Ensure your system is protected against all forms of malware, this
includes spyware, virus' and tracking ads. Following are some simple
steps you can take to reduce the chance of infection - it would be best
to do them all, but just getting proactive in choosing your sites
carefully, never downloading thing's you're not 100% sure about, and
never clicking on those ads that promise youth, sex or money will
certainly help. Unfortunately there is no apparent surfing nirvana on
the horizon, but following these simple rules will help to ensure you
stay untainted for longer.
• Unknown e-mails coming from unknown or distrusted sources should be
flagged as spam and instantly deleted. Especially be wary of
attachments. If you absolutely have to open them, save them to your
hard disk and scan them with an updated antivirus program.
• Delete any chain e-mails or unwanted messages. Do not forward them
or reply to their senders. This is spam, and you will be contributing
to it if you forward it on. It congests the Internet even more than it
already is and wasn't asked for – you will not receive £50,000 if you
send it on to 10 friends or 10,000…
• Do
not respond to unknown email where it says things like, ‘click here to
be removed from our list', you are inadvertently confirming your
address is valid and they will sell your address on to even more
spammers.
• Don't add places to your most trusted sites unless it is absolutely necessary.
Use Passwords in all windows logins
Ensure you create the Administrator password as the default is blank.
Also it is a good idea to completely disable the Guest account. Choose
your passwords wisely, not so cryptic that you will forget them, but
not your birthday either. Do not make them too short and do not choose
anything easy to guess.
When creating user accounts only have one account with administrator
privileges and create all other user accounts as restricted users -
especially for children. This will prevent them from installing things
you don't know about, and gives you the power of veto: It will also
save a lot of time cleaning up the mess that will occur if they have
unrestricted access to the PC.
Visit Windows Update: They're
not called Critical Updates for nothing. Every time Microsoft plugs a
security hole in windows the spyware merchants burrow a new one. It
would be best to have your system on Auto update, but if not, then you
should check at least once a month and download all the critical ones.
Use an Anti Virus program: Ensure you use one, and keep it updated…
• Eset Nod32 or Smart Security, one of the best on the market, and a good price.
• AVG Free Edition Is free and very good, certainly cheaper than Symantec or McAfee and
also lighter on the system resources. But if you have either of theses
- and are happy with them, then please install and use them.
Only ever run one antivirus / antispyware program on your system!
Windows Firewall: Windows
XP SP2 has an inbuilt firewall, but most people agree its protection is
inadequate, and only protects against incoming traffic. So a couple of
free, but highly effective Firewalls follow:
• Is Windows Firewall any good? Just to prove I'm not making this up.
Temp File/Cookies/index cleaner: Cleans out all the junk, offering some protection against identity theft and giving you precious hard disk space back…
SpyWare Scanners/Removers and Prevention Unfortunately,
the best ones cost real money, as it's the highest profile threat on
the ‘net, but there are some good ones out there that are free.
• Spyware Blaster –
definitely a winner, install, update then click on ‘enable all
protections' and exit. Run once a week to update its definitions. I use
this one.
• Spyware Doctor : A cut down free version can be gotten from the Google pack. Another one I use.
• SpyBot :
Also run once a week and use the immunize feature. It also offers an
onguard protection feature called Teatime which runs in the background
– never tried it though, so… Or…
• MS Windows Defender (Comes with Vista). An all in one utility that also runs in the background, use alone, not with the others.
Your Active X settings
In Internet Explorer, click Tools , Internet Options , Security . Click on the Internet globe. Then select Default Level , and then click OK. Now select Custom Level and scroll down to the ActiveX controls and plug-ins
Set 'Download signed Active X controls' to Prompt
Set 'Download unsigned Active X controls' to Disable
Set 'Initialize and Script ActiveX controls not marked as safe' to Disable
Set the Installation of desktop items to Prompt
Set the Launching programs and files in an IFRAME to Prompt
Set the Navigate sub-frames across different domains to Prompt
Click OK and OK again.
Download Mozilla FireFox and use it instead of Internet Explorer .
Stronger Security - Firefox keeps you more secure when you're browsing
the Web, closing the door on spyware, worms, and viruses (to a degree).
The Firefox community of developers and security experts works around
the clock to monitor security issues and release updates to better
protect you.
Clear Private Data - Protect your privacy with the new Clear Private
Data tool. With a single click, you can delete all personal data,
including browsing history, cookies, Web form entries and passwords.
Security starts with you! Just be careful!
There's a lot of stuff out there offering you all sorts of things,
programs like Kazaa, Imesh, etc that are often riddled with malware
causing you grief. If you must use them, choose wisely.
• Limewire is a good clean peer to peer application.
Finally, I hate to say it, but, avoid the porn and piracy sites as they are havens of spyware, trojans, worms and worse.
