Tek Mo PC ko (Tech My PC)

To use Zonealarm first download and install the software.

Go to 'alerts and logs' and change the 'alert events shown' setting to off. This is just to prevent the program informing you every time it blocks data remotely.

The main advantage of Zonealarm over the XP firewall is its ability to block data coming from inside your system out to the Internet. This enables it to catch Trojan horse viruses and Spyware in the act and prevent them from sending privacy and security compromising data from your system. Zonealarm will pop-up a permission box every time a program attempts to access the Internet.

If it's a recognized program like IE, you can allow it permanent access by checking 'yes' and 'do not ask this question again.' Otherwise, you can go to the 'program control/programs' window within Zonealarm and manually set which applications can access the Internet.

Use the 'check for updates now' function to make sure you have the latest updates. Hit the 'start' button and choose 'next' to scan your system with the default options.

Once the scan is complete, you will be shown any suspicious files, registry entries or cookies detected. You can now delete or quarantine these files.

Step 5. Update update update

The Danger: Viruses and malicious users may exploit newly discovered security holes within Windows and Internet Explorer.

The Cause: Windows XPis an extremely complex operating system, and as such has a number of bugs and design holes which are constantly in the process of being fixed by Microsoft. On the other side of the fence, there are users who are enthusiastically trying to discover these flaws, either for the purpose of informing Microsoft or just for the heck of it.

Generally, major vulnerabilities or flaws are patched almost immediately after their existence is made known, or even before. However, users who do not update their systems with the new patch are at the mercy of anyone using software tools designed to exploit the vulnerability.

A recent example of this would be the infamous 'blaster' worm which used a weakness in Window's RPC (Remote Procedure Call) handling to infest an enormous number of systems across the world. Once on a system, the virus could spread itself out to other vulnerable PC's and also force its host to shut down automatically. Microsoft quickly patched the security hole and provided a tool to remove the worm, but since many users did not patch their systems, the infestation spread and slowed down Internet traffic worldwide.

The Cure: Keep your Windows computer up-to-date with the latest Microsoft security patches.

Windows XP includes an automatic updating feature which will periodically check Microsoft for updates and download them to your system, ready for installation. To use automatic update, right click on 'my computer' and select properties, then choose the 'automatic updates' tab.

If it is not already, check the 'keep my computer up to date…' checkbox to enable automatic updating. Now run Windows update from 'start\all programs\windows update' to make sure you are fully patched for now. Windows update will now periodically check Microsoft's site for updates and download them to your PC. You will be prompted with an icon in the task bar when new updates are available.

Advanced security steps: The following five procedures will provide you with an extra blanket of security to complement the essential changes you just made to your system.

Step 6. Change the name of the administrative account

The Danger: Malicious users may attempt to use the built-in 'administrator' user account to gain access to your PC.

The cause: As mentioned above, every Windows 2000 and XP installation includes an 'administrator' user account which has full control over files and system settings. This account cannot be locked or disabled and is thus the first target for anyone trying to hack into your computer. While the account should already have a password, provided you followed the procedure above, this does not protect it from attack.

The Cure: rename the administrator account.

Renaming the administrator account adds an extra layer of security by removing the standard user name 'administrator' which any malicious user will try first when attempting to gain access to your PC.

Make sure you are logged in as a user with administrative privileges - the first user created during the XP install process has these, as does the administrator. Right click on 'my computer' and select 'manage.' Expand 'local users and groups' then 'users.' Highlight the 'administrator' account and right click. Choose 'rename' and change the account to a name of your choosing.

Step 7. Disable 'hidden' shares within XP and 2000

The Danger : malicious users can easily gain access to every file and folder in your computer.

The Cause: Windows 2000 and XP both use a system of hidden administrative shares. Every drive on your computer system is shared under the name '(drive letter)$.' These shares exist to allow users with the correct username and password to remotely administer files on your computer. Of course, if a malicious user obtains a username and password with administrative rights to your system, all your files and folders are available to them over the Internet. They would be free to copy, change or delete as much of your data as they saw fit.

