10-Step Security For Your PC

Each new wave of computer viruses, spies and spam may have you ready to dust off your typewriter, but PC security can be effective without being a chore.

To keep your computing safe from current and future threats, we've distilled our security advice down to the basics. These 10 quick and easy tips will help protect your hardware, software and data.

• Patch automatically: Ensure Windows is set to update itself. In XP, click Start, Control Panel, Security Settings (if you're in Category view), Automatic Updates. In 2000, choose Start, Settings, Control Panel, Automatic Updates. In both versions, verify that 'Automatic (recommended)' is selected. You can also have Windows notify you before it downloads an update, or you can install the update manually. (The steps and options are only slightly different in Windows 98 and Me.)

• Don't wait for Windows: If your PC has been off for more than a few days, don't wait for Windows' automatic update to kick in. Make the Windows Update site your first Internet stop. Also, there may be a lag between when a patch is available and when Windows Update pushes it to you. Microsoft releases Windows patches on the second Tuesday of each month, so to be safe, check for updates manually every couple of weeks. And don't forget to set your antivirus and anti-spyware tools to update automatically (or check weekly for updates yourself).

• Use XP's security monitor: Windows XP Service Pack 2's most welcome addition is the Windows Security Center, which alerts you when your PC's firewall and antivirus protection are disabled or out of date. Still, XP's own firewall protects you only from inbound pests; it doesn't alert you to suspicious outbound traffic. We recommend that you disable the XP firewall and instead use Zone Labs' (ZoneAlarm) or another third-party firewall program that protects both ways.

• Make your file extensions visible: Some viruses masquerade as harmless file types by adding a bogus extension near the end of their name, as in "funnycartoon.jpg.exe," in hopes your system is set to hide such extensions (the default in Windows XP and 2000) -- you see '.jpg' but not '.exe'. To make these troublemakers easier to spot, open Windows Explorer or any folder window and click Tools, Folder Options, View. Ensure that the option 'Hide file extensions for known file types' is unchecked. Bonus tip: Click herehere to play Microsoft's video guide to Windows XP security settings.

• Keep Internet Explorer safe: Many people find Internet Explorer 6's Medium security level too obliging to ActiveX controls and other small programs, or scripts, that the browser runs on your PC. ActiveX and JavaScript enable such useful Web features as order forms and security scans, but they also may run malicious code and give attackers access to your system. To make Internet Explorer safer, click Tools, Internet Options, Security, Custom Level, select High from the drop-down menu at the bottom of the Security Settings dialog box, and click Reset, Yes, OK.