Microsoft Windows XP Step by Step, Deluxe Edition by Inc. Online Training Solutions, Inc Online Training Solutions

From Barnes & Noble

The Barnes & Noble Review
Getting a new PC? Upgrading your existing PC? If you’re using Windows XP for the first time, you may find there’s more to learn than you expected. Fortunately, with Microsoft Windows XP Step-by-Step, Deluxe Edition, you’re just moments away from the step-by-step instructions you need. Use this full-color book and its practice files as a complete basic Windows XP course -- or as “just-in-time” training for whatever you need to do right now.

Designed and edited for easy reading, this book covers just about everything that’s new in Windows XP for typical home and small business users -- including security and other enhancements in Windows XP Service Pack 1. Want to send a fax? Burn a CD? Share a printer or an Internet connection? Set up Windows Messenger instant messaging? Watch a DVD? Switch quickly between users? Restore a damaged configuration? Share digital photos? It’s all covered here. A nice touch: a 50-page Quick Reference walking through 150 of the tasks you’re most likely to perform.

The accompanying CD-ROM includes Windows XP Service Pack 1 and Windows Media Player Bonus Pack (which would otherwise be formidable downloads for folks without broadband connections). It also contains two complete online books: the Microsoft Computer Dictionary, Fifth Edition (which lists for $29.99 in print) and Microsoft Encyclopedia of Networking, Second Edition (a whopping $79.99 value). If you have even the least need for computing and networking reference information, this is an amazing deal. Bill Camarda

Bill Camarda is a consultant, writer, and web/multimedia content developer. His 15 books include Special Edition Using Word 2000 and Upgrading & Fixing Networks For Dummies®, Second Edition.

From the Publisher

Teach yourself exactly what you need to get more from the Windows XP operating system—one step at a time! This DELUXE EDITION updates and expands a Microsoft Press® customer favorite with new topics, new chapters, and new resources on CD-ROM. With STEP BY STEP, you can take just the lessons you need or work from cover to cover. You drive the instruction! Just follow the easy numbered steps, handy tips, and helpful screenshots—all in full color—to help build your skills and master everyday tasks. Topics include personalizing the way your PC looks and runs; adding and removing software; hooking up printers and other devices; managing and sharing files and folders; enjoying digital media and games; and troubleshooting common problems. Plus, the book provides nearly 100 new pages of coverage on Windows XP Service Pack 1, computer security, Windows Messenger, fax services, digital media capabilities, the Internet, and more.

Product Details

• Table of Contents
• Read an Excerpt
• Read a Sample Chapter

Table of Contents

Read an Excerpt

Read a Sample Chapter

• Changing Your Computer’s Name
• Working with User Accounts in Windows XP Professional
• Working with User Accounts in Windows XP Home Edition
• Switching Quickly Among Users
• Analyzing Your Computer’s Security
• Configuring Security Zones

Chapter 3  Managing Computer Security

After completing this chapter, you will be able to:

• Change your computer’s name.

• Create, modify, and delete user accounts.

• Set account passwords.

• Represent accounts with pictures.

• Set up Fast User Switching so that several people can be logged on simultaneously.

• Analyze your computer’s security settings.

• Configure security zones.

In the old days, computers were isolated, and the only way to get information from one to another was to transfer it on a floppy disk. With the advent of networks, information transfer became easier, but so did the possibility that the information on a particular computer would be accessed inappropriately or even illegally from another computer. As networks have grown from small to large to huge, concerns about information security have also increased.

Most people think of security in terms of protecting against viruses and intruders, or hackers. Many commercial software packages that detect and treat computer viruses are available. Apart from the use of special software, the most common way of addressing security concerns in a networked computer environment has been through a system of user accounts and passwords. Microsoft Windows XP extends this account and password system to single stand-alone computers to allow more than one person to use the same machine. For example, if you manage your family’s financial records on a home computer that is also used by your children to do their homework, you might want to set up separate accounts for your children so that they can’t view or change the critical records you work with while logged on to your account.

