SECURITY - PART 1
Windows Update
Microsoft Update is a web site for updating Microsoft Windows operating systems. It is a location for downloading critical updates, service packs, security fixes, patches and free upgrades. Most updates and patches are available once a month on Microsoft Update. Updates can always be downloaded manually. The Microsoft Update web site requires Internet Explorer and the ActiveX control. It is not compatible with other web browsers such as Mozilla Firefox or Opera without installing specialized plug-ins. As of July 2005, Windows Update requires Windows Genuine Advantage to be installed for users updating any version of Windows XP.
Keeping your Windows operating system it up to date is not optional. As soon as patches and fixes are posted to Windows Update, hackers and other bad guys start writing bugs and viruses to take advantage of the problem. The easiest way to protect your system is to turn on Automatic Updates.
Automatic Updates
Windows can keep your computer up to date automatically with the latest updates. You do not need to search for critical updates because Windows delivers them directly to your computer. Windows recognizes when you are online and uses your Internet connection to search for downloads from the Windows Update Web site. An icon appears in the notification area each time new updates are available.
How to Turn On Automatic Updates:
- Right-click on "My Computer".
- Left-click on "Properties".
- Left-click on the "Automatic Updates" tab.
- Select "Automatic (recommended)".
- Select "Every Day".
- Select a time when your computer will be on and online.
- Left-click on "OK".
Click here to see an animated demonstration of turning on Automatic Updates.
Just set it and forget it. Occasionally, Windows will ask you to restart your computer after an update. You can restart at your convenience -- just make sure to save any data you're working on.
Anti-Virus Software
A computer virus is a computer program that spreads by inserting copies of itself into other executable code or documents. Viruses are one of the several types of malicious software. The term "virus" often refers to worms, trojan horses and other sorts of malware as well. Viruses can be intentionally destructive or can be fairly benign or merely annoying. The major effect of viruses is their uncontrolled self-reproduction, which wastes computer resources.
Included in the many types of viruses are:
- Trojan horses
- A Trojan horse is a computer program that pretends to do one thing (like claim to be a picture) but actually does damage when one starts it (it can completely erase one's files). Trojan horses cannot replicate automatically.
- Worms
- A worm is software that uses computer networks and security flaws to create copies of itself. It replicates itself to new computers using the flaws and then begins scanning and replicating again.
- Email viruses
- An email virus will use an email message as transportation, and will copy itself by automatically mailing itself to hundreds of people in the victim's address book.
Anti-virus software is necessary to help keep your system secure. All anti-virus software provides two types of protection:
- Real-time protection that monitors all computer traffic on your system and attempts to stop virus attacks as they happen. You should not run more than one anti-virus program for real-time protection at a time.
- Runs complete scans of your system to find and remove any virus activity you may already have. These scans can be started manually but the most common choice is to set the anti-virus software to run the scans automatically at specified intervals. I recommend at least one complete scan per week. You can run as many anti-virus scans as you wish using various programs.
There are many anti-virus programs available ranging from expensive to free. Here is a brief overview of the most popular and some recommendations:
Norton Anti-Virus/Norton Internet Security
Rating: 
Price (Dec. 2007): $39.99/$74.99 plus annual subscription fee
I do not recommend any of the Norton products. Norton uses a lot of your system resources, bogs down your RAM (memory) and causes your system to run slower. The following web site, "What Slows Windows Down?", shows that Norton Internet Security is the number one cause of system slowdowns and causes a 58% system delay on your system. In addition, since Norton is the most widely used anti-virus, hackers tend to target PCs with that software installed.
McAfee Internet Security Suite
Rating: 
Price (Sept. 2006): $49.99 plus annual subscription fee of $39.99
McAfee also uses a lot of your system resources and causes your system to run slower. "What Slows Windows Down?", shows that McAfee Internet Security Suite is also one of the largest causes of system slowdowns and causes a 12% system delay on your system.
BitDefender
Rating: 
Price (Sept. 2006): $39.95 plus annual subscription fee of $29.96
This is the anti-virus program I use at the moment and recommend it highly. If you're going to pay for an anti-software program, this is among the best. According to "What Slows Windows Down?", BitDefender only uses 4% of your system resources. BitDefender Internet Security is a full security suite with spyware and anti-virus protection and the firewall protects against outside attacks. It features a spam filter that watches for phishing attacks.
It scans all or part of a system on demand and can run multiple scheduled scans at intervals ranging from hours to years. Its real-time protection eliminates most viruses the moment they appear. By default it scans accessed files, incoming and outgoing email, and downloaded files.
NOD32
Rating: 
Price (Sept. 2006): $39.00 plus annual subscription fee of $27.30
Price (Sept. 2006): $58.50 for first two years plus two-year subscription fee of $40.95
NOD32 is an effective anti-virus system that handles file scanning, email scanning and real-time protection. The program's many options may be confusing for the novice user. It is fairly successful at preventing installation of spyware.
AVG Free Version
Rating: 
Price (Sept. 2006): FREE with no annual subscription fee
The old saying that "you get what you pay for" does not apply to the AVG anti-virus program. I have used AVG for over a year and it was very effective. The first time you run AVG, it checks for updates and creates a rescue diskette for recovery if a virus renders your computer non-bootable. AVG's Control Center lets you set the program's modules. AVG works with Outlook to scan incoming and outgoing email.
