Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.security_admin (
More info?)
Hello Shenan;
Thank you for this comprehensive summary. I am sure it will be appreciated
by many readers.
Melvin
"Shenan Stanley" <newshelper@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:egswzcGgFHA.2644@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
> mtzo81 wrote:
>> whenever i run microsoft antisypware, it detected
>> "Trojan.Downloader.TargetSavers" @ "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\TSA".
>>
>> i tried to remove it using antispyware and manually but in vain.
>>
>> is there any way to remove this? I think it is adware cos i keep
>> getting some ads windows.
>
> Tip 10 - look there first..
> Then take a look at the rest and prevent this type of thing in the
> future..
>
> Microsoft has these suggestions for Protecting your computer from the
> various things that could happen to you/it:
>
> Protect your PC
> http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/
>
>
> Although those tips are fantastic, there are many things you should
> know above and beyond what is there. Below I have detailed
> out many steps that can not only help you clean-up a problem PC but
> keep it clean ,secure and running at its top performance mark.
>
> I know this text can seem intimidating - it is quite long and a lot
> to take in for a novice - but I assure you that one trip through this
> list and you will understand your computer and the options available
> to you for protecting your data much better - and that the next time
> you review these steps, the time it takes will be greatly reduced.
>
> Let's take the cleanup of your computer step-by-step. Yes, it will take
> up some of your time - but consider what you use your computer
> for and how much you would dislike it if all of your stuff on your
> computer went away because you did not "feel like" performing some
> simple maintenance tasks - think of it like taking out your garbage,
> collecting and sorting your postal mail, paying your bills on time,
> etc.
>
> I'll mainly work around Windows XP, as that is what the bulk of this
> document is about; however, here is a place for you poor souls still
> stuck in Windows 98/ME where you can get information on maintaining
> your system:
>
> Windows 98 and 'Maintaining Your Computer':
> http://www.microsoft.com/windows98/usingwindows/maintaining/
>
> Windows ME Computer Health:
> http://www.microsoft.com/windowsME/using/computerhealth/articles/
>
> Pay close attention to the sections:
> (in order)
> - Clean up your hard disk
> - Check for errors by running ScanDisk
> - Defragment your hard disk
> - Roll back the clock with System Restore
>
>
> Also - now is a good time to point you to one of the easiest ways to find
> information on problems you may be having and solutions others have found:
>
> Search using Google!
> http://www.google.com/
> (How-to:
http://www.google.com/intl/en/help/basics.html )
>
>
> Now, let's go through some maintenance first that should only have to be
> done once (mostly):
>
> Tip (1):
> Locate all of the software you have installed on your computer.
> (the installation media - CDs, downloaded files, etc)
> Collect these CDs and files together in a central and safe
> place along with their CD keys and such. Make backups of these
> installation media sets using your favorite copying method (CD/DVD Burner
> and application, Disk copier, etc.) You'll be glad to know that if you
> have a CD/DVD burner, you may be able to use a free application to make a
> duplicate copy of your CDs. One such application is ISORecorder:
>
> ISORecorder page (with general instructions on use):
>
http://isorecorder.alexfeinman.com/beta.htm
>
> Yes - it is BETA software - but very useful and well tested.
>
> More full function applications (free) for CD/DVD burning would be:
>
> DeepBurner Free
> http://www.deepburner.com/
>
> CDBurnerXP Pro
> http://www.cdburnerxp.se/
>
> Another Option would be to search the web with Pricewatch.com or
> Dealsites.net and find deals on Products like Ahead Nero and/or Roxio.
>
>
> Tip (2):
> Empty your Temporary Internet Files and shrink the size it stores to a
> size between 128MB and 512MB..
>
> - Open ONE copy of Internet Explorer.
> - Select TOOLS -> Internet Options.
> - Under the General tab in the "Temporary Internet Files" section, do the
> following:
> - Click on "Delete Cookies" (click OK)
> - Click on "Settings" and change the "Amount of disk space to use:" to
> something between 128MB and 512MB. (Betting it is MUCH larger right
> now.)
> - Click OK.
> - Click on "Delete Files" and select to "Delete all offline contents"
> (the checkbox) and click OK. (If you had a LOT, this could take 2-10
> minutes or more.)
> - Once it is done, click OK, close Internet Explorer, re-open Internet
> Explorer.
>
>
> Tip (3):
> If things are running a bit sluggish and/or you have an older system
> (1.5GHz or less and 256MB RAM or less) then you may want to look into
> tweaking the performance by turning off some of the 'resource hogging'
> Windows XP "prettifications". The fastest method is:
>
> Control Panel --> System --> Advanced tab --> Performance section,
> Settings button. Then choose "adjust for best performance" and you
> now have a Windows 2000/98 look which turned off most of the annoying
> "prettifications" in one swift action. You can play with the last
> three checkboxes to get more of an XP look without many of the
> other annoyances. You could also grab and install/use one
> (or more) of the Microsoft Powertoys - TweakUI in particular:
>
>
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx
>
>
> Tip (4):
> Understanding what a good password might be is vital to your
> personal and system security. You may think you do not need to password
> your home computer, as you may have it in a locked area (your home) where
> no one else has access to it. Remember, however, you aren't always
> "in that locked area" when using your computer online - meaning you likely
> have usernames and passwords associated with web sites and the likes that
> you would prefer other people do not discover/use. This is why you should
> understand and utilize good passwords.
>
> Good passwords are those that meet these general rules
> (mileage may vary):
>
> Passwords should contain at least six characters, and the character
> string should contain at least three of these four character types:
> - uppercase letters
> - lowercase letters
> - numerals
> - nonalphanumeric characters (e.g., *, %, &, !,
>
> Passwords should not contain your name/username.
> Passwords should be unique to you and easy to remember.
>
> One method many people are using today is to make up a phrase that
> describes a point in their life and then turning that phrase into their
> password by using only certain letters out of each word in that phrase.
> It's much better than using your birthday month/year or your anniversary
> in a pure sense. For example, let's say my phrase is:
> 'Moved to new home in 2004'
> I could come up with this password from that:
> 'Mv2n3whmN04'
>
> The password tip is in the one time section, but I highly
> recommend you periodically change your passwords. The suggested time
> varies, but I will throw out a 'once in every 3 to 6 months for
> every account you have.'
>
>
> Tip (5):
> This tip is also 'questionable' in the one time section; however -
> if properly setup - this one can be pretty well ignored for most people
> after the initial 'fiddle-with' time.
>
> Why you should use a computer firewall..
>
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/viruses/fwbenefits.mspx
>
> You should, in some way, use a firewall. Hardware (like a nice
> Cable Modem/DSL router) or software is up to you. Many use both of
> these. The simplest one to use is the hardware one, as most people
> don't do anything that they will need to configure their NAT device
> for and those who do certainly will not mind fiddling with the equipment
> to make things work for them. Next in the line of simplicity would
> have to be the built-in Windows Firewall of Windows XP. In SP2 it
> is turned on by default. It is not difficult to turn on in any
> case, however:
>
> Enable/Disable the Internet Connection Firewall (Pre-SP2):
>
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/283673
>
> More information on the Internet Connection Firewall (Pre-SP2):
>
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/320855
>
> Post-SP2 Windows Firewall Information/guidance:
>
http://snipurl.com/atal
>
> The trouble with the Windows Firewall is that it only keeps things
> out. For most people who maintain their system in other ways, this is
> MORE than sufficient. However, you may feel otherwise. If you want to
> know when one of your applications is trying to obtain access to the
> outside world so you can stop it, then you will have to install a
> third-party application and configure/maintain it. I have compiled a
> list with links of some of the better known/free firewalls you can choose
> from:
>
> BlackICE PC Protection (~$39.95 and up)
> http://blackice.iss.net/
>
> Jetico Personal Firewall (Free)
>
http://www.jetico.com/index.htm#/jpfirewall.htm
>
> Kerio Personal Firewall (KPF) (Free and up)
>
http://www.kerio.com/kpf_download.html
>
> Outpost Firewall from Agnitum (Free and up)
> http://www.agnitum.com/download/
>
> Sygate Personal Firewall (Free and up)
>
http://smb.sygate.com/buy/download_buy.htm
>
> Symantec's Norton Personal Firewall (~$25 and up)
> http://www.symantec.com/sabu/nis/npf/
>
> ZoneAlarm (Free and up)
>
http://snipurl.com/6ohg
>
> You should find the right firewall for your situation in that
> list and set it up.
>
> Every firewall WILL require some maintenance. Essentially checking for
> patches or upgrades (this goes for hardware and software solutions) is
> the extent of this maintenance - you may also have to configure your
> firewall to allow some traffic depending on your needs.
>
> ** Don't stack the software firewalls! Running more than one software
> firewall will not make you safer - it would possibly negate some
> protection you gleamed from one or the other firewall you run.
>
>
> Now that you have some of the more basic things down..
> Let's go through some of the steps you should take periodically to
> maintain a healthy and stable windows computer. If you have not
> done some of these things in the past, they may seem tedious - however,
> they will become routine and some can even be automatically scheduled.
>
>
> Tip (6):
> The system restore feature is a new one - first appearing in Windows
> ME and then sticking around for Windows XP. It is a useful feature
> if you keep it maintained and use it to your advantage. Remember that
> the system restore pretty much tells you in the name what it protects
> which is 'system' files. Your documents, your pictures, your stuff is
> NOT system files - so you should also look into some backup solution.
>
> I have seen the automatic system restore go wrong too many times not
> to suggest the following.. Whenever you think about it (after doing a
> once-over on your machine once a month or so would be optimal) - clear
> out your System Restore and create a manual restoration point.
>
> 'Why?'
>
> Too many times have I seen the system restore files go corrupt or get
> a virus in them, meaning you could not or did not want to restore from
> them. By clearing it out periodically you help prevent any corruption
> from happening and you make sure you have at least one good "snapshot".
> (*This, of course, will erase any previous restore point you have.*)
>
> - Turn off System Restore.
>
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310405
> - Reboot the Computer.
> - Review the first bullet to turn on System Restore
> - Make a Manual Restoration Point.
>
http://snipurl.com/68nx
>
> That covers your system files, but doesn't do anything for the files
> that you are REALLY worried about - yours! For that you need to look
> into backups. You can either manually copy your important files, folders,
> documents, spreadsheets, emails, contacts, pictures, drawings and so on
> to an external location (CD/DVD - any disk of some sort, etc) or you can
> use the backup tool that comes with Windows XP:
>
> How To Use Backup to Back Up Files and Folders on Your Computer
>
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308422
>
> Yes - you still need some sort of external media to store the results
> on, but you could schedule the backup to occur when you are not around,
> then burn the resultant data onto CD or DVD or something when you are
> (while you do other things!)
>
> A lot of people have wondered about how to completely backup their system
> so that they would not have to go through the trouble of a reinstall..
> I'm going to voice my opinion here and say that it would be worthless to
> do for MOST people. Unless you plan on periodically updating the image
> backup of your system (remaking it) - then by the time you use it
> (something goes wrong) - it will be so outdated as to be more trouble than
> performing a full install of the operating system and all applications.
>
> Having said my part against it, you can clone/backup your hard drive
> completely using many methods - by far the simplest are using disk cloning
> applications:
>
> Symantec/Norton Ghost
> http://www.symantec.com/sabu/ghost/
>
> Acronis True Image
>
http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing/products/trueimage
>
>
> Tip (7):
> You should sometimes look through the list of applications that are
> installed on your computer. The list may surprise you. There are more
> than likely things in there you know you never use - so why have them
> there? There may even be things you know you did *not* install and
> certainly do not use (maybe don't WANT to use.)
>
> This web site should help you get started at looking through this list:
>
> How to Uninstall Programs
>
http://snipurl.com/8v6b
>
> A word of warning - Do NOT uninstall anything you think you MIGHT need
> in the future unless you have completed Tip (1) and have the installation
> media and proper keys for use backed up somewhere safe!
>
>
> Tip (8):
> Patches and Updates!
>
> This one cannot be stressed enough. It is SO simple, yet so neglected
> by many people. It is especially simple for the critical Windows patches!
> Microsoft put in an AUTOMATED feature for you to utilize so that you do
> NOT have to worry yourself about the patching of the Operating System:
>
> How to configure and use Automatic Updates in Windows XP
>
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/306525
>
> However, not everyone wants to be a slave to automation, and that is
> fine. Admittedly, I prefer this method on some of my more critical
> systems.
>
> Windows Update
> http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/
>
> Go there and scan your machine for updates. Always get the critical ones
> as you see them. Write down the KB###### or Q###### you see when
> selecting the updates and if you have trouble over the next few days,
> go into your control panel (Add/Remove Programs), insure that the
> 'Show Updates' checkbox is checked and match up the latest numbers you
> downloaded recently (since you started noticing an issue) and uninstall
> them. If there was more than one (usually is), uninstall them one by one
> with a few hours of use in between, to see if the problem returns.
> Yes - the process is not perfect (updating) and can cause trouble like I
> mentioned - but as you can see, the solution isn't that bad - and is
> MUCH better than the alternatives.
>
> Windows is not the only product you likely have on your PC. The
> manufacturers of the other products usually have updates. New versions
> of almost everything come out all the time - some are free, some are pay
> and some you can only download if you are registered - but it is best
> to check. Just go to their web pages and look under their support and
> download sections. For example, for Microsoft Office you should visit:
>
> Microsoft Office Updates
> http://office.microsoft.com/
> (and select 'Check for Updates' and/or 'Downloads' for more)
>
> You also have hardware on your machine that requires drivers to interface
> with the operating system. You have a video card that allows you to see
> on
> your screen, a sound card that allows you to hear your PCs sound output
> and
> so on. Visit those manufacturer web sites for the latest downloadable
> drivers for your hardware/operating system. Always get the manufacturers'
> hardware driver over any Microsoft offers. On the Windows Update site I
> mentioned earlier, I suggest NOT getting their hardware drivers - no
> matter
> how tempting.
>
> How do you know what hardware you have in your computer? Break out the
> invoice or if it is up and working now - take inventory:
>
> Belarc Advisor
>
http://belarc.com/free_download.html
>
> EVEREST Home Edition
>
http://www.lavalys.com/products/download.php?pid=1&lang=en
>
> Once you know what you have, what next? Go get the latest driver for your
> hardware/OS from the manufacturer's web page. For example, let's say you
> have an NVidia chipset video card or ATI video card, perhaps a Creative
> Labs sound card or C-Media chipset sound card...
>
> NVidia Video Card Drivers
>
http://www.nvidia.com/content/drivers/drivers.asp
>
> ATI Video Card Drivers
>
http://www.atitech.com/support/driver.html
>
> Creative Labs Sound Device
> http://us.creative.com/support/downloads/
>
> C-Media Sound Device
>
http://www.cmedia.com.tw/e_download_01.htm
>
> Then install these drivers. Updated drivers are usually more stable and
> may provide extra benefits/features that you really wished you had before.
>
> As for Service Pack 2 (SP2) for Windows XP, Microsoft has made this
> particular patch available in a number of ways. First, there is the
> Windows Update web page above. Then there is a direct download site
> and finally, you can order the FREE CD from Microsoft.
>
> Direct Download of Service Pack 2 (SP2) for Windows XP
>
http://snipurl.com/8bqy
>
> Order the Free Windows XP SP2 CD
>
http://snipurl.com/8umo
>
> If all else fails - grab the full download above and try to use that.
> In this case - consider yourself a 'IT professional or developer'.
>
>
> Tip (9):
> What about the dreaded word in the computer world, VIRUS?
>
> Well, there are many products to choose from that will help you prevent
> infections from these horrid little applications. Many are FREE to the
> home user and which you choose is a matter of taste, really. Many people
> have emotional attachments or performance issues with one or another
> AntiVirus software. Try some out, read reviews and decide for yourself
> which you like more:
>
> ( Good Comparison Page for AV software: http://www.av-comparatives.org/ )
>
> AntiVir (Free and up)
> http://www.free-av.com/
>
> avast! (Free and up)
> http://www.avast.com/
>
> AVG Anti-Virus System (Free and up)
> http://free.grisoft.com/
>
> eset NOD32 (~$39.00 and up)
>
http://www.eset.com/products/products.htm
>
> eTrust EZ Antivirus (~$29.95 and up)
> http://ca.com/store/home/us/hp2/
>
> Kaspersky Anti-Virus (~$49.95 and up)
>
http://www.kaspersky.com/products.html
>
> McAfee VirusScan (~$11 and up)
> http://www.mcafee.com/
>
> Panda Antivirus Titanium (~$39.95 and up)
> http://www.pandasoftware.com/
> (Free Online Scanner: http://www.pandasoftware.com/activescan/)
>
> RAV AntiVirus Online Virus Scan (Free!)
> http://www.ravantivirus.com/scan/
>
> Symantec (Norton) AntiVirus (~$11 and up)
> http://www.symantec.com/nav/nav_9xnt/
>
> Trend Micro (~$49.95 and up)
>
http://www.trendmicro.com/en/home/us/personal.htm
> (Free Online Scanner:
> http://housecall.trendmicro.com/housecall/start_corp.asp)
>
>
> Most of them have automatic update capabilities. You will have to
> look into the features of the one you choose. Whatever one you finally
> settle with - be SURE to keep it updated (I recommend at least daily) and
> perform a full scan periodically (yes, most protect you actively, but a
> full scan once a month at 4AM probably won't bother you.)
>
>
> Tip (10):
> The most rampant infestation at the current time concerns SPYWARE/ADWARE.
> You need to eliminate it from your machine.
>
> There is no one software that cleans and immunizes you against
> everything. Antivirus software - you only needed one. Firewall, you
> only needed one. AntiSpyware - you will need several. I have a list and
> I recommend you use at least the first five.
>
> First - make sure you have NOT installed "Rogue AntiSpyware". There are
> people out there who created AntiSpyware products that actually install
> spyware of their own! You need to avoid these:
>
> Rogue/Suspect Anti-Spyware Products & Web Sites
>
http://www.spywarewarrior.com/rogue_anti-spyware.htm
>
> Also, you can always visit this site..
>
http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/unwanted.htm
> For more updated information.
>
> Install the first five of these: (Install, Run, Update, Scan with..)
> (If you already have one or more - uninstall them and download the
> LATEST version from the page given!)
>
> Lavasoft AdAware (Free and up)
> http://www.lavasoft.de/support/download/
> (How-to:
http://snipurl.com/atdn )
>
> Spybot Search and Destroy (Free!)
>
http://www.safer-networking.net/en/download/index.html
> (How-to:
http://snipurl.com/atdk )
>
> Bazooka Adware and Spyware Scanner (Free!)
> http://www.kephyr.com/spywarescanner/
> (How-to:
http://snipurl.com/ate3 )
>
> SpywareBlaster (Free!)
>
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/sbdownload.html
> (How-to:
http://snipurl.com/ate6 )
>
> IE-SPYAD2 (Free!)
>
https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/ehowes/www/resource.htm
> (How-to:
http://snipurl.com/ate7 )
>
> CWShredder Stand-Alone (Free!)
>
http://www.intermute.com/spysubtract/cwshredder_download.html
>
> Hijack This! (Free!)
>
http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/downloads.html
> (Log Analyzer: http://hjt.iamnotageek.com/ )
>
> ToolbarCop (Free!)
>
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/toolbarcop.htm
>
> Microsoft AntiSpyware BETA (in testing stages - Free!)
> http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/
> (How-to:
http://snipurl.com/fqur )
>
> Browser Security Tests (Free Tester)
> http://www.jasons-toolbox.com/BrowserSecurity/
>
> Popup Tester (Free Tester)
> http://www.popuptest.com/
>
> The Cleaner (~$49.95 and up)
> http://www.moosoft.com/
>
> Sometimes you need to install the application and reboot into SAFE MODE in
> order to thoroughly clean your computer. Many applications also have
> (or are) immunization applications. Spybot Search and Destroy and
> SpywareBlaster are two that currently do the best job at passively
> protecting your system from malware. None of these programs (in these
> editions) run in the background unless you TELL them to. The space they
> take up and how easy they are to use greatly makes up for any
> inconvenience
> you may be feeling.
>
> Please notice that Windows XP SP2 does help stop popups as well.
>
> Another option is to use an alternative Web browser. I suggest
> 'Mozilla Firefox', as it has some great features and is very easy to use:
>
> Mozilla Firefox
> http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/
>
>
> So your machine is pretty clean and up to date now. If you use the
> sections
> above as a guide, it should stay that way as well! There are still a few
> more things you can do to keep your machine running in top shape.
>
>
> Tip (11):
> You should periodically check your hard drive(s) for errors and defragment
> them. Only defragment after you have cleaned up your machine of
> outside parasites and never defragment as a solution to a quirkiness in
> your system. It may help speed up your system, but it should be clean
> before you do this. Do these things IN ORDER...
>
> How to use Disk Cleanup
>
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/310312
>
> How to scan your disks for errors
>
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315265
>
> How to Defragment your hard drives
>
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314848
>
> I would personally perform the above steps at least once every three
> months.
> For most people this should be sufficient, but if the difference you
> notice
> afterwards is greater than you think it should be, lessen the time in
> between its schedule.. If the difference you notice is negligible, you
> can
> increase the time.
>
>
> Tip (12):
> SPAM! JUNK MAIL!
> This one can get annoying, just like the rest. You get 50 emails in one
> sitting and 2 of them you wanted. NICE! (Not.) What can you do? Well,
> although there are services out there to help you, some email
> servers/services that actually do lower your spam with features built into
> their servers - I still like the methods that let you be the end-decision
> maker on what is spam and what is not. I have two products to suggest to
> you, look at them and see if either of them suite your needs. Again, if
> they don't, Google is free and available for your perusal.
>
> SpamBayes (Free!)
> http://spambayes.sourceforge.net/
>
> Spamihilator (Free!)
> http://www.spamihilator.com/
>
> As I said, those are not your only options, but are reliable ones I have
> seen function for hundreds+ people.
>
>
> Tip (13):
> ADVANCED TIP! Only do this once you are comfortable under the hood of
> your
> computer!
>
> There are lots of services on your PC that are probably turned on by
> default
> you don't use. Why have them on? Check out these web pages to see what
> all
> of the services you might find on your computer are and set them according
> to your personal needs. Be CAREFUL what you set to manual, and take heed
> and write down as you change things! Also, don't expect a large
> performance
> increase or anything - especially on today's 2+ GHz machines, however - I
> look at each service you set to manual as one less service you have to
> worry
> about someone exploiting.
>
> Configuring Services
>
http://snakefoot.fateback.com/tweak/winnt/services.html
>
> Task List Programs
>
http://www.answersthatwork.com/Tasklist_pages/tasklist.htm
>
> Processes in Windows NT/2000/XP
> http://www.reger24.de/prozesse/
>
> There are also applications that AREN'T services that startup when you
> start
> up the computer/logon. One of the better description on how to handle
> these
> I have found here:
>
> Startups
>
http://www.pacs-portal.co.uk/startup_content.php
>
>
> If you follow the advice laid out above (and do some of your own research
> as
> well, so you understand what you are doing) - your computer will stay
> fairly
> stable and secure and you will have a more trouble-free system.
>
> --
> Shenan Stanley
> MS-MVP
> --
> How To Ask Questions The Smart Way
>
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
>
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