network card in it? Just the standard home PC?

[JennEmile]

Just a standard home PC. Currently running 39 services, 21 of which are listed as SYSTEM, 1 NETWORK and the rest "". .:mellow

[Krell]

I have a copy of it, and I deleted it for security reasons.

The obvious things are your antivirus constantly running in the background, and the scheduling that goes with that, if you dont have a printer you dont need print spooler, you have your Chapura Hotsync going, Real audio crap, it looks like you connect to the internet with MSN thru dial up, . . . . .


this can be cut in half !

When you have a solid hour to spare, I would like for you to go to http://blackviper.com/WinXP/servicecfg.htm and read that page, then use

http://blackviper.com/WinXP/service411.htm and go thru thing one by one.

Once you have cut out the fat from those Services, then I will help you your other services, and start up group items, you will notice an improvement in your performance.

[JennEmile]

Thanx. It's my bedtime pretty soon. I work grave. I'll read it later tonight. I'll post again when I'm finished with my homework. You've been helpful. BTW, I got CommView. Looks like what I wanted. Post at ya later.:mellow

[JennEmile]

Whoa...I didn't realize all the crap that XP has running in the back ground. Thanx Krell! I went through every one of them carefully and disabled about half of them. I ignored some of Black Vipers recommendations because of MSN Explorer and MSN messenger. And let me tell you, after I did a cleanup on my startup programs, a registry cleanup and compression, a system cleanup, and a system defragmentation, my confuser is freakin' flyin. I guess I thought I knew xp. Anyway, I think that everyone needs to, at least, turn off that Indexing Service crap if they run XP.

Back to what I originally asked about recording transmitted info. That CommView shows you pretty good detail of when, what, where, and how the info is sent. But...I also discovered that everything I wanted to know was right under my nose in McAfee firewall. So I have been studying up on that program to understand it a little more.

All-in-all, I recommend that every XP home or Pro user read and understand the site that Krell posted above... http://blackviper.com/WinXP/servicecfg.htm . I'm still not done going through those pages...there's lot's of good information there.:mellow