Security tightening up

W

Wally Kever

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Joined
Mar 1, 2022
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Hi Is this the section where i can ask for help strengthening the security on my laptop its apparent I'm not good at that. Helpful hints would be greatly appreciated. If this isn't that place just point me in that direction please.

Thx in adavance
 
I can see no point in repeating much of anything from the advice I'm about to direct you to except one thing: Security is about layers. And the weakest link in computer security is the thing (you, any you) that's sitting behind the keyboard.

Windows Security is a top tier product that is consistently in the top 10, and is the only thing that most users will ever need, particularly if they read and follow the advice below this batch.
Look at the most recent testing results from the following antivirus/security testing labs, along with the historical results from the past several years if you want to see how Windows Security/Defender has been performing. Windows Security has been solidly in the top 10, often top 5, and frequently beats out several well-known competitors that one must pay for.

AV Test

AV Comparatives

SE Labs (Reports Page)

MRG Effitas (360 Protection Testing Category)


Quietman7, a security expert who is an active contributor on Bleeping Computer, has written extensively on what you (any you) need to do to develop safe interaction habits with cyberspace. The following four are, in my opinion, must-reads
 
Ok so what yu just did was provide a deterrant. Giving ppl that much material to read is like putting a person in the endgame of anything and expect that person to survive, not gonna happen. Also the reason there is a huge problem with the human factor being the weakest link, is because there is no flowchart step by step instruction helping the human factor learn. Reading that material isn't instruction on setting up security on many if any devices. You cant take college level material and hand if off to elementary students and expect them to read and understand. What about BIOS lvl security? administrative password security? Hardware security like Yubikey types? No one can being young in there learning able to decipher that material and apply it. Most of us technically weak humans know that we are the problem but we need an idea where to begin after all our devices have been tempered with never to regain control back again.
Take me for instance i managed to create a usb with windows10 on but had to remember i needed to go into the bios to change the boot sequence for the usb to get grabbed to be installed, now what admin password account and limited guest account.
My head is hurting from all this thinking. You wanna help me help me by first sharing how to lock up the machine, from bios to desktop screen pls
 
It's not college level material.

The resources have been offered. They were written for end users. Do with them as you wish.

And, no, I'm not going to give you step-by-step instructions for anything because you are grossly overthinking literally everything. If you have been using your computer for years, without incident, and without infections, you're already secure enough and in a far better position than a great many.

I really have no patience for those who expect to be step-by-stepped through everything, and particularly when I have no idea of their specific situations, needs, etc. You MUST educate yourself.
 
Might I just add that you don't need to read it all at once. Brian has provided you with a bunch of reputable information, which you can browse through at your own pace, and you can read as much or as little of it as you wish.

My own view on security is that there is no "one size fits all", and that the security you need will mainly depend on your browsing habits. If you have good browsing habits, then you greatly reduce your chances of contacting any malware, whereas if you're the sort of person who goes around downloading software from sources that you can't possibly know are reputable, and clicking on every bit of clickbait that's out there, then regardless of what defensive programs you have installed, you're going to get infected.
 
If all you want is something simple, then remember this one thing: Think before you click.
Hover your mouse over links and look at the bottom status bar to see where it will land you. If it looks strange, don't click it.

I taught my husband when he first started using the computer to not click anything he wasn't sure of. He's done this and his computer has never picked up malware. (And he daily uses a Windows 7 computer.)
 
Wally Kever said:
You wanna help me help me by first sharing how to lock up the machine, from bios to desktop screen pls
Click to expand...

You wanna help me by being polite to other members on this site who are trying to help you? Or would you prefer to post on a different forum instead? ;)


Wally Kever said:
Ok so what yu just did was provide a deterrant.
Click to expand...

What exactly is a "deterrent" about antivirus software?

The advice Brian gave you was a solid mixture of both active steps you can take to improve security (strong antivirus, disabling autorun, keeping Windows up to date with the latest security patches, keep Adobe Reader and JRE either off your system or ensure they're regularly up to date etc), as well preventative measure to reduce the likelihood your system will be attacked in the first place.

If you're a bit more specific about what exactly you want to strengthen, we can give you some more specific answers. We don't currently have an "everything" guide though, and the resources linked to are a great starting point.
 

Will Watts​


What exactly is a "deterrent" about antivirus software?

A deterrent in this reference is asking for help a certain type of help, in return you get a library of information and you figure it out in some since how i took it. So ive favorite the material and am still reading.

Its explained better in the next paragraph, also ill take more time to read more thanks


You wanna help me by being polite to other members on this site who are trying to help you? Or would you prefer to post on a different forum instead? ;)

Hi appreciate your response. Might i just say i wasn't being rude or disrespectful if that's how you see it then that's a perception issue. If your not sure what a person is requesting them feel free to ask its ok, clarity is important. Like right now your might think we are going at it, we are not, again I'm just talking i call it sharing a thought. You read his response to me an assumed I was being rude nope I was just talking that's it just talking.

