XP Security

Follow these simple steps to secure your Windows XP will help maintain and protect your system.

Default Windows XP Security

Remove Simple File Sharing

Benefits: Prevents easy access by hackers or malicious programs.
Costs: Makes sharing folders a little harder.

Steps:

1. From Windows Explorer, go to Tools > Folder Options > View
2. Scroll to the bottom and uncheck USe simple file sharing (Recommended)

 

 

Disable Guest Account

Benefits: Disables an easy access point for hackers.
Costs: None.

Steps:

1. Start > Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Computer Management > Local Users and Groups > Users.
2. Double click on Guest account.
3. Click Account is disabled check box.

 

Disable Original Administrator Account

Benefits: Disables an easy access point for hackers.
Costs: None.

Steps:

1. Start > Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Computer Management > Local Users and Groups > Users
2. right click on Administrator account
3. Click Rename
4. Type in a new and unique name

OR

Create new user and under Member of add this new user to the Administrators Group; disable original Administrator account. 

Clear Swap File at Shutdown

Benefits: The swap file can leave unencrypted text (including passwords). Clearing the swap file, protects passwords and other data
Costs: Can cause the shutdown of the machine to take longer.

Steps:

1. Start > Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Local Security Settings > Security Options
2. Double click on the entry Shutdown: clear virtual memory Pagefile > Enabled. 

Disable Memory Dump File and Dr.Watson

Benefits: To prevent it from saving encrypted application information
Costs:

• Prevents access to application information.
• You will no longer be able to submit error reports to Microsoft.

Steps:

1. Control Panel > System
2. Click on the Advanced tab
3. Settings button on the Startup and Recovery pane
4. Set the drop-down menu under Write debugging information to (none)

Similarly, the debugging program Dr. Watson saves information when applications crash. To disable it:

1. Go to HKEY_local_machine\software\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion \ AeDebug and set the Auto string to 0.
2. Then use Windows Explorer to go to Documents and Settings\All Users\Shared Documents\ DrWatson .
3. Delete User.dmp and Drwtsn32.log, the insecure logs the program creates.

 

 

Running Windows Updates

Microsoft Updates

Benefits: Most new viruses use exploits that are correctable via a critical update. Updating regularly closes those holes. Running Automatic Updates ensures systems are as up-to-date as possible
Costs: Usually none. Rarely an update will cause performance problems or non-optimal operation. These are usually corrected quickly with a subsequent update. Most updates are un-installable via Add/Remove applet.

Steps:

1. Right click on My Computer > Properties > Automatic Updates
2. Choose your preferred update method

OR

1. In Internet Explorer: Tools > Windows Update
2. Click on Scan My Computer
3. Click on Critical Update
4. Install updates

 

Prevent Unauthorized Access

Disable/Uninstall File and Print Sharing (if not used)

Benefits: Hackers cannot exploit shares
Costs: Cannot share files

Steps:

1. Start > Control Panel > Network Connections
2. Right click on Local Area Connection
3. Either uncheck File and Printing Sharing or click Uninstall

 

Passwords

Benefits: Accounts without passwords can easily be accessed by hackers
Costs: None

Steps:

1. Start > Control Panel
2. Double click on User Accounts
3. Choose Change an account
4. Choose the account, then click on Change Password

Ensure all accounts on local computer  have passwords, blank password should never be used for any reason. Choose good passwords, passwords should be at least 6 characters and include numbers and at least on special character (e.g. goodpwd is not a good password while, g00dp@ss is a good password.)

Log Access

Benefits: Better tracking
Costs: Slightly higher disk usage

Steps:

1. Start > Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Local Security Settings > Audit Policy
2. Click the items you want Auditing enabled on

Note: Don't enable all auditing, chose the most relevant categories like unauthorized access and file access.

Turn Off Windows Messaging Service

Benefits: Prevent pop-ups from hackers instructing end-users to compromise the system under the guise of a warning
Costs: Lose NETSEND form of communication

Steps:

Windows XP Home

1. Start > Settings > Control Panel
2. Click Performance and Maintenance
3. Click on Administrative Tools
4. Double-click on Services
5. Scroll down and highlight Messenger
6. Right click on the highlighted line and click on Properties
7. Click the STOP button.
8. Select Disable or Manual in the startup type scroll bar
9. Click on OK

Windows XP Professional

1. Start > Settings > Control Panel
2. Click on Administrative Tools
3. Double click on Services
4. Scroll  down and highlight Messenger
5. Right click the highlighted line, choose Properties
6. Click the STOP button
7. Select Disable or Manual in the startup
8. Type scroll bar and click on OK

Firewall

Benefits: Better protection against viruses and network probes
Costs: May interfere with some network applications 

Steps:

1. Start > Control Panel > Network Connections
2. Right click on Local Area Connection
3. Click the Advanced tab
4. Check the Protect my computer ... check box

System Restore

Benefits: Able to restore the system to its default state; removes Windows pointers including those in the registry.
Costs: Hard drive space

Steps:

1. Right click on My Computer
2. Click on the System Restore tab
3. Ensure that  Turn Off System Restore is not checked off

 

Advanced XP security settings.