re: Computer protection
Monday, August 21, 2006 at 10:14 am
Windows XP Annoyances Discussion Forum
Posted by Dan Sarandrea, MCSE
(7132 messages posted)
You seemed to have suffered the computer equivalent of breaking and entering, as
if you came home from work one day and found your front door hanging halfway off
its hinges and your home ransacked.
Only with a computer B&E, the bad guys can leave behind programs that can continue
to spy on you and use your computer for their purposes.
In so far as what to do regarding credit cards and other potential identity theft
issues, that's beyond the scope of what we can help you with in this forum.
However, here is my advice on what you should do computer-wise.
1. Physically disconnect your computer from the internet, and leave it disconnected
until you have followed the rest of the steps.
If you need access in the meantime, ask a friend to borrow theirs or go to the library
or a computer cafe.
Telephone your internet provider, tell them that you have experienced a security
breach with a possible identity theft. Tell them you need a completely new internet
account with all new email addresses. If making these changes will cost some money,
pay it.
2. Back up any personal data that is on your computer---documents, pictures, music,
data files from personal financial programs such as Quicken or Money, email messages
(if any are left, you said they were gone), address book, etc. Make sure you physically
remove it from the computer onto CD-Rs, external hard disks, flash drives, or what-have-you.
3. Use the manufacturer's Recovery Solution to do a destructive recovery of your
computer. If those who broke into your computer left any trojan horse or other compromising
programs behind, you will need this level of thoroughness to ensure these programs
are destroyed.
4. If you do not have one, now install a top quality internet security suite-type
of antivirus/firewall package, or separate AV and firewall programs if desired.
If you had these before the attack, consider what went wrong and correct it--was
it not up to the job, did you not update it frequently, was it not configured correctly?
5. Reconnect to the internet. Get all the Windows updates available. Get all the
updates available for your internet security program(s). With the latest updates,
scan the computer as thoroughly as possible, "just in case." It couldn't hurt to
do an online scan at a site sponsored by a security company other than the one who
published your internet security suite or programs.
6. Now make a new user for your computer, one that is a Limited User. This is the
account that you will be using from now on to get your email, surf the internet,
and do recreational tasks on the computer. The Computer Administrator account you
used to set up the computer should be put into semi-retirement, and you should use
it ONLY to do administrative-level tasks on the computer. IMO, this is the single
most effective way to protect your computer and your data.
7. With the Limited User account, log on to your internet provider (ISP) using the
new account information from #1 above. Establish your new ISP email accounts and
other account setup tasks.
8. Consider installing additional protective programs on your computer, such as
Ad-Aware, Spysweeper, Spyware Doctor, Spyware Blaster, etc. DO NOT assume that a
program that has "spyware" in its title is a legitimate antispyware program--many
are outright frauds. Ask here first.
9. Visit the sites online where you may have registered for usage rights. Using
your old username and password (aka "credentials"), change the username(s) and password(s)
authorized to use the resources of the site, if the hackers haven't already changed
your password.
10. Be prepared for a lot of complaints from those who were in your address book
about a sudden deluge of SPAM and virus-laden email that looks like it came from
you.
- Written in response to:
- Computer protection (DONNA: Monday, August 21, 2006 at 9:39 am)
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