Pls help me to protect my PC

[chesstango]

u mean Free avast? and windows firewall? how should i setup or install windows firewall?
Thx a lot

[kingliveson]

u mean Free avast? and windows firewall? how should i setup or install windows firewall?
Thx a lot

Windows Firewall is an integrated component of Windows Operating System. The free Avast version works just fine, and it is what I use. But more important than an anti-virus program is never running under the Administrator account. It is an idea very common with Linux/Unix environment.

[Roman Hartmann]

You don't need to do any of the above bold statements. I run both Linux and Windows and am quite comfortable with both environments and would say I know the dos and don'ts. One thing you need to definitely do is Never Run As Administrator. Create a restricted user account and when you need to install apps or do administrative tasks, use the 'Run As' function. Avast and Windows firewall is all you need.

Only half a year ago I would have given about the same advice. And till very recently I also thought I knew enough about the dos and dont's ...

Roman

[chesstango]

How can i assure myself not to run never as an administrator account; for example if mu account is CHESS it says it runs as administrator and with password protected.... What should i do?

[kingliveson]

How can i assure myself not to run never as an administrator account; for example if mu account is CHESS it says it runs as administrator and with password protected.... What should i do?

1. From the Run prompt window, type this command: control userpasswords2
2. Click the Advance tab, and click the advance button.
3. Create a new (administrator) account, call it Root (or whatever you want) and give it full admin rights. Set the password. You will never have to log into this account.
4. Set the password for the default system Administrator account, and then disable the account.
5. Change the account type of CHESS to restricted.

[Fguy64]

grc.com (Gibson Research Corporation) is a highly regarded website in the field of internet security. I've used it for years. You will find lots of useful information and free security diagnostic services there.

While I agree with those who say there is probably no way to make your PC 100% safe, I don't think the situation is as bad as some would believe. Naturally you need quality security and antivirus software, A hardware firewall such as a linksys router is also useful, but not a necessity. Anyways, it sounds like you know about security software.

Your own "behaviour" is also an important factor. By that I mean take reasonable precautions. Don't open unknown emails. Don't use Microsoft email software such as Outlook, a lot of email viruses target those programs. Stick to reputable websites if you can. And think twice about having sensitive information on an internet connected PC.

Also there is no substitute for having the acquaintance of a reliable and experienced technician who can sit down with you at your computer.

good luck.

[M ANSARI]

Win XP is an extremely vulnerable OS, especially in 32bit. I find that Win 7 is very safe if use withd Kaspersky 2010 internet security. No need to not be an Administrator in Win 7 as you will need to physically press a key to clear the warning. Kaspersky is very good as it tells you if something is snooping around or acting suspiciously even if it is not in its virus or malware signiatures.

[Fguy64]

Win XP is an extremely vulnerable OS, especially in 32bit. I find that Win 7 is very safe if use withd Kaspersky 2010 internet security. No need to not be an Administrator in Win 7 as you will need to physically press a key to clear the warning. Kaspersky is very good as it tells you if something is snooping around or acting suspiciously even if it is not in its virus or malware signiatures.

When it started out, yeah XP was pretty weak on security, but with all the security patches and service packs that have been issued over the years, extremely vulnerable is an overstatement, it's really not that bad, especially when used with appropriate firewall, antivirus, etc.

[Peter Skinner]

These are the first things I do to secure a system:

1. Install an SPI firewall enabled router. Terrific hardware based security at the fraction of the cost of a hardware firewall. Configure it to not respond to ping requests.
2. Remove all previously stored restore points. These can actually contain malware that you have already removed, so it is best to start with a clean restore point. Disable this feature until the end.
3. Set passwords on all the user accounts, and limit them to regular users. If they need to install something, they will be prompted for the Admin password.
4. Do an online scan with the Kaspersky Free Website Scanner. Remove anything it finds.
5. After the online scan finds nothing, install either Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2010, ESET NOD32, or Windows Security Essentials. All are pretty good for catching malware.
6. Do a full scan on the system. Hidden file and folders as well. Remove anything it finds that the online scanner didn't.
7. Lock the HOSTS file with HostsXpert. Make the HOSTS file read-only, and restore it to the default MS one.
8. Disable Administrator file shares. File sharing can still be done on the home network, but the root of drives will not be accessible.
9. Install FireFox or another browser. Reason being is there are no Active X installs, so websites can't try and install software without your permission.
10. I add AdBlock Plus to FireFox. This will prevent 99.999% of advertising showing up on websites.
11. Remove _anything_ for P2P file sharing. uTorrent, Limewire, Frostwire.. anything that uses a P2P source for it's material. (If the user is a gamer, then I leave the bittorrent client on, as most vendors are pushing patches via the torrent system).
12. UPDATE all your Flash, Shockwave, and Java. There is nothing wrong with using them as many websites rely on their technology. Just keep them up to date.
13. Once I know everything is clean and working well, I then go to the Windows Updates website to update the system. Getting the latest security patches is crucial.
14. Re-enable the System Restore feature. This will create a new restore point for you to go back to in the future if things messed up, and you know it is a clean date.

Once all the above is done, I usually add some registry patches to stop services or increase security further.

If you have any further questions, feel free to email me. I can also do remote service work via Team Viewer if you are uncomfortable making any system changes.

Peter

[Peter Skinner]

grc.com (Gibson Research Corporation) is a highly regarded website in the field of internet security. I've used it for years. You will find lots of useful information and free security diagnostic services there.

Steve Gibson is an idiot. Having actually met the man twice and listening to him talk, the man is living in the dark ages of security.

I trust anything he says or posts on the web with a grain of salt.

A hardware firewall such as a linksys router is also useful, but not a necessity. Anyways, it sounds like you know about security software.

A software firewall is only good for outbound protection. For inbound attacks you want something between your physical system and the internet, which is why an SPI firewall enabled router is terrific. It blocks anything coming in, unless you set a rule to allow it.

Also there is no substitute for having the acquaintance of a reliable and experienced technician who can sit down with you at your computer.

I couldn't agree more. I sit down with all my customers and go over their internet habits. I advise them on what they are doing that is potentially dangerous and what remedies they can use. There is "Smart browsing" and then there is "Surfing". If you do the latter, you are in trouble.

Peter