PUBLIC MARKS with tags security & windows

Hardening means reducing the amount of services listening on the system, the amount of installed applications and the way applications handle inputs. In other terms hardening means reducing the attack surface area. Microsoft released its official tool for hardening within the Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1: Security Configuration Wizard (SCW) that addresses a lot of problems.

This paper will help you configure your web browser for safer internet surfing. It is written for home computer users, students, small business workers, and any other person who works with limited information technology (IT) support and broadband (cable modem, DSL) or dial-up connectivity. Although the information in this document may be applicable to users with formal IT support as well, organizational IT policies should supersede these recommendations.

Microsoft has just released Windows Defender Beta 2 for Windows XP. This product was orginally available as Windows Antispyware.

Windows is sorely lacking in PC security. That situation may not change until Windows Vista (formerly Longhorn) comes out sometime next year. Meanwhile here are a few ways to turn Windows' poor security to your advantage.