Formatting and Installing after a badly Infected OS

[Guest]

[RitterS]

hi,
how can i get secured OS like closing ports and installing security apps like you pro's in Windows XP?
any more would be great as i format regularly after i get infected.
and i dont want to format regularly.
Software i use; Comodo Firewall, Firefox (Java/JavaScript Disabled),Spybot search and Destroy,Mcafee antivirus
Connection - 8 - MBPS
i just know to disable netbios over tcp/ip, dunno how do i close open ports in WINXP.

[soyabeaner]

Hi RitterS.  Welcome to the forum.

The easiest way to close ports is to install and enable a firewall.  If you have CFP then your ports should already be closed unless you have applications that need to open them.  There are, however, additional methods to secure your ports, like this tool:
http://www.firewallleaktester.com/wwdc.htm

Additionally, assuming your pc is not networked with other computers, you can disable some stuff in Network Connections:
Start > Run > type in ncpa.cpl > Right-Click on each and all your connections that you use one a time > Properties > Select Client for MS Networks, etc. and uninstall them.  In mine, my NIC and ISP connection properties only contain Internet Protocol (TCP/IP).  Furthermore, if you select Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and click on the Properties button > Advanced button > WINS tab > disable Enable LMHOSTS lookup > select Disable NetBIOS over TCP/IP and click OK to save the changes. Repeat for your other connections.

I'm sure there are lots of other things, but that really depends on your setup.  For example, disabling unneeded XP Services: http://www.theeldergeek.com/services_guide.htm

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[gordon]

The first thing to do in order to "harden" your windows (yeah yeah, I can hear all the Linux-guys laughing) after re-installing is to disable all non-necessary services.

Try this great little tool, it explains what the service does,why it might be a risk and what problems disabling it might produce  :
Security & Privacy Complete

Security & Privacy Complete is mainly a security tool for Windows.
It can disable all services which might be a security-risk, harden registry settings...
Also included privacy features for Internet Explorer, Media Player, and of course: Mozilla Firefox.
http://sourceforge.net/projects/cmia/

btw : NEVER re-install windows without removing your net-cable first, DO NOT connect to the internets before you have installed a decent firewall and ...
DO NOT surf the internet from the admin-account (unless you trust the site(s) 100% ..
 ..and that's still risky) .
Be careful with installing ANYTHING unknown, especially if some website tells you that
"you must install (enter name of un-needed crap-ware) in order to view our images" or whatever ..
If you install anything then get it from the programs official-website and READ THE SMALL PRINT ..
Lots of "free" non-GPL  programs install "toolbars" and other cash-generating crap-ware ..



 

[Ragwing]

Just a warning, disabling port 137, 138 and 139 with WWDC seems to prevent the computer from obtaining a IP-adress, at least it didn't work for me. Thought I'd let you know if you would get the same problem.


Ragwing

[soyabeaner]

WWDC is safe because in case there are issues (never on my pc), it has options to renable the ports.

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