Fix your own computer for seniors for dummies- P5

Follow the appropriate step for your version of Windows: • Windows XP and Vista: In Classic View, double-click the Security Center icon.. • Windows 7: In Classic icon View, click Actio

Trang 1

Security services

Figure 6-1

Configure Windows Security Center

1 Choose Start➪Control Panel to open the Control Panel

window

2 Follow the appropriate step for your version of Windows:

• Windows XP and Vista: In Classic View,

double-click the Security Center icon

• Windows 7: In Classic (icon) View, click Action

Center and then choose Security In Category View, click System and Security; then click Action Center and choose Security

Please purchase PDF Split-Merge on www.verypdf.com to remove this watermark

Trang 2

Whichever method you use, Windows Security Center opens, displaying an opening screen similar to the one

shown in Figure 6-2.

Click to get more information online

Note the settings for Security Center’s monitored areas

Figure 6-2

3 Study this screen to understand what Windows Security

Center is monitoring and make sure that your computer

is protected If all sections are marked On or green, Security Center is configured properly, and crucial secu-rity software is running

Trang 3

Vista and Windows 7 also include an Other Security Settings section, where you can check the status of User Account Control (UAC) and Network Access Protection (NAP) UAC lets you know when pro-grams try to make changes in your computer NAP, which is for corporate networks, verifies individual computer configurations and manages automatic updates

Build a Firewall in Windows

1 Choose Start➪Control Panel to open the Control Panel

window

2 Follow the appropriate step for your version of Windows:

• Windows XP: In Classic View, double-click the

Windows Firewall icon

• Vista and Windows 7: In Classic View, click

Windows Firewall In Category View, click System and Security and then select Windows Firewall

Whichever method you use, Windows Firewall opens,

displaying a screen like the one shown in Figure 6-3.

A public network is simply one that anyone can access

without entering a passcode This type of network may be in your home or at a business Unless you live in a remote area, your home network should be passcode-protected This topic is beyond the scope of

this book; for full details, see Home Networking For

Dummies, 4th Edition, by Kathy Ivens (Wiley

Publishing)

Trang 4

Click these links to configure your firewall

Figure 6-3

3 If you need to expand access through the firewall, click

the Allow a Program or Feature through Windows Firewall link Certain applications, such as Windows Live Sync, are given expanded access automatically, but you may also want to give access to devices such as cell-phones or media players, or to a custom business or per-sonal application

4 Click Turn Windows Firewall On or Off if you want to

disable the firewall completely for testing or to allow cific one-time access (Just remember to turn the firewall back on when you finish.)

spe-Please purchase PDF Split-Merge on www.verypdf.com to remove this watermark

Trang 5

If you prefer, you can use a separate firewall product

or one that’s built into a third-party security program

Follow the manufacturer’s instructions about using the firewall product on a PC that also has Windows Firewall installed

Check for Viruses

If your computer doesn’t have a capable, up-to-date

antivirus or broader Internet security program, stop

reading right now Go get one of these programs,

install it, and give your computer a full scan Be sure

to follow the instructions carefully Some turers set up their antivirus products so that they scan your system before they’re installed; others take over after they’re in place

1 Make sure that you always have the latest updates for

your antivirus or security program Some programs check for and download updates automatically based on a schedule that you set You can always check for updates

manually as long as you do so regularly (see Figure 6-4).

2 Every week or so, use the program to scan your computer

for viruses

Run the program any time things suddenly go strange

on your computer — if files are missing or renamed, for example, or if your Internet home page has changed without your knowledge Do this even if you scanned your PC recently, because viruses can attack at any time

3 If your computer’s antivirus or Internet security program

displays an ominous warning, follow the onscreen instructions carefully to remove or quarantine the threat

Many security-software makers offer specific tools for removing particular virus strains that broke out into the wild despite precautions by computer users

Trang 6

Click to check for security and antivirus updates

Figure 6-4

Fight Malware

➟ Inspect e-mail before opening it Pay attention to

the details of an e-mail before you open it Be cially cautious about e-mails that are addressed to undisclosed-recipients or to a name you don’t recognize, and about e-mails that have a blank

espe-or odd Subject line Anything you receive by e-mail that seems too good to be true probably is (see

Figure 6-5).

