Keeping Information Security Simple – How to Secure your Windows PC
Without software a computer is of little use to us, just like a telivision set that cannot receive a transmission signal from the broadcasters or cable company. Software transforms the computer hardware to a tool that can assist or entertain us. Windows is a type of software called an operating system that sits between the PC hardware and your application program like word processor, spreadsheet, email, Internet browser, game etc. Operating systems such as Windows perform many tasks like help interprate the key strokes you make on the keyboard to instructions the computer hardware can understand, manage communication between application programs and the computer hardware, displaying text and images on the screen, printing, networking and many more.
An operating system is set of computer programs written by teams of programmers. Most programs targeted for use by the public are designed to be user friendly and easy to use. To allow this convenience such programs have few security restrictions turned on, meaning the default out-of-the box security of the software is minimal. Software vendors leave the option of turning on the security settings to the user. But most users normally do not know that the software they are relying on is not configured to a reasonable security level.
In other instances software vendors release to the market software which has programming errors called bugs. Some of the bugs could be security holes which can be misused by the bad guys to access infromation in your computer without you knowing, or to attack your computer with malware programs such as viruses, worms and spyware. To address concerns caused by the bugs the software vendors release software patches which the user is supposed to apply to the original program to patch the identified holes and also issue anti-malware software which the user is supposed to install and run regularly in their computer. Again the responsibility of applying the patches is left to the user.
In this blog I present seven simple measures you can take as a user to make sure that the information in your Windows-based PC computer remains secure.
1. Keeping Information Security Simple – Patch Your System
To configure Windows Update to download the patches from Microsoft’s website
- Go to Start and select Control Panel
- Double-click on System
- Click on the Automatic Updates tab. Make sure that the “Keep my computer up to date” box is checked. If it is not checked, check it by clicking once on it.
- Click on the “Automatically download the updates and install them on the schedule that I specify” selection.
- Select the frequency with which you want the updates to be downloaded and installed. We suggest daily. Select the time at which you want the updates to be downloaded and installed. This should be a time when your computer is turned on and connected to the Internet.
- Click on the OK button.
2. Keeping Information Security Simple – Use Antivirus
There are many anti-virus products available in the market, most of which you have to pay for. Here I’ll provide you with instructions on how to download and install Microsoft Security Essentials provided by Microsoft for free. Save your money!
Microsoft Security Essentials is an anti-malware product that provides protection against viruses, spyware, and other evil software.
- The video in following video this link provides you with instructions on how to download and install Microsoft Security Essentials.
Here’s the link to the site from where you can download Microsoft Security Essentials:
Download Microsoft Security Essentials
3. Keeping Information Security Simple – Use Strong Passwords
Your password is the key to the front door of the computer holding your information. As discussed in the last blog on Keeping Inforamtion Security Simple – Information Security Simplified, your information is a valuable asset to you and you should protect it. If your password is the key to the safe holding this asset then you should make sure that the password is only known to you. Simply put treat your password the way you treat the PIN to the ATM bank cash machine.
Computer hackers or the bad guys out there have written computer programs to work out any password. Don’t panic, by taking the following simple measures into consideration when constructing your password you can make it more difficult for the hackers to break and misuse your password:
- The password should be at least 7 characters long
- The password should contain at least one non-alpha character (a number, period, space, comma etc)
- The password should contain at least one uppercase and one lowercase letter
- Not begin with a number
- Not be an alphabetic series, either forwards or backwards (i.e., ABCDEF or FEDCBA)
- Not be a numeric series, either forwards or backwards (i.e., 123456 or 654321)
- Not be a string of all identical letters or numbers (i.e., AAAAAA or 111111)
- Not be a common keyboard key sequences (i.e., ASDFG or QWERTY)
- Not be an easily guessed word such as your name, userid, or any variation thereof (backwards, changing case, etc.)
- Not be a word(s) referring to anything noticeable about you, such as the name of your spouse, child, pet, favorite football team, or literary character
- Not be a word that appears in a dictionary
And most important you should change your password regularly, at least once every 3 months is a good practice.
