Security and Privacy
1.
Use an Internet Firewall
Before you connect your computer to the Internet, you should install
a firewall. This is a piece of software or hardware that helps protect
your PC against hackers and many computer viruses and worms. If
you have the Microsoft Windows® XP operating system, you can use
its built-in Internet Connection Firewall. Using a firewall is the
most important first line of defense for computer security. You
should also use Windows Update and antivirus software to help protect
your PC. Important Internet Connection Firewall works by blocking
certain types of potentially harmful network communication. However,
it also blocks some useful network communication tasks (for example,
sharing files or printers through a network, transferring files
in applications such as instant messaging, or hosting multiplayer
games). We highly recommend that you use a firewall because it helps
protect your computer today. If you choose to turn on Internet Connection
Firewall you can come back later for help with unblocking useful
network communication tasks.
2.
Use Up-to-Date Antivirus Software
Help your computer stay healthy by asking yourself the following
questions:
Do you have antivirus software installed on your computer?
Many major computer manufacturers include at least a trial version
of a popular antivirus package on new computers.
Click Start, and then click Programs. Look for an item in the
list with the word "antivirus" in it, or for McAfee,
Norton, or Symantec, which are manufacturers of popular antivirus
products. If you already have antivirus software installed, but
you want to install a new product from a different company, be
certain to uninstall your current product before installing the
new one. Leaving the previous version installed can cause conflicts
on your system.
Is your antivirus software up to date?
Out-of-date antivirus software means ineffective antivirus software.
Antivirus software relies on regular updates to help protect against
the latest threats. If you aren't subscribing to these updates,
your computer may be vulnerable to threats.
Make sure you have activated a subscription for continuous updates
of your antivirus software.
Most antivirus software updates itself when you are connected
to the Internet. To ensure your software is up to date, open your
antivirus program from the Start menu or the taskbar notification
area and look for update status. If you still aren't sure if your
antivirus software is up to date, contact your antivirus software
provider.
Is your antivirus software set up correctly to provide the
best protection possible?
The following settings should be turned on by default when you
install the software. If you turn them off for any reason, be
sure to turn them back on before you connect to the Internet.
"On-access" or "real-time" scanning should
be turned on. Most antivirus products include an icon that appears
in the notification area at the lower right of your screen to
indicate that this setting is enabled.
Antivirus software should perform a scheduled scan of your hard
disk.
Antivirus software should be configured to scan e-mail messages.
3.
Get Computer Updates
The Microsoft Windows® XP operating system includes the Automatic
Updates feature, which can automatically download the latest Microsoft
security updates while your computer is on and connected to the
Internet.
Before you turn on Automatic Updates, it's a good idea to bring
your hardware and software up-to-date using Windows Update.
Here's how you can bring your computer up to date now. You can
also use these instructions to keep up with the latest non-critical
updates:
Go to the Windows Update Web site at http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com.
On the Windows Update site, click Scan for Updates. Windows Update
will scan your computer and give you a pre-selected list of critical
updates, including service packs.
Click Scan for updates
Note: Slower modems may take several hours to download all recommended
updates the first time you use Windows Update. Your download times
will vary depending on how long it has been since you last updated
and your modem speed. To reduce download times, run Windows Update
when you will not be using your computer for other Internet-related
tasks.
In the Pick updates to install list on the left side of your screen,
click Critical Updates and Service Packs. Windows Update will
create a list of the updates appropriate for your computer. (Critical
updates will be selected for download automatically.)
Click Review and install updates. Select the updates to install,
including any service packs and the critical updates pre-selected
for you, and then click Install Now. You may need to restart your
computer after installing the updates.
(Source of the information: www.microsoft.com)
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