Presented by:
by Larry Stevenson, aka Prince_Serendip, CastleCops Staff Writer
November 28, 2004

Part 1: Firewalls and Antivirus Applications

No one application nor technique can protect you at 100%, but you can get pretty close to that. When these guidlines are followed by Windows users, it can bring their chances of being infected by malwares almost to zero.

It is not as complicated as it may first appear, although there is a lot of information to absorb. The Security Experts, 1st Responders and Consultants at CastleCops can help you if you have questions about any of these techniques and applications. The applications featured here are compatible with all Windows platforms, unless otherwise noted.

Firewalls

Your computer has about 65, 000 ports that can share information with the Internet or another computer. A good two-way firewall will monitor all outgoing and incoming traffic. It can alert you to anything out-of-the-ordinary, according to the rules or procedures you decide. It can even close all of your ports at need. Put it at the highest level of security possible for your internet zone. Set all programs to alert you for access. You may also set programs you trust, and use frequently, to automatic. If you are not sure about a program wanting access to or from your computer, you can deny it. Firewalls are an absolute must to prevent trojans and hacking attempts.

Excellent articles on firewalls:
Personal Internet Firewalls that really work!!by Steve Gibson, Gibson Research Corporation.

Full Read@ Castle Cops

Part 2, Dec 5, 2004:To Do and Do Not.


Be very cautious if you feel you must use any P2P (peer-to-peer) network service for sharing/swapping files across the Internet. In fact, we would prefer you do not use P2P such as KaZaA, Morpheus, BearShare, Grokster and Audiogalaxy at all, as these are rife with malwares.

Do not expose any drive folder other than the one chosen for access by these services. Secure your sensitive files on any computer you use to connect to the Internet. Do not place private files in folders that are configured as shared. Keep your virus scanner on at all times. Better yet, use a File/Folder Access Protection application to lock access to all other areas of your hard drive. Applications you could use are: WinPatrol, FileChecker, and WinGuard Pro. To get extra help, tips and advice for WinPatrol come to the WinPatrol Forum at CastleCops.

Secure your Instant Messages (IMs). A good idea is to use an IM encryption utility to secure your MSN, Yahoo, AIM, or ICQ messages, but the encryption will only be effective if the utility is used on both ends. ZoneLabs: IMsecure/Pro and Trillian/Pro provide encryption security for Instant Messaging. They have both pay and freeware versions.

Disable file transfers in IM programs, as this feature, can enable the sharing of more than you intend. AIM, .NET Messenger, and others let you disable file transfers from the Preferences or Options menus. If someone wants to send you an image or file, use e-mail to verify that their request is valid.

Full Read@Castle Cops

Windows Security Checklist, Part 3: Safe at Any Speed Online

Browsing the Shelves

Configure your browser for maximum privacy. Force it to prompt you for permission for everything possible. For more details on how to do this refer to this article Safe Surfing Settings for Internet Explorer. For all other browsers please refer to their Help sections.

With Internet Explorer, clear your browser cache, called "Temporary Internet Files" or TIF, and browser history often. Always clear these after visiting any site where you performed personal business such as online banking or buying products. Please refer to this How-To post at CastleCops for instructions, especially #4 and #6. For those who would prefer an application to do it for them, this little freeware can speed up the job: Crap Cleaner at Crapcleaner.com It is also available from CastleCops Downloads: Disk and Track Cleaners. Other browsers, such as Opera, can be set to clear cache and history just by closing the program.

For Internet Explorer users: Get a web content/browser filter to prevent remote site contact through ad banners and embedded web bugs. Proxomitron is an example of a web content filter. For more info, please visit the CastleCops Proxomitron Forums. Also, get a cookie filter. They are built into most browsers these days, but third-party programs usually offer better filtering options. For IE there is CookieWall which you can find at CastleCops Downloads under Anti-Spyware. Another excellent application for browser filtering and to prevent hijacks is WinPatrol, which you can find at the bottom of this page at Castlecops Downloads: Anti-Spyware. For more information or help please visit the WinPatrol Forums.

Full Read @CastleCops


Windows Security Checklist, Part 4: Securing Your Network Configuration

Why is it Important to Disable NetBIOS?

NetBIOS is a set of application program interfaces (API's) that can allow the sharing of files or folders across a network with other hosts through Windows network shares. The primary mechanism of this feature is the Server Message Block (SMB) protocol, or the Common Internet File System (CIFS). These protocols permit a host to use remote files on another computer as if on their own PC. If enabled and configured, this makes NetBIOS unsuitable for individual privacy and security on the Internet. It also leaves your PC open and vulnerable to anonymous logons, remote Registry accesses, and remote procedure calls, all from total strangers.

