Chapter 1: A Short Introduction to Securing Windows Vista

Overview

Ioriginally planned to start this book with a long diatribe on the importance of taking the steps necessary to ensure that your Windows Vista system remains safe and secure. Thankfully, at the last minute I changed my mind. The reason is simple enough: I assume that if you're reading this, then you already have at least a basic understanding of the fact that computer security is important. So, I'm not going to lecture you. Instead, I'm going to provide you with a map.

Yes, a map, and a fairly basic map at that. Securing any computer running Windows Vista - or just about any Windows operating system for that matter - is as easy as following simple instructions. Some tasks are absolutely essential, and without them your system has little chance of remaining secure. Others are only relevant to users with a home or small office network. Some topics are just plain good to know, meaning they'll help to improve the security of your system but aren't going to be the deciding factor as to whether your system remains safe. Last but not least, there are topics geared toward those of you who truly want to take things up a notch by ensuring that not only your computer remains secure, but also that your personal files and communications remain private.

The moral of the story is that you could read this book in the traditional cover-to-cover manner, but it isn't essential. I've tried to organize topics in the most linear manner as possible, but there are topics that some of you can safely skip. Pretty much every chapter in this book can stand on its own, so if you're in the mood to tackle issues around the security of your wireless network you can simply flip to that chapter to learn how it's done. Will reading the entire book front-to-back hurt you? Of course not! However, I do recognize that different people have different levels of tolerance for this computer security stuff, and I certainly don't want you to feel overwhelmed. What I do want, however, is for you to take at least the key steps necessary to ensure that your computer remains as secure as possible. If you choose to go beyond those steps, that's excellent. When all is said and done, there are six chapters I insist you read and take action on - seven if you're a parent. I'll get to all the dirty details on what's important in a moment.

Before I go there, however, you need to understand two things:

• Security is an ongoing process. As time goes on, new security threats will emerge that will require you to take action. I can't predict the future, but I can spot trends. If the last few years have shown anything, it's that the "bad guys" are always looking for new ways to compromise your computer. In other words, just because your computer is secure today, it doesn't mean that it will be completely safe tomorrow. To some degree, you'll need to keep an eye (or ear) on the news to ensure you're informed as new risks arise. You'll also need to be somewhat diligent about ensuring that the techniques you use to secure your computer remain intact, and updated as required.

• Windows Vista is a new operating system. It hasn't stood any true test of time just yet, so it's almost impossible to guess what security and privacy issues will arise, or when. Right now, the steps you need to take to ensure that your computer remains properly secured are very similar to those associated with securing any computer running Windows, be it Windows XP or even Windows 2000. Certainly Windows Vista offers some key security improvements over previous versions, and some of the steps you'll need to follow to get things done have changed. However, there's simply no telling what the future may hold. Although the security and privacy improvements in Windows Vista look very promising, I'd be very rich and living on a private island if I could accurately guess what the next big security risk is.

Fortunately, all is not lost. If you look at the key steps outlined in this book as being essential (and take the necessary actions, of course!), your Windows Vista system will be as secure as it can possibly be right now. In fact, if you take the time to get things done properly right from the get-go, you're unlikely to experience any real security breakdowns at all. However, I can only explain what you need to do to set things up correctly, and then how to maintain your setup. If you decide that security is important today and then don't ever give it another thought, your Windows Vista system may well end up being at serious risk.

Oh yeah, the map! The journey begins by ensuring you understand the five golden rules of Windows security, and then getting the directions you need. The next few sections will help you on your way.