I don't like people or companies gathering infomation about what I do online or what files I have on my PC. At the end of the day, it's none of their business. I especially don't want script kiddies gaining access to it. I'm sure some of you feel the same way, so I'm going to list a few ways you can keep your PC exactly that....... a Personal Computer.

Windows
There's a number of suspect services in XP as well as known ones that report back to Microsoft about what you do on your PC. First port of call is XP Antispy available from http://www.xpantispy.org .
This free program disables a lot of nonsense that you certainly don't benefit from, via a tick list that you have full control over. Each option is fully explained. Next go through the HTML list of services (a great list that explains in simple English not confusing Microsoft speak) and disable those you don't need. At the very least, this will free up resources...... a win win situation.

Internet browser
Microsoft's Internet Explorer has had it's day. More and more exploits are being discovered and abused at an ever increasing rate.
I've seen posts on many forums praising other browsers and have even tried a few, but always ended up going back to IE. That was until I discovered Mozilla Firefox (http://www.mozilla.org/.)
Faster, more customisable and far safer. With Firefox, popups, tracking cookies, and browser related spyware/adware are things of the past.

Cookies and spyware
Just visiting a website can place a spyware cookie on your PC which will gather up infomation about you and report back to whoever. Installing shoddy software like Gator or Kazza full, worsens the problem with other (usually nastier) spyware files. This isn't nice for three reasons:
1) They should mind their own business.
2) It will eat your bandwidth that you pay for!
3) You don't know what info they are taking, could be websites you browse up to personal information stored on your hard-drive - who knows what they take.

Solution: download SpyBot, better than the now bloated AdAware 6.
Adaware hasn't found anything Spybot has missed for me to date, plus Spybot has a few other useful options in it as well. Get it from http://www.safer-networking.org.
These programs search for and kill spyware from cookies to .exe's.
The use of SpyBot and cleaning out your cookies/temp internet files/history regularly should keep you spyware free. Spybot can also remove loads of private data with one click (like the history files of loads of programs)

Another addition to Ad-Aware type programs is SpywareBlaster which stops a lot of the stuff getting on in the first place!
From http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html
Update regularly people!

Here's an interesting link, listing trustworthy and untrustworthy software and websites as far as spyware is concerned:
http://www.spywarewarrior.com/rogue_anti-spyware.htm

To control what cookies are allowed on your PC use CookieWall from http://www.analogx.com/. This will alert you if a cookie is about to be placed on your hard drive and ask you what you want to do with it. You can set a cookie to 'always delete' and it will do it automatically every time by its self!
It fully allows cookies to be created (which is good for compatibility) but when it sees a new cookie it will ask what you want to do with it. Kill it (and it'll forever kill it whenever it sees it again), allow it for now, or allow it forever.

Peer to Peer.
Do you use file sharing software?
First of all something related to the above point of spyware. Lots of popular P2P programs contain spyware, Kaaza for example is notorious for it.

Let's be honest, you're using it for pirated software. Watch what you run. Don't ever use Kazaa for anything other than music files. And even then, be really careful it's not an mp3.exe or something disguised as music.
If you use eMule/eDonkey then use something like sharereactor. But in general it's a lot safer than Kazaa.
Also, if you use Kazaa, use Kazaa Lite - It has the adverts/spyware removed.

Does my p2p program contain spyware?
Most people that use file sharing programs share illegal software, this is a fact. From .mp3's to gamez appz...........you get the idea. People have been prosecuted for sharing such files using programs like Kazza etc... There are various agencies that can and do browse your shares, ranging from the FBI to music companies. To stop this get PeerGuardian from http://www.methlabs.org/ .
Yet another free piece of software, this one blocks the IP's of known Piracy related enforcement groups/Snoops from gaining access to your share while you use your P2P software.

Firewall
Get yourself a firewall! Firewalls block unauthorised access to and from your PC. Software firewalls can be downloaded free like Sygate personal firewall for example (available from http://smb.sygate.com/products/spf_standard.htm) or purchased like Norton personal firewall.
With Windows vunerabilities being found and exploited all the time like the recent Remote Procedure Call hole that "msblaster" took advantage of, you would be mentally unsound not to use some sort of firewall.
I would personally recommend Sygate personal firewall after trying most versions.

