How Do I Make My Desktop Totally Secure

Hi,

I have a Desktop system with Win XP ( PRO ).

I have a Broadband Connectionfrom my telephone company that uses a modem to connect.

I have installed following software for security but no other Hardware for Security. I want to know, how secure my system is & what else do I need to make it more secure.

Nod 32 antivirus
Zone Alarm PRO Firewall with spyware
Super Antispyware

I am not sure how good Zone Alarm & Super Antispyware are so any suggestions would be appreciated.

Please help. I am not a techy.

I heard that using an extra hardware ( I think a Router ? ) helps but I do not know what kind of Router & which Brand & what Specs I need. Also where do I connect that Router to ? Any graphical illustration would help a lot.

Not all brands are available where I am located.

Thank You.

 

NOD32 and SUPERAntispyware are superb.

Another essential is Spybot Search and Destroy ( many users just call it Spybot). It is free but its well worth a donation. It does not check files that are in use, it only does a scan of your C:\drive or partition when you want to do so, but what it does is up there with the best, or just that little bit better, I know of PC pros who use it to track down the various infiltrations with great success and forum members who swear by it.

It is not updated daily but every few days.

http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/index.html

Zone Alarm is not as good as Agnitum Outpost Pro firewall, this one is reated highly, in fact, there is a special offer on it now that for $59 you will never have to pay, that is, the licence is free for life.

www.agnitum.com

NB, there is the firewall and a Security suite so be carefull which you download.

Trojan Hunter obviously deals with trojans, I have used it for years.
http://www.misec.net/trojanhunter

That lot will keep you covered.

This is the vital bit, update them regularly - that is very important.
All (except Spybot) have updates almost every day. Spybot every few days.

 

hi,
I prefer ESS + Prevx Edge with heuristics "High" and popularity heuristics "Medium" ( http://www.prevx.com )

I is very good, block all worm messenger (for exemple who nod32 don't see :s )

But there arenot fake alert

 

comodo firewall with D+

it's free and one of the top notch in the market today.

 

If you quarantine it you should send anything nod doesn't see to their email.

 

Hi bob1711,

Did you pay for SuperAntiSpyware? If so, it has real time protection. By the way, your setup is fine for normal use.

Depending on your modem, it may already have some sort of router capabilities. Give your ISP a call to find out. If it doesn't, adding a router is another good layer of protection. Normally they are fairly easy to install if you follow the included instructions.

Another step you can take to secure your machine is keep all your programs updated. See the link in my signature and run an online scan. Windows, browsers, flash player, Java, media players, etc. should be kept updated.

If you use Internet Explorer as your browser, you might consider trying another alternative browser like Firefox. Having one or more browsers on your system is perfectly fine if you want to give one a try.

You could also create and use a Limited User Account (LUA) for everyday use. This is built into Windows and can limit what a virus or malware can do. Since you have XP Pro, it also has the ability to add a Software Restriction Policy (SRP), but that may be a little complicated.

Setting up a LUA. http://www.mechbgon.com/build/Limited.html
Setting up a SRP (Advanced). http://www.mechbgon.com/srp/index.html

If you can't run a LUA, you might consider using a "Sandbox" type of application. Sandboxie, DefenseWall and GeSWall are three well known brands. They all work a little differently so it's best to find one that meets your individual needs. Their basic purpose is to isolate potentially dangerous things from your system.

http://www.sandboxie.com/
http://www.softsphere.com/
http://www.gentlesecurity.com/