What are the best and most secure settings on XP

I have lost a lot of research material and money to solve the problems hackers have caused me.

How can I secure the services, configurations, etc. in such a way that only I can make changes. I have open the services folder to find out that hackers have changed things to the point that I have lost access to many permissions. Is there a "One" setting that will not allow anyone but me to change the settings and permissiions?

What is the best practice for these area. I have had my own password changed.

Thanks. Marty

Dave
Mon Jun 28 07:31:49 CDT 2004

lots more info is needed... start with OS version? are your patches up to
date? how you are connected to the internet? what type of firewall you
have in place? what type of virus scanner you are running? and what do you
mean by 'i have had my own password changed'? what 'services folder' and
how have you lost permissions??

for now, unplug the machine from the internet. and lock the room it is in
when you aren't there... physical security is the only sure way to prevent
intruders.

"Martin" <Martin@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:25950511-07E5-4BB5-A34A-B0B5BF8FA249@microsoft.com...
> I have lost a lot of research material and money to solve the problems
hackers have caused me.
>
> How can I secure the services, configurations, etc. in such a way that
only I can make changes. I have open the services folder to find out that
hackers have changed things to the point that I have lost access to many
permissions. Is there a "One" setting that will not allow anyone but me to
change the settings and permissiions?
>
> What is the best practice for these area. I have had my own password
changed.
>
> Thanks. Marty

S
Mon Jun 28 07:54:07 CDT 2004

On XP:

* Download and use Service Pack 2
* Install an antivirus and keep it up to date
* Use complex administrative password
* Use complex user password and don't run as an administrator

--
Svyatoslav Pidgorny, MVP, MCSE
-= F1 is the key =-

"Martin" <Martin@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:25950511-07E5-4BB5-A34A-B0B5BF8FA249@microsoft.com...
> I have lost a lot of research material and money to solve the problems
hackers have caused me.
>
> How can I secure the services, configurations, etc. in such a way that
only I can make changes. I have open the services folder to find out that
hackers have changed things to the point that I have lost access to many
permissions. Is there a "One" setting that will not allow anyone but me to
change the settings and permissiions?
>
> What is the best practice for these area. I have had my own password
changed.
>
> Thanks. Marty

jeff
Mon Jun 28 09:47:33 CDT 2004

On Mon, 28 Jun 2004 05:20:01 -0700, Martin
<Martin@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

>I have lost a lot of research material and money to solve the problems hackers have caused me.
>
>How can I secure the services, configurations, etc. in such a way that only I can make changes. I have open the services folder to find out that hackers have changed things to the point that I have lost access to many permissions. Is there a "One" setting that will not allow anyone but me to change the settings and permissiions?
>
>What is the best practice for these area. I have had my own password changed.

You see that cable in the back that plugs into your network or cable
modem? Cut it with a pair of scissors.

Jeff

John
Mon Jun 28 09:53:57 CDT 2004




"Martin" <Martin@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:25950511-07E5-4BB5-A34A-B0B5BF8FA249@microsoft.com...
> I have lost a lot of research material and money to solve the problems
hackers have caused me.
>
> How can I secure the services, configurations, etc. in such a way that
only I can make changes. I have open the services folder to find out that
hackers have changed things to the point that I have lost access to many
permissions. Is there a "One" setting that will not allow anyone but me to
change the settings and permissiions?
>
> What is the best practice for these area. I have had my own password
changed.
>
> Thanks. Marty

This is the best one I have found.. Very comprehensive..
-- http://www.hsc.fr/ressources/breves/min_srv_res_win.en.html
John
www.pccitizen.com Safe Computing, Home wired and wireless networking tips.
...You spend your whole life figuring out what you should have done with it,
let alone what it was all about. And then your children get to do it all
over again..

Kent
Mon Jun 28 20:28:45 CDT 2004

Martin wrote:

> I have lost a lot of research material and money to solve the
> problems hackers have caused me.
>
> How can I secure the services, configurations, etc. in such a way
> that only I can make changes. I have open the services folder to
> find out that hackers have changed things to the point that I have
> lost access to many permissions. Is there a "One" setting that will
> not allow anyone but me to change the settings and permissiions?
>
> What is the best practice for these area. I have had my own password
> changed.

If the hackers are already in you have to get them out first. Much
malware can be removed with anti-virus or anti-spyware programs
endlessly discussed here. More sticky trojans require anti-trojan tools
or a complete rebuild of your system. Post back with specifics if you
know you are infected or start with Ad-aware or Spybot to root out malware.

As others have said, use the XP firewall or get a third-party firewall
like ZoneAlarm. Turn on Windows Automatic Updates available on a tab in
the System control panel. Install a good anti-virus like AVG from
www.grisoft.com. Update it daily.

More than this, you have to take steps to protect your IE browser. Use
SpywareGuard and/or SpywareBlaster to innoculate and prevent against
browser extension installs and hostile take-over of your home and search
pages. Use Quik-Fix from www.pivx.com to close several important
vulnerabilities in IE that are still open and that are commonly
exploited by hackers. Most important are the adodb.stream and hta
vulnerabilities.

Tighten up your Internet zone settings. Some folks put Internet on High
and then add web sites to the Trusted zone to allow their scripts to
run. You can use the IE Powertweak accessories from Microsoft to put
menu items in IE to allow quick and easy adding of sites to Trusted and
Restricted zones. Focus on scripting and software installation settings.
There are even tweaks to view the My Computer (aka Local) Zone in the
security tab and allow for tweaking of the local zone which is often
tricked into installing software using the adodb.stream control.

--
Kent W. England, Microsoft MVP for Windows Security