Protecting Your Home Windows Based PC 10/2006

  1. Practice Skeptical Computing
  2. Install a personal firewall. The default Windows XP SP2 firewall isn't strong enough for the dangers of today's Internet. I recommend installing the Comodo firewall. It is free for home use. You will have to "train" it to recognize those applications that should be allowed to access the Internet.
  3. Backup your data. This step is often ignored, and the user ends up losing important files. At minimum buy a 1G USB thumb drive and drag your important documents to it. A better solution would be to purchase an external hard drive, most of which come with backup software.
  4. Remove all the junk. Old temporary files and broken registry keys can slow your PC down. I recommend using CCleaner to give your PC a good "cleaning."
  5. Install antivirus software. Windows should not be operated without an up to date antivirus program. I recommend AVG which is also free for home use. Make sure that you update and scan your PC at regular intervals.
  6. Install antispyware software. Spyware is a greater threat today than viruses. I recommend SpyCatcher Express which is another free program for home use. Make sure you perform a "Deep Scan" after you install this program. You should also update this program often and scan your PC regularly.
  7. Apply patches. Microsoft releases most patches on a monthly bases on the 2nd Tuesday. You should get into the habit of visiting the Windows update site on the 2nd Wednesday using Internet Explorer. Keep visiting Windows Update until there are no patches left to apply. Be prepared to reboot your PC, possibly multiple times. You should also have Automatic Updates turned on under the Security Control Panel.
  8. Use Internet Explorer only when necessary. Most spyware installs occur because of flaws in Internet Explorer or its components. Both Opera and Firefox provide a safer surfing environment.
  9. Be prepared for the worst, you may have to reformat and reinstall. Your PC may be so infected that these programs may not be able to completely erase all malicious software. Before you give up and reformat/reinstall, here are a few sites that can be used to clean your PC. Make sure to use Internet Explorer when visiting them. Do not let any of them set a "Restore Point," as this may allow spyware to survive the cleaning. You should visit them in the order listed. This will take some time.