The
first thing you must do before anything else, is to install a good virus scanner.
It is a requirement of being a subscriber and a good netizen. There are many
commercial ones available at your local Walmart or Best Buy -Symantec
and McAfee
VirusScan being two of the best, but if you're looking for a free alternative,
check out
Grisoft
AVG Anti-Virus - Free Edition
And remember, a virus scanner is only as good as it's virus definition files.
You should update yours immediately after installing because they ship with
a default (i.e. old data set) and then at least once a week. This can be done
from inside of the program or from the programs website (true for AVG, McAfee
and Norton)
As soon as you start browsing, you'll pick up spyware, so install Windows Defender
In
order to keep your system running safe and sound, you will also need to download
one of the following Spyware removal tools. These clean your system of adware,
unwanted toolbars, tracking cookies, etc. You should run these at least once
a month to keep your system clean. I have both on my system and alternate, but
it's your preference...
Finally, if you want to
lock your system down from hackers and other intruders, you should consider
installing a personal firewall. While Windows XP and many DSL / cable modem
routers have built-in routers, these only provide basic protection. The following
is a more comprehensive firewall package: