Tips on making your computer secure.

 Just the basics.

I've been asked many times to help people out with securing their computers. 
Whenever a new worm, virus or attack comes out, I get a few people who realize
that they have done nothing to update their computer. 

I'll go through a few basic, easy and some free steps to make your computer more secure.
Maybe it'll even run faster and crash less.  You may also get rid of a few of those
pop up ads that you hate! 

I plan on expanding on these tips in the future with exact how to's.  However, for now, 
I'm just going to list out the steps. 

Steps to securing your Computer

 1. Windows Update:  The easy way to install all your MS computer updates.  
    Start here at windowsupdate.microsoft.com. 
    You'll need to install a plugin to diagnose your computer.  It'll the recommend different
    patches and features that you can download.   Select only the necessary security updates, 
    don't bother with the language packs or things like that.  The downloads may take awhile
    and you may need to restart you computer a few times in the process.  

 2. Install spyware blockers.  Try out  Spybot or AdAware to 
    find and distory SpyWare on your computer.  Spyware often will add popups and watch what
    you are doing when online.

 3. Secure your internet connection.  If you run on a cable or DSL line, you may already have   
    a router device.  This is a networking switch that goes between your computer and the 
    Cable/DSL modem.  These can function as a FireWall between your computer(s) and the 
    internet. I will add recommendations for switches soon.   You can also try to install 
    a software FireWall, however, I believe these cause lots of problems.  

 4. Surf Safely.  Learn not to open email attachments.  Learn not to click on links in
    emails.  Both of these can cause lots of problems. 

 5. Ignore spam.  Never ever buy anything from anyone sending you and offer in email.  
    These people can not be trusted.