QUICK INTERNET SECURITY GUIDE FOR WINDOWS XP

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1 DISCLAIMER QUICK INTERNET SECURITY GUIDE FOR WINDOWS XP This guide is designed to improve personal computer s Internet security. It does not pretend to be complete or error free. It does not guarantee that your computer will not be compromised, even if you follow these recommendations. The author and Residence Internet Service (RIS) are not responsible for anything that may happen to your computer in direct or indirect result of using this guide. Use this guide AS IS and only on your own risk. TABLE OF CONTENTS OR 10 EASY STEPS TO MAKE YOUR COMPUTER MORE SECURE 1. UPGRADE YOUR OPERATING SYSTEM TO WINDOWS XP 2. SET WINDOWS XP TO DOWNLOAD AND INSTALL WINDOWS UPDATE 3. USE STRONG PASSWORDS 4. DISABLE FILE AND PRINT SHARING SERVICES 5. DISABLE NETBIOS OVER TCP/IP 6. ENABLE WINDOWS XP FIREWALL 7. USE ANTIVIRAL PROGRAMMS AND DO NOT USE THIRD PARTY FIREWALLS 8. BE CAREFUL WITH S AND ATTACHMENTS 9. UNINSTALL P2P NETWORKING SOFTWARE 10. GO TO A BOOKSTORE OR A LIBRARY AND PICK A BOOK ABOUT INTERNET SERCURITY OF YOUR CHOICE 1. UPGRADE YOUR OPERATING SYSTEM TO WINDOWS XP Windows XP is the most secure operating system (OS) from Microsoft. Upgrade your OS to Windows XP, if you have Windows 95/98/Me/ SET WINDOWS XP TO DOWNLOAD AND INSTALL WINDOWS UPDATE Although Windows XP is a secure OS, the security doesn t come out of the box. You must install ALL critical updates (security patches). To do so, right click on Start and choose Explore. Expand My Computer->Control Panel. Double click on System and then click on Automatic Updates tab. Check Keep my computer up to date Select Automatically download the updates, and install them on a schedule that I specify. Make sure your computer is turned on for that date and time. See the screenshot below.

2 3. USE STRONG PASSWORDS Never reveal your Campus Computing ID (CCID) and your password to anybody. I mean ANYBODY. If you have them written on a piece of paper attached to your monitor, shred the paper and change your password immediately at Use a strong password for your Windows account. Rename Administrator account and assign a strong password to it too. Strong password is the one that has more than 7 characters and consists of a combination of lower case and capital letters, special characters and numbers. It is also recommended to base a password on at least two words. To open Computer Management console click Start->Run, then type compmgmt.msc /s, then click OK. Expand System Tools->Local Users and Groups->Users. Right click on your user name and choose Set Password Right click on the Administrator account and choose Rename. Right click the new name and choose Set Password See the screenshot below.

3 4. DISABLE FILE AND PRINT SHARING SERVICES Disable File and Print Sharing Services. This will limit the access to your files from a network. Right click on Start and choose Explore. Expand My Computer->Control Panel- >Network Connections. Right click on Local Area Connection and choose Properties. See the picture below.

4 Uncheck File and Print Services for Microsoft Network.

5 5. DISABLE NETBIOS OVER TCP/IP Disable NetBIOS over TCP/IP. Right click on Start and choose Explore. Expand My Computer->Control Panel->Network Connections. Right click on Local Area Connection and choose Properties. Double click on Internet Protocol (TCP/IP). Click on Advanced Click on WINS. Select Disable NetBIOS over TCP/IP See the picture below.

6 6. ENABLE WINDOWS XP FIREWALL Enable Windows XP firewall. Firewall will try to block any requests to setup a connection from the network to your computer. Right click on Start and choose Explore. Expand My Computer->Control Panel->Network Connections. Right click on Local Area Connection and choose Properties. Click on Advanced tab. Check Protect my computer and network by limiting or preventing access to this computer from the Internet. See the illustration below.

7 7. USE ANTIVIRAL SOFTWARE AND DO NOT USE THIRD PARTY FIREWALLS Install Norton Antivirus from Symantec. It is not free but it is the best one. Unless you fill yourself comfortable with your computer, do not install third party firewalls. Although they are better than Windows XP built-in firewall, most of them require advance knowledge of Internet protocols. 8. BE CAREFUL WITH S Do not open s from people that you don t know, especially do not open any attachments even from the people that you know unless you are familiar with file extensions. 9. UNINSTALL P2P NETWORKING SOFTWARE If you use P2P networking software (a.k.a file sharing software such as KaZaA, Morpheus, Bit Torrent, Grokster, edonkey, etc), DON T! This is the source of most viruses. If you don t want to get into trouble of reformatting your disk drive, then uninstall this software ASAP. I mean UNINSTALL, not disable.

8 10. GO TO A BOOKSTORE OR A LIBRARY AND PICK A BOOK ABOUT INTERNET SERCURITY OF YOUR CHOICE