Flush
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Finding my game
Posts: 423
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A couple quick notes.
1. Don't run your computer as administrator/root/superuser/whatever. Use a non-privileged basic user account. In Windows before Vista, you're a member of the local Administrators group by default, remove your account from there. In Vista, if you're not using UAC, do the same. If you're using UAC, keep using it, it's there for a reason. Almost all viruses/malware/trojans/exploits run under the context of the logged in user. If that account doesn't have the permissions to fcuk up the machine, neither will the malware. This is the single most important thing you can do to improve your security.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princip...east_privilege
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/l.../bb456992.aspx
2. Keep your OS and applications up to date. Patch it dammit. How do you think those viruses/malware/hackers work? They exploit vulnerabilities found in the software you run. If running Windows, turn on the automatic updates. I'd also recommend trying Secunia's PSI out: https://psi.secunia.com/
By just doing these 2 things you're making the life of virus writes and hackers a lot more difficult. Of course it's still good practise to run an up to date AV, maybe turn on the Windows Firewall, use strong passwords (rather add length than complexity, use password phrases, not passwords, minimum 15 characters) and also change them occasionally, and think before you click on weird looking URLs and attachments.
FWIW, I'm a security consultant for a global IT service provider, a CISSP and a GSEC.
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