The importance to securing your computer network configuration is understanding what is meant by "binding." Binding means that there is a shared and continuous connection between two or more network services, communications drivers, and adapters. The easiest way of seeing these relationships is to organize the various network components into groups.


Full Read @Castle Ccops

Windows Security Checklist, Part 5: Are Cookies Really Guid for You?

Are Cookies Really Guid for You?

Cookies have received a lot of bad publicity, but you need cookies if you want to visit websites. And, rightfully so, people want to know how to remove them from their computers. This becomes especially important with the kind of cookies allowed in your browser. It has become a popular practice among adware and spyware developers to use third-party cookies to insert Global Unique IDentifiers onto your computer. GUIDs are mathematically generated, unique hexa-decimal numbers which can be used to track your activities anywhere online. It's the mathematical, computer equivalent of a UPC barcode or RFID tag.

Cookies are not programs placed on your computer to collect data on your computer usage. A cookie cannot read any data from your hard disk, including the data stored in other cookies, but they can be read. With a little clever manipulation, cookies can be cross-referenced between different sites monitored by a single company. By cross-referencing cookies, that include GUIDs and your personal information between linked websites, it is possible to track your online activities in detail.

A cookie is just an ordinary DOS-text file that is a record of specific information about each time you visit a particular website. The record in the cookie can contain any information, especially personal information and passwords. Cookies began in the early days of Netscape (1995), the first universally popular web-browsing software. One of their programmer's realized that the World Wide Web had a remembering problem.

The Web is a connect-and-disconnect type of system. Every time you want a web page, you call it up with your browser, either by typing in the name of the page or clicking on a link. Then, as soon as the browser opens the page for you, it disconnects from the computer that originally held the page.

Full Read @Castle Ccops


Windows Security Checklist - Part 6: Invisible Internet Browsing

Invisible Internet Browsing

Each computer on the Internet is marked with its own special IP-address. (IP stands for Internet Protocol.) For cable users you probably have one or two static addresses that rarely change. For DSL and Dialup users, you may have dynamic ones which change with each logon or fairly often. Dynamic IP's can be traced using Reverse-DNS where the network or ISP you are on allows for it. Each Reverse-DNS address is unique. Even if your dynamic IP-address changes, the Reverse-DNS address will remain the same. For more information contact your network or ISP provider.

Your IP-address allows your ISP and other computers to communicate with your PC. To be completely without an IP-address would be the same as a telephone without a dialtone. There would be no communication, and you would be offline. However, there are ways to mask or encrypt your IP-address.

Proxies are simply servers that connect users to a network. Usually it connects to another network (for example, the Internet) from a local network such as a business or even an ISP (Internet Service Provider). It allows many to access a network with one or several addresses. These servers can be very useful, contributing security, speed and privacy to those who wish to truly enjoy the Internet without giving up their identities.

Full Read @Castle Ccops

Windows Security Checklist - Part 7: HOSTS File: Wholesale Blocking

HOSTS Files: Wholesale Blocking

To remove and block website ads, offensive content and malwares, you can purchase specific software or you can use free techniques available for any browser. The HOSTS file built into Windows can be used to block ads, banners, cookies, web bugs, and even most hijackers. This is accomplished by blocking the Server that supplies them. Example - the following entry 127.0.0.1 ad.doubleclick.net blocks all files supplied by the DoubleClick Server to the web page you are viewing while preventing it from tracking your movements.

The HOSTS file is the first place a browser looks for an IP address (unless you are using a proxy server, more on that later) when you type in an URL such as http://www.happycampers.com. If it does not find the domain name in the HOSTS file, only then does the browser ask the DNS server. It is this fact that makes the HOSTS file an excellent means for blocking website ads.

HOSTS is a text file you can open in Notepad. At the top is an explanation of the simple syntax. Each line is an IP address, a domain name, and an optional comment placed after a # sign. A default entry in every HOSTS file looks like this:

127.0.0.1 localhost # this is the universal IP address of all local computers

127.0.0.1 is an IP address called the "loopback" because it refers to the local computer only. The loopback address gives developers a way to test web software without being physically connected to a network. This prevents errors in network hardware or software from obscuring test results. The loopback address can be used to stop web ads from displaying.

