Setting up your new xp pro box. for newby's

[NemorY]

OK NO More one liners from now on...type in with your AP assignment

What if i didnt like it that much that i wanna give him AP's. I just wanna leave a comment, what then ?

[Cybr1d]

What if i didnt like it that much that i wanna give him AP's. I just wanna leave a comment, what then ?

You can always neg em ....or just use the PM system.

-Second Sentence added to avoid another one liner-

[Spyder32]

I can't assign him any AP's. And this tutorial is somewhat good (like NemorY said) all I said was that it has been covered before. Search AO for Window's Security Tutorial's or Window's Hardening or Win XP Security Guide. There are many tutorial's like this one. However, this one is a decent one and I commend you for it. Happy?

[annihilator_god]

This is a "newbie" tutorial, so I guess "newbie" = pay money until all the problems go away. The methods stated in this tutorial have been covered in (all) other "secure xp" articles wasting space on the internet.
To review:
firewall, anti-virus, anti ad and spy programs, and hit windowsupdate.microsoft.com
Look, I just wrote my own tutorial!

How about a tutorial in setting up ZA, norton, iptables, or other firewalls. Just installing the program does a little to secure the machine, but that's not enough to really stop anyone.

This tutorial also doesn't cover shutting down services that are un-necessary or security risks. How about the messenger service? How about disabling NetBIOS if the system doesn't need it?

Also, killing activeX in IE can be a great way to limit spyware on a new install. (if not killing IE all together, but that's not necessarilly "secure")

How about creating a log of running processes and a log of programs that startup with windows? Having a log (one you create yourself, hijack this, other audits) of a fresh install that you can compare later is a great resource.

Let's also talk about what to do with the administrator account. like re-naming, password protecting, and creating a "guest" administrator. Also, don't do everything in an admin account. User or power user is great for everyday use.

Speaking of passwords, c1aw3D|<|cK (clawedkick for you non-leet readers) would be much harder to break than *shudder* secret, zzzzzzz, or asdfghjkl.

There is more, but this is just my little rant.

edit: in case you can't tell, i am working on a tutorial like this myself... but i'm actually putting time and research into it with links to tools and resources that would be helpful.

[tiDaLfAze23]

annihilator_god, This was my first tut, and as i stated,

"O.K. I have left things out of this tutorial, mainly not to confuse the beginner who would be confused or overloaded with too much info".....

This tut was for newb users, first time internet users, not for people who understand such things as iptables.

I could have (maybe should have) posted links to blackviper But thought that getting too far ahead would confuse people i am trying to help. I also think that disabeling services is a more advanced process for more advanced users. Becoming comfortable with the very basics is more important than trying to learn too much too fast, i think.

I also said

If i have posted anything that's not right, or could be expanded, please let me know and i will fix it, also if the order of things to do could be changed, could someone with more knowledge point this out.

I see that you are more knowledgable than what i am, as i don't even know what iptables are, you would have helped by posting this info, so we could learn from it.

but i'm actually putting time and research into it with links to tools and resources that would be helpful.

I put the time and research into it , the best way i could for now, i will , thanks for your comments expand this tut to include the points that you raised.

Being my first tut i think that is o.k. and the only copy and paste done on it were links to tools and resources.....

[Spyder32]

From TigerShark's tutorial on what not to write in a tutorial:

2. Starting your "tutorial" by saying "this is for noobs" does one of two things. Either, it implies that you do not really know your subject, or, you think you are some kind of hot-shot. In the first case, (which seems to be the norm), you are pre-stating that the information that follows is of little use to anyone or is already easily discovered elsewhere. In the second case, the subject matter of your "tutorial" had better be detailed, informative and of use, (How to tracert an IP is hardly something a truly 1337 h@x0r should be writing about).

From TiDaL:

This tut was for newb users, first time internet users,

Just figured I'd point that out. Oh and TiDaL, turning off netBIOS is not what I would call "advanced". Disabling any window's service (messenger or netBIOS) isn't advanced. Just letting ya know.

[Cybr1d]

first time internet users,

Not picking on Tidal, but what does "first time internet users" have to do with being able to secure windows XP? Maybe I'm missing the point. If it was my first time using the internet, I would have no clue what anything in that tut is...I wouldn't even be able to find AntiOnline.

[tiDaLfAze23]

Starting your "tutorial" by saying "this is for noobs" does one of two things. Either, it implies that you do not really know your subject, or, you think you are some kind of hot-shot. In the first case, (which seems to be the norm), you are pre-stating that the information that follows is of little use to anyone or is already easily discovered elsewhere.

Yes me bows head down in shame and accepts defeat.....

but what does "first time internet users" have to do with being able to secure windows XP? Maybe I'm missing the point. If it was my first time using the internet, I would have no clue what anything in that tut is...I wouldn't even be able to find AntiOnline.

What i mean is, last year when i bought my pc, I had never surfed the Internet or operated a computer, apart from the odd game of patience. I just got on line as soon as i got my ISP sorted and went on my merry way into the unknown. I didn't enable xp's firewall, i had no third party firewall, i don't think i had my Norton 2002 enabled. I surfed the usual exploration sites ( you know the ones) and got infected with all sorts of stuff, Trojans, virusus. I just happened out of frustration to buy a pc mag that had some security sites in it, and AntiOnline was one of them.

This is what i mean when i say first time users, using a computer for the first time surfing the Internet.

[tiDaLfAze23]

O.K. as has been pointed out, there should have been more included in this tut.
My question is should i delete it and re-write it with the ommited parts put in?????

What do you think, would it be better to fix it properly, or leave it as is and just add to it???
Any answers will be helpful.....

[instronics]

Actually, despite the fact that this info is around many other places, i find it a decent introduction to the windows n00b user. It doesnt hurt to have multiple tutorials on a subject. I would say that tutorials is the exception. I liked it, it was written in a way that even dumb lusers can understand and get started. Taking the steps mentioned in this tut, the luser can from there on move on to more 'advanced' subjects, being a little bit safer along that way. There are a few members that might have a problem or two with tidal, i too was annoyed by his 'useless' threads in GCC, but this thread is usefull, and well written. So i leave aside my personal feelings for him, and i rate the info in this thread.

//offtopic

tidal, why the f*&$ did you do that **** in gcc for? I liked your previous threads... why that BS?

Anyways, lets hope you contribute in the future, and dont do **** like you did before.

Cheers everyone.