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Windows Security Tips

Disclaimer: The advice on this page only reflects our own opinions, experiences and research and does not constitute an authoritative guide to computing security. It is recommended that clients obtain their own independent advice from a computer security professional.

As most internet users would now be aware, computing security is of critical importance. Security issues affect everyone that uses a computer for any purpose, whether they realise it or not. Problems that occur as a direct consequence of security breaches include:

  • Information theft
  • Financial fraud
  • Identity theft
  • Spam (spammers use vast numbers of compromised home PCs to send their junk mail, unbeknownst to the PC owners)
  • Blackmail
  • Damage to personal or business reputations
  • Abuse of computing and network services

This is a large and complex topic and we will not be attempting to comprehensively address it here. However, we will list a series of tips for improving the security of your computing activities and point you in the direction of several useful security resources. We hope that you will take advantage of this information to improve your computing security.

1. Lock down Windows

This can be a very long-winded and tedious process, yet it is an essential prerequisite to safe computing for Windows users. In sumary, this involves several key steps:

  1. Download and install all Windows updates, service packs and patches from Microsoft.
  2. Adjust various Windows settings and switch off all unnecessary Windows services (programs that run automatically in the background). 
  3. Remove all unused Windows user accounts, disable the 'guest' account and password-protect the remaining accounts.

Note: We do not have the time or expertise to explain all of the necessary steps involved in securing Windows in detail. It is therefore recommended that you follow a more comprehensive guide to Windows security, such as the one listed in tip #4 below. 

2. Use recommended security software

Download, install and configure recommended security software, including antivirus, anti-spyware and firewall.

We use and recommend the following software:

These are the basics. Other software packages may be reasonable substitutes for any/all of the above programs, however these solutions are considered quite sound. Certain other anti-spyware/adware software (e.g., Webroot Spy Sweeper, Lavasoft Ad-Aware, etc.) may provide additional protection but be very careful about what you choose to download and install. Only follow instructions and links provided by reputable sources.

3. Use a more secure web browser and adjust its settings

We recommend using Firefox or Opera for general web browsing. See our Get Firefox page for more details.

It is also important to adjust the security and privacy settings of the browser and install certain useful add-ons such as ad-blocking extensions. See our Firefox Settings page for a guide to important Firefox settings and installing add-ons, to improve your browsing security, privacy and productivity. If you choose to continue using Internet Explorer, please upgrade it to the latest version (7) and check your settings on our IE Settings page.

4. Follow a more complete guide to Windows security

If you are running Windows XP, consider following the steps listed on the Secure XP web page. This will probably take a long time to follow, especially if you have any virus or spyware infections, if your PC is old, or if you have not kept your system updated with Windows updates. It is therefore recommended that you do a few steps at a time over a series of days.

To get the full benefits of this guide, make sure you complete all of the steps, exactly as written, in the order listed. If you do not understand the instructions then please seek help from a PC security professional.

Note: This guide recommends using Internet Explorer instead of Firefox, whereas many people consider Firefox (2) to be a superior browser. However, this detail is relatively unimportant in the overall scheme of things.

5. Use strong passwords

This is one of the most important aspects of security and quite often the weakest link. Passwords consisting of one or two English language words or names, even if combined with numbers, are inadequate. As a minimum standard, passwords should consist of a random set of at least eight (8) upper and lower case letters and numbers. Use a mnemonic (memory technique) to remember such passwords or write them down and keep them safe. Do not store them in unencrypted files on a PC. Do not disclose them to anyone. Change them regularly.

You can quickly generate random passwords by viewing/refreshing the following web page:

Perfect Passwords  

For more information and recommendations on creating and storing strong passwords, please visit the Using Strong Passwords help page.

6. Do not use internet banking, unless...

We do not recommend that you use any online financial transaction service unless you are completely confident that your PC has been well-secured. Futhermore, if you do choose to use such a service, then it is highly recommended that you use an additional layer of security such as SMS codes or security tokens provided by the financial institution. If your institution does not offer such additional layers of security then we recommend that you do not use their online transaction facility, or find another institution that does.