Trang 7

➟ Be wary of attachments Never open an attachment

to an e-mail or to an instant message (IM) unless you know and trust the source — and even then, ask yourself whether the risk is worth the reward

Trang 8

If you do decide to accept an attachment of any kind — music, video, a picture, or any other type of file — use an antivirus or security program to scan it before opening it (see “Check for Viruses,” earlier in this chapter)

➟ Be leery of links If you receive an e-mail or IM with

an embedded Web link, don’t click that link within the message If you decide that visiting the Web site

in question is worth your time (and the risk), copy the link to your computer’s clipboard and then paste

it into your Web browser’s address bar This method gives your Internet security program a better chance

to block a malicious Web site or identify other lems with the link

➟ Message with care When you’re connected to an IM

session, be on the lookout for strange or ate messages, links, or offers of downloads A person with bad intentions may have managed to obtain the password and login information of someone you know or otherwise found a way to pose as someone else End the IM session immediately if something strange happens, and consider notifying the provider

inappropri-of the IM service

➟ Avoid autorun Turn off the autorun feature that

automatically starts the execution of programs on memory sticks and other USB devices (see Chapter 2)

In Vista and Windows 7, you have a lot of control in this area Just follow these steps:

1. Choose Start➪Control Panel to open the Control Panel window

2. Click Hardware and Sound and then click AutoPlay to

display a screen like the one shown in Figure 6-6.

Trang 9

For maximum security, choose Ask Me Every Time for all media

Click Save after making changes

Figure 6-6

3. Make a new choice from the drop-down menu for any medium you want to change (Notice that by default, Software and Games is set to Ask Me Every Time It’s probably safe to autoplay DVDs and audio CDs, but if you have any doubts, leave this menu set to the

default.)

4. Click the Save button to save your changes

Trang 10

In Windows XP, you don’t have this level of control, but you can make some changes in the Internet Options dialog box, which you access by choosing Start➪Control Panel➪Internet Options Click the Security tab, scroll down to select Prompt under Launching Applications and Unsafe Files, and then click OK

Stop Spyware

➟ Block secret transmissions Set your firewall (see

“Build a Firewall in Windows,” earlier in this ter) to block any requests by a program to send out-going messages without your permission

➟ Click Internet ads rarely and carefully Be very

selective about clicking online advertisements When you open an ad, you’re communicating with a Web site, and that communication may trigger the down-load of malware

➟ Turn off e-mail previews and automatic

down-loads Most capable e-mail programs allow you to

turn off automatic previews and downloads of e-mail

contents Figure 6-7 shows the option that you’d

dis-able in Microsoft Outlook Express

➟ Beware of unusual error messages on the Internet A

Web site may warn you that your computer is at risk or request your permission to download a free utility

Unless you asked for this sort of assistance — and also know and trust the source — close both the Web page and your Web browser without accepting the offer

➟ Don’t take software from strangers Be very careful

about accepting any offer of free software The program you receive may not be what you want, or it may deliver hidden malware along with a useful function

Trang 11

➟ Heed all security warnings Pay attention to any

warnings that you receive from your Internet security program (see “Check for Viruses,” earlier in this chapter) It may notify you that a Web site is attempting to install spyware on your computer or that a program already on your PC is trying to send information to someone else Accept the security program’s recommended action to block or delete the security threat

Trang 12

Avoid Getting Hooked by Phishers

➟ Use an Internet security program that trawls for

phishers Programs such as Norton Internet Security

add a notification bar to your Web browser to tell you whether you’ve reached a properly registered Web site or a phony/hijacked site, and display

reports such as the one shown in Figure 6-8 These

programs also scan incoming e-mails and block known attempts at phishing or notify you of danger-ous communications

Antiphishing report

Figure 6-8

Trang 13

➟ Look up phone numbers yourself If you receive a

suspicious e-mail that appears to be from your bank

or other financial institution, don’t call any phone number listed in the message Instead, call the pur-ported sender by using a number that you obtain from your own bills, invoices, or cards

