One of the necessities of Windows pc protection is protection against malware. Unfortunately, this subject matter has ended up as an alternatively large one due to the huge variety of different ways a Windows machine can be attacked. In this article, I will recognize how you close out the most prone routes into your system. After all, if the malware does not have a means of, you must not worry about disposing of it.
Now, it’s miles an unquestionable fact that the majority of the malware that infects Windows systems does so with the aid of exploiting the lack of information and the laziness of the common computer user. Most (now not all, however most) attacks against Windows computer systems would fail if users would actually study and understand those pop-up requesters that often appear when the malware first tries to install itself. But the fact is that there are too many of those popups acting and analyzing them slows down surfing, so the majority of the time, just click on them away, and thereby permit their device to be infected. I am now not criticizing the individuals who do that (I do it frequently enough myself…); rather, I am criticizing the design of a gadget that makes this sort of conduct essential if you want to retain security.
On my Windows systems, I do not even run antivirus software, yet my systems in no way get infected with viruses. Why not now? There are various factors I have actually achieved to protect the systems, and in this newsletter, I am going to show you the most vital of these things.
Understand that I am now not recommending that you ditch your antivirus software; I do, in fact, occasionally scan my structures using Trend Micro’s online Housecall product, but I actually have found it unnecessary to have an antivirus package running automatically on my laptop. This frees up resources and allows my computer systems to run quickly.
The most critical thing you can do to make your browsing extra comfortable is to prevent the use of Internet Explorer for browsing. Instead, pick out any other browser package (I use Firefox) and use it alternatively.
The purpose of this is that IE uses Microsoft’s ActiveX controls and lets in downloads of different controls from the web, and this is the most common vector for an attack that exists on a Windows pc. ActiveX controls are essentially independent packages that may be downloaded from the Internet and run on your system. Commonly written in Visual Basic or Visual C++, those programs have the functionality to hook deeply into your machine and do pretty much whatever. They are purported to be “sandboxed” – that’s to mention “constrained.” Still, the truth is that the manner in which ActiveX is carried out in Windows (it’s deeply embedded and formerly known as OLE2) makes it very, very tough to establish and hold a sandbox correctly.
From a technological perspective, ActiveX is pretty cool and, in a super international, malware-free environment, I would enthusiastically propose it because it permits a LOT of flexibility within the browser. Different browser lets ActiveX run, so each different browser is more relaxed than I can ever be. Unfortunately, this isn’t a perfect world, and I think the ActiveX idea is fatally unsuitable from a safety perspective. I no longer consider that Microsoft will EVER be capable of restoring it.
With IE7, launched in the closing fall, Microsoft has taken some important steps to try to ease ActiveX, but these steps are more or less band-aids, and all provide you with additional popups to address or require you to root around inside the IE security settings to disable matters that shouldn’t be going for walks beside. Furthermore, there inevitably may be flaws in IE7 (as in all software), and because IE7 still enables ActiveX to run, it could be that there exists a flaw that allows ActiveX even if you have it disabled.
Keep in mind that you’re wandering around in foreign and regularly adversarial terrain when you are on the web. ActiveX is something that should best be allowed to appear among buddies. Therefore, you must surely forbid it whilst it comes from the web. At least, you need to forbid it if you need to surf appropriately and honestly. So, do no longer use IE.
My 2d primary step to avoid protection issues is to remove Outlook Express. This package deal is genuinely a nightmare from the perspective of security. Microsoft has started shipping its operating system with most of the worst security functions of Outlook Express disabled by default. Still, the fact is that OE makes use of Internet Explorer to display any so-called “rich textual content” emails, and if OE isn’t always configured right, you may have scripts running on your email simply by clicking on it to read it. This has long been an unusual vector for infecting computers. Not only that, however, malware can infect your laptop via a few other ways; it frequently goes straight to your OE email inbox with an email that will gain new goals for the attack. This is a regular source of unsolicited mail and virus propagation. Just ditch OE.
I use Thunderbird for my email client on Windows systems. It is derived from the vintage Netscape email customer and is a lot more cozy. However, there are plenty of different email clients available on the web, and Thunderbird’s development is lagging. I might transfer in the future, but presently, I do not have any good advice. Eudora receives proper opinions, but I trust it’s far ad-supported, and I may not cross there.
My third essential step to save you from malware infestations is to use accurate firewalls. And, sure, I do have multiple firewalls. My whole LAN is blanketed through a hardware router/firewall; that is the first line of defense for the whole community. These router/firewall appliances may be purchased at any mass-market electronics store, computer store, or branch store for approximately $50, and I advise them to be quiet. Everyone needs to have one, even if you only defend one computer with it. Note that most of these devices have wireless capability; if you no longer need it, turn the wireless radio OFF and disable it. Instructions on how to do this can come with the product.
