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How To Secure Your Windows Computer

Written by OSAblog on Tuesday, August 11th, 2009

When you buy a new computer, what is a security software to install in your windows? PCs are under constant attack from viruses, spyware and identity theft. Every day you hear about a new threat to your PC.

They’re coming faster than ever before, they’re getting harder to stop and traditional antivirus products are not able to keep up.

Will your antivirus software catch the latest malware that just came out today?

In most cases, no, because it simply does not know how to detect it yet.

What Is Software You should Install

1. Firewall – Firewalls are programs that prevent data from coming into or leaving from your computer without your permission. Every Windows computer should run a firewall at all times when it is connected to the Internet.

Windows ME, 98, and 95 did not come with a firewall. XP and Vista do. However, the XP and Vista firewalls have shortcomings.

Good free firewalls include ZoneAlarm, Comodo Firewall, Sygate Personal Firewall, or Jetico Personal Firewall. ZoneAlarm is especially easy to set up, since it is self-configuring.

2. Anti Virus – Viruses are programs that are installed on your computer without your knowledge or permission. The damage they do ranges from acting as a nuisance and wasting your computer’s resources, all the way up to destroying your data or Windows itself.

Free anti virus programs include AVG Anti Virus, avast! Anti Virus Home Edition, and PC Tools Anti-Virus Free Edition.

Good anti virus programs like these automatically scan data as it downloads into your computer. This includes emails you receive and any files you download. We recommend you using Avira Anti Virus (the new version) because it’s coming with a single click, enhanced anti-spyware and anti-adware engines, and support for low resolution netbook screens.

3. Anti Malware – In addition to viruses, there are many other kinds of programs that try to secretly install themselves on your computer.

Generically, they’re called malware. They include:

Spyware – It spies on your behavior and sends this data to a remote computer.
Adware - It targets you for advertisements.
Trojans - These scam their way into your computer.
Rootkits – These take over administrator rights and can do anything to your PC.
Dialers – These secretly use your communication facilities.
Keyloggers – These record your keystrokes (including passwords) and send this data to a remote computer.
Botware – Your computer becomes a bot or zombie, ready to carry out secret orders.

We recommends you using a free programs for this purpose include Ad-Aware Free, Spybot Search and Destroy, and a-Squared Free Anti-Malware.

4. Another software – This software can be make your windows smooth and speed up your computers:

a) Unlocker – Unlocker is an explorer extension that allows you with a simple right-click of the mouse on a file or folder to get rid of error message such as error deleting file or folder, cannot delete folder: it is used by another person or program. Unlocker can unlock files, folders, dll, and can also delete index.dat without restarting your computer.

b) CCleaner – CCleaner is a freeware system optimization, privacy and cleaning tool. It removes unused files from your system – allowing Windows to run faster and freeing up valuable hard disk space. It also cleans traces of your online activities such as your Internet history. Additionally it contains a fully featured registry cleaner.

c) Windows XP Prefetch Clean And Control – Windows XP Prefetch Clean And Control is a freeware tool that changes the cache settings of XP.

5. Keep Your Programs Up-to-Date! – You must also keep Windows up-to-date. In Vista, the automatic feature for this purpose is called Windows Update. It is on by default. You can manage it through the Control Panel -> Security -> Windows Update option.

If you don’t know whether your system has all the required updates for your programs, run the free Secunia Software Inspector. It detects and reports on out-of-date programs and ensures all “bug fixes” are applied.

If you need to download software updates for many programs, The Software Patch allows you to download them all through one web site.

Fukuda is the founder of VarietyArticle.Com . He works as a technical support and web designer, loves WordPress, and also as known as VarietyArticle Team.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/security-articles/how-to-secure-your-windows-computer-1111432.html

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Comments

thanks for explaining in this structured way :) there are so many viruses..it’s very important to protect your pc. i use bitdefender for that, but in the past i used also avast, avira, zonealarm etc.
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