Full Read @Castle Ccops


Windows Security Checklist - Part 8: IM Insecure

IM Insecure

Instant messaging allows you to know when your friends are online and send them short messages in real-time. It's a great way to keep in touch with friends, family and business associates. It's is one of the fastest-growing and largest segments on the Internet. Instant messaging, or just IM, makes it easy and fun to keep in touch. As with any other activity on the Internet, pitfalls and dangers await the unwary. How can you use Instant Messngers while still maintaining your privacy and security?

IM Threatened

Instant messenger server networks provide the ability to transfer text, voice, and video messages and files. Thus, instant messengers can transfer worms, viruses, trojans and spywares. IM's can also provide an access point for backdoor trojan horses. Cyber-criminals can use IMs to gain backdoor access to computers without opening a listening port, effectively bypassing the firewall. Finding victims does not require scanning unknown IP addresses, but by simply selecting from an updated directory of Buddy Lists. In addition to file transfers, all the major instant messaging networks support peer-to-peer file sharing where one can share a directory or an entire drive. This means that all the files on a computer can be shared using the IM application, leading to the spread of files that are infected with viruses or other malwares. This also makes information being shared by IMs available for unauthorized viewing.

Full Read @Castle Ccops

Yeah, there are a whole bunch more parts to post, I'll add em every couple of days, up to 19 parts. Just don't want to overwhelm everyone with them all.

Added links to on the site too.

Windows Security Checklist - Part 9: Batting Clean-up
by Larry Stevenson, aka Prince_Serendip, CastleCops Staff Writer
January 23, 2005

I hate doing housekeeping, but without it life would be even more of a mess than it is already. The same goes for computers running Windows.

Some of the most frequent problems we see here at CastleCops are people having system slowdowns, problems and crashes stemming from useless junk files and malwares gathered over the course of months or even years. Help is here, so grab your virtual mops and buckets and let's clean up!

With PC maintenance there is no one instant method or program to be used. Lots of maintenance can be done within Windows itself, but this is not usually enough. If we want to do a good job, a few applications will be needed. The applications needed and featured here are reputable freewares, available at CastleCops in the Downloads section at the top of this page.

• Add/Remove Programs
• System File Checker
• Windows Update
• Temporary Files
• Cleaning Remnants from the Registry
• Defragmenting the Hard Drive(s)
• Set a New Restore Point

Full Read @ Castle Cops


Windows Security Checklist - Part 10: PC Pesticides
by Larry Stevenson, aka Prince_Serendip, CastleCops Staff Writer
January 30, 2005

Today, we will be featuring several applications which will help you to remove and prevent pestwares from accumulating on your computer. What are "pestwares?" Beyond viruses, worms and trojans there exists a whole field of invasive programs used for spying, advertising, and hijacking. You can get these pests on your computer due to your own ignorance, lack of caution when surfing and downloading items from websites. We hope you will consider these applications as we do -- must-have utilities for increased peace of mind online.

At least once a week, more often depending on how much time you spend online, do full scans of your PC with your antivirus, anti-trojan and anti-spyware applications either before or after following the instructions in Part 9: Batting Clean Up. This will ensure that your system is clean and running smoothly. It is important to keep all of these applications updated for the same reasons.

• Spybot Search & Destroy v1.4
• Lavasoft Ad-Aware SE v1.06r1
• SpywareBlaster v.3.4
• SpywareGuard v.2.2

Full Read @ Castle Cops

Windows Security Checklist - Windows Security Checklist - Part 11: Hijacker Horrors
by Larry Stevenson, aka Prince_Serendip, CastleCops Staff Writer
February 6, 2005

Your computer was clean, pure and running efficiently. You had followed the instructions given so far. You let someone else use your computer, for whatever reasons. They did not practice safe surfing, downloading whatever they liked, visiting websites in the Twilight Zones, clicking on every link. The Internet is all just one big party, right? You get your computer back filled with dialers, trojans, backdoors, spywares, adwares and a few browser hijackers. You know what to do for most of these problems. If you need a refresher, you can access the archives here. Larry's Archiveand also Robin's Archive

• Browser Plug-ins.
• Dialers
• Backdoors
• Entering From Stage Left: HijackThis

Full Read @ Castle Cops

Windows Security Checklist - Windows Security Checklist - Part 12: Windows Home Wireless
by Larry Stevenson, aka Prince_Serendip, CastleCops Staff Writer
February 13, 2005

Windows Home Wireless
The next few articles in Windows Security Checklist will describe how wireless networking works, giving resources for setting up and securing one at home. You can learn how to install a wireless card and access point, learn how to share a single Internet connection using a computer or router, and use secure access procedures to help safeguard your transmissions and data.