Free Online Virus Scans
The following web sites offer free online virus scans. This could come in handy if a nasty bug renders your own anti-virus software useless. These online scanners must be run on the Internet Explorer browser.
Anti-Spyware Software
What is spyware? -- Spyware is software that performs actions such as advertising, collecting personal data, or changing the configuration of your computer, usually without obtaining your consent. Spyware that displays advertisements and tracks your personal information is known as adware. This does not mean that all software which provides ads or tracks your online activities is bad. For example, you might sign up for free online email but agree to receive targeted ads in exchange for the service. You may have decided that it is a fair tradeoff. You might also agree to let the company track your online activities to determine which ads to show you.
Other kinds of spyware, known as malware, make changes to your system that can be annoying and can cause your computer to slow down or crash. Programs known as browser hijackers can change your web browser's home page or search page, or add components to your browser you don't need or want. These programs also make it very difficult for you to change your settings back to the way you originally had them.
There are a number of ways spyware can get on your system. A common trick is to covertly install the software during the installation of other software. Many times misleading pop-up ads trick you into clicking on them and then spyware is installed. Whenever you are installing something on your computer, make sure you carefully read all disclosures, including the license agreement and privacy statement. Sometimes the inclusion of unwanted software in a given software installation is documented, but it may appear at the end of a license agreement or privacy statement.
Spyware also includes such nasties as:
- Key loggers - Sometimes called a keystroke logger, key logger, or system monitor, is a hardware device or small program that monitors each keystroke a user types on a specific computer's keyboard.
- Root kit - A rootkit is a collection of programs that enable administrator-level access to a computer or computer network. Typically, a cracker installs a rootkit on a computer after first obtaining user-level access, either by exploiting a known vulnerability or cracking a password. Once the rootkit is installed, it allows the attacker to mask intrusion and gain root or privileged access to the computer and, possibly, other machines on the network.
Anti-spyware software is necessary to help keep your system clean. Some anti-spyware programs provide two types of protection:
- Real-time protection that monitors all computer traffic on your system and attempts to stop spyware attacks as they happen. You should not run more than one anti-spyware program for real-time protection at a time.
- Runs complete scans of your system to find and remove any spyware programs you may already have. These scans can be started manually but the most common choice is to set the anti-spyware software to run the scans automatically at specified intervals. I recommend at least one complete scan per week. You can run as many anti-spyware scans as you wish using various programs.
Many anti-spyware programs perform scans only and do not offer real-time protection. Most of these types of anti-spyware software are available free of charge. Both types of software are reviewed below:
Anti-Spyware software that provide system scans and real-time protection:
Spyware Doctor
Rating:
Price (Dec. 2007): $29.95
This is the software I use for real-time protection and also automated scanning. Spyware Doctor's Site Guard has pops up a warning any time you're about to surf to a site known to host bad stuff. You can still proceed, but at least you've been warned. IM Guard extends that protection to scan instant message conversations. The feature works with Windows Messenger and MSN Messenger only. Startup Guard blocks malware that tries to launch at start-up and Browser Guard keeps malicious add-ons out of Internet Explorer. The protection squad also includes Keylogger Guard, which blocks keystroke logging; Network Guard, which protects important network settings; and Immunizer, a module that whacks all malicious ActiveX threats Spyware Doctor knows about. Possibly the most potent is Process Guard, which kills spyware processes and prevents them from launching.
SpySweeper
Rating:
Price (Dec. 2007): $29.95
It's a coin toss between SpySweeper and Spyware Doctor. You can't go wrong with either of them. Spy Sweeper's various shields provide active protection to keep spyware from invading your system including the Keylogger Shield, which detects programs that monitor and record your passwords and other keystrokes. Automated scanning is also included.
Windows Defender
Rating:
Price (Dec. 2007): FREE
You just can't beat the price. You can schedule automatic scans and choose whether to have Defender automatically apply the default action for each threat found. It's not as thorough as Spyware Doctor or Spysweeper but it will protect you from the majority of spyware.
Anti-spyware software that perform system scans only:
Spybot - Search and Destroy
Rating:
Price (Sept. 2006): FREE
- Click on "Search for Updates".
- If it finds updates, check all of them and then click on "Download Updates".
- Click on "Immunize" on the left menu.
- If a message pops up that says "Please immunize" at the end then click on "Immunize" on the top left (next to green plus sign).
- Click on "Search & Destroy" on the left menu.
- Click on "Search for Problems".
- When it's done, click on "Fix selected problems".
AdAware
Rating:
Price (Sept. 2006): FREE
- Click on "Check for updates now" on the lower right.
- Click "Connect".
- If new definitions are available, click "OK".
- When it's done click "Finish".
- Click "Start" to begin scan.
- Select "Full system scan". Click on "Next".
- When it's done, it will make a really obnoxious noise. You may want to turn your sound down. Click on "Next".
- Check the items to remove (probably all of them).
- Click "Next" then "OK".
Spyware Blaster
Rating:
Price (Sept. 2006): FREE
- Click on "Download latest protection updates" at the bottom.
- Click on the "Check for updates" button at the bottom.
- If it says no updates are available, you're done.
- If updates are available, download them and then click on "Enable All Protection" after updates are downloaded.
Free Online Spyware Scans
The following web sites offer free online spyware scans. This could come in handy if a nasty bug renders your system unusable. These online scanners must be run on the Internet Explorer browser.