BBV.Net Internet Precautions
Security for the Internet

THE SEVEN STEPS
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Computer manufacturer's and software companies cannot guarantee your PC's condition unless you lock it in a box. Any program you install, any file you copy, or any setting you change can alter or corrupt the Operating System. This document is designed to help Internet users understand the unique threats they face when connecting their computer to the rest of the world over this huge network. At BBV.Net, we want to make the Internet safer and more useful. We don’t have time or enough knowledge to explain everything over the phone, but we are happy to answer any question we can by email to support@bbv.net.

Whenever you connect to the Internet, you have access to all the world-wide resources that the Internet provides. Most legitimate business websites provide safe and useful services. On the other hand, other people or machines on the Internet could have access to your computer resources as well. Several years ago, the greatest threats to your computer were viruses and worms created simply to see how widespread they could become and boost the ego of their creators. These little programs were designed to sneak into your computer when you inadvertently opened an email attachment or program. Once secreted into your computer, they were designed to send themselves to all of your friends, using your email, any software you copied, or your network connections. The deranged geniuses who wrote these programs did not receive anything except a feeling of power for these efforts.

Recently, these people learned to make money using these devious skills. They would sell their services to often-unaware advertisers. Their sneaky programs would be spread throughout the world and hide themselves inside every unprotected computer. Then these hidden codes would spy on the user, watching what he types or looks at, and then cause ads, web pages or hi-jacked search results to pop up related to the user’s interests. This spying or advertising software is now called spy-ware or ad-ware.

Until the Internet comes under the control of some type of authority, a thing that many believe would destroy the basic value of it, these pirates or bandits operate with little obstruction other than a threat of legal action when caught. With each new malicious program, some champion immediately responds with a new or upgraded program to repel or remove the new threat. Some of these rescuers do it for money, like Grisoft, Norton/Symantec, McAfee, and others. Some do it for the pleasure of defeating the bad guys, like safer-networking.org. Many work in teams, offering their products for free and hoping for contributions to the Cause.

At BBV.Net and Central Computing, we spend most of our time repairing and protecting computers affected by malicious software. Based on our experience, the following are just our suggestions that may be helpful, still nowhere near a complete guarantee you won't get scammed.

Disclaimer:

The writer doesn’t know everything (or even half of everything) and anything you do to your computer, including all of the tips listed here, may damage your operating system causing loss of data or need to completely re-install everything! Back-up and create restore points, then study each program and use only at your own risk.

Securing your Windows Computer for free, 7 Steps you can take now.

1.     Always require a password to logon to Windows. This can be changed in the Control Panel under USERS.

2.     Always install anti-virus software. We now recommend Free AVG from free.grisoft.com by clicking on Get AVG Free. In earlier years we recommended Symantec Norton Anti-Virus from www.symantec.com. Their website offers an on-line scan to identify most new viruses at www.securityresponse.symantec.com. It also offers many removal tools.

3.     Do not install any program you are unsure of. Do not click OK on any window you did not ask for. Internet sites will offer all kinds of free gimmicks that spy on you or worse. Examples are file/music sharing, weather bug, shopping assistants, gator, time or date managers, almost any search tool, etc. Instant Messengers should only be used for discussion, not file transfers. Set your firewall to block them. On the other hand, the Google Toolbar from www.google.com and set it to not send any information. It provides a handy search tool and a decent POP-UP blocker.

4.     Install anti-spyware software. We install Spybot, Ad-aware, and other tools just for scanning or removal: Adaware is free from www.Lavasoft.de or www.tucows.com. www.safer-networking.org has links to download Spybot Search and Destroy with tea-timer, a utility that asks your permission every time something tries to alter operating systems.

5.     Keep all of your security software updated. Most viruses get in your computer when you haven't paid for your subscription to the latest virus definitions or kept your software updated, (or used it in the case of manually run tools). Run regular anti-spyware scans, at least using updated Spybot Search and Destroy.

6.     Use www.windowsupdate.com to keep your Operating System patched and up to date. Microsoft has Security information at www.microsoft.com/windows/security/. 

7.     Even better, install a hardware firewall. Routers, e.g. www.D-Link.com, assign a different address than the address shown to the Internet, to all computers behind them. DSL and Cable modems include routers.

BBV.net recommends the use of a free hotmail account as a main address. Hotmail, Google, and Yahoo now do quite a job blocking viruses and SPAM.

Windows 98 has networking components that let you share your files and/or printers, which are unfortunately installed by default. If you do not share files on a network, disable file sharing:  If you have FrontPage installed, you should disable the Personal Web Server that came with it, which is again installed by default. Consult the FrontPage manual for information on doing this.

Windows XP restricts file sharing to a folder called Shared Documents by default. It is best to keep shared folders limited.

Finally, don't be surprised if you still get nailed. A "clean" machine (one that has been repaired or scanned) can still be infected, but the culprit may not be detected yet by your security software. Whenever you encounter unusual activity on your computer, it is helpful to read what others have to say at www.groups.google.com.

Bob Pool – January, 2009

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