Wireless Technology
Wireless Networking is a type of technology that allows computers to interact with other computers, as well as other wireless-equipped devices such as cell phones, personal al assistants and pocket PC's, without using physical network cables. Instead, it uses radio signals to receive and transmit data between wireless access points and network cards operating on the 2.4 GHz frequency band.

Each wireless device exchanges signals with an access point. Access points, in turn, interact with other network devices. An access point is typically a piece of hardware, but solutions are also available that allow a computer with a wireless card to act as an access point.

• Hardware Needed for Wireless Connections
• Wireless Options
• Basic Windows Wireless Network Setup
• Manual Installation
• Installing Drivers and Card Software
• Configure TCP/IP Settings

Full Read @ Castle Cops

Windows Security Checklist - Part 13: Windows Home Wireless Security

by Larry Stevenson, aka Prince_Serendip, CastleCops Staff Writer
February 20, 2005

Securing Your Home Wireless LAN

You can do a lot to secure your wireless LAN (Local Area Network). Most of these tips apply to 802.11b based LANs, since these are the most popular. Some of these tips are just good network security practice and can help no matter how you build your LAN.

Enable WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy). As nearly everyone knows, WEP is not very secure but at least it's a first barrier. Best of all, it's free. Nearly all Wireless-Fidelity certified product ships with basic encryption capabilities. It's just disabled.

Change the WEP key from its default value, a common mistake that many people make when applying WEP is using the default vendor-supplied key. WEP security relies on a secret key, and the default WEP keys are well known. Change the WEP key to ensure that it is unique. Use the same technique as for changing passwords regularly.

More.......

Continuation from previous Part 12:
Basic Windows Wireless Network Setup (continued)

Full Read @ Castle Cops


Windows Security Checklist - Part 14: IT Phone Home Security

IT Phone Home

Making telephone calls over the Internet is the latest revolution in current technology. Cheaper broadband and highspeed DSL costs with user-friendly softwares are helping people to begin making Voice over IP (VoIP) calls. A number of companies are offering products, both free and paying.

Introducing Skype

I am one of the first people to warn others of the pitfalls and dangers of using P2P softwares, but there is one that works without either adwares or spywares (so far). It's called Skype. I am not a representative of this company, but Skype has become very popular. It's easy to use, mostly free and the sound quality is simply awesome, especially when the person you are speaking with is also using Skype. But is it secure, especially considering who developed it?

More......

Is it Secure?

In a single word, mostly. In a few more words, it's not completely secure, but then again, what is? Although the voice communications are encrypted, not so for file transfers and searches, including quests to make calls. These can be observed by anyone on the Skype network. Skype uses techniques for searching and directory management that are similar to those used by KaZaA or PeerEnabler.

More.......

Security Advice

Make sure that any computer using Skype is free of all spyware, adware, trojans, worms, viruses and backdoors. All PCs running the Windows operating system should be equipped with up-to-date antivirus and anti-spyware applications. Please refer to the previous articles in this series of Windows Security Checklist for more detailed information.

Full Read @ Castle Cops

Windows Security Checklist - Part 15: Are You Saved?
by Larry Stevenson, aka Prince_Serendip, CastleCops Staff Writer
March 6, 2005

Are You Saved?

Backing up your data is an essential chore to be done on any Windows platform. Although computers are much more reliable than in the past, they still need regular files, registry and system backups in case of hard drive failures and any number of other problems. Those of you with Windows ME or XP will insist that as long as you have System Restore, you are covered for any emergency. This is not so.

More.......

Backing Up Your Data

The Microsoft Windows Backup utility helps you protect data from accidental loss by creating a copy of the information on your hard disk to another location. In the event that the original data on your hard disk is accidentally deleted, overwritten, or damaged, you can use the copy to restore your lost data. It is included with all Microsoft Windows platforms. If it is not installed, check your install disk for it.

More.......

Full Read @ Castle Cops


Windows Security Checklist - Part 16: The Checklist Review
by Larry Stevenson, aka Prince_Serendip, CastleCops Staff Writer
March 13, 2005

No one application nor technique can protect you at 100%, but you can still get pretty close to that. When these guidelines are followed by Windows users, it can bring their chances of being infected by malwares almost to zero. Now we begin our next installment of the Windows Security Checklist - Part 16: The Checklist Review.