➟ Don’t believe everything you see A site or message

may use official-looking logos and legal-sounding language to reassure you of its legitimacy Don’t be fooled Logos and legalese can be copied from real communications or simply fabricated Also don’t be fooled by statements in an e-mail or on a Web site that the communication has been scanned by antivi-rus or security software Those statements can be faked too

➟ Beware of any unsolicited request for your login

info A common phishing tactic is an e-mail that

tells you to click a link to update your financial information; otherwise, your accounts will be can-celed A legitimate Web site may require you to change your information from time to time — but always on the Web site itself and only after you’ve already logged in

➟ Read the fine print on Web sites Visit the Web sites

of companies that you regularly do business with, and look for security warnings and other information posted there Most legitimate companies are very quick

to post warnings and specific advice about phishing attempts and other scams aimed at their customers

Trang 14

If you realize (or suspect) that you’ve been duped by

a phisher, treat the situation as though your wallet had just been stolen Immediately notify all your credit card issuers and financial institutions, placing calls to numbers that you have on file from their offi-cial documents

Can That Spam

➟ Maintain e-mail security Install an Internet security

program that includes filtering and blocking utilities for e-mail, and keep it current (see “Check for

Viruses,” earlier in this chapter)

➟ When in doubt, throw it out Don’t open a suspect

message Just delete it If you open one by accident, however, never click any links in it, and never, ever respond to it

➟ Know who your online friends are If you use an

IM service, reject any messages from people you don’t know Most services allow you to create buddy

lists for that purpose (see Figure 6-9) Unfortunately,

marketers, promoters, salespeople, and crooks can find your ID and make themselves your buddy in an effort to reach you Delete any name in your buddy list that you don’t recognize

Trang 16

Trang 17

Getting Help When Prevention Fails

What a terrible question to have to answer:

Should a valued, trusted computer live

or die? The economics of personal computing, however, mean that a heroic effort to keep a wounded or dying machine alive isn’t always the rational answer

As you ponder this existential issue, consider these facts:

➟ Every few months, a new wave of puters arrives, and the new models are faster, better, and often less expensive than the ones that came before

➟ In terms of monetary value, the whole of

a PC is considerably less than the sum of its parts

➟ Forget about the hardware, and think about any data stored on your computer that’s not also safely stored on a backup disk or drive To borrow an aphorism from a credit card commercial: A brand-new PC, $500 Your letters, e-mails, and photos, priceless

Trang 18

In this chapter, I point you to sources of help for an ailing computer and give you some tips to help with the repair-or-replace decision

Identify the Problem: Hardware or Software

For information on diagnosing and repairing ware, see the appropriate chapters in Part III

hard-Software remedies are often specific to the program, but I provide some general tips in Chapter 4 Also see Part IV for fixes for your PC’s operating system

(Windows)

➟ Hardware failure: When hardware fails, it usually

can be replaced Notice that I don’t say repaired

Modern computers have very little hardware that an amateur technician can fix, and the few parts that an expert might be able to repair (such as the motor for

a hard disk drive) don’t make economic sense to repair unless the value of the data stored on that drive convinces you otherwise (For more informa-tion, see “Weigh the Cost of Repair versus

Replacement,” later in this chapter.)

Q: How many computer hardware technicians does it take to change a light bulb? A: None That’s a soft-

ware problem (The light bulb is a replaceable sumable, aka software; the wiring and power grid that support it are permanent hardware.)

If you don’t want to go under the hood to replace a hard drive (see Chapter 11), one alternative is attach-ing a new external hard drive to your PC via its USB

port (Figure 7-1 shows a typical external hard drive.)

You may have to install a device driver provided by the drive’s manufacturer, or Windows may recognize the drive and help you configure it

Tiêu đề	Keeping Intruders Out Of Your Computer
Trường học	University of Computer Science
Chuyên ngành	Computer Science
Thể loại	Hướng Dẫn
Năm xuất bản	2023
Thành phố	New York

Định dạng
Số trang	30
Dung lượng	1,56 MB