Of all modern computer operating systems, Windows XP is the most often attacked in terms of security. In this article, we'll discuss why it is attacked so often, the most common security exploits, and what you can do to guard your system against attack.
Contributed by Codex-M Rating: / 2 August 10, 2009
The reason for the operating system's popularity with hackers is obvious, according to this report: Windows XP is still powering 71% of all business and personal computers.
This is still a substantial market share. This popularity makes the OS a viable and attractive target for cyber criminals, hackers and spammers. It is why we more often find viruses, spyware and malware aimed at this operating system when compared to other reliable OSes such as Linux or UNIX.
Windows XP is hard to replace. A lot of useful applications that provide meaning to our lives run on that operating system. Office applications such as Word, Excel and PowerPoint are very easy to use on XP, and the operating system supports a lot of friendly Internet applications, such as video streaming, gaming and others. You can hardly find this level of user-friendliness and comfort in other operating systems.
Linux and other OSes are still nice, but since many of these boast a lot of limited and hard-to-find drivers, they're less appealing to non-techie persons using computers for work and pleasure. Even though the drivers are there, it is harder to configure and install them than it is to do these things in Windows XP.
This tutorial focuses on the tools available for improving the security of your Windows XP/Vista-powered machines. By improving security, your privacy as well as your computer is secure from any breach or file damage.
I will be discussing the top possible exploits where security can be compromised in Windows XP and suggest preventive/corrective actions.
It is amazing to know that these types of viruses can damage files and corrupt your computer. To be protected, it is recommended that you purchase reputable anti-virus software.
My advice is this: if you need a computing environment that is extremely secure against viruses and spyware, you should not be installing FREE ANTIVIRUS/ANTI-SPYWARE solutions. Although I agree that a free anti-virus is better than none, this is still not good enough.
Why? I have tried and tested this with experience. I have a computer I purchased way back in 2004, on which is installed a genuine version of Windows XP. I installed the best FREE anti-virus/anti-spyware solutions available. Guess what?
It lasted for years, and it detects obvious viruses, but suddenly my hard disk boot sector became corrupted. I scanned, but no problems were found. I repaired Windows XP; this solved the problem.
Now, since the problem keeps coming back, I bought the best (NOT FREE) anti-virus solution on the market. It detected 4 nasty Trojan viruses hidden on my computer.
In short, the computer had been compromised for a while. I immediately changed all of my logins/passwords; this is not something done easily or even overnight. I suspected that the Trojans stole passwords and other login information, so I decided that it was better to change those logins instead of becoming a victim in the long run.
I hate it. I should have bought the best anti-virus from day one. It is a good investment, and you will never regret it.
What if you are really thrifty enough NOT TO BUY a licensed version of top anti-virus software?
Microsoft Live One Care not only scans and removes viruses, but repairs problematic Windows XP settings such as a corrupt registry and will tune your computer to run at its optimum.
The only down side to this solution is that viruses cannot be detected online and in real time. For example, if you happen to browse a malicious website and your personal computer becomes infected, the virus will not be caught and cleaned up until the next time you do the scan. In short, it won't be caught "in the act" or prevented from infecting your computer in the first place...so it will have time to do its damage.
But at least if you scan frequently, problems can be detected as soon as possible.
Believe it or not, you can get infected by visiting a website. This malware is dangerous enough to steal your bank passwords, personal logins and even turn your computer into a zombie. Zombie computers are then used to attack other computers. They will impersonate you by, for example, sending messages to your friends on the social networking sites with which you are affiliated. Those messages will contain links pointing to other malware sites that will further spread the infection.
What is the problem here? There are two reasons why you could become infected:
You are using an outdated browser version or a browser that does not offer tough protection against malware-infected websites.
You are using free anti-virus software that was not good enough to detect such infection.
So what is the tool available to protect you and your computer? To manage your online security experience using Windows XP, it is better to install the most recent versions of a secure browser.
Personally, I like the following browsers because they seem to be very aggressive in blocking malware sites:
Google Chrome
Firefox (latest version)
Internet Explorer (latest version)
Always update these browsers; do not let them get outdated, or else you will run into security trouble later on.
Windows XP supports the above browsers, so it is good to have them.
Of course, in line with Exploit number 1, I recommend installing a licensed version of the best anti-virus solutions available on the market, and set it to scan in real time.
Scanning in real time is extremely useful, especially if you are surfing online. You just cannot notice that, when you are browsing, you are unintentionally downloading something onto your computer. A great anti-virus solution will be able to scan every file that your computer is processing and deliver alarms for threats in real time.
When someone connects to your computer from a remote location without your consent and starts stealing files and running as admin, you're facing an extreme form of security breach.
Trojans are known to open ports in your computer and start downloading/ uploading files to the remote malicious server. So how are you going to protect yourself and your computer from this kind of serious security breach?
By default, Windows Firewall should be enabled, and you should double check to make sure it is running. You can go to Control Panel -> Windows Firewall, and then click on it to make sure it says that it is "ON," meaning that it is running
Some experts say Windows Firewall is still not good enough, and I agree. But here is the guide:
If you are not a technical person that understands in full detail the valid Windows processes that should be running on your computer, do not install third party firewall solutions; it will just make your life complicated. Third party firewalls (not Windows Firewall) often show a lot of serious pop-ups telling of potential security breaches, and you end up disabling or blocking very important Windows processes, like SVCHOST.EXE, resulting in a serious computer malfunction.
If you know what you are doing, then go ahead; make sure you understand what processes are blocked are and their consequences.
In my personal experience, I still use and trust the Windows Firewall. I just need to scan my computer on a daily basis for Trojans, spyware and malicious programs since they are the ones that will initiate the opening of ports.
Aside from the top three security problems in Windows XP outlined earlier, below are some security issues that should be resolved.
Lack of Windows Updates. This is often the result of installing an invalid version of Windows XP in the computer. If you cannot update, you risk exposing your computer to various security holes discussed earlier. This can be solved by purchasing a genuine Windows XP license and then downloading/installing the critical Windows updates.
Also, if you have a valid Windows XP installation but cannot update, you can try going to Control Panel, and then clicking "Automatic Updates." It should be set to "Automatic;" make sure your computer is available during the hours for which it is being set, or else, if the computer is off, you will not get the update on time and it will be postponed.
Installing an invalid or not genuine software package. This is common in Asian countries, where software piracy appears normal and is accepted by the public. I just cannot understand software piracy being visible in the eyes of the public (selling in the streets), but the government is not even arresting them.
This introduces security risks because a lot of this invalid software contains Trojan viruses hidden inside, and a lot of free anti-virus software cannot even detect that they are hiding in those files.
Just as piracy is stealing, you should not buy this type of unlicensed software; it poses security risks. Your computer's security will be compromised.
Summary
Below are the vital guidelines you need to follow to manage Windows security, as discussed in this tutorial in detail:
Purchase a licensed version of the best anti-virus product available on the market. This should be capable also of detecting spyware and perform real-time scanning.
Download and install only the most secure browsers and regularly update them.
Turn the Windows Firewall on, and leave it on all the time. You can install a great third-party firewall like Comodo as long as you know exactly what you are blocking and administering.
Regularly scan your computer for viruses using a licensed version of a great anti-virus software.
Update your Windows regularly.
Do not install an invalid version of Windows XP on your computer.
Do not install invalid/unlicensed or cracked versions of any software package.
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