You can use the following link to test the strength of your password
4. Keeping Information Security Simple – Windows File and Print Sharing
Windows provides the capability of you allowing users of other computers in a network to gain access to folders and files in your computer. This feature which is called Windows File Sharing is enabled for all Windows versions by default. The feature though can be misused by hackers to get into your computer. Assuming that you do not need to share the files on your computer with other computer users, you should completely disable the sharing feature. In order to use file sharing to access files from other Windows computers, while preventing access from hackers, you must enable shares that require accounts and passwords. This is not the default setting on any Windows version and can take a considerable amount of work to set up. You also need to synchronize the account names and passwords on both the ‘server’ Windows computer and the ‘client’ Windows computer, which requires a lot of work and is very time-consuming. Most computer users should keep file sharing turned off.
Following are instructions on how you can disable file sharing in your Windows computer:
To disable ‘File and Printer Sharing’ in Windows 2000
- Right-click on My Network Places on your desktop and select Properties
- Right-click on Local Area Connection and select Properties Under Components checked are used by this connection, look for File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks. If it is not listed, you are not sharing. If it is in the list:
- Click in the check box next to File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks to unselect it.
- Click OK
Note: File and Printer Sharing will not be enabled when you restart your computer. In order to re-enable it, you must go back and click in the check box next to File and Printer Sharing to select it.
To disable ‘File and Printer Sharing’ in Windows XP
Open Control Panel from the Start Menu.
Double-click Network Connections (under Network and Internet Connections in XP Category View).
Right-click on Local Area Connection and select Properties. In the middle of the properties window, you will see the list of networking components used by this connection.
If File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks is listed, uncheck the item and click OK. This change goes into effect immediately.
To disable ‘File and Printer Sharing’ in Windows Vista/Windows 7
<>liClick Save changes at the bottom of the menu.
5. Keeping Information Security Simple – Minimize Network Services
Windows services are operating systems programs that run in the background with no user intervention. There are very many services available some of which have security holes which can be misused by hackers and malware programs to gain access into your computer and informatio. The services can be turned on or off as required. To protect your information you should allow only a bare minimum of services to run in your computer. The following steps will assist you in doing this:
To disable this Messenger service on Windows 2000 or XP, follow these steps:
Open the list of services running on your computer.
- Open Control Panel from the Start menu (under Settings in Windows 2000).
- Double-click on Administrative Tools (inside Performance and Maintenance in Windows XP)
- Double-click on Services.
- Scroll down the list of services on the right until you find Messenger.
- Double-click Messenger; a Messenger Properties window opens.
- The General tab window should be selected.
- Click the Stop button under Service Status if the service is currently running.
- In the center of the window, there is a Startup Type drop-down menu. By default, the menu is set to Automatic. Instead, Select Disabled so the service will never start again.
- Click the OK button in the Messenger Properties window.
- Close the Services window.
Windows 2000 and XP users should also disable the built-in Remote Registry Service.
This service can allow hackers to modify your registry remotely. To disable this Remote Registry Service on Windows 2000 or XP, follow these steps:
- Open the list of services running on your computer.
- Open Control Panel from the Start menu (under Settings in Windows 2000).
- Double-click on Administrative Tools (inside Performance and Maintenance in Windows XP)
- Double-click on Services.
- Scroll down the list of services on the right until you find Remote Registry Service.
- Double-click Remote Registry Service; a Remote Registry Service Properties window opens.
- The General tab window should be selected.
- Click the Stop button under Service Status if the service is currently running.
- In the center of the window, there is a Startup Type drop-down menu. By default, the menu is set to Automatic. Instead, Select Disabled so the service will never start again.
- Click the OK button in the Remote Registry Service Properties window.
Close the Services window.
Note that Windows Vista and Windows 7 have the Remote Registry Service set to “Manual”, so they will not start unless the user prompts it.
6. Keeping Information Security Simple – Use Firewall Protection
A firewall is a piece of software or hardware that creates a protective barrier between your computer and potentially harmful content on the Internet. It helps guard your computer against hackers and many computer viruses and worms. Follow the following instructions to enable firewall protection in your computer:
Windows XP includes the Internet Connection Firewall, which you can turn on:
- Click on the Start button.