The great thing about user accounts and passwords is that they help to keep your information private; that is, you can prevent other users from reading or altering your documents, pictures, music, and other files. You can choose to share files by placing them in a folder that is available to other users, but you don’t have to. With Windows XP, each user can personalize his or her own working environment and have easy access to frequently used files and applications without worrying about other people making changes.

In this chapter, you will learn how to rename your computer and how to manage user accounts on Windows XP Professional and Windows XP Home Edition computers.

The practice files for this chapter are located in the SBS\WindowsXP\Computer folder. (For details about installing the practice files, see "Using the Book’s CD-ROM" at the beginning of this book.)

IMPORTANT:
Because management processes are specific to either Windows XP Professional or Windows XP Home Edition, we treat each edition separately, and you should follow the steps for your particular installation. The exercises assume that you have administrative privileges on your computer. This means that you are allowed to change basic settings that control access to your computer and the items stored on it. If you are working on a network, a network administrator might have set up your computer so that you cannot change some settings. If this is the case, you can read through the exercises, but you won’t be able to follow the steps.

Changing Your Computer’s Name

Every computer has a name. That might seem like something out of a science fiction story in which computers take over the world, but there is nothing sinister about it. Your computer was named during the Windows XP initial setup process. It might have been named after its user, after its make or model, or based on what it is most commonly used for (for example, Production); or it might have been given a whimsical name to give it some sort of personality.

In this exercise, you will locate and change your computer’s name.

IMPORTANT:
Many corporations have a standard naming convention for computers on their network to help employees easily locate and identify network resources. If your computer is connected to a network, check with your network administrator before attempting to change your computer’s name.

There are no practice files for this exercise.

Follow these steps:

1. Log on to Windows, if you have not already done so.

   IMPORTANT:
   If your computer is configured to log on to a network domain, you should change the computer name only while you are connected to the domain. Otherwise you might inadvertently change the name to one that is already in use in the domain.

2. On the Start menu, click Control Panel.

   The Control Panel window opens:

   (Image unavailable.)

   TIP:
   Control Panel is a central place where you can change many of your computer’s settings. These settings are grouped according to category. Clicking the icon of a category displays a window with specific options or starts a wizard that leads you through the process of making changes.

3. Click the Performance and Maintenance icon.

   The Performance and Maintenance window opens, looking something like this:

   (Image unavailable.)

4. Click the See basic information about your computer task.

   The System Properties dialog box appears:

   (Image unavailable.)

5. Click the Computer Name tab to display it:

   (Image unavailable.)

   The names of your computer and, if applicable, your domain or workgroup are displayed in the center of the tab. If you are logged on to a domain, your computer name is represented as computer name.domain.

6. Click Change to open the Computer Name Changes dialog box:

   (Image unavailable.)

   Your current computer name is highlighted.

7. Type your new computer name in the Computer name box, and click OK.

   TROUBLESHOOTING:
   Computer names cannot be longer than 15 characters and must consist of standard characters, which include uppercase or lowercase letters (A–Z or a–z), digits (0–9), and hyphens (-).

   If your computer is connected to a network domain, you will be prompted for the user account name and password of a network administrator who has permission to rename the computer in the domain.

8. If you are prompted to do so, enter your user account name and password, and then click OK.

9. When Windows XP says you must restart the computer for the changes to take effect, click OK.

10. Click OK to close the System Properties dialog box, and then click Yes to restart your computer.

    Your computer now has a new name.

Working with User Accounts in Windows XP Professional

If your computer is part of a network, your network administrator must set up a user account or accounts for the computer to be able to access the network. User accounts can be established during the setup process or at any time from Control Panel.

If you have administrative privileges, you can create local computer user accounts that allow other people to access your computer. For example, you might want to create a local user account for a friend so that he or she can log on to your computer to check e-mail. Each user account belongs to a group with permissions to perform certain operations on the computer. The most common groups are:

• Administrators, who have unrestricted access to the computer.

• Power Users, who have most administrative capabilities but with some restrictions.

• Users and Guests, who are restricted from making system-wide changes.

• Backup Operators, who can override security restrictions for the purpose of backing up or restoring files.

Other groups are available for support personnel, network administrators, and remote users. There are also special groups that might be created when a computer is upgraded from other versions of Windows to Windows XP Professional. And finally, anyone assigned to the Administrators group can create custom groups.

In this exercise, you will create a local computer user account, change its privileges, and then delete it.

TIP:
You cannot delete the account of a user who is currently logged on to the computer.

There is no working folder for this exercise, but you do need to know your computer’s name.

TIP:
To find out your computer’s name, open Control Panel, click Performance and Maintenance, click See basic information about your computer, and in the System Properties dialog box, click the Computer Name tab.

Follow these steps:

1. Log on to Windows, if you have not already done so.

   (Image unavailable.)

2. Click the Start button, and on the Start menu, click Control Panel.

   Control Panel appears, like this:

   (Image unavailable.)

3. In the Control Panel window, click the User Accounts icon to open the User Accounts dialog box.

4. Click the Advanced tab.

5. In the Advanced user management area, click Advanced to open the Local Users and Groups window.

6. In the left pane of the Local Users and Groups window, click the Users folder to display a list of the current user names:

   (Image unavailable.)

7. On the Action menu, click New User to open the New User dialog box:

   (Image unavailable.)

8. In the User name box, type Joe.

9. In the Full name box, type Joe the Dog.

10. In the Description box, type Man’s best friend.

11. In the Password box, type Woof!.

    TIP:
    Your corporate network policy might require that passwords conform to a minimum length or meet other guidelines. If you are required to create a secure password, use a combination of numeric and alphabetic characters with at least one punctuation mark. Secure passwords must usually be at least eight characters in length.

12. Type the password again in the Confirm password box.

13. Ensure that the User must change password at next logon and the Account is disabled check boxes are cleared, and then click Create.

    TIP:
    You clear the first check box because you don’t want the user to have to change the password, and you clear the second because you want the account to be active and available.

    The account is created, and the input screen is cleared.

14. Click Close to return to the Local Users and Groups window.

    Joe has been added to the list of users, as shown here:

    (Image unavailable.)

15. In the right pane of the Local Users and Groups window, double- click Joe to open the Joe Properties dialog box.

16. Click the Member Of tab.

    Joe is currently shown as a member of the Users group, the default group for new users.

17. Click Cancel to close the Joe Properties dialog box.

18. To add Joe to another group, click the Groups folder to display a list of the available groups in the left pane of the Local Users and Groups window:

    (Image unavailable.)

19. In the right pane of the Local Users and Groups window, double- click Power Users to open the Power Users Properties dialog box.

20. Click Add.

21. If you are connected to a network domain, click the Locations button, click your computer name, and click OK.

22. In the Enter the object names to select box, type Joe, and click Check Names.

    TIP:
    To enter multiple user names, separate the names with a semicolon.

    The Select Users dialog box looks something like this:

    (Image unavailable.)

    The name you typed is replaced by the computer name\user name combination.

    TIP:
    If there are a lot of people named Joe on your network, you might be asked to select the one you want from a list.

23. Click OK to add Joe to the Power Users group, and then click OK to close the Power Users Properties dialog box.

24. Click the Close button to close the Local Users and Groups window, and click OK to close the User Accounts dialog box.

25. On the Start menu, click Log Off, and then click Log Off in the Log Off Windows dialog box.

    You are logged off of Windows and returned to the logon security screen.

26. Press Ctrl+Alt+Del to access the Log On to Windows dialog box.

27. In the User name box, type Joe.

28. In the Password box, type Woof! (or the secure password you created in step 11).

    The characters of the password are displayed as dots as you type.

29. Click the down arrow to the right of the Log on to box, and click your computer in the drop-down list.

30. Click OK.

    Joe is now logged on to your computer, but not your network domain. The Start menu expands, with Joe’s full name shown at the top:

    (Image unavailable.)

