Keeping Windows Clean

Now that your computer is free from malware, here are some things you can do to keep it that way. Number 1 is keep all your programs updated. Microsoft releases updates on the second Tuesday of every month (Patch Tuesday). If you find it hard to remember, windows has a auto-update feature. Many of the other programs you have installed also have an auto-update, enable them.

Next on the list is your Anti-Virus program. Choose one that has "real-time" monitoring and auto-updating. Many now include spam filters, firewalls and pop-up stoppers which are "must-have" items. There are some good ones, Nod32, Kaspersky, PC-cillin, which are not free, and AntiVir and Avast which are free for home use, to name a few I have used with good results. You must keep the virus definitions updated-set it to check daily if not hourly.

With all the broadband connections people have these days, malicious users are always looking for open connections to exploit so you must get a firewall and/or router and learn how to use it. I recommend that you use both. Get a software firewall that filters both incoming and outgoing traffic so if you do get infected your firewall will alert you and get a router with a built-in firewall.

Using a spam filter will help keep your system free from malware. Turn off the preview pane while checking the messages (if you use Outlook Express you can add the button to the toolbar) and delete, delete, delete ! Never use the unsubscribe link in those spam e-mails, it will only tell the sender that it found a good address. Set your mail program to read in plain text only and turn off JavaScript, that will help stop malware from getting in too. Don't open attachments from anyone that you weren't expecting and scan the ones you were before opening. I recommend that you use Thunderbird for your e-mail. It has a good junk mail filter, doesn't use activeX, and has features (extensions and themes) that can be added to it.

Along side of your AV program you need some malware scanners and system monitors. I use and recommend the following (all are free): AdAware (on-demand ad/ spyware), A squared (on demand trojan), Bazooka (on-demand multi), ClamWin (on-demand AV), KL-Detector (on-demand keylogger), Script Defender+ Script Sentry (resident script blockers), BitDefender (on-demand AV) Spybot Search+Destroy (resident/on-demand multi), Spyware Blaster (resident multi), Swat-it (on-demand trojan), WinPatrol (resident monitor). Keep them all updated and run a full system scan with each one every week. Some of these make changes to the registry and most ask if you want to create a backup before deletion. Using cleaners incorrectly can cause your computer to stop working but there are support forums where you can get help with anything you are not sure of.

Now onto Internet Explorer, the latest version for XPSP2 has blockers for activeX and pop-ups but for the rest of us we need to use 3rd party programs. Spybot and Spyware Blaster are a good start, they will help you lock your hosts file (you can find a good hosts file here) and stop drive-by installs, get Google toolbar for pop-ups, Script Sentry and Script Defender for activeX. Now download Firefox and learn to use it instead of Internet Explorer, you'll be happy you did. With many different themes (colors/buttons) and extensions (search bars/RSS/weather/and more), you can get more use out of it than IE. There are some security issues with Microsoft's VM (it is not supported anymore), so get the "real" java from Sun (make sure you are using the latest and uninstall the previous version when updating)

by Max M. Wachtel III

This page was last updated on 07/03/07

e-mail: maxpro4u@gmail.com