Keep your system updated

Microsoft releases patches for Windows and Office products regularly to patch up Windows and Office products loopholes and fix any bugs found. Please ensure that you visit the following websites regularly or do update your system regularly.

Install the updates immediately if they are found. Reboot your computer if necessary, revisit Windows Update and Office update sites until there are no more updates to be installed.

To update Windows

Go to Start > All Programs > Windows Update

To update Office

Open up any Office program.

Go to Help > Check for Updates

Alternatively, you can visit the links below to update Windows and Office products.

Windows Update
Office Updates

If you are forgetful, you can change some settings so that you will be informed of updates. Here's how:

Java is another program that updates regularly to fix bug issues and loopholes in it. Here's the instructions for updating Java:

Remember to remove all previous versions of Java when you update it to a new version to prevent exploitation of the older versions left on your system.

Besides Windows and Java that need regular updating, antivirus, anti-spyware and firewall programs update regularly too.

Please make sure that you update your antivirus, firewall and anti-spyware programs at least once a week.

Backup regularly

You never know when your PC will become unstable or become so infected that you can't recover it. Follow this Microsoft article to learn how to backup. Follow this article by Microsoft to restore your backups.

Alternatively, you can use 3rd-party programs to back up your data. One example can be found at Bleeping Computer.

Make your Internet Explorer safer

For Internet Explorer 6

For a pictorial guide, please refer to this article.

For Internet Explorer 7

Please read the article by Microsoft to configure Internet Explorer 7 properly.

Prevent a re-infection

Use an alternative email client

If you are using Outlook Express as your default email client, try using Thunderbird or Pegasus Mail instead.

P2P Programs

The advice is not to use P2P programs. But if you wishes to, here are some P2P programs which are spyware-free.

List of Clean and Infected P2P Programs by Nexus7
List of Clean and Infected P2P programs by Spyware Info
List of Clean and Infected P2P programs by Patrick M. Kolla, maker of Spybot Search & Destroy

Download Managers

Download managers can help to make downloads faster, but some download managers are full of spywares or they bundled it with spyware.

A review of clean download managers can be found here.

Here are some more things to read about:

Safety when using P2P
Configuring Skype
Greater email safety
Phishing - what is it?
Configuring Outlook Express
Configuring Firefox 1.5
Securing Safari for Windows
The Unofficial Cookie FAQ
Securing your home wireless network
80 Super Security Tips
The different classes of security softwares
Child Lures Protection
The Children's Partnership
Counter Pedophilia Investigative Unit
Crimes Against Children Investigation Unit
Cyberlaw Enforcement Organization
Cybersmart
Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Agent
FBI - Crimes against Children
Get Net Wise
High Technology Crime Investigation Association (HTCIA)
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
Predator Hunter
Internet Safety for Kids
Perverted Justice
Safe Kids
Safe Teens

Internet Browsers *

See this post

Be careful when downloading via P2P!

List of Do Not Go sites:

[*]Software crack sites/keygen sites
[*]Pirated MP3/video/software sites
[*]Game cheat/hack web sites
[*]Pornography web sites (haha )

When visiting untrusted sites,

FAQ

Some more reading to do - http://www.sgforums.com/forums/2250/topics/201632

Here are some tips to reduce the potential for spyware infection in the future:<!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->

1. <!--coloro:blue--><!--/coloro-->Make your Internet Explorer More Secure<!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->

• From within Internet Explorer click on the Tools menu and then click on Options.
• Click once on the Security tab.
• Click once on the Internet icon so it becomes highlighted.
• Click once on the Custom Level button.
  
  
  • Change the Download signed ActiveX controls to Prompt.
  • Change the Download unsigned ActiveX controls to Disable.
  • Change the Initialise and script ActiveX controls not marked as safe to Disable.
  • Change the Installation of desktop items to Prompt.
  • Change the Launching programs and files in an IFRAME to Prompt.
  • Change the Navigate sub-frames across different domains to Prompt.
  • When all these settings have been made, click on the OK button.
  • If it prompts you as to whether or not you want to save the settings, press the Yes button.
  
  
• Next press the Apply button and then the OK to exit the Internet Properties page.

2. <!--coloro:blue--><!--/coloro-->Use and Update an Anti-Virus Software<!--colorc--><!--/colorc--> - I can not overemphasize the need for you to use and update your Anti-virus application on a regular basis. With the ever increasing number of new variants of malware arriving on the scene daily, you become very susceptible to an attack without updated protection.

3. <!--coloro:BLUE--><!--/coloro-->FIREWALL<!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->
Using a third-party firewall will allow you to give/deny access for applications that want to go online. Without a firewall your computer is susceptible to being hacked and taken over. Simply using a Firewall in its default configuration can lower your risk greatly. A tutorial on Firewalls and a listing of some available ones can be found <!--coloro:blue--><!--/coloro-->here<!--/colorc--><!--colorc-->

Do not install more than one firewall program because they will conflict with each other


4. <!--coloro:blue--><!--/coloro-->Make sure you keep your Windows OS current<!--colorc--><!--/colorc--> by visiting Windows update regularly to download and install any critical updates and service packs. Without these you are leaving the back door open.

5. <!--coloro:blue--><!--/coloro-->Consider a custom hosts file such as MVPS HOSTS<!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->. This custom hosts file effectively blocks a wide range of unwanted ads, banners, 3rd party Cookies, 3rd party page counters, web bugs, and many hijackers.
For information on how to download and install, please read this tutorial by WinHelp2002
Note: Be sure to follow the instructions to disable the DNS Client service before installing a custom hosts file.

6. <!--coloro:blue--><!--/coloro-->Download and install the free version of WinPatrol<!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->. This program protects your computer in a variety of ways and will work well with your existing security software. Have a look at this tutorial to help you get started with the program.

7. <!--coloro:blue--><!--/coloro-->Install Spybot - Search and Destroy<!--colorc--><!--/colorc--> - Download and install Spybot - Search and Destroy with its TeaTimer option. This will provide real time spyware and hijacker protection on your computer alongside your virus protection. You should scan your computer with the program on a regular basis just as you would with your anti-virus software. A tutorial on installing and using this product can be found here:
Instructions for - Spybot S & D and Ad-aware

8. Finally, I strongly recommend that you read TonyKlein's good advice <!--coloro:blue--><!--/coloro-->So how did I get infected in the first place?<!--colorc--><!--/colorc--> <!-- google_ad_section_end --><!--IBF.ATTACHMENT_445952-->

found from whatthetech.com