How to Secure Your Windows Computer and Protect Your Privacy

Anybody using internet should really read this article. While targeted at windows users, most of the
rules also apply to users of #Linux and mac.

“Security consultant Howard Fosdick has contributed the latest entry in the
2008 OSNews Article Contest: a highly detailed examination of security and privacy on the
Windows platform, and how to use free
software tools and a little knowledge to protect your privacy online.
Do you know that —

• Windows secretly records all the web sites you’ve ever visited?
• After you delete your Outlook emails and empty the Waste Basket, someone could still
  read your email?
• After you delete a file and empty the Recycle Bin, the file still exists?
• Your computer might run software that spies on you?
• Your computer might be a bot , a slave computer waiting to perform tasks assigned
  by a remote master?
• The web sites you visit might be able to compile a complete dossier of your online activities?
• Microsoft Word and Excel documents contain secret keys that uniquely identify you? They also
  collect statistics telling anyone how long you spent working on them and when. “