List of Figures

Chapter 2: Implementing User Accounts and Logon Security

Figure 2-1: Click the User Accounts item in Control Panel to create and manage user accounts.

Figure 2-2: The Windows Vista built-in Guest account is disabled by default.

Figure 2-3: Select the new user account's type.

Figure 2-4: Changing an existing user account's type.

Figure 2-5: Changing a user account's name.

Figure 2-6: Adding a password to another user's account.

Figure 2-7: Options associated with deleting a user account.

Figure 2-8: The User Account Control dialog box as it appears when you're already logged on as an Administrator.

Figure 2-9: The User Account Control dialog box as it appears when you're logged on as a Standard user.

Figure 2-10: The Run As Administrator command is available from the Windows Vista shortcut menu.

Figure 2-11: Using runas.exe from the command prompt.

Chapter 3: Implementing Password Security

Figure 3-1: The Password Strength Meter is a free testing tool at http://www.SecurityStats.com.

Figure 3-2: Password Policy settings.

Figure 3-3: Enforce password history

Figure 3-4: Message displayed when a password doesn't meet policy requirements.

Figure 3-5: Account Lockout Policy settings.

Figure 3-6: Create a password reset disk from User Accounts in Control Panel.

Figure 3-7: RoboForm offers to save your username and password combination for a web site.

Figure 3-8: RoboForm offering to submit stored username and password information for you.

Figure 3-9: BIOS Security configuration screen.

Figure 3-10: Configuring a startup password with Syskey.

Chapter 4: Using Built-in Tools and Settings to Improve Windows Vista Security

Figure 4-1: The Task Manager Processes tab displays information on all running processes, including those running quietly in the background.

Figure 4-2: The Security log in Event Viewer.

Figure 4-3: Reviewing the details of a failed logon attempt in the Security log.

Figure 4-4: Configuring settings for the Security log.

Figure 4-5: The Security Center taskbar message displays when Automatic Updates are turned off.

Figure 4-6: The Windows Security Center tool.

Figure 4-7: The Local Security Policy MMC.

Figure 4-8: Reviewing the Properties of a Local Security Policy setting.

Figure 4-9: Reviewing the Explain tab in the Properties of a Local Computer Policy setting.

Figure 4-10: Adding the Group Policy snap-in to manage Local Computer Policy settings.

Figure 4-11: Reviewing user desktop configuration settings.

Figure 4-12: Reviewing the Properties of a Local Computer Policy setting.

Chapter 5: Securing Your Web Browser

Figure 5-1: Configuring custom security settings.

Figure 5-2: The Internet Explorer Security tab.

Figure 5-3: Adding a web site to the Trusted sites web content zone.

Figure 5-4: The Internet Explorer Privacy tab.

Figure 5-5: Configuring Advanced Privacy Settings.

Figure 5-6: Blocking cookies from a web site.

Figure 5-7: The Internet Explorer Privacy Report dialog box.

Figure 5-8: Reviewing a web site's Privacy Summary.

Figure 5-9: Configuring Content Advisor Ratings in Internet Explorer.

Figure 5-10: Configuring the Approved Sites settings in Internet Explorer.

Figure 5-11: Configuring the General Content Advisor settings.

Figure 5-12: The Internet Explorer Manage Add-ons window.

Figure 5-13: Disabling a browser add-on.

Figure 5-14: Configuring the Internet Explorer Pop-up Blocker Settings.

Figure 5-15: An example of the shortcut menu that appears when you click the Internet Explorer information bar.

Figure 5-16: Configuring the Phishing Filter settings.

Figure 5-17: Phishing Filter makes it easy to check for phishing-related web sites.

Figure 5-18: The Firefox web browser is a popular alternative to Internet Explorer.

Chapter 6: Implementing Parental Controls

Figure 6-1: Implementing parental control settings for a user.

Figure 6-2: Filtering a user's access to the web.

Figure 6-3: Controlling access to Windows Vista by time of day and day of week.

Figure 6-4: Configuring access to games based on their ESRB rating.

Figure 6-5: Controlling which games a user can play.

Figure 6-6: Controlling access to installed programs.

Figure 6-7: Reviewing activity reports for a user subject to parental control settings.

Figure 6-8: Reviewing General System Information relating to Parental Controls activities.

Chapter 7: Protecting Windows Vista with a Firewall

Figure 7-1: Notification message from Windows Security Center when no firewall is protecting a Windows Vista system.

Figure 7-2: Viewing firewall status information in Windows Security Center.

Figure 7-3: Windows Security Center displays information about the current status of your firewall, automatic updating, antivirus, antispyware software, and more.

Figure 7-4: The Windows Firewall Advanced tab.