    Because this is the first time that Joe has logged on to this computer, the desktop is in its default state.

31. On the Start menu, click Log Off, and then click Log Off in the Log Off Windows dialog box to log Joe’s account off of the computer. Then log back on as yourself, changing the Log on to setting to your domain if necessary.

32. Now you’ll change the group to which Joe is assigned again. Open Control Panel, and click the User Accounts icon to open the User Accounts dialog box:

    (Image unavailable.)

33. In the Users for this computer list, click Joe, and then click Properties to open the Joe Properties dialog box.

34. On the Group Membership tab, click Other, and click Administrators in the drop-down list.

35. Click OK to change Joe’s group membership to Administrators.

36. Now that you’ve completed this exercise, you don’t need this account on your computer, so in the Users for this computer list, click Joe, and then click Remove.

    A message box warns you that Joe will no longer be able to use this computer.

37. Click Yes.

    Joe is removed from the list of users.

38. Click OK to close the User Accounts dialog box.

39. Click the Close button to close Control Panel.

Working with User Accounts in Windows XP Home Edition

Windows XP Home Edition supports two levels of user privileges: computer administrator and limited. Users with computer administrator accounts have permission to do everything, including:

• Create, change, and delete accounts.

• Make system-wide changes.

• Install and remove programs.

• Access all files.

Users with limited accounts have permission to do things that affect only their own account, including:

• Change or remove their password.

• Change their user account picture.

• Change their theme and desktop settings.

• View files they created and files in the Shared Documents folder.

IMPORTANT:
Users with limited accounts can run into difficulties when trying to install new software, because some programs require administrative privileges to install or remove programs. Be sure you have the appropriate privileges before attempting to install or remove new software.

Each Windows XP Home Edition user account is represented on the logon screen by the user account name and also by a user account picture. Windows XP comes with 23 user account pictures, representing a variety of animals, sports, and interests. You can select the picture that most closely matches your personality or interests. If none of the default pictures is to your liking, you can add a picture you like better.

TIP:
Computer administrators can assign or change the picture for any user. Limited account and guest account users can change only their own picture.

Graphics used as user account pictures can be bitmap (BMP) files, Graphic Interchange Format (GIF) files, Joint Photographic Expert Group (JPEG) files, or Portable Network Graphics (PNG) files. They can be any size, but they are always displayed at 48 pixels high by 48 pixels wide. If you decide to use a picture that does not have the same height and width, it will be stretched or compressed to fit within the user account picture area on the logon screen.

In this exercise, you will create a new user account with administrative privileges, change its privileges, create a password, and choose a custom graphic to represent the user. You will then delete the account.

TIP:
You can never delete the account of a user who is currently logged on to the computer.

The practice file for this exercise is located in the SBS\WindowsXP\Computer \ProfileHE folder. (For details about installing the practice files, see "Using the Book’s CD-ROM" at the beginning of this book.)

Follow these steps:

1. Log on to Windows, if you have not already done so.

2. On the Start menu, click Control Panel.

3. Click the User Accounts icon.

   The User Accounts window appears:

   (Image unavailable.)

4. Click Create a new account to open the Name the new account screen.

   You are prompted to enter a name for the new account.

5. Type Joe, and then click Next to move to the Pick an account type screen.

   You are prompted to specify the account type.

6. Select Computer administrator, and then click Create Account.

   Windows XP creates a new account called Joe, and assigns a user account picture to the account, which now appears at the bottom of the User Accounts window.

7. Now you’ll customize Joe’s account. Click Joe.

   The options for changing Joe’s account are displayed as shown here:

   (Image unavailable.)

8. Click Change the picture.

   You are prompted to select from the default pictures shown here:

   (Image unavailable.)

9. Click Browse for more pictures.

10. In the Open window, click the down arrow to the right of the Look in box, and browse to SBS\WindowsXP\Computer\ProfileHE.

11. Click the bitmap named joe, and then click Open.

    A picture of Joe (a puppy) is added to the available pictures; Joe’s user account picture is changed, and then you are returned to the account options screen.

