Windows Vista has many new security features that have not been seen in previous operating systems. Improved security in Windows Vista includes better firewall protection, enhanced pop-up blockers, and improved malware protection. Understanding what these features do will better enable users to make educated choices when optimizing settings for their system.
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What is a firewall?
A firewall is software on a system that determines if incoming network traffic is safe to accept. The firewall scans the incoming files and informs the user whether the files are safe or not. Usually firewalls prompt users when suspicious files are found. Also, programs that access the Internet have to go through the firewall to gain permission to access the web. Depending on the Windows Firewall settings, users can potentially monitor all incoming and outgoing network requests. It is good to be informed of your computers actions on the Internet but there are so many requests that it would be inefficient to view all network requests. A firewall makes this much more manageable by filtering out all the known undesirable network requests. Users can customize their firewall to allow certain sites and specific programs.
Windows Vista Firewall Settings:
- Click “Start” and select “Control Panel”
- Click “Security”, this brings up Windows Firewall Settings
- Turn on the firewall by selecting “On”
- In the “Exceptions” tab users can customize accepted network traffic
- Select the box that says, “Block all incoming connections” to allow only the specified network connections to have access.
Spyware originates from advertising sites that use pop-ups to advertise to computer users. The spyware loads itself on the targeted computer and displays pop-up ads, which are very annoying and can slow computers down. These excess files affect Windows Vista normal operations, which lead to overall degrading system performance and a slow computer. Performing scheduled checks with free computer maintenance for spyware is recommended to ensure your computer is secure.
Free computer maintenance is just an easy click away.
To access the Windows Vista Security Center perform the following steps:
- Click “Start” and select “Control Panel”
- Click “Security”
- Click “Malware Protection”
- Windows Vista presents options for spyware and virus protection under the respective categories.
Windows Vista Security has many options that are user friendly and easy to customize. Free computer maintenance is also accessible on the Microsoft support website. All the features might seem a bit overwhelming at first but when Windows Vista security features are explained the enormous amount of information and choices becomes much more understandable.