Figure 7-5: The Windows Firewall Exceptions tab.

Figure 7-6: Configuring an exception for Remote Assistance connections.

Figure 7-7: Adding an exception for a program.

Figure 7-8: Reviewing the exception created for a new program.

Figure 7-9: The Windows Firewall with Advanced Security Overview screen.

Figure 7-10: Specifying the path to a program in the New Outbound Rule Wizard.

Figure 7-11: Configuring a rule's action.

Figure 7-12: Adding a name and description for a rule.

Figure 7-13: Configuring a rule's protocol and port settings.

Figure 7-14: Naming and describing a rule to block outbound access to newsgroups.

Figure 7-15: Configuring logging settings for Windows Firewall.

Figure 7-16: Limiting the scope of a rule to connections from one remote computer.

Figure 7-17: Testing your firewall with the Shields UP!! port scanning web site.

Figure 7-18: The results from a Shields UP!! port scan.

Figure 7-19: LeakTest is a basic tool to test the outbound security of your firewall.

Chapter 8: Keeping Windows Vista Patched and Protected

Figure 8-1: Use the System screen to determine which Service Pack (if applicable) has been installed on a Windows Vista system.

Figure 8-2: The Windows Security Center tool.

Figure 8-3: Configuring Windows Update settings.

Figure 8-4: The Windows Update icon notifies you that updates are ready to install.

Figure 8-5: Installing downloaded updates.

Figure 8-6: Prompt to restart Windows Vista after some updates are successfully installed.

Figure 8-7: Removing a security update using View Installed Updates.

Figure 8-8: Checking the version of an installed program.

Chapter 9: Protecting Against Viruses

Figure 9-1: Reviewing the status of Malware protection in Windows Security Center.

Figure 9-2: The AVG Free Edition Test Center window.

Figure 9-3: Downloading virus definition files with AVG Free Edition.

Figure 9-4: Reviewing scheduled tasks in AVG Free Edition.

Figure 9-5: Configuring virus-scanning options with AVG Free Edition.

Figure 9-6: Reviewing e-mail message scanning options in AVG Free Edition.

Figure 9-7: Configuring virus certification messages.

Figure 9-8: Antivirus programs usually provide options to scan your entire computer or only selected areas.

Figure 9-9: Results of a virus scan.

Figure 9-10: Configuring virus scanning and detection preferences with Stinger.

Figure 9-11: Stinger scans only drive C: by default, but can be configured to scan other drives.

Chapter 10: Fighting Malware-Protecting Against Spyware, Adware, and Browser Hijackers

Figure 10-1: The free version of the popular BearShare file-sharing program informs you that adware will also be installed.

Figure 10-2: Reviewing the status of Malware protection in Windows Security Center.

Figure 10-3: Windows Defender with outdated definition files.

Figure 10-4: Configuring custom scanning options in Windows Defender.

Figure 10-5: The results of a Windows Defender scan.

Figure 10-6: Selecting actions for objects uncovered by a Windows Defender spyware scan.

Figure 10-7: The Windows Defender Tools screen.

Figure 10-8: Scanning for malware with Ad-Aware SE Personal.

Figure 10-9: Viewing detailed scan results.

Figure 10-10: CWShredder is the premier tool for removing the CoolWebSearch browser hijacker and its numerous variants.

Figure 10-11: Results of a CWShredder scan.

Chapter 11: The Dark Side of Spam

Figure 11-1: Windows Mail automatically protects against message beacons and code embedded in HTML-based e-mail messages.

Figure 11-2: Configuring Junk E-mail Options in Windows Mail.

Figure 11-3: The Safe Senders list.

Figure 11-4: Blocking e-mail messages by TLD.

Figure 11-5: The message that Windows Mail displays when junk or phishing messages are downloaded.

Figure 11-6: Phishing settings in Junk E-mail Options.

Figure 11-7: Windows Mail Security options.

Figure 11-8: Configuring Windows Mail to read all messages in plain text.

Figure 11-9: MailWasher Pro is a popular commercial anti-spam program.

Chapter 12: Securing E-mail Messages Using Encryption and Digital Signatures

Figure 12-1: Viewing the contents of your personal certificate store.

Figure 12-2: Viewing your personal e-mail certificate.

Figure 12-3: The Details tab for a personal e-mail certificate.

Figure 12-4: Exporting your certificate, including your private key.

Figure 12-5: Select a storage location and file name for your exported certificate.

Figure 12-6: The Security Help screen appears when you open a digitally signed message in Windows Mail.

Figure 12-7: The Security tab displays details associated with a digitally signed message.

Figure 12-8: Use the View Certificates window to view the certificate used to digitally sign a message, or add the user's certificate to your Contacts list.

