Ten tips to increase your Windows security

1-always protect your Administrator account by creating password, just go to Control Panel > User Accounts, select your account and the click on "create a password for your account".

2-Protect your account by Password protect your screen saver, go to Control Panel > Display, Click on the Screen Saver tab and then check on resume password protect.

3- Setup a BIOS Password to protect your PC Setup application.

4- Always force you windows automatic update on, go to Control Panel > Automatic Updates and then Select the first option to have each update download and install automatically.

5- Install an Internet Security Suite such as "Kaspersky Internet Security", "Norton Internet Security" or "Mcafee Internet Security". And turn on software automatic update.

6- If you don’t have enough budgets to buy an Internet Security Suite, Turn on the Windows Firewall. Go to > Control Panel > Windows Firewall and click on under the General tab. And Install an antivirus program, turn on automatic updates, and set up a regular scanning schedule.
7- Never use same username and/or password for all of your accounts in Internet.

8- Turn off file sharing in Windows Explorer. Open Explorer, click Tools > Folder Options >View. Then Scroll to the bottom, uncheck Use simple file sharing, and click Apply.

9- Increase your Internet Explorer security settings. Click Tools > Internet Options> Privacy and move the slider to High.

10- Turn on your Internet Explorer’s pop-up blocker. Click Tools > Internet Options > Popup Blocker Settings > and then choose default.

I would suggest ditching IE even if you are using IE7, get something like opera or firefox.
Most of the time browsers other than IE work much faster and have more useful features, not to mention increased security. If i am doing any shopping online i'm always using an alternate browser. I only use IE for compatibility issues.

Good top 10 though!

-HellFire

nice top 10 tips, still you have a thousand more to address in windos lol.

thanks for sharing these wonderful tips.

In this current computer literate worlds there are huge number of illegal sites and tutorials available online so that even a noob can break the security ring. But we've to greatly contribute by finding out the flaws and helping the developers to fix them or by informing them. Let what ever security measures you take there is no fool proof security mechanism that can give you the type of security that will keep you afar from seeking eyes of an hacker.

2- This is only usefull if you don't trust the people that can access your pc

3- This ain't going to help, if someone wants to access your pc, he just has to remove the bios battery.

5- doesn't need to be a suite, a combination of free av software and firewall works as well as an expensive suite

6- windows firewall provide SOME security, but seem rather easy to crack (+ it doesn't provide outbound protection)

7- I agree, but it's hard to remember like 20 usersnames and passwords

8- This does not turn of file sharing. This only disables the wizard like file sharing setting. If you disable simple file sharing, you'll get more controll when you start sharing a folder.

9 + 10 ditch IE


The main rule when you want to secure windows is to use some common sense. Don't vist louche sites, don't use software that isn't right ... and don't use Microsoft stuff to get to the internet

i know you all guys know what is the weakest link in the strongest security systems..
its starts with the a letter p and ends with a letter e.. what could it be..i hope or should
i say I know you know the answer

I have no idea . The only thing I can come up with is performance, but I don't realy see that as a weak link in a security system. The weakes link in a security system is the user itself.

This post has been edited by wutske: Apr 13 2007, 09:48 AM

I agree with wutske, personally I did read and tried different stuff to secure my Windows, never did I have any virus or something, only some spyware.. Most of that stuff comes from browsing porno or other stupid websites with IE, clicking on stupid files and links, using stupid cracks and other stupid files which might do something to you, opening attachments or using a stupid Firewall.. I think I have extra security, because I don't really even need a Firewall, but I still use it for outbound sending, because I am connected to the Internet through my brothers computer next room who is using Linux, but the bad thing that I am "under a rooter" or whatever you call it, I need to be in passive mode, so this in some kind of way sucks, but I am used to it.. In addition, a lot of other guys without a lot of computer knowledge, maybe they get a virus or something similar, they simply reinstall their windows installation once a month, I rarely reinstall something and windows doesn't seem to slowdown every week as it used to be earlier. ;]

the best cure for any problem is its prevention and internet security 99% is mostly violated only when porno or crack software files are downloaded or someone browses the malicious site and clicks on various programmes ,whatever you download from internet ,make sure you scan it so the problem gets resolve and your computer faces no problem from the trojans and such other viruses which may send the security data of your pc to the internet

I would not ncessarily suggest using security suites, you can easily do better by taking manual protection steps without the cost/bloat and possibility of the software doing something you don't want it to without you knowing about it lol (like screwing up).

Also either setting up IE very carefully or using an alternate browser (keeping the carefull setup in mind also) is a very good idea.