5) Download more secure, more standards compliant web browser: FireFox (http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/)
6) Set Firefox to automatically block pop-ups
7) Updated Microsoft Office online (http://www.microsoft.com/officeupdate)
8) Download and install spyware detection program: Ad-aware freeware version (http://www.lavasoftusa.com/)
9) Ran Ad-aware scan and quarantened two items found.
10) Make a list of currently installed applications. (spreadsheet works well here). Include:
a) Name of product
b) Vendor
c) version installed / currently running
d) website of vendor.
This may take an hour or two to pull together to pull together, but is well worth it. Every 3 or 4 months, go throught the list and check for updates on the vendor websites. Make sure to update the spreadsheet when adding new software. Don’t forget to add the firmware version of your cable modem router / wireless access point in there as well (Linksys, Netgear, whatever..). They need to be checked on this same schedule.
11) Uninstall any software applications not used.
12) Don’t install software unless you know it’s from a realible vendor. 
13) Have a plan for backups / archives. Backups are done everynight and archives are snapshots of data done every week/month. For this job, on Windows, I prefer Retrospect Backup for Home/Small Office (http://www.dantz.com/en/products/personal.dtml). You may balk at the upfront cost, but when the hard drive fails (and they all do….), you’ll thank yourself. Restrospect can backup to a CD / DVD burner, second hard drive (my personal fav.), ext. hard drive, networked computer, etc.
14) Wireless: If you have a wireless access point at home, make sure that you’re using a unique SSID (other than factory default) and have 128 bit encryption enabled. Would not recommend you conduct online banking / online stock trading via wireless right now. It’s moderately secure, but not 100%. Use hard-wired home computer for this.
15) If you deal with sensitive documents / data / communications, then get an encryption program. There are freeware version out there, but the level of integration and ease of use leads me to use PGP Personal Desktop (http://www.pgp.com/products/desktop/personal/index.html).
16) Last, but not least, if you want all of this security detailed above / below, but don’t want to have to be a sys admin, then follow these steps:
a) create account on eBay
b) Sell newly purchased Dell for resonable ammount
c) Buy Apple iMac
d) Run apple’s updates when it says to do so.
e) That’s it.
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Posted by
Jake Covert on 5/7/2004, late morning
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