Securing the Desktop Computer: Improving safety and reliability

November 25, 2003

The presentation covers three issues:

  • General Security
  • Improved Reliability
  • Preparing for disaster

More specifically:

  1. Preliminary Security: Approaches to checking your hard drive, maintaining virus protection, a software firewall, startup and browser protection.
  2. Cleanup the mess (Improved Reliability): We clean up the files, programs and services which should not be on your computer. This includes unsafe Windows services, temporary files, startup programs and spyware and malware. Procedures and websites for researching unknown processes are given.
  3. Doing Windows Updates. Why most people are doing them wrong and how you can do them more safely.  
  4. What you need to know about users and passwords  
  5. Backups: Four approaches. Why you should be using at least three of them.
  6. What you need to know about using Email safely
  7. What you need to know about Browsing Safely
  8. Performing Scheduled Maintenance

Steve Shank started Oregon Computer Solutions in 1986 after years ofcomputer consulting and programming. He does general computerconsulting but has recently begun emphasizing workstation security. Hedoes desktop security checkups and also teaches a class in desktopcomputer security.

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