Did you just get a nice shiny new computer?  Or had a computer for awhile that so far hasn't had any problems?

By now you have probably heard some tales of adware & spyware horror.  Computer coming to a halt, can't type or move the mouse, even a black screen because the computer
won't fully boot.

It's even been said by some that putting a new computer on an unprotected internet connection results in spyware attaching itself to the computer within several minutes.  
<a target="w1" href="http://channels.lockergnome.com/news/archives/20050705_pcs_infected_in_12_minutes.phtml">Read an example here.</a>  
Having a router, or otherwise a firewall on the PC, certainly helps in preventing an <em>active attack</em>.

But most spyware and adware problems originate <strong>passively</strong> - meaning the bad guys don't actively find your computer, but let you find them, such as by browsing the web.

So let's see what to do about this.  Say your currently clean computer has just booted up for the first time and is now online.  These are some tips you'll find helpful:

<ul>
<li>
Unless you know there's a firewall already running, turn on the Windows XP Firewall, found in the Control Panel -> Windows Security Center.
Then you want to do a <a target="w2" href="http://update.microsoft.com/microsoftupdate/">Windows Update</a> immediately.  In this same area you turn on automatic
download and <strong>installation for updates</strong>.
</li>

</ul>



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editing the HOST file.
locking down IE, I've been looking for a way to do this.


-Windows firewall is a POS, ZoneAlarm is better but buying one from either Norton or McAffery (sp?) is best
- Spybot is 10x better then adaware



Missing bits:
11.) Get SpyBot Search & Destroy (the real one), skip MS-Anti-spyware... you are asking your crack dealer to police the dealers cutting crack delivered to your kids... totally wrong approach.
12.) If you use IE? huh? are you serious?... switch NOW! there is a brand new zero-day exploit out for IE/Outlook/Outhouse Express (anything using the IE core engine)... why on earth would you still be using this browser? Get Firefox, Opera, heck even Netscape... anything but IE.
13.) Don't download CODEC's or "Licences" that are "needed" to play Porn files... just don't.
14.) Don't use any Email/IM client (cough MSN) that won't let you see file attachment extentions.
15.) Make sure file extentions are turned on in Windows (if you have to use Windows)
16.) Backup. If it has been more than a week, since you last backed up (admit it... its been over 3 months hasn't it?) Backup. The only time you will regret NOT backing up regularly... is when your PC takes a dive... Virus, HD crash, bad Win Driver... Spyware, Rouge App....



Spywareblaster and IE Spyad2 are helpful in blocking scripting and ActiveX stuff on "bad" sites. Free, simple installs and they don't run in the background.

http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html
http://www.scanwith.com/download/IE-Spyad.htm



Pretty much all you have to do is stop using IE and get the adblock plus and filterset.g extensions for firefox. I havent had anything more than a "tracking cookie" in months and I rarely see an ad banner or popup if ever.