What are some common security threats that can affect a computer?

Malware: Malware is malicious software that can cause damage to a computer, such as viruses, worms, trojan horses, and spyware. Phishing: Phishing is a type of social engineering attack in which attackers use emails, websites, or other forms of communication to try to steal personal information from unsuspecting victims. Unsecured Wi-Fi Networks: Unsecured Wi-Fi networks can allow attackers to gain access to a computer or network without the user’s knowledge. Ransomware: Ransomware is a type of malware that encrypts a user’s files and demands payment in order to decrypt them. Unpatched Software: Outdated software can be vulnerable to security threats, so it’s important to keep all software up-to-date with the latest security patches. Social Engineering Attacks: Social engineering attacks involve attackers using psychological manipulation to gain access to a computer or network.

How can a user determine if their computer is infected with malware?

Check for strange or unexpected pop-up windows and advertisements. Run a full system scan with a reputable antivirus program. Look for programs that you don’t recognize in the list of installed programs. Check for files with strange or unfamiliar names. Look for unusual activity in your computer’s Task Manager. Monitor your computer’s performance for signs of slowdown or lag. Check for strange or suspicious network activity.

What are some basic security measures that users can take to protect their computer?

Install and regularly update antivirus and anti-malware software. Use strong passwords and two-factor authentication. Don’t click on suspicious links or attachments. Avoid using public Wi-Fi networks when possible. Back up your data regularly. Use a secure browser and keep it up to date. Use a firewall to protect your computer from unauthorized access. Disable automatic file sharing. Disable Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) if you don’t need it. Use encryption to protect sensitive data.

How can a user create a strong and secure password?

Use a combination of letters (upper- and lower-case), numbers, and symbols. Make the password at least 8 characters long. Avoid using personal information such as birthdays, names, or addresses. Avoid using common words or phrases. Don’t use the same password for multiple accounts. Don’t write down your password or share it with anyone. Change your password regularly.

What is two-factor authentication, and why is it important for computer security?

Two-factor authentication (2FA) is an extra layer of security used to make sure that the person attempting to access a system or account is who they say they are. It is important for computer security because it provides an additional layer of protection beyond a username and password. By requiring two different forms of authentication, such as a password and a one-time code sent to a user's phone, 2FA helps protect against unauthorized access to accounts and systems.

Optimize and Improve Security of Your Computer: Guide

Author: Vladimir Artiukh
Editor: Oleg Afonin
Updated: 8.05.2024 10:31

Learn how to optimize and enhance the security of your computer with this comprehensive guide. Whether you’re concerned about malware, hackers, or privacy issues, this tutorial covers everything you need to know. Dive deep into step-by-step instructions and essential tips for boosting computer security and protecting your data.

Contents

Go to view

Speed Up, Optimize and Clean Up a Windows PC with Reg Organizer 💻 🛠️👨‍💻

Overview of the Problem

Today we want to share our experience in making the computer safe from most viruses, worms and other malware. Strange to say, we will not speak of antivirus applications but instead, we will discuss adjusting Windows services – these are the applications started in the background mode when the computer is turned on.

I am sure you always noticed Services tab when opening Task Manager.

Optimize and Improve Security of Your Computer: Guide

Most services are system programs, integral parts of the operating system, without them the system would not work at all. However, some of them are vulnerable services which most PC users do not need. What is a vulnerable service? It is a service that viruses can use as a path to get into your computer and do whatever they like.

“Wait, I’ve got an antivirus, right!?” is your first reaction. Well, no antivirus can offer your computer 100% protection! There are so many complaints on the Internet, “I have installed the latest antivirus but a virus got through and nothing works now!”

You cannot just install an antivirus and think you are safe forever. It never happens that way. You should take some time to adjust your computer to work safely by disabling the services you are not using anyway. In addition to extra safety, this procedure will boost your PC performance because every service is an application that eats up some system resources.

For example, by default Windows has the fax system enabled, but faxes are rarely used now – they are almost obsolete. However, almost all computers have this service on which takes away a small portion of their resources – but it does, and if you add up the load put on the computer by a dozen of such services, you can see it is no longer so small. To make things worse, they also affect security.

For example, here is one more service, but this time it is not so harmless – “Remote Registry.” Using it, a virus that infiltrated your computer can remotely modify your registry – in other words, an intruder gets the keys to all doors (Later we will discuss how to disable such services).

Go to view

How to Recover Windows 10 Registry From a Backup Copy ♻️📝💻

It is strange why such services should be included into Windows by default and why antivirus applications do not disable them, because a remote registry service is of no use to common users. Those who may need it know well how to enable this service, but for common users it only brings more trouble.

All right, criticizing the developers is a good topic for another article, but now we should learn which services can be disabled in Windows.

How To Disable Unnecessary And Dangerous Services?

In order to disable unnecessary and even dangerous services in Windows, go to “Control Panel” by right-clicking on “This PC.” In the menu that appears, click “Manage”.
The interface of “Computer Management” appears. We need the last tab, “Services and Applications,” by opening which we get to “Services.”
This is how the list of all services in our computer looks like. For convenience you can maximize the window and also go into “Standard” mode.
The list of services that can be disabled safely will be given in the next paragraph. Now we will show you how to disable and remove from startup the unnecessary services. Some of them we will disable completely, and some will be switched into manual mode.

Let us begin with the service that we already know, “Remote Registry.”

Double-click the left mouse button on the service which you want to disable; in this example, I will disable the service “Remote Registry.” A window like this will open, and the option “Startup type” should be changed into “Disabled.” After that, press the “Stopped” button below. That is all, the service is disabled and removed from startup list.

Attention!: Before we move on to the next step, we want to remind once more that you should in no case disable all services, one after another. Windows needs most of them to operate correctly, so before disabling a service, check the name in the upper part of the window and keep strictly to the following list!

The List of Windows Services To Be Disabled

In a similar way, the following services can be disabled:

KtmRm for Distributed Transaction Coordinator – Manual mode.
Computer Browser – Switch to manual mode if you don’t have a local network.
Windows Biometric Service — Disable if you don’t log in the system by using fingerprints, retinal scanning etc.
Secondary Logon – Disable or switch to manual mode.
Print Spooler — Disable if you don’t use a printer.
Smart Card Removal Policy — Disable if you don’t use it or even don’t know what it is.
Windows Defender Service — Disable if you already have another antivirus installed.

Go to view

How to Enable or Disable Windows Defender in Windows 10 Creators Update (Build 1703) 💻🛡️🚫
Bluetooth Support Service – Disable if you don’t use Bluetooth.
Windows Management Instrumentation – Disable because this item should only be controlled by user, i.e. you.
Remote Desktop Services — Disable.

Go to view

How to Connect to Windows Remote Desktop in Local Network or via the Internet 💻 🌐 💻
Smart Card – Disable
Fax – Disable if you don’t use it.
Remote Registry – By default, this service is disabled in Windows 8/10, but make sure that it is so, just to be on the safe side.

Go to view

How to Block Any Application or Program in Windows 10, 8 or 7 🚀🛑💻

After these actions, the computer’s security has improved because most malware use these services, but without them, viruses are helpless.

However, it is not the final adjustment made to ensure optimal security for your computer. The procedure described in this article will not work properly without further security improvements. There are some more aspects which we are going to focus on in one of the following articles.

Remember, that files lost because of malware activity can be recovered with Hard Drive or External Disk Recovery Software.