Securing WinXP

What is Hacking?

That is how easy it was to hack into a computer network. The most prominent definition of hacking is the act of gaining access without legal authorization to a computer or computer network. A hacker first attacks an easy target, and then uses it to hide his or her traces for launching attacks at more secure sites. The goal of an attack is to gain complete control of the system (so you can edit, delete, install, or execute any file in any user’s directory), often by gaining access to a "super-user" account. This will allow both maximum access and the ability to hide your presence.

Often attacks are based on software bugs that a hacker can use to give himself or herself super-user status. The example above was used by West German hacker "Pengo" who exploited

Top 10 Ways To Save Your Computer From Hackers

01: Software Updates

For the protection of your computer from hackers you should get the best and latest version of application which is impossible for the hackers to find it, another thing is also take place that your web browser and other programs are given best upgrades.

02: Window Updates

Another way to protect and save your computer from hackers is that you should keep your operating system up to dates in for minimizing the risk of virus which is very necessary for your computer.

03: Anti-Virus Software

Another way to protect your computer from hackers is that you should

 Securing WinXP

 Securing WinXP Pro (with what win-xp has to offer)

Note: These are just notes of the changes i made to win-xp pro using win-xp options
after my default install. These changes will not secure your box 100% but they
make a good couple of 1st steps. They are in no specific order other than the
order that I performed them. I have only spent a couple of hours working on
this operating system at the time of this text so please bare with me and
understand that there is much more to securing your box than this.

1. NTFS Partition.
2. Disable Error Reporting
3. Disable Automatic Updates (only if your XP copy is pirated)
4. Disable "Recent Documents" Viewed
5. Setup XP Firewall
6. Setup screensaver password
7. Setup BIOS password
8. Setup "AfterBios" login password
9. Account Modifications
-Rename Admin Account
-Disable Guest Account
-Disable Help_Assistant Account
-Disable Support Account
10. Install a virus scanner.
11. Change Login Screen (default shows usernames)
12. Disable Remote Registry (and other services)
13. Disable/Change Auto-Search settings in IE.


1. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NTFS Partition (I like being God over system users)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Be sure to install XP onto an NTFS partition so that you (the admin) can take advantage
of file permissions. You want this option so that "you" can decide who reads, writes,
executes what files.

If you didnt install XP onto an NTFS partition. Convert It. To convert to NTFS follow
the instructions below.

Open a command prompt and type "convert c: /FT:NTFS /v"

This command will convert your c: partition from FAT to NTFS in verbose mode.

2. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Disable Error Reporting - we dont want microsoft to know everytime we fuck up.
especially if we didnt pay for winxp.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

control panel >> performance and maintenance >> system >> advanced >> error reporting
(disable all)

right click "my computer" >> manage >> services and applications >> services >> " stop
and disable" Error Reporting.

3. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Disable automatic updates - to update, they must know what we have. thats a NO NO!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

NOTE: DO THIS ONLY IF YOUR COPY OF XP IS PIRATED!! I suggest "auto update" if your copy
of XP is legal. If your copy is pirated then i suggest that you stay updated with
the latest fixes and patches manually.

control panel >> performance and maintenance >> system >> automatic updates
(disable updates)