How to protect yourself
Step
1: Update your software
If you use Windows XP, one way to help prevent spyware and other
unwanted software is to make sure all your software is updated.
First, visit Windows Update (
Click here ) to confirm that you have Automatic Updates turned
on and that you've downloaded all the latest critical and security
updates.
Step
2: Adjust Internet Explorer security settings
You can adjust your Internet Explorer Web browser's security settings
to determine how much—or how little—information you
are willing to accept from a Web site.
If
you're running Windows XP SP2 and you use Internet Explorer to browse
the Web, your browser is already set to help protect against spyware
and many other kinds of deceptive or unwanted software.
To
view your current Internet Explorer security settings:
- In
Internet Explorer, click Tools and then click Internet Options.
- Select
the Security tab.
Tip:
For a step-by-step guide to adjusting your settings without blocking
content from sites that you trust, see
Working with Internet Explorer 6 Security Settings.
Step
3: Use a firewall
While most spyware and other unwanted software come bundled with
other programs or originate from unscrupulous Web sites, a small
amount of spyware can actually be placed on your computer remotely
by hackers. Installing a firewall or using the firewall that's built
into Windows XP provides a helpful defense against these hackers.
To learn more about firewalls, read
Why you should use a computer firewall and get answers to your
Frequently asked questions about firewalls.
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