A Little Extra Protection for an XP Computer at Home

This post is prompted by the recent surge of hackers taking remote control of home computers (http://www.shadowserver.org/wiki/pmwiki.php?n=Stats.BotCounts).

All the software mentioned here is free, but read the licence agreement to ensure the restrictions suit you and your computer at home......Leave the IT guys in your company to protect your business workstation

There are 3 programs i suggest for your consideration, you may on looking at the apps decide to install and run them on your XP computer -- its your choice to go ahead but I feel you should at least take a look at the merits of each suggested application -- I am sure they will give extra protection for windows XP (and vista where compatible)

Remember you should ALSO be running in addition to these apps a good anti virus and spyware application such as AVG and have Firewalling and Automatic Microsoft updates turned ON. I don't run Windows at at home, but i ensure my parents and friends run AVG, this company provide a nice free anti virus and Spyware application for home @ http://free.grisoft.com 

APP 1 - SECUNIA PSI --

This application checks ALL the software on your PC, it then works out if there are updates available for ALL the software. This is important as hackers/id thieves use faults in outdated software to get unauthorised access to your home PC. Remember 'Microsoft Update' just updates the Microsoft software, NOT everything.....Hence you need this great tool to be sure you are not leaving holes in your Computer that someone can exploit..

http://secunia.com/vulnerability_scanning/personal/

APP 2 -- RUBOTTED -- 

This program checks if your PC is being remotely controlled by a hacker, these remote control programs are known as 'bots' or 'zombies', hence "R U Botted". This one is very important if you use Windows XP at home on a broadband connection. Trend are an excellent company and give this software away for free.......An amazingly huge number of computers are BOTTED......see here from September 2008 -- http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/09/02/zombie_surge/

Your anti virus program may not detect BOT's, this application spots BOT like activity and thus discovers if you under remote control.
http://www.trendsecure.com/portal/en-US/tools/security_tools/rubotted

APP 3/4 -- HAUTE SECURE & TREND SECURE --

These 2 programs check that the webpages you are visiting are SAFE and will not try and iject malware onto your computer, Haute Secure is run by ex Microsoft employees ....it works with Firefox & IE browsers. The Trend Micro program does a similar job, - Personally I prefer Haute Secure as its browser neutral.

http://www.trendsecure.com/portal/en-US/tools/security_tools/trendprotect
http://hautesecure.com/