A proper response in my opinion might have been more so questioning where I was going with my inquiry. There are many ways security for a computer can be addressed. With computer security in my honest opinion there are two (2) types Outside and Inside you know getting in from outside that being the admin password and getting pass the login, activating an using the limited quest account, password protecting the bios level, yubikey types of security of a machine was more so what I was referring to what i consider #1 and that's me keeping it short. #2 Is inside the machine protection from these types of things software viruses, malware, trojans and rootkits. Do you know i have read so many different types of information and so many times it just didn't make since, to someone else it did just not to me. Just so you know that's American Education catch it or get passed over.

xrobwx71 sent me a great reply since i decided to just dump Windows 7 and go with Windows 10, I found a usb drive backed up the information on it
- formatted the drive
- followed the instruction from the Microsoft Media tool
- then i used Rufus that worked too

thank you

then i just turned off the computer stuck the drive in and rebooted the computer
nothing happened, then i remembered from years ago Bios area boot sequence needed to be changed
then tried it again and yala it worked Windows 10 onboard

this next bit of information no one shared and i didnt know either until i read something
Windows 10 wasn't activated so thinking i would have to buy a key or license i found something that said use the same product key from Windows 7
found it placed it and guess what it worked windows 10 activated from my Windows 7 product key.

plodr another great response I enjoyed reading that. Lucky man.​


In closing going online is that same as leaving your house whenever you do and walking down the street and turning the corner is like clicking on your mouse are you really safe.

Gary R​


Thank you appreciate it nicely put.
Peace.
 
Last edited:
Wally Kever,

When I guide people to clean their computers, at the end, I use the following tips to help them keep their systems safe and secure in the future. Some of the following, are from Klein's (2005) article, So how did I get infected in the first place. Since then, the article has been reproduced or linked to in dozens of locations. As a result, many malware experts have continued updating it, to include current operating systems and software program information. My source is Corrine's Security Garden, and I give a special attention to the following:

1. Keep your Windows updated!
It is important always to keep current with the latest security fixes from Microsoft. This can patch many of the security holes through which attackers can infect your computer.

2. Update 3rd Party Software Programs
Third Party software programs have long been targets for malware creators. It has been stated that "Adobe’s Reader and Flash and all versions of Java are together responsible for a total of 66 percent of the vulnerabilities in Windows systems exploited by malware.'' It's important to keep everything updated.

3. Update the browsers you use
Many malware infections install themselves by exploiting security holes in the Internet browser that you use. So... Keep them updated.

4. Be careful about what you download and what you open!
  • Many "freeware" programs come with an enormous amount of bundled spyware that will slow down your system, spawn pop-up advertisements, or just plain crash your browser or even Windows itself. Watch for pre-checked options such as toolbars that are not essential to the operation of the installed software.
  • Peer-to-peer (P2P) programs like μTorrent, Kazaa, BearShare, Imesh, Warez P2P, and others, allow the creation of a network enabling people to connect with other users and upload or download material in a fast efficient manner. BUT even if the P2P software you are using is "clean", a large percentage of the files served on the P2P network are likely to be infected.
  • Cracked or pirated programs are not only illegal, but also can make your computer a malware target. Have this in mind.
  • Do not open any files without being certain of what they are!
5. Avoid questionable web sites!
Visit web sites that are trustworthy and reputable. Many disreputable sites will attempt to install malware on your system through "drive-by" exploits just by visiting the site in your browser. Lyrics sites, free software sites (especially ones that target young children), cracked software sites, and pornography sites are some of the worst offenders. Also, never give out personal information of any sort online or click "OK" to a pop-up unless it is signed by a reputable company and you know what it is.

6. Registry cleaners/driver boosters/system optimizers
I do not recommend registry cleaners, system optimizers, driver boosters and the like. It is your computer and certainly your choice. However, please consider that modifying registry keys incorrectly can cause Windows instability, or make Windows unbootable. With registry cleaner and system optimization software programs, the potential is ever present to cause more problems than they claim to fix. Do note, however, that Microsoft does not support the use of registry cleaners. See Microsoft support policy for the use of registry cleaning utilities.

7. PC means personal computer!
Don't give access to your computer to friends or family who appear to be clueless about what they are doing.

8. Back-up your work!
Make back-ups of your personal files frequently. You never know when you'll have to reformat and start from scratch. You can always reformat and reinstall programs, but you cannot replace your data if you haven't made backups.

9. Must-Have Software
An anti-virus and an anti-spyware program is a necessity for the security of your computer. Be sure that you keep them updated, and that real time protection is enabled. Windows 10 has its own built-in antivirus, Windows Defender. Together with Malwarebytes, if you run it occasionally, depending on how often you use your computer, can keep you safe.


P.S. Having mentioning the source of the above, Security Garden, I see that Corrine has further updated the article, adding information about Windows 11.

Thanks, @Corrine!
 
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