Baseline Security for the Home PC

[Dennis D.]

Is there a recommended protocol for establishing baseline security for the
home computer using XP Pro?
When a small business environment is added is there a recommended policy to
augment that baseline security?
When a developer environment is added is there a recommeded policy to
augment the baseline security?
When a combination of policies exist is there a recommended protocol for
maintaining security?

My concern is that .Net development is becoming common among advanced PC
users. That environment should have a recommended protocol for the
increasing number of users. I wonder if those documents already exist.

 

[Admiral Q]

The "weakest" link in any computer security equation is, sadly enough, "the
user".

So the 1st step on securing a computer in any environment (work, home,
educational, research lab, etc), is to "educate the user".
The second, is "physical access" - if you can't prevent "physical
access" then all other security methods become "compromised" - especially
with all the "hacker" tools available for download on the internet now.
From here it becomes sketchy but we all know we need a Firewall (I
recommend both hardware and software - the software one being able to detect
outbound as well as inbound connections), Virus protection (up to date virus
protection, not one installed 6 months ago with a 90-day trial, and 90-days
ago the trial ran out, so it's virus definitions are 90-days old).
Next comes Adware detection and of course, the removal of said Adware.

This is just a start, and applies to all scenarios, developers, home
users, corporate users, researchers, etc.

--
Star Fleet Admiral Q @ your service!
"Google is your Friend!"
www.google.com

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