Anusha
02-15-2007, 07:57 AM
a) Get a free antivirus program like "Avast!".
b) Get Firefox, and USE IT.
c) Use Gaim for all your instant messaging, it's far more secure and functional at the price of certain
capabilities, like voice/video.
d) Don't use IRC unless you have read a primer first.
e) Get spybot search and destroy. It's an amazing program. Install it, run it in the tray all the time. Run
checks on your system with it, get to know it.
f) DO NOT click on any program to run it, before scanning it with your antivirus program.
g) NEVER click on a .vbs file or a .reg file for any reason
h) UPDATE WINDOWS. I REPEAT. UPDATE IT. If you're using a pirated version, then I can't help you. wink.gif
You need to go legit, and use windows update. Microsoft fixes security flaws every day, and you need
to make sure you're updating to fix them.
i) Don't go to ThemeXP.org for any reason. The themes include lots of spyware.
j) Run PeerGuardian. You should NEVER pirate, but it doesn't matter! If government, educational, and
commercial institutions want to probe your computer, that's a violation of your privacy, and it's your
right to block them from doing so. It's a good step towards REAL privacy. Despite the fact that this
program is designed for P2P users, it's good for everyone.
k) Use WEP or WPA for your wireless network. Please.
l) You might want a firewall. I don't use one, because I don't need one. I'm a desktop user, and i'm not
dumb enough to invite anyone into my machine. Don't visit shady places on the internet, and follow this
guide, and you won't either!
m) For chrissake, don't give your email address out to anyone. Or anything. I gave mine to Neowin.
That's fine, neowin is safe. Some other places are, too. If you don't know what it is, don't give it out.
Also, don't give out any personal information on a website, that can identify you, unless it's necessary.
Make sure if you do this that it's reputable.
n) SPAM is a big problem. To avoid it, never post your e-mail address anywhere. Keep an e-mail
account separate if you need to use it to access a site. Only give your main account out to people you
actually know and trust. This is good for all OSes!
o) Make sure to never click on ad banners. Or on anything you didn't actually choose to pop up.
p) Defragment with Diskeeper. The default windows defragmenter is mostly useless. Please don't use it!
q) Try downloading/running Crap Cleaner. (silly name, GREAT program.)
r) DON'T PIRATE ANYTHING! Most security problems for regular users occur when they're pirating
software, or are involved in related activities.
s) Don't ever install "Toolbars".
t) Use a stable hardware platform. This means, get a GIGABYTE, MSI, Intel, nforce type of motherboard. Get a good
CPU. I recommend either AMD64 or ANY Intel CPU. Pre-AMD64 AMD platforms can have more trouble than it's worth.
DO NOT buy Biostar. They use cheap hardware. Get a good CPU fan. Manufacturer's stock fan is the best. DO NOT
buy a low-priced pre-fab desktop. Like eMachines. They're terrible! Make sure to have WAY more power supply than
you need, you won't increase power usage with it, but you'll increase stability. Use SATA or SCSI when possible.
IDE is horribly designed. It's not right for today's high-speed machines.
Use an nVidia or ATi video card, and please don't get the bleeding edge.
Use as little "integrated" Motherboard hardware as possible! Especially don't use AC '97 sound! It's terrible.
u) DO NOT use any "beta" drivers or software. It's more trouble than it's worth.
v) DO NOT use music sharing programs. Except soulseek. Soulseek is the only one that's spyware-free!
w) If using BitTorrent, use a good client like utorrent.
x) Ideally, you'll avoid using Java at all costs. But sometimes it's necessary, so please don't use it with IE! (see b) for
a good browser. Opera is also fantastic.
y) Don't mess with system settings, it's the way it is for a reason!
z) Most importantly, make sure to do these things and then HAVE FUN!
Of course there are more security measures you can take, but if you do these things, you will have a better Windows XPerience. :yes:
b) Get Firefox, and USE IT.
c) Use Gaim for all your instant messaging, it's far more secure and functional at the price of certain
capabilities, like voice/video.
d) Don't use IRC unless you have read a primer first.
e) Get spybot search and destroy. It's an amazing program. Install it, run it in the tray all the time. Run
checks on your system with it, get to know it.
f) DO NOT click on any program to run it, before scanning it with your antivirus program.
g) NEVER click on a .vbs file or a .reg file for any reason
h) UPDATE WINDOWS. I REPEAT. UPDATE IT. If you're using a pirated version, then I can't help you. wink.gif
You need to go legit, and use windows update. Microsoft fixes security flaws every day, and you need
to make sure you're updating to fix them.
i) Don't go to ThemeXP.org for any reason. The themes include lots of spyware.
j) Run PeerGuardian. You should NEVER pirate, but it doesn't matter! If government, educational, and
commercial institutions want to probe your computer, that's a violation of your privacy, and it's your
right to block them from doing so. It's a good step towards REAL privacy. Despite the fact that this
program is designed for P2P users, it's good for everyone.
k) Use WEP or WPA for your wireless network. Please.
l) You might want a firewall. I don't use one, because I don't need one. I'm a desktop user, and i'm not
dumb enough to invite anyone into my machine. Don't visit shady places on the internet, and follow this
guide, and you won't either!
m) For chrissake, don't give your email address out to anyone. Or anything. I gave mine to Neowin.
That's fine, neowin is safe. Some other places are, too. If you don't know what it is, don't give it out.
Also, don't give out any personal information on a website, that can identify you, unless it's necessary.
Make sure if you do this that it's reputable.
n) SPAM is a big problem. To avoid it, never post your e-mail address anywhere. Keep an e-mail
account separate if you need to use it to access a site. Only give your main account out to people you
actually know and trust. This is good for all OSes!
o) Make sure to never click on ad banners. Or on anything you didn't actually choose to pop up.
p) Defragment with Diskeeper. The default windows defragmenter is mostly useless. Please don't use it!
q) Try downloading/running Crap Cleaner. (silly name, GREAT program.)
r) DON'T PIRATE ANYTHING! Most security problems for regular users occur when they're pirating
software, or are involved in related activities.
s) Don't ever install "Toolbars".
t) Use a stable hardware platform. This means, get a GIGABYTE, MSI, Intel, nforce type of motherboard. Get a good
CPU. I recommend either AMD64 or ANY Intel CPU. Pre-AMD64 AMD platforms can have more trouble than it's worth.
DO NOT buy Biostar. They use cheap hardware. Get a good CPU fan. Manufacturer's stock fan is the best. DO NOT
buy a low-priced pre-fab desktop. Like eMachines. They're terrible! Make sure to have WAY more power supply than
you need, you won't increase power usage with it, but you'll increase stability. Use SATA or SCSI when possible.
IDE is horribly designed. It's not right for today's high-speed machines.
Use an nVidia or ATi video card, and please don't get the bleeding edge.
Use as little "integrated" Motherboard hardware as possible! Especially don't use AC '97 sound! It's terrible.
u) DO NOT use any "beta" drivers or software. It's more trouble than it's worth.
v) DO NOT use music sharing programs. Except soulseek. Soulseek is the only one that's spyware-free!
w) If using BitTorrent, use a good client like utorrent.
x) Ideally, you'll avoid using Java at all costs. But sometimes it's necessary, so please don't use it with IE! (see b) for
a good browser. Opera is also fantastic.
y) Don't mess with system settings, it's the way it is for a reason!
z) Most importantly, make sure to do these things and then HAVE FUN!
Of course there are more security measures you can take, but if you do these things, you will have a better Windows XPerience. :yes: