Many people these days assume their PC is safe just because they
are subscribed to a free or paid anti-virus. And often, most of
them don't take advantage of some important built-in Windows
features. This article lists three super-simple steps to ensure
your Windows 7 PC is protected.
-
Turn on Windows Firewall
Microsoft started shipping Windows with a built-in firewall
starting from XP. Windows Firewall is always on by default unless
you or some other program has turned it off. Windows Firewall
secures your PC from viruses, spyware and unauthorized access.
To turn on Windows Firewall:
- Open Control Panel from the Start Menu
- Go to System and Security, then Windows
Firewall
- Click Turn Windows Firewall on or off in the
sidebar
- Select Turn on Windows Firewall for both private and
public networks and click OK
-
Turn on Windows Update
Microsoft pushes its latest security patches and important
updates through Windows Update at regular intervals. Yet, many
people have the updates turned off. The most common excuse I get to
hear is "I have turned them off because the updates make my PC
slow". The truth is that by turning the updates on, you also
get performance improvement upgrades which help keep your PC
running smooth and fast.
To turn on Windows Update:
- Open Control Panel from the Start Menu
- Go to System and Security, then Windows
Update
- Click Change settings in the sidebar
- Select Install updates automatically from the list and
click OK
-
Install Microsoft Security Essentials
Microsoft Security Essentials is a free anti-virus that offers
real-time protection against virus, spyware and malware attacks.
First released back in September 2009, it has a far lower resource
usage compared to other anti-virus software, which makes it fast
and doesn't hamper the performance of your PC. Visit windows.microsoft.com/mse
for more details and the download link.
Note: This article assumes that you have a
genuine copy of Windows and are logged on as an
administrator.