| Spyware, viruses and worms... oh my! | | | | McAfee, PC-Cillin or another brand. No matter |
| | | | what program you have, you will need to |
| If you are connected to the internet, you | | | | update it when you get connected to the |
| need to make sure you get your computer set | | | | internet. |
| up properly if you want to avoid problems | | | | |
| down the road. | | | | It doesn't matter how new your computer is - |
| | | | there will be new viruses, and new updates |
| With all the viruses, spyware and other | | | | for the antivirus software, since it was |
| threats on the internet today, no computer | | | | loaded. |
| should be set up without the proper | | | | |
| protection. | | | | The exact process is different for each brand |
| | | | of antivirus program, but most of them will |
| And that protection needs to be in place as | | | | have an icon in the bottom right corner of |
| soon after you hook up your new machine as | | | | your desktop, beside the time. The icon might |
| possible. | | | | be a picture of a shield (McAfee), a |
| | | | stethoscope (Norton) or something else. |
| The following five steps will make your | | | | |
| computer a much harder target for threats. | | | | In most cases, if you point to the icon for |
| You still won't be completely immune to | | | | your antivirus and click the right mouse |
| problems, but 99% of the time the threat will | | | | button, a menu will pop up with an update |
| pass you by, looking for the easy mark. | | | | option. It could be simply called update or |
| | | | could be something like Live Update or |
| 1. Running a Personal Firewall | | | | Download Latest Updates. If you click on the |
| | | | update option (with the left button this |
| A personal firewall is software that | | | | time) it will install the newest updates for |
| basically makes your computer invisible to | | | | you. |
| hackers, worms and other threats that can | | | | |
| infect your computer over the internet. | | | | If you are not sure which icon is for your |
| | | | antivirus software, just point to each one |
| Setting up a firewall is the absolute first | | | | for a few seconds and a little title should |
| thing you should do if you're going to | | | | pop up telling you what it is. |
| connect to the internet. Without a firewall, | | | | |
| your computer could get infected in as little | | | | 4. Install Anti-Spyware Software |
| as one minute after connecting. | | | | |
| | | | Spyware - and other things known as adware |
| If you have a brand new computer running | | | | and malware - is becoming as big a problem as |
| Windows XP Service Pack 2, there is a | | | | viruses. Spyware programs can cause a lot of |
| firewall built into Windows. It will already | | | | problems with your computer, not to mention |
| have been turned on when you first set up | | | | they can track your personal information and |
| your computer. | | | | you never know where it is being sent. |
| | | | |
| If you're running an older version of | | | | Some new computers might include antispyware |
| Windows, even an earlier version of Windows | | | | software, but most of them do not yet. There |
| XP, there is no firewall automatically set up | | | | are quite a few anti-spyware programs |
| for you. In this case there are two | | | | available, some free and some not. The one I |
| possibilities: | | | | recommend is from Microsoft and is one of the |
| | | | free ones. |
| - Your computer came pre-loaded with a | | | | |
| firewall such as Norton Internet Security or | | | | One of the reasons I like it is because it |
| McAfee Internet Security | | | | always runs in the background and will |
| | | | automatically catch a lot of spyware before |
| - You have no firewall installed and should | | | | it gets on your computer. |
| download one ASAP. | | | | |
| | | | Many of the other programs do not catch it |
| If you don't have any personal firewall | | | | until you run a scan. Not only does this |
| software installed, you should do so right | | | | allow things to get on your computer, it also |
| away. Zone Alarm is a very good firewall | | | | means you have to actually remember to run a |
| program that has a version that you can | | | | scan. |
| download and install for free. | | | | |
| | | | You can download the free Microsoft |
| You can download the free version of Zone | | | | Antispyware from |
| Alarm from | | | | |
| | | | 5. Set up a Free Email Account |
| 2. Turn on Windows Updates | | | | |
| | | | This last item is not as critical as the |
| Again, if you're running Windows XP Service | | | | first four, but I would highly recommend you |
| Pack 2 this is already set up, but otherwise | | | | set up an email account with one of the free |
| you should turn on Windows Updates. Microsoft | | | | services like Hotmail or Gmail. |
| releases updates for security problems and | | | | |
| other bugs in Windows on a regular basis. | | | | Once you are on the internet, you will find a |
| | | | lot of useful information that you want that |
| These updates will keep your computer running | | | | requires you to provide an email address. In |
| better, and they often fix security issues | | | | some cases, these people will end up sending |
| that could compromise your information or | | | | you a bunch of spam. |
| privacy. | | | | |
| | | | If you use a free email account to sign up |
| If you are running Windows XP Service Pack 2, | | | | for anything that you do not know for sure |
| you can double-check that automatic updates | | | | you can trust, it is not going to fill your |
| are turned on by clicking Start, then click | | | | main email with a bunch of junk. |
| Control Panel, then double-click Security | | | | |
| Center. The window that opens will tell you | | | | This goes for anything really, not just |
| if automatic updates are turned on, and lets | | | | online information. If you are entering a |
| you turn them on if they're not. | | | | contest or signing up for anything offline |
| | | | and you do not know where your information |
| To turn on automatic updates in earlier | | | | could end up being used, I would suggest |
| versions of Windows XP, click on the Start | | | | using your free email address. |
| menu, click Control Panel and then | | | | |
| double-click on System. On the "Automatic | | | | If worse comes to worse, and your free email |
| Updates" tab, click the option to | | | | address gets inundated with spam, you can |
| "Automatically download the updates and | | | | always just set up a new one and let the old |
| install them on the schedule I specify." | | | | one expire. |
| | | | |
| To turn them on in Windows 2000, click on | | | | Some of the better free email services are |
| Start, click Control Panel and then | | | | and |
| double-click on Automatic Updates. Again, | | | | |
| click the option to "automatically download | | | | If you have had your computer for a while and |
| the updates and install them on the schedule | | | | never done any of these things, you should |
| I specify." | | | | still take these steps to get it set up |
| | | | properly. It will definitely save you a lot |
| Now when Microsoft releases updates, they | | | | of time - and possibly money - as you use |
| will be downloaded for you automatically and | | | | your system. |
| Windows will tell you when they are ready to | | | | |
| be installed. | | | | Did you find this article useful? For more |
| | | | useful tips, hints, points to ponder and keep |
| 3. Install & Update Antivirus Software | | | | in mind, techniques, and insights pertaining |
| | | | to guides on hacking, spam, website and |
| Most new computers come with antivirus | | | | computer tips , with solutions , do please |
| software these days. You might have Norton, | | | | browse for more information at our websites. |