Windows Security Basics

Surprisingly, there are still a lot of computer users who don't put their computers security at the forefront of their computing habits.  Occasionally an event happens and their system becomes compromised.  Below are some free tools to help maintain your computers security or get you out of a pickle when you encounter a security event.

Computer Protection

  1. Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) is a free Microsoft antivirus software product that provides protection against different types of malware, viruses, spyware, rootkits and Trojan horses. It runs on Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7, but not on Windows 8, which has a built-in AV component ― Windows Defender for Windows 8 and Windows RT provides built-in protection against malware. You can't use Microsoft Security Essentials with Windows 8, but you don't need to — Windows Defender is already included and ready to go.
  2. The Enhanced Mitigation Experience Toolkit (EMET) is a utility that helps prevent vulnerabilities in software from being successfully exploited. EMET achieves this goal by using security mitigation technologies. These technologies function as special protections and obstacles that an exploit author must defeat to exploit software vulnerabilities. These security mitigation technologies do not guarantee that vulnerabilities cannot be exploited. However, they work to make exploitation as difficult as possible to perform.

Virus and Spyware Scanners

  1. The Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool is an anti-malware utility that checks computers running Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2003 for infections by specific, prevalent malicious software—including Blaster, Sasser, and Mydoom—and helps remove malware and any other infections found.
  2. The Microsoft Safety Scanner is a free downloadable security tool that provides on-demand scanning and helps remove viruses, spyware, and other malicious software. It works with your existing antivirus software.

Online Web Site Checkers

Check out a web site to see if it's dangerous

  1. McAfee Site Advisor
  2. Trend Micro Site Safety Center
  3. Norton Safe Web
  4. Google Safe Browsing has a URL tool where you can check for malicious sites.  just copy this link http://www.google.com/safebrowsing/diagnostic?site=  and include the site you want to check after the "=" sign.  For example, to check out mysite.com you would would go to http://www.google.com/safebrowsing/diagnostic?site=mysite.com    (the last name needs to be the url of the webpage or site you wish to find out about)
  5. If you find a malware page you can Report a Malware Page to Google here...  http://www.google.com/safebrowsing/report_badware/

 

 

Was this content helpful?  Sign up for our newsletter and received other helpful information.

 

Do you have some security advice?  Have you seen tools to add to this list?  Tell us about it... Leave a comment below!

 

randomness