12. Click Change the account type.

13. On the Pick a new account type for Joe screen, click Limited, and then click Change Account Type.

    In the account options screen, the Limited account type is now indicated to the right of Joe’s user account picture.

14. Click Create a password.

    You are prompted to enter a password for Joe’s account.

15. In the Type a new password box, type BowWow!, and then press the Tab key to move to the next field.

    To ensure the secrecy of the password, the characters are displayed as dots as you type.

16. In the Type the new password again to confirm box, retype BowWow!, and then press the Tab key to move to the next field.

17. In the Type a word or phrase to use as a password hint box, type What does Joe say?.

    The screen now looks like this:

    (Image unavailable.)

18. Click Create Password to save the password as part of Joe’s user account profile and return to the account options screen.

    The Password protected status of Joe’s account is now indicated to the right of his user account picture.

19. Now you’ll delete Joe’s account. Click Delete the account.

    TROUBLESHOOTING:
    If the account you are trying to delete is currently logged on to the computer, you must switch to that user account and log it off before you can delete it.

    You are asked whether you want to keep or delete any files that Joe might have created on the desktop or in the My Documents folder.

20. Joe has not created any files that you care about, so click Delete Files, and then click Delete Account to delete Joe’s account and return to the main User Accounts screen.

    Joe’s account no longer appears among the active accounts.

21. Click the Close button to close the User Accounts window, and then close Control Panel.

Switching Quickly Among Users

When you’re using Windows XP Professional on a network domain, there is only one way to log on to your computer: by entering your user account name and your password. If you are not on a network domain, whether you are using Windows XP Professional or Home Edition and whether you are working on a network (with no domain) or on a stand-alone computer, you have two logon options:

• You can select from pictorial representations on the new Windows XP Welcome screen.

• You can use the classic logon prompt that requires you to enter your user account name as well as your password (if the account is password-protected).

The Welcome screen is the default.

Another new option available in Windows XP on a stand-alone computer is Fast User Switching, which allows multiple users to log on to their user accounts without logging previous users off. This feature saves time and decreases frustration for all users, because open applications don’t need to be closed when switching between user accounts.

In this exercise, you will turn on Fast User Switching on your computer.

TIP:
Fast User Switching is not available on Windows XP Professional computers that are connected to a network domain.

There is no working folder for this exercise.

Follow these steps:

1. Log on to Windows, if you have not already done so.

2. On the Start menu, click Control Panel.

   The Control Panel window opens.

3. Click the User Accounts icon.

   The User Accounts window appears, with the current user names displayed at the bottom of the window.

   IMPORTANT:
   If you have only one user account on your computer, you will need to quickly create at least one other account to be able to use Fast User Switching.

4. Click the Change the way users log on or off task.

   The Select logon and logoff options screen appears.

5. Select the Use Fast User Switching check box, and click Apply Options.

   The change is applied, and you return to the main User Accounts window.

6. With the User Accounts and Control Panel windows still open, click Log Off on the Start menu.

   This Log Off Windows dialog box appears:

   (Image unavailable.)

7. Click Switch User. The Welcome screen appears with the current user accounts shown.

8. Click one of the account names to log on with that account.

   If the account is password-protected, a password box appears.

   TIP:
   If you don’t remember your password, you can click the blue question mark button to see the password hint.

9. Type the password, and click the green arrow button to continue.

   You are now logged on to the account, and that account’s personal settings are loaded. The Start menu expands, with the account’s user name and user account picture displayed at the top, like this:

   (Image unavailable.)

   If this is the first time this account has logged on, all the settings are the default settings, and there are no open applications.

10. On the Start menu, click Log Off.

11. In the Log Off Windows dialog box, click Switch User.

12. On the Welcome screen, click your own user name, and if your account is password-protected, enter your password.

    You are returned to your own user account, where the User Accounts and Control Panel windows are still open. (They might be minimized.)