The cure: Disable the hidden shares.

Unless you are in a business environment, it is unlikely you will have a need for the hidden shares. Disabling them will considerably reduce the danger of your data being compromised remotely.

You will need to edit theWindows registry using REGEDIT in order to carry out this step. Please ensure that you backup your registry to a file before editing it.

Add the Dword value 'AutoShareWks' with a value of '0' and restart your computer.

Step 8. Change Internet Explorer security settings

The Danger: Viruses and browser hijacking programs can infect your system through the use of ActiveX code on certain websites.

The Cause: By default, Internet Explorer will run certain content, including small programs embedded in the code of a website. An example of this sort of thing would be a pop-up ad asking you whether you wish to install so-and-so's software. Say yes and you may have just saddled yourself with a spyware problem. Certain malicious software may not even have the courtesy to ask before it has its way with your browser.

The cure: Raise Internet Explorer's default security level.

Fortunately, IE can be set to a more restrictive level of security. At this setting, the browser will not run certain types of content found on websites. This includes potentially malicious ActiveX code. Of course, this can also change your web browsing experience, as it will cut off certain content from safe websites also. To get around this, you can add known safe sites that you regularly visit to Internet Explorer's 'trusted sites' list.

To raise IE's security level:

Open Internet Explorer, go to the 'tools' menu and select 'Internet options.' Now select the 'security' tab.

Set the Internet zone to the 'high' security setting. This will ensure that IE will not run ActiveX instructions, the means by which most browser hijackers get access to your computer. You can place trusted websites that you regularly visit into the 'trusted sites' Internet zone.

Site addresses that you enter here will be mostly unrestricted, allowing them to display their content properly.

The Danger: Intruders may access your shared files

The Cause: By default, Windows XP uses the simple file sharing system. This allows any user that has authenticated to your computer to have full access to all shared files. In Windows XP Home, the 'guest' user account is the account used by all remote users to access shared files. Of course, the guest account has no password by default, allowing unlimited, non-password access to your shared files for virtually anyone who finds your IP address.

While a firewall will block this type of access in most cases, it still pays to limit your venerability by configuring simple file sharing and the guest user account more securely than the default.

The Cure: Secure and configure the guest user account

If you are using Windows XP Professional, you should password protect and disable the guest account. This will force any intruder to use one of the user accounts you created or the administrator account, both of which should now be secure if you followed the above procedures.

Make sure you are logged in as a user with administrative privileges (the first user created during the XP install process has these, as does the administrator).

Right click on 'my computer' and select 'manage.' Expand 'local users and groups' then 'users.' Highlight the 'guest' account and right click. Choose 'set password' and provide the account with a secure password. Now right-click the guest account again and choose 'properties.'

Check the 'account is disabled' box.If you are using Windows XP Home, you cannot truly disable the guest account, as it is used as an integral part of the file sharing system. You can password protect it though… Bring up the command prompt (start/run and type 'cmd') and type 'net user guest password' where 'password' is the password you want to use to secure the account.

Step 10. Stop using Internet Explorer and Outlook Express

The Danger: many viruses and malicious programs target Internet Explorer and Outlook Express specifically.

The Cause: IE and OE are unquestionably the most popular web browser and email client in the world. They are the default applications that a majority of Windows users are familiar with. Because of this, many viruses and other malicious programs are created to target specific vulnerabilities in these two programs. Since the user base is so huge, they can afford to be specific. These viruses generally will not affect systems which employ other products for their web browsing and email retrieval.

The Cure: Learn to use a new web browser and email client.

There are several free browsers and email clients available that can easily replace IE and Outlook Express. The trick is to get used to using them. By not using IE and OE, you considerably reduce the danger of infecting your system with a virus.

Some examples of alternate browsers and mail clients include;Mozilla the makers of this popular browser also offer Thunderbird, a free email client.Opera. Eudora which is an ad-supported mail client with a long and successful history.