Securing Your System, Part 1

Hi, all. Another offbeat FamilyFirst session.

I have been working on a co-worker's computer for a couple of days, trying to bring it back from the dead. The killer? A ton of spyware, worms, viruses, and trojans. The M.O.? Connecting to the internet (through DIALUP!) with expired McAfee antivirus and unpatched Windows.

Personally, I'm running my final Windows system, XP Media Edition. I have a problem with Vista's integrating of DRM, giving it a say about what DVD's I'm allowed to watch in what definition. My next computer, probably a year or two down the line, will be a homebuilt Linux system or an Apple, depending on my financial condition at the time ;-).

But in the meantime, if you will follow my simple steps here, you can enjoy a safe, secure, fast PC like mine. FOR FREE! It's been connected to the net 24/7 via broadband for a year, and still runs like new. This assumes you are also hooked up broadband. It also assumes you have expired McAfee or Norton protection. You dialup users need to follow the same advice, what you need to do differently will be pretty obvious.

Step one: go to http://free.grisoft.com/doc/5390/lng/us/tpl/v5 and download AVG Free for Windows. Don't install it yet. Just remember its download location.

Step two: got to http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/index.html and download Spybot. Same procedure as above.

Step three: go to http://www.lavasoftusa.com/products/ad-aware_se_personal.php and download Ad-Aware.

Step four: go to http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx and install Microsoft Defender. It may want to scan. Don't do it yet.

Step five: go to http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/ and download Firefox.

With those programs safely in a download folder, tune in tomorrow for the rest of the procedure.

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