[olug] OT: "Securing" a WinXP Home Edition Machine

[Jake Churchill]

I immediately install Norton 2005 for worm/virus protection, Black Ice 
for a firewall, then I connect to the internet and download all patches 
(about 80 Megs usually).  I would consider very carefully the switch 
from IE/Outlook.  Firefox especially has issues with plugins and you 
have to download one for about every 3 pages.  Once they are installed 
it's all good though.  You just don't want to leave that to an 
"unexperienced" PC user.  As far as spyware/adware programs, I never 
really have any problems with them if I get the firewall and Norton 
installed prior to connecting to the net.  I use Adaware's trial 
version to detect things.  You can't actually delete anything with it 
without registering though.  But, it will find everything for you and 
you just take care of it manually.  Also, Spybot Search and Destroy is 
good for spyware.  A buddy of mine has these on his ftp server and I 
have them on mine as well.  I won't give the addy out on the list but 
if you email me directly I'll hook you up.

Jake

On Feb 4, 2005, at 7:00 PM, Robert A. Jacobs wrote:

> Gang,
>
> 	Despite my best efforts to talk some great friends into purchasing a
> Mac, they purchased a Dell machine with WinXP Home Edition; thankfully,
> I managed to convince them *not* to hook up to the Internet until I had
> a chance to prep their machine. So...now I need some security 
> assistance
> from all of you WinXP users since I have absolutely zero experience
> working with WinXP (Debian at home; Win2K at work).
>
> 	I intend to set them up with FireFox (web-browser) and Thunderbird
> (email) to immediately eliminate the IE/Outlook virus injection system.
> What I need to know is what I should be looking at with regards to
> patches (auto-updates), recommended spyware/adware programs, etc.
>
> 	Any help is greatly appreciated.  I thought I was going to have more
> time to get this information but I just found out that they got their
> system today.  They are a very good friends and use this machine for
> business so I intend to help them out this weekend.
>
> -raj
>
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