Full Read @ Castle Cops

Windows Security Checklist - Part 17: Security Checklist Review II
by Larry Stevenson, aka Prince_Serendip, CastleCops Staff Writer
March 20, 2005

The Windows Security Checklist was born November 28, 2004. The first installment of the seventeen parts produced so far, highlighted the need for firewall, antivirus and anti-trojan applications to ensure basic online Windows system security. Windows Security Checklist has been developed episodically, since the entire subject of Windows Security is huge, and continuing to grow. The world's largest set of operating systems in use today, developed by Microsoft, will soon be fully updated. Windows could even be superceded? Microsoft uses a planned obsolescence model for their operating systems. They had planned to make Win98/se and ME obsolete but too many are still using them. Their new operating systems, planned for release soon, are not ready yet. We are still awaiting the release of the newest Microsoft Operating System.

In the meantime, the rest of us are still using Windows as it stands now. It's good to secure Windows itself while also adding applications to help protect your computer. This series was started featuring Windows compatible security applications first because so many of you have so little protection online. Get the basic applied protections, then see about tweaking the operating systems for security and performance, and lastly review all procedures, applications andtechniques. So, yes, there is an actual Windows Security Checklist you can use to develop better security and safety for you and your PC's online needs.

Continuing from where we left off last week in Part 16: The Checklist Review:

Full Read of Part 17


Windows Security Checklist - Part 18: Windows Emergency Procedures
by Larry Stevenson, aka Prince_Serendip, CastleCops Staff Writer
March 27, 2005

Always Have a Plan

Windows emergencies can happen at any time online, without warning. Some of the most dangerous websites are not always where or what you expect them to be. It's especially important, as with any other emergency, to know what to do, how to do it and to keep your cool. A famous line from "Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy" says, "Don't Panic!" Very important advice for any emergency or traveller.

More......

Keyboard Shortcuts

MS Keyboard Assistance(All OS'es)

Shutdown and Restart Shortcuts for Win 98/ME

You can shutdown or restart Windows with desktop shortcuts, using a single click. You can put them anywhere you wish, on the desktop or in your Taskbar or Start Menu.

More......

For Windows XP/2000

Windows 2000 with the Resource Kit installed and Windows XP have a shutdown command that can be launched from a command prompt or from a shortcut.

More......

Full Read of Step 18

Windows Security Checklist - Part 19: Security Includes Safety and Comfort
by Larry Stevenson, aka Prince_Serendip, CastleCops Staff Writer
April 3, 2005

In the past, I could spend many hours online or on the PC each day, reading, typing, mousing and drinking way too much coffee. I used to use a rollerball mouse and used up a mousepad in less than a week, every week. The first sign that there were problems was a strange crawling sensation between my shoulder blades. My chiropractor told me that these were muscle-knots, the first signs of repetitive use injuries. We Rolfed the muscle knots but the problem persisted. Then the headaches started. If I was on any computer for more than eight hours on any given day, I was guaranteed a headache the following day. Painkillers are something I usually avoid, preferring massage and hot/cold packs to relieve muscular pain. My trapezius muscles (upper back) were in chronic spasm, the next stage of repetitive use injuries.

Location, Location, Location

The location of my computer at home is in a large "U-shaped" area made up by two dining tables and a desk unit with shelves in a hutch. I had two of the shelves replaced with wire-frame shelves for the tower and monitor.

More......

Chairing the Meeting

Choose your chair wisely. Get a high-back chair with basic lumbar support. That's the slight bulge on the lower-back of the chair. Be sure it's on wheels and can be adjusted for the height and tilt of the back and seat. Adjust height of chair so feet rest flat on floor

More......

Monitor Miracles

Once the chair and work surface height are properly adjusted, place the computer monitor so the top of the screen is at or just below eye level when sitting upright.

More.......

Full Read of Step 19


Windows Security Checklist - Part 20: Windows XP - SP2, Are You Ready?
by Larry Stevenson, aka Prince_Serendip, CastleCops Staff Writer
April 10, 2005

Microsoft released Service Pack 2 (SP2) for Windows XP in August, 2004. Due to the concerns of a great many consumers and corporations, they provided a temporary block to installing SP2 with Windows Updates to expire April 12, 2005. Thereafter, all Windows Updates for Windows XP will install it and you need it in order to obtain further updates and patches. As the doctor snaps on the rubber gloves, he asks "Are you ready?"

The most surprising fact about Windows SP2 was that it's a gigantic 270 MB application, available through two channels. One was the "Windows Update" where users downloaded and applied Service Pack 2 as part of their security updates. Since it was too large and could not be downloaded by those who had low bandwidth, Microsoft made this pack available through CDs. While both the installations are the same, the online Windows Update is only around 80 MB since SP2 is a comprehensive update of previous fixes including Service Pack 1. Consumers who had their computers patched regularly only had to download the remaining 80 MB package.

Full Read of Step 20