Figure 12-9: The Digital IDs tab in a user's address book entry displays certificates associated with that user.

Figure 12-10: A digitally signed message.

Figure 12-11: This dialog box is displayed when your private key is being accessed.

Figure 12-12: This Security Help message appears when you open an encrypted message.

Figure 12-13: The Security tab for an encrypted message.

Figure 12-14: Viewing the certificate that was used to encrypt a message.

Figure 12-15: An encrypted e-mail message.

Chapter 13: Controlling Access to Your Personal Files

Figure 13-1: Reviewing a drive's file system.

Figure 13-2: Converting a drive to NTFS.

Figure 13-3: The Public folder hierarchy.

Figure 13-4: Reviewing the NTFS permissions associated with a file.

Figure 13-5: Reviewing the NTFS permissions associated with a folder.

Chapter 14: Improving File Security Using Encryption

Figure 14-1: Creating a certificate for a Data Recovery Agent with the Cipher command.

Figure 14-2: Selecting a Data Recovery Agent.

Figure 14-3: Viewing Data Recovery Agents in EFS Public Key Policy.

Figure 14-4: Encrypting a folder.

Figure 14-5: Reviewing the details associated with an encrypted file.

Figure 14-6: This message displays when you try to open an encrypted file belonging to another user.

Figure 14-7: EFS enables you to share access to encrypted files with other users.

Figure 14-8: Use the Certificates MMC to manage your EFS certificate.

Figure 14-9: Dekart Private Disk Light allows you to create virtual encrypted drives.

Figure 14-10: Creating a new private disk.

Figure 14-11: A connected private disk is displayed as a removable disk in Windows Explorer.

Chapter 15: Erasing Files and Hard Drives Securely

Figure 15-1: You can restore files sent to the Recycle Bin if you delete a file in error.

Figure 15-2: Formatting a disk makes the disk appear to be empty, but files may still be recoverable even after the fact.

Figure 15-3: Eraser includes four predefined erasing methods, but you can also define your own.

Figure 15-4: Eraser overwrites unused disk space in a single pass by default.

Figure 15-5: To erase a file permanently, select Erase from the shortcut menu in Windows Explorer.

Figure 15-6: The Confirm Erasing dialog box allows you to configure specific erasing settings and confirm that you want to permanently erase a file.

Figure 15-7: Eraser overwrites files with 35 passes by default.

Figure 15-8: The Erasing Report window lets you know whether the erasing process was successful.

Figure 15-9: The Recent Files Start menu item displays lists of files that you've recently opened.

Figure 15-10: Internet Explorer includes the ability to delete Temporary Internet files, cookies, and your browsing history.

Figure 15-11: CCleaner is a popular free tool that enables you to delete your web browsing history, temporary files, and recently used file lists from a variety of different programs.

Chapter 16: Securing Shared Folders and Printers

Figure 16-1: Sharing Public folders over the network.

Figure 16-2: Choosing which users should have access to a shared folder.

Figure 16-3: Configuring user permissions for a shared folder.

Figure 16-4: A successfully shared folder.

Figure 16-5: Disabling the Sharing Wizard.

Figure 16-6: The Sharing tab in the Properties of a folder.

Figure 16-7: Configuring shared folder settings.

Figure 16-8: Configuring advanced shared folder permissions.

Figure 16-9: Reviewing shared folder settings.

Figure 16-10: Assigning a drive letter for a mapped network drive.

Figure 16-11: Selecting the shared folder to map the drive to.

Figure 16-12: Viewing a mapped drive in Computer.

Figure 16-13: Browsing for shared folders from the Start menu.

Figure 16-14: Sharing a printer.

Figure 16-15: Connecting to a shared printer.

Figure 16-16: Reviewing printer permissions.

Chapter 17: Securing Windows Vista on Wireless Networks

Figure 17-1: Notification about detected wireless networks

Figure 17-2: The Connect to a network window

Figure 17-3: A connected wireless network

Figure 17-4: The Control Panel Network and Sharing Center tool

Figure 17-5: The password setting configuration screen

Figure 17-6: Configuring an SSID name for a wireless network

Figure 17-7: Disable SSID broadcast to improve wireless network security

Figure 17-8: Manually configuring the SSID name for a wireless network with SSID broadcast disabled

Figure 17-9: Use the ipconfig /all command to find the MAC address associated with your wireless network card

Figure 17-10: You use the MAC filtering table to restrict access to a wireless network

Figure 17-11: Configure WEP security settings on an access point

Figure 17-12: Configuring allowed client types on an access point

Figure 17-13: Connecting to a wireless network that uses WEP security

Figure 17-14: Configuring WPA security settings on an access point

Figure 17-15: Connecting to a wireless network using WPA security