If you are new to software firewalls don't be alarmed if you notice a few alerts per day..... there's lots of port scanning and similar going on all the time; your firewall will alert you of this.
Alerts of this nature are not necessarily someone trying to hack your PC, and can usually be toned down or turned off so you don't have to see them.

If anyone is looking for a free firewall, find Kerio. It's dead easy to use and setup. It out -performs Zone Alarm hands down. Kerio can be configured to deny any connection, unless it has a rule for it, in only 2 mouse clicks. Kerio can also be setup to only allow access to a certain file, so if port 21 is open, it will only have access to that program. If any program was to replace the original, you will be notified that it has changed and have the option to allow it to take control of the rule previously set up for that program... i.e if you upgrade dc++ to a newer version, the firewall detects the program change and WON'T allow it to be connected in/out unless you allow it to via rule change or the popup.

Anti Virus
A Trojan Horse virus is like giving an evil script kiddie your mouse. Not only will they be able to access files on your PC, they can use your PC to hack other people's, effectively covering their tracks.
Get an AntiVirus package like Norton Anti Virus or a free one like AVG available from http://www.grisoft.com/. Keep them updated and run them regularly, this will stop trojans and a truck load of other nasties.

Update & Use Regularly
Keep windows updated regularly using Windows Update, this will make sure all the security exploits Microsoft know about are fixed..... Its a Microsoft product remember! There will be lots.
Update your anti virus and firewall regularly, to keep protected against an ever increasing amount of threats, similarly with SpyBot etc.... There's no point in installing such software if it isn't kept up to date and used regularly.

Email
Do not use Outlook Express or any news or mail reader that can handle HTML.
Every single email "bomb" uses HTML.
Use Thunderbird for example, as a replacement. There are other alternatives too.

Common Sense
Common sense is the most important thing in staying safe. Use frequently!
People that get trojans and email viruses get them because of their own stupidity. A firewall and virus killer can help, but they are not foolproof.

Never ever give anything permission unless you are 100% sure who it is from and what it does. Most of the time it will be one of the following:-
Porn dialer (pretends to be anything. What they really do is replace your internet connection with something costing from £1 a minute up)
Comet Cursor,
Gatorware,
Orbitz,
Xupiter,
and all sorts of other ones are spyware.
These will monitor your activity on the net and report it back, or worse load adverts.

Watch carefully what shareware you install. Shareware is generally rubbish in quality. Look for freeware made by an individual. www.grc.com or www.analogx.org for example. A lot of shareware contains spyware.

I have not had a trojan or virus or any security breach for some time now. I can't remember having any since I installed most of the above.. Why? Common sense.

The most comon security flaw in systems is human! (social engineering and alike).
Do you know how Microsoft security was breached? Someone asked a Microsoft employee to run a program he gave them on a floppy disk, and Microsoft was down!

Getting infected by a trojan is also very easy to do and you wouldn't believe how easily it's done. "Hey check out this new program...." It could be a link on a forum, or somewhere else, sent through MSN, etc, then Bingo, you're infected with a virus or trojan. (Trojans can be hidden in files that circulate within P2P networks.) It's good idea to set that download folder for a virus/trojan scan BEFORE you install anything, as well as every few days!

Another thing I tend to do (as I don't virus scan my computer often as I know what I'm downloading plus my firewall won't let any connection in/out unless told to or marked as a rule), I lock my desktop when I'm away. Win key + L locks the desktop so if you're infected with a trojan then a trojan kiddie won't be doing very much apart from staring at a blank screen with a password box wondering what to do next! The chances of a trojan getting onto my system are already pretty remote, the fact that it needs permission to be connected makes it even harder.
Try the above with a screensaver set to turn on after 15mins of non-use and a prompt for a password to return to the desktop for extra security.

Keep safe and enjoy your computer experience.

© RIYAN Productions

www.famousgrouse.com