13. Click the Close button to close the User Accounts window, and then close Control Panel.

Analyzing Your Computer’s Security

Computer security is a hot topic these days. The proliferation of Internet access and e-mail in homes and workplaces around the world has provided a new (and relatively simple) avenue for malicious intrusion into our lives. It is important to be aware of the possible security vulnerabilities of each computer you work on, whether it is at home, at school, at work, or in a public place such as an Internet café. It is also important to protect these computers through correct network setups, appropriate virus scanning software, and informed computer use practices.

Any computer that is connected to the Internet, whether full-time or intermittently, is exposed to the risk of attack by a computer virus. This sounds dangerous, and the potential risk should always be taken seriously, but there are a number of things you can do to protect your system from infection.

• Work behind a firewall. A firewall is a secure bridge between the external Internet and your computer (if you have a direct Internet connection) or the intranet to which your computer is connected (if you’re working on a network). In a networked business environment, the corporate intranet should sit behind a firewall that protects the network from intrusion. In a home environment, the firewall can be installed on the computer through which your home network accesses the Internet, or it can be part of your computer’s operating system. Windows XP Professional and Home Edition incorporate Internet Connection Firewall (ICF) software that monitors the information communicated from the Internet to your computer or network. ICF ensures that only authorized communications reach your system, thus protecting you from malicious intrusions.

  TIP:
  For more information about ICF, refer to the "Enable or Disable Internet Connection Firewall" topic in the Help and Support Center.

• Install all available security upgrades. Use Windows Update to automatically keep your Windows XP computer up to date with Microsoft-issued product updates.

  TIP:
  For more information, refer to "Keeping Your Computer Up to Date" in Chapter 12, "Solving Problems."

• Utilize third-party antivirus software. Select a program that monitors your hard disk drive and external drives, as well as all incoming and outgoing files.

• Do not open unidentified e-mail attachments.

  TIP:
  For more information about e-mail security, refer to "Sending and Receiving E-Mail Messages" in Chapter 8, "Communicating with Other People."

• Analyze your system security from time to time to ensure that your computer system is as secure as possible. Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer is a free tool you can download from the Microsoft Web site that scans your system for security vulnerabilities and leads you through the process of optimizing your system security.

In this exercise, you will install and run the Baseline Security Analyzer.

There is no working folder for this exercise, but you do need to have a working Internet connection and you might need to know your computer’s IP address.

TIP:
Here’s a simple way to find your computer’s IP address. On the Start menu, click Run. Type cmd in the Open text box and then click OK. In the command window that opens, type ipconfig and press Enter. Your computer’s IP address is printed on the screen along with other related information. Write down the IP address and then click the command window’s Close button to close the window.

Follow these steps:

1. Click the Start button, and then click Internet at the top of the Start menu.

   Your default Internet browser starts. If this is the first time you’ve started the Internet browser, you might be prompted to specify your location.

2. Click in the Address box to select the current Web page address, and then press Del to clear the Address box content.

3. In the Address box, type http://support.microsoft.com, and then press Enter or click the Go button.

   The Microsoft Product Support Services Web site opens, looking something like this:

   (Image unavailable.)

4. Type Q320454 in the For solutions containing box. This is the article number of the Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer article. Alternately, you could search for Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer, but that would result in several articles that you would have to search through to find the one you want.

5. Press Enter. If you are prompted to confirm that you want to send this information over the Internet, click Yes.

6. In the Search results list, click the article titled Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer (MBSA) Version 1.0 Is Available (Q320454). You can tell from the inclusion of the article number that this is the correct article. Any other articles included in the results list contain cross-references to this one.

   The article opens in a new window. If you are interested, you can learn the technical details of the Baseline Security Analyzer here, including all its various scanning options.

7. Scroll down to the Download Location heading. Below this heading, click the Download Mbsasetup.msi now link.

   The File Download dialog box appears.

8. Click the Open button.

   The Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer Setup Wizard file is downloaded to a temporary folder on your hard disk and then opened.

9. Click the Next button to move to the wizard’s License Agreement page.

10. Read the license agreement, select the I accept the license agreement option, and click the Next button.

11. If your name and organization are not already entered on the User Information page, enter them now. Accept the default Anyone who uses this computer option, and then click the Next button.

12. On the Destination Folder page, keep the default settings and click the Next button.

13. On the Choose install options page, clear the Place shortcut on the desktop and Show Readme file after installation check boxes. Leave the Launch application after installation check box selected, and click the Next button.

14. On the Select Features page, click the Next button, and then click the Next button on the Ready to Install the Application page to start the installation process.

15. When the installation is complete, the Baseline Security Analyzer starts.

16. Click the Baseline Security Analyzer window’s Maximize button to display this Welcome screen:

    (Image unavailable.)

17. Click Scan a computer to move to the next step:

    (Image unavailable.)

    The computer you are working on is selected in the Computer name drop-down list. All scanning options are selected by default.

18. Click Start scan.

    The Baseline Security Analyzer scans your computer for the selected scanning options, and creates an interactive security report like this:

    (Image unavailable.)

    TROUBLESHOOTING:
    If you see a message that the computer was not found, click Continue to return to the Welcome screen, and then repeat steps 17 and 18, but enter your computer’s IP address in the IP Address text boxes before clicking Start scan.

    You can print the report by clicking Print in the Actions box in the lower-left corner.

19. Scroll through the report to see how your computer scored.

20. If the report points out any critical issues (indicated by a red X in the Score column), click the How to correct this link for the issue for information describing the issue and how to fix it. If you like, fix each of the reported issues and then rerun the Baseline Security Analyzer to ensure that your system is secure.

21. When you’re done with the Baseline Security Analyzer, click its Close button to close the window.

22. Click Finish to close the Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer Setup Wizard, and then close the remaining open windows.

For information about other Internet Explorer configuration options, refer to Chapter 11, "Surfing the Web."

Configuring Security Zones

Internet Explorer enables you to set different levels of security for different types of Web sites. For instance, you might not want to allow certain types of programs to run on your computer when you’re surfing the Web, but you might feel perfectly comfortable running programs that originate from your organization’s intranet site or from specific Web sites that you trust (such as your own).

Internet Explorer divides the types of Web sites you visit into four security zones:

• Internet.All external Web sites that are not on the trusted or restricted site lists.

• Local intranet.All Web sites that are part of your organization’s local network.

• Trusted sites.Specific Web sites that you have designated as trustworthy; you believe that content from these sites will not damage your computer or data.

• Restricted sites.Specific Web sites that you believe might contain content that will damage your computer or data.

You must specifically designate Web sites as part of the Trusted sites and Restricted sites zones; otherwise these zones are empty.

You can set the security level for each zone at one of four predefined levels, or you can customize the security level for your own or your organization’s needs. The predefined security levels are:

• High.This level is appropriate for any Web sites that you don’t trust, or if you want to have full control over the content that is downloaded to and run on your computer. This is the default security level for the Restricted sites zone. Internet Explorer prevents potentially harmful content from running on your computer, which might mean that certain Web sites function or are displayed improperly.

• Medium.This level is appropriate for most Internet sites, and it is the default security level for the Internet zone. Internet Explorer prompts you before downloading any potentially unsafe content, and it does not download unsigned ActiveX controls.

• Medium-low.This level is appropriate for intranet sites, and it is the default security level for the Local intranet zone. Internet Explorer does not download unsigned ActiveX controls, but most other content runs without prompts.

• Low.This level is only appropriate for sites that you absolutely trust, and it is the default security level for the Trusted sites zone. Internet Explorer provides only minimal safeguards and warnings, and it downloads and runs most content without prompting you for permission.

Most people will find that the default settings are adequate for their needs, but from time to time you might want or need to customize a setting. Even if you never do, it’s good to know what your options are so you can feel confident that your Web browsing is done in a secure and sensible manner. The following sections describe the security setting categories and show the default setting for each of the four standard security levels. A discussion of the meaning of each of these security options is beyond the scope of this book, but you will get a general idea of the settings you can control. For most of the security options you have the option to enable, disable, or prompt for approval when Internet Explorer encounters that particular option.

