10 Fast and Free Security Enhancements

Before you spend a dime on security, there are many precautions you can take that will protect you against the most common threats.

1. Check Windows Update and Office Update regularly (_http://office.microsoft.com/productupdates); have your Office CD ready. Windows Me, 2000, and XP users can configure automatic updates. Click on the Automatic Updates tab in the System control panel and choose the appropriate options.

2. Install a personal firewall. Both SyGate (_www.sygate.com) and ZoneAlarm (_www.zonelabs.com) offer free versions.

3. Install a free spyware blocker. SpyBot Search & Destroy (_http://security.kolla.de). SpyBot is paranoid and ruthless in hunting out tracking cookies.

4. Block pop-up spam messages in Windows NT, 2000, or XP by disabling the Windows Messenger service (this is unrelated to the instant messaging program). Open Control Panel | Administrative Tools | Services and you’ll see Messenger. Right-click and go to Properties. Set Start-up Type to Disabled and press the Stop button. Bye-bye, spam pop-ups! Any good firewall will also stop them.

5. Use strong passwords and change them periodically. Passwords should have at least seven characters; use letters and numbers and have at least one symbol. A decent example would be f8izKro@l. This will make it much harder for anyone to gain access to your accounts.

6. If you’re using Outlook or Outlook Express, use the current version or one with the Outlook Security Update installed. The update and current versions patch numerous vulnerabilities.

7. Buy antivirus software and keep it up to date. If you’re not willing to pay, try Grisoft AVG Free Edition (Grisoft Inc., w*w.grisoft.com). And doublecheck your AV with the free, online-only scanners available at w*w.pandasoftware.com/activescan and _http://housecall.trendmicro.com.

8. If you have a wireless network, turn on the security features: Use MAC filtering, turn off SSID broadcast, and even use WEP with the biggest key you can get.

9. Join a respectable e-mail security list, such as the one found at our own Security Supersite at _http://security.ziffdavis.com, so that you learn about emerging threats quickly and can take proper precautions.

10. Be skeptical of things on the Internet. Don’t assume that e-mail "From:" a particular person is actually from that person until you have further reason to believe it’s that person. Don’t assume that an attachment is what it says it is. Don’t give out your password to anyone, even if that person claims to be from "support."

Security Problem/Threat

security is a major concern of  all the administrator sitting in their cabin.There r various ways through which network based threat or problem exist.Here I will discuss about some of them in short to give u some idea......

Man-in-the-middle-attack
In this,when a user (taking u as example ) communicate with any other user over the net than there is a possibility of someone listening/sniffing your  data packets which u r sending to your friends.This attacker will come in between u & your  friend.but u won't be able to identify this.whatever communication u do it will be with the attacker.

phishing attack
This sort of attack r generally performed by sending email on behalf of any organization generally from banks.the email appears to be legitimate to a normal user.This mail will most probably ask u  to send certain information normally your user name & password . & the reason for asking such detail may be like Some of our records have been deleted,sorry for inconvenience or it can be any other reason.if u ever get such mails,immediately contact your bank or go directly to your bank site & never open the link given in your mail to visit your bank site.

windows security part-I

Windows operating system has many bugs in it because

Of which it is an easy target for many hacker.

They could compromise your PC for various reasons. Some of tem can

Be following

*Steal data from your PC

*Monitor your browsing habit

*Installing spyware/adware

*Making your PC a bot machine

& Many more reasons...

So, In order to have secure your PC, various security measures

Must be taken.

ANTI-VIRUS

This is the core security software, which must be installed

on every PC.this helps in preventing Trojan viruses, spyware

& Other malicious program from being downloaded to your PC.

even if it is there in your PC it can be removed from your PC

By scanning for them by your anti-virus software. But you must

Update your software periodically.some of the best anti-viruses

r following

1)AVG

www.grisoft.com

2)MACFEE

www.macfee.com

3) NORTON

www.symantic.com

ANTI-SPYWARE/ANTI-ADWARE

Spyware are software, which will get installed without user's information

& Keeps itself running without being detected by any software.

These are intentionally designed to access information that can be

Used for someone's profit.

Adware comes bundled with some software that will keep displaying ads

On to the screen, whenever you use that software. This is to an extent okay

but some adware continues to display even if you are not using that software.

To remove them some of the best software available in the market are:

1)Ad-aware

www.lavasoftusa.com

2) Spybot search & destroy link

www.spybot.info/en