SECURITY ENHANCEMENTS
After instaling a fresh windows and before entering the internet, You must take the following precautions to protect your PC from some common threats.These are as follows:

• Check Windows Update and Office Update regularly. You can find them free of cost at microsoft website only if your windows is genuine . Windows 2000,XP,VISTA and 7 users can configure automatic updates. Click on the Automatic Updates tab in the System control panel and choose the appropriate options. Windows updates provides you essential security features which secures your PC from certain threats.


• Install a personal firewall. Both SyGate and ZoneAlarm offer free versions. I suggest ZoneAlarm because it always asks you before any incoming and outgoing traffic to leave or enter you PC. Even the firewall came with windows XP dont have that additional features, but windows vista & 7 provides enhanced security features.Google it and you will find many links to download these firewalls


• Install a free spyware blocker. Our Editors' Choice ("Spyware," April 22) was SpyBot Search & Destroy . SpyBot is also paranoid and ruthless in hunting out tracking cookies.Just type 'free spyware' and you will find a no. of links to download spyware software.


• Block pop-up spam messages in Windows 2000 & XP by disabling the Windows Messenger service (this is unrelated to the instant messaging program). Open Control Panel Administrative Tools Services and you'll see Messenger. Right-click and go to Properties. Set Start-up Type to Disabled and press the Stop button. Bye-bye, spam pop-ups! Any good firewall will also stop them.


• Use strong passwords and change them periodically. Passwords should have at least seven characters; use letters and numbers and have at least one symbol. A decent example would F96aT$1. This will make it much harder for anyone to gain access to your accounts.But make sure you dont forget these otherwise it will be a problem for you also.


• If you're using Outlook or Outlook Express, use the current version or one with the Outlook Security Update installed. The update and current versions patch numerous vulnerabilities.If your emails are just for household purpose or not of the professional type i suggest better open your emails in internet explorer or mozilla firefox. it will be little more time consuming but this method is more secure because email accounts like gmail or yahoo can trace infected mails, viruses and spams thus protecting your pc also.


• Buy antivirus software and keep it up to date. If you're not willing to pay, try Grisoft AVG Free Edition(www.grisoft.com) . And doublecheck your AV with the free, online-only scanners available at( www.pandasoftware.com/activescan) and (http://housecall.trendmicro.com.Grisoft) even provide free and regular updates for all users and i ve also personally used it so i suggest it is the best free antivirus.
• Sites like Macfee,Norton, ESET etc provides free online scan for your computer.I suggest it is the best way if your PC is actually infected and needs to be cleaned up. But remember always scan from a trusted site like the above given names because there are many sites which can fake you and will gain access to your computer and steal essential data thus leading to your own lose.


• If you have a wireless network, turn on the security features: Use MAC filtering, turn off SSID broadcast, and even use WEP with the biggest key you can get. For more, check out our wireless section or see the expanded coverage in Your Unwired World in our next issue.


• Join a respectable e-mail security list, such as the one found at our own Security Supersite at (http://security.ziffdavis.com) so that you learn about emerging threats quickly and can take proper precautions.


• Be skeptical of things on the Internet. Don't assume that e-mail "From:" a particular person is actually from that person until you have further reason to believe it's that person.Better check details because it will tell you the exact senders address and it cant be faked. Don't trust unknown websites.Don't assume that an attachment is what it says it is. Don't give out your password to anyone, even if that person claims to be from "support.". Otherwise your account can be used for illegal purposes also.