How to protect yourself from Windows users

Text /Anonymous

If your PC is loaded with Windows operating system, when you use it to access the Internet, your documents, your personal Privacy and the security of your computer will be threatened. There are a number of virus writers, computer hackers and unscrupulous people around the world who are wondering how to attack your computer every day.

Windows developer Microsoft has an unshirkable responsibility for this. It leaves a lot of security holes on the Windows operating system and browser, making it a very easy attack on PCs. Things. Even if you install Windows XP's latest patch, Service Pack 2, your PC will inevitably be attacked.

As I have said before, I think that Microsoft and computer manufacturers should take unified and controllable measures to solve all these problems, so that users do not need to understand the hidden dangers. You don't have to solve these security problems yourself. They should protect users from hackers, spam, viruses, and spyware. Spyware is a malicious piece of software that steals your information while you are browsing and searching the web, pushes the ad to your eyes, and secretly records your activity.

However, before this happens, you have to protect yourself. Here are some convenient and basic ways to protect yourself in the digital world.

Give up using Windows. One of the easiest and most effective ways to prevent viruses and spyware is to completely abandon the Windows operating system and buy Apple's Macintosh operating system. Apple's Mac OS X operating system makes hackers harder to get started, and because of the low market share of the Mac, the panic and attention caused by hackers, virus writers, and spyware makers attacking the platform Very low, the economic benefits obtained are not high.

There isn't a single virus written for Mac OS X that has been successful, and there have been few spyware for Mac. In addition, viruses and spyware for Windows do not pose a threat to the Mac. Windows XP and Mac have the same stability, but the latter is not only more secure, it is more powerful, more advanced, and more attractive.

For the most common operations like web browsing, editing email, word processing, spreadsheet, presentation, photo editing and audio and video playback, the computer loaded with Macs operating system and the Windows operating system Computers perform as well and often outperform. The Mac version of Microsoft Office can easily handle Windows Office files, and the files generated by it, Windows Office can handle it as well. In addition, the appearance of the Apple computer is very beautiful.

However, it takes a lot of money to change the operating system, which may intimidate some people. So if you still want to continue using Windows, please look down.

Blocking hackers. Buy firewall software that not only blocks hackers, but also prevents certain suspicious programs on your computer from transmitting information to the Internet. I recommend a free software called ZoneAlarm developed by Zone Labs, which can be downloaded from zonelabs.com. Microsoft also provides a built-in firewall software, but it does not work, so it is recommended to use this ZoneAlarm firewall software.

If you have broadband installed or have a home network, you need to verify that your modem or router has a feature called Network Address Translation (NAT). Features make it harder for cybercriminals to find your computer. However, even with this feature, I still recommend installing a firewall software because NAT does not protect against all attacks.

Clear the virus. You must install a powerful anti-virus software and keep upgrading, even if the upgrade requires payment. I recommend Norton AntiVirus (this is a stand-alone anti-virus software, not a comprehensive anti-virus software package.) This software is very effective, and its automatic upgrade system is the best one I have tested. The software is priced at $50 and includes a one-year upgrade fee.

Block spyware. Because anti-virus software can't handle spyware, you need to install and continually upgrade another software program called anti-spyware. I recommend installing Spy Sweeper from Webroot Software, which you can get from webroot.com, which costs $30, including a one-year upgrade. Like anti-virus software, this software not only detects and removes viruses that are already on your computer, but also monitors and blocks new spyware intrusions.

Clean up spam. Buying the right anti-spam software, I haven't found it perfect yet, but MailFrontier Desktop is probably the best of them, available on mailfrontier.com for $30. If those spam messages really upset you, you can use the software's "challenge" feature to perform a simple test on unfamiliar senders, so you can identify the mass mailings used by spammers. software.

Safely browse the web. I recommend that you do not use Microsoft's Internet Explorer web browser, which has a record of security vulnerabilities. I recommend using Mozilla's Firefox, which can be downloaded free of charge from mozilla.org. This web browser is not only more secure, but also more stylish and advanced. Users can open multiple pages in the same window and pop-up Ad blockers are also better than IE, Microsoft has only added this feature to IE in the near future.

Stay alert. Don't download software from the Internet at will, unless you are very sure what software you are downloading and you really need it. If a website says you need a special plugin to view certain pages, you should be very careful. General image software, such software developed by Real Networks, Apple, and Macromedia, should be available on the official websites of these companies.

Install the upgrade program in time. You should probably install Microsoft's latest SP2, which does improve Windows security, but it also poses serious problems for a few Windows users. You should also install all the upgrades that Microsoft provides for Windows.

All in all, if you use the Windows operating system, you are asking for trouble. However, as long as you prevent it from happening, you can effectively reduce the risk.

Source: Wall Street Journal