Basic Computer Security Precautions You Need To Know

In a bid to participate in keeping the floundering economy alive, I did my part by buying a new computer for my home, a month or so ago.

Well, at least that’s what I tell myself; although I can’t seem to remain convinced that was the real reason.

For the technically inclined, here are the specs – not overwhelming, not on the leading edge, but for what I do at home, better than adequate, and hey, it will run a 64 bit OS. So not obsolete; well not quite yet. (Moore’s Law)

A 64 x2 Dual – Core/Athlon on a GeForce 7050M-M MB, with 4 GB of RAM and no OS. The usual CD/DVD player, 320 GB HD etc., although I did buy a new Natural Ergonomic Keyboard, something I’ve used for years and couldn’t do without.

There’s no doubt about it – getting a new computer, while not in the same league as picking up that new car, does raise the blood pressure, and gets the heart racing a little faster with joyful anticipation.

So the first thing I did with this machine was to install Windows 7 (32 bit) Beta (more on this OS after I’ve run with it for 90 days), I got that machine tweaked to my personal specifications in no time (love that Windows 7). Then I ran into my first problem. Excitement – with a capital “E”.

Despite the fact I spend most of my waking hours dealing with computer security; working with it, thinking about it, talking about it, writing about it, drinking beer with my fellow Geeks while discussing it, I almost committed the cardinal sin of Internet security.

In my excitement to test out this new machine, to see what it was capable of, I was prepared to set aside the very safeguards which I strongly recommend to all new computer users.

To paraphrase that old song “Just in Time”, I stopped myself, “just in time”. So I’ve learned that the excitement of a new computer in the house can raise all sorts of challenges.

What stopped me from cruising the net without the appropriate safeguards in place was knowledge; the knowledge that within minutes my brand new computer would be hammered by malware of every stripe and color: Trojans, Spyware, Viruses, Phishing Scams, and Identity Theft, while connected to the Internet.

If you just got your first new PC, or you have just purchased a replacement PC, I know that just like me, you can hardly wait to put it through its paces. Just like me though, you must take the following steps to insure you, and your computer, will be safe while you surf the Internet.

By the way, this is the first new computer that I’ve owned where Microsoft didn’t profit. This machine is driven entirely by free software, including the beta version of Windows 7.

Minimum security precautions:

Patch your operating system. Download and install all available patches and service packs by connecting to Windows Update.

It is now beyond dispute that 50% of unpatched and unprotected systems will be infected with malicious code within 12 minutes of being connected to the Internet.

Install a firewall.

Windows XP comes with a basic firewall, and if you are running Windows Vista, it comes with a more robust firewall (Windows Firewall) than XP, as well as anti-spyware utilities (Windows Defender). However, a common consensus is; third party applications are usually more effective. Keep in mind that the XP firewall offers only minimal protection.

Choosing a firewall.

There are a number of free firewalls that are worth considering. The following are two that do the job particularly well.

Comodo Firewall Pro:

The definitive free firewall, Comodo Firewall protects your system by defeating hackers and restricting unauthorized programs from accessing the Internet.

I have been using this application for 14 months and I continue to feel very secure. It resists being forcibly terminated and it works as well, or better, than any firewall I’ve paid for. This is one I highly recommend. Amazing that it’s free!

ZoneAlarm:

The free version of ZoneAlarm lacks the features of ZoneAlarm Pro’s firewall. Its program control asks you regularly whether to allow programs; for some this can be intrusive and annoying.

Install anti-virus software: There is no doubt that an unprotected computer will become infected by viruses and malware within minutes of first being connected to the Internet. There are many free versions of anti-virus software available and the programs that have a well justified reputation are listed below.

avast! 4 Home Edition:

This anti virus app is a real fighter, scanning files on demand and on access, including email attachments. Let’s you know when it detects mal-ware through its shield function.

An important feature is a boot-time scan option, which removes mal-ware that can’t be removed any other way. I’m now running this application on a Windows 7 machine – works perfectly!

Avira AntiVir Personal Edition Classic:

This anti-virus program offers comprehensive protection with an easy to use interface.

In the ten months I have been testing Avira I have been impressed with its performance, and I have come to rely on it as my primary anti-virus program.

I highly recommend this one.

Install Anti-spyware and Adware Software: It’s not only a virus that can put your computer down for the count, but a multitude of nasties freely floating on the Internet. Listed below are a number of free programs that offer very good protection against malware.

Spyware Terminator:

Having tested virtually all of the major anti-spyware applications over the past year or more, I’ve settled, for now, on Spyware Terminator primarily due to its strong real-time protection against spyware, adware, Trojans, key-loggers, home page hijackers and other malware threats.

Spyware Terminator excels in strong active protection against known and unknown threats. If anything, I find it perhaps a little overly aggressive. On the other hand, better this than the alternative.

Spyware Doctor Starter Edition:

Spyware Doctor Starter Edition from PC Tools is an excellent choice, as a secondary line of defense.

This free version of the award winning program, with its easy to use interface, is used by millions of people worldwide to protect their computers; it’s reported there are a million+ additional downloads every week.

Be aware however, there is no real-time protection offered with this version and for this reason I recommend this application as a secondary scanner only.

Ad-Aware 2008:

Many software reviewers consider Ad-Aware 2008 Free as the best free adware remover available.

It does a relatively good job of protecting against known data-mining, Trojans, dialers, malware, browser hijackers and tracking components.

The only downside with the free version is real-time protection is not included.

If you are now on the Internet, and you have not yet taking the precautions as outlined above, you are extremely vulnerable and it is critical that you take the following precautions:

Stop surfing the Web and patch your operating system. Only then download the protective software as noted above, or software that you are familiar with that will do an appropriate job of protecting your computer.

Do not visit any other websites until you have done this.

Additional security precautions:

Establish a password for the administrator account. Only you should have access to the administrator settings on your PC. Unfortunately, XP installs with open access to the administrator’s account. Be sure to change this.

Create a new password protected user account. Using this account for your general day-to-day activities adds another layer of protection to your computer. A user account does not have the same all-access permissions as your administrator account, and in many cases this extra layer of protection will restrict malware from gaining a foothold on your PC.

For information on even more free computer security applications, see “ The Best Free Spyware, Virus, and Browser Protection” on this site.

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