Four Things You Should Do to Your Computer Today Don Yarman OLC IT Division OLC Chapter Conferences Spring 2007

The Four Things Automatic Updates Firewall Anti-Virus Plus: A little discussion of spam & phishing filters That’s all I’m saying; you may go about your business. If you need to know more or want to argue, please stay.

Automatic Updates

Firewall

Anti-Virus

Plus: A little discussion of spam & phishing filters

That’s all I’m saying; you may go about your business.

If you need to know more or want to argue, please stay.

My Objectives Doing anything is better than doing nothing. My recommendations may not be the absolute “best” thing you can do -- that’s a moving target anyway. I’ll present a baseline of what you must do, some recommendations of how to do it, and we’ll discuss what you can do above and beyond the minimum.

Doing anything is better than doing nothing.

My recommendations may not be the absolute “best” thing you can do -- that’s a moving target anyway.

I’ll present a baseline of what you must do, some recommendations of how to do it, and we’ll discuss what you can do above and beyond the minimum.

Credit where it’s due OPLINTECH list, 30 June 2004 “How to keep your PC spyware and malware free for nothing!” Jim Kenzig, Cuyahoga County PL http://www. thinworkplace .com/article_read.asp?id=62 WindowsSecrets.com “Security Baseline” http:// windowssecrets .com/reviews/security-baseline/

OPLINTECH list, 30 June 2004 “How to keep your PC spyware and malware free for nothing!” Jim Kenzig, Cuyahoga County PL http://www. thinworkplace .com/article_read.asp?id=62

WindowsSecrets.com “Security Baseline” http:// windowssecrets .com/reviews/security-baseline/

What I’m talking about Personal computers (at home or library) Windows operating system (esp. XP) Any Internet connection (esp. broadband)

Personal computers (at home or library)

Windows operating system (esp. XP)

Any Internet connection (esp. broadband)

1. Enable Automatic Updates Latest service packs and hotfixes To enable: Go to your Control Panel (Start>Settings>) Automatic Updates or Security Center Second or Third radio button Second option? You have to install Third button not good choice if you don’t have broadband at home

Latest service packs and hotfixes

To enable:

Go to your Control Panel (Start>Settings>)

Automatic Updates or Security Center

Second or Third radio button

Second option? You have to install

Third button not good choice if you don’t have broadband at home

Older PC without Automatic Updates You can try updating manually http://update.microsoft.com , but Microsoft no longer supports Windows 98 WARNING: New Microsoft Update includes Office (Do you know where your Office disks are?)

You can try updating manually http://update.microsoft.com , but Microsoft no longer supports Windows 98

WARNING: New Microsoft Update includes Office (Do you know where your Office disks are?)

2. Install a good firewall Enable Windows Firewall. [Automatically enabled in Service Pack 2] Directions on Microsoft site http://tinyurl.com/hyenk

Enable Windows Firewall.

[Automatically enabled in Service Pack 2]

Directions on Microsoft site http://tinyurl.com/hyenk

Not Windows XP? Obtain good software or purchase router with a hardware firewall Norton Internet Security 2007(PC Mag Editor’s choice) WindowsSecrets.com recommends Linksys hardware firewalls and ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite http://www. zonelabs .com W ith software firewalls, the first time that you run any program that tries to access the Internet, a pop-up will ask if you want to allow it. (You will be amazed).

Obtain good software or purchase router with a hardware firewall

Norton Internet Security 2007(PC Mag Editor’s choice)

WindowsSecrets.com recommends Linksys hardware firewalls and ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite http://www. zonelabs .com

W ith software firewalls, the first time that you run any program that tries to access the Internet, a pop-up will ask if you want to allow it. (You will be amazed).

3. Maintain Antivirus No excuses. Review leaders: ConsumerSearch.com says “Scot’s Newsletter, WebUser.com, CNet.com” Best: Kaspersky (compatibility conflicts) NOD32 (usability complaints) Worst: McAfee and Grisoft AVG; Norton mixed Free: AOL Active Virus Shield http://www. activevirusshield .com Grisoft AVG Free edition http://free. grisoft .com Spend the money. Update definitions daily.

No excuses.

Review leaders: ConsumerSearch.com says “Scot’s Newsletter, WebUser.com, CNet.com”

Best: Kaspersky (compatibility conflicts) NOD32 (usability complaints)

Worst: McAfee and Grisoft AVG; Norton mixed

Free: AOL Active Virus Shield http://www. activevirusshield .com Grisoft AVG Free edition http://free. grisoft .com

Spend the money. Update definitions daily.

Most programs are recommended by someone

WindowSecrets.com Security Baseline Hardware Firewall Linksys Wireless-G WRT54GL Security Suite ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite Antispyware Program Webroot Spy Sweeper Update Management Windows Automatic Update

Hardware Firewall Linksys Wireless-G WRT54GL

Security Suite ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite

Antispyware Program Webroot Spy Sweeper

Update Management Windows Automatic Update

3.5. Remove Ad/Spyware Best: SpyWare Sweeper http://www. webroot .com/ Runner Up: Spyware Doctor http://www. pctools .com/ spyware -doctor/ Free : Microsoft Windows Defender http://www. windowsdefender .com Ad-Aware SE Personal http://www. lavasoft .com

Best: SpyWare Sweeper http://www. webroot .com/

Runner Up: Spyware Doctor http://www. pctools .com/ spyware -doctor/

Free : Microsoft Windows Defender http://www. windowsdefender .com Ad-Aware SE Personal http://www. lavasoft .com

ConsumerSearch again

Spam & Phishing Bad News: Spamming has grown beyond exponentially “ Phishing” has become a severe problem Good News: Browsers, email clients, and anti-virus software are now more holistic, and protection measures overlap.

Bad News:

Spamming has grown beyond exponentially

“ Phishing” has become a severe problem

Good News:

Browsers, email clients, and anti-virus software are now more holistic, and protection measures overlap.

Bottom line: Updates Updates Updates Critical updates to your operating system Access updates in your firewall rules Definition updates for your antivirus

Critical updates to your operating system

Access updates in your firewall rules

Definition updates for your antivirus

Other things that help Spam management Yarmando loves Gmail Pop-up blockers AdBlock and FlashBlock Get off the bandwagon Use Firefox (Thunderbird is nice too)

Spam management

Yarmando loves Gmail

Pop-up blockers

AdBlock and FlashBlock

Get off the bandwagon

Use Firefox (Thunderbird is nice too)

Questions? OPLINTECH list http://mail.oplin.org/mailman/listinfo/oplintech The unofficial member list of the OLC IT division This presentation is available online at www. oplin .org/presentations/ fourthings . ppt

OPLINTECH list http://mail.oplin.org/mailman/listinfo/oplintech The unofficial member list of the OLC IT division

This presentation is available online at www. oplin .org/presentations/ fourthings . ppt