IMPORTANT:
The settings shown here reflect the default options for each security level in its default security zone.

You can set the following options for ActiveX controls and plug-ins:

TIP:
For more information about Internet Explorer security settings, refer to "Setting Up Security Zones" on the Microsoft Web site.

In this exercise, you will examine your current Internet Explorer security zone settings, and experiment with changing your security options and adding and removing Web sites from the trusted and restricted sites lists.

There is no working folder for this exercise. You must be running Internet Explorer as your default Web browser. If you do not have a working Internet connection, the dialog box settings you see might look slightly different from the ones shown here, but you will still be able to complete the exercise.

Follow these steps:

1. On the Start menu, point to All Programs and then click Internet Explorer.

   Internet Explorer opens to your default home page. It doesn’t matter what page is open; to complete this exercise, you need access to only the menus.

2. If the window is not maximized, click its Maximize button.

3. On the Tools menu, click Internet Options.

   The Internet Options dialog box opens.

4. Click the Security tab, which looks something like this:

   (Image unavailable.)

   Depending on your current security settings, the Security level for this zone area displays either a slide control like the one shown here or a custom setting.

5. If your screen shows a custom setting, click the Default Level button to return the Internet zone to the default Medium security level.

6. Drag the slide control down one mark and release it.

   A message box warns you that you have selected a security level lower than the recommended minimum.

7. Click Yes to change the security level. (You’ll change it only temporarily.)

   Next you’ll try customizing the security options.

8. Click the Custom Level button to display this Security Settings dialog box:

   (Image unavailable.)

   The default security level is displayed in the Reset custom settings area.

9. Scroll through the options and change a few to see how changing security levels works. When you’re finished making changes, click OK.

   A message box prompts you to confirm your changes.

10. Click Yes to customize your security options and close the Security Settings dialog box.

    In the Internet Options dialog box, the security level is now shown as Custom.

11. Click the Restricted sites icon, and then click the Sites button.

    This Restricted sites dialog box opens:

    (Image unavailable.)

12. In the Add this Web site to the zone box, type the name of a Web site to experiment with, such as www.microsoft.com, and then click the Add button.

    The Web site you entered moves to the Web sites list; if you visit the Web site now it will be as a restricted site.

    TIP:
    If you want to experiment with the restricted sites setting, you can click OK to close the Restricted sites dialog box, and then click OK to close the Internet Options dialog box and apply your changes. If you do this, be sure to return to the Internet Options dialog box and reset your security levels when you’re done.

13. In the Web sites list, select your practice site and click the Remove button to clear the list, and then click OK to close the Restricted sites dialog box.

14. Click the Internet icon, and then click the Default Level button to return the Internet zone to the default security level.

15. To implement this security level, click OK; otherwise, click Cancel to close the Internet Options dialog box without implementing any of the changes you’ve experimented with.

Ensuring Effective Virus-Checking:
The Windows XP System Restore feature utilizes a series of checkpoints and restoration points that are automatically created when certain events occur or at certain time intervals. You can also manually create restoration points. Each of these restoration points is the equivalent of a large-scale file backup. If a virus-infected file is stored as part of a restoration backup, it could be restored along with the rest of your system settings if you choose to restore your system to that particular restoration point.

While the System Restore feature is enabled, the backup files are protected from detection or cure by virus scanning programs. Prior to running a system-wide virus checker, disable the System Restore feature to ensure that all files are checked and cured or deleted as appropriate.

To disable System Restore, right-click My Computer (on the desktop or Start menu), and then click Properties on the shortcut menu. In the System Properties dialog box, click the System Restore tab. Select the Turn off System Restore check box, and then click OK to close the dialog box and save your changes. If you are prompted to restart the computer, close any open program windows and then click Yes.

After running the virus scanner, repeat the above process and clear the Turn off System Restore check box to restart System Restore.

For more information about the System Restore feature, refer to "Restoring Your Operating System" in Chapter 12, "Solving Problems."