- Select Settings then Network Connections.
- Inside the Network Connections window, right-click on one network connection.
- Select Properties.
- Select the Advanced tab and check the box about protecting my computer.
- Click OK and return to step 3 until all connections are firewalled.
Windows Vista and Windows 7 – The Internet Connection Firewall is enabled by default.
7. Keeping Information Security Simple – Backup your important files
Even if you follow all of these recommendations, it is still possible that your computer could be compromised by a hacker. In ‘a worst case scenario’, a hacker’s programs or virus will corrupt, infect, or erase your computer files. Or your hard drive could simply fail, causing the loss of all your data. Also it is becoming more common that a computer that has been infected with a virus may need to have the hard disk cleaned and have all of the software reinstalled.
By backing up your files to a burnable CD, DVD, Floppy disk, external hard drive, or thumb drive you can save yourself a lot of trouble if your computer gets a virus.
Here’s how you can do it:
Windows XP
- Windows XP Professional comes equipped with its own backup tool. While there are many 3rd party software that will perform this operation too, Windows XP’s is just fine. If you are a Windows XP Home user, follow the steps outlined below. Or, go ahead and skip to the next section.
Installing Windows Backup Utility in Windows XP Home Edition:
Insert the Windows XP Installation CD in to your CD drive.
Select “Perform Additional Tasks” from the XP Welcome screen.
Select, “Browse this CD”.
You will now be taken in to Windows Explorer. From here, you will need to double click on the following folders: ValueAdd>> Msft>> Ntbackup.
With the Ntbackup folder open, double click the file titled: Ntbackup.msi
The Windows XP Backup Utility will now be installed on to your Windows Application.
Using Windows XP Backup Utility:
To access the Windows XP Backup Utility, go to Start>> All Programs>> Accessories>> System Tools>> Backup.
Or- you can simply go to Start>> Run. Type in: ntback [Enter] or click OK.
Once you’ve started the Backup Wizard you will be taken to an opening page. Just select Next here and then select “Backup Files and Settings” from the following page and then click Next again. You should now be at the “Backup or Restore Wizard. Here, you are faced with a few choices of what you would like to backup. the choices are;
My documents and settings:
This is a good choice for a single user. This will backup your email messages to include your address book, personal Windows registry settings and all data files.
Everyone’s documents and settings:
If you share your computer with a few other people that have their own personalized settings, this would be a good backup choice.
All information on this computer:
In making this selection, you will be backing up every stitch of information that resides on your Windows XP application. Depending on the amount of software you have installed, this backup could encompass many gigabytes of information. This is not a good backup choice as it is pretty much a waste of time and space.
Let me choose what to backup:
This is a good selection for people that have a good backup strategy in mind. Once you’ve selected this option, you will be taken to an “Items to backup” page that lists all of the available backup options for your Windows Application. It really is a very simple task in selecting, because all you have to do is place a checkmark adjacent to the item you wish to backup. So, if you have a backup strategy, this would be the preferred option.
Once you’ve made your selection of which backup procedure to use, click Next.
Deciding where to backup your files:
Windows XP will save all of your backup information to single file and by default, it will attempt to save it to your floppy drive. Obviously, this isn’t going to be a location that any of you will be interested in, so you will need to select the “Browse” option to browse for your destination of choice. My backup destination of choice is to a USB thumb drive. It is always best to place your backup in a removable media of some sort.
After the backup destination has been selected, enter a name for the backup file and then click Next.
You should now be at the final page of the Backup Wizard. From here, you can perform these backups automatically in different intervals. To set this up, click the “Advanced” button. If you are not interested in scheduling your backups, just click “Finish” and your selected backup will begin.
You now a have a good working copy of the selected files in case something goes wrong with your Windows XP installation. Keep it in a safe place as it will become handy one day.
Windows 7: Watch the following video on how to backup your data in Windows 7
And there are the 7 steps which you need to follow to secure the data in your PC.
