Another XP thread - HELP!

muffler · 08-04-2014 12:02am #1

Guys I had an old desktop PC that I give to the teenagers here at home about 4 years ago and currently its just used for playing PC games and a small bit of school work etc. Its running XP and like a lot of other people Im concerned.

I would still have some old work related stuff stored on it (clients accounts, passwords to online sites etc) but more worrying is the fact that the young lads have used my credit card to pay for downloading games from the likes of the PS store and other places and some of those sites store the card details.

I think I may have also used it at a time for online banking but Im assuming all that data would have been removed now…maybe not.

So what should I be doing now to prevent any possible theft/hacking bearing in mind that the support for XP stops tomorrow?

I don’t think the OS can be upgraded so what else should be done now? The PC will probably just be used for playing both installed and online games. Im no expert on these things so all advice would be more than appreciated.

Just for the record the PC is a Dell Dimension 9200, Windows XP, Intel core 2 cpu, 6400 @ 2.13GHz, 2 Gb ram, Nvidia GeForce 9500GT

bonzodog2 · 08-04-2014 8:15am

Backup anything you want to keep.
Make a new user account for future use(non-administrator), delete any others
Get ccleaner and run it
Get ONE decent free AV scanner
Defrag the drive
Uninstall all browsers and use IE to get latest version of one you like. Firefox,Opera,Chrome are all good

PrzemoF · 08-04-2014 8:44am

Do not use it for online banking anymore. Get a live linux CD/USB (fairly simple, google or ask on unix forum how to do it) and use it for online banking.

muffler · 08-04-2014 9:34am

Backup anything you want to keep.

Thats the easy part I think

Make a new user account for future use(non-administrator), delete any others

They both have separate accounts so delete both and create 2 new accounts? I assume googling this will show me how to do it.

Get ccleaner and run it

I downloaded this in the past and tbh I was afraid to use it after it scanned the system as I thought I might be deleting important stuff. There's a number of "pre-ticked" boxes so should I just leave it in default mode and let it clean/repair/fix everything it detects?

Get ONE decent free AV scanner

Any recommendations? AVG is currently installed.

Defrag the drive

Grand.

Uninstall all browsers and use IE to get latest version of one you like. Firefox,Opera,Chrome are all good

I think they have IE, Firefox and chrome installed

I take it that I should do all of the above in the sequence given?

Many thanks for the reply.

muffler · 08-04-2014 9:40am

PrzemoF wrote: »

Do not use it for online banking anymore. Get a live linux CD/USB (fairly simple, google or ask on unix forum how to do it) and use it for online banking.

Its been about 4 years since I used it for online banking and Im hoping that running Ccleaner will get rid of whatever remaining cookies or traces. Apologies if that's not the right terminology

muffler · 08-04-2014 9:41am

sugarman wrote: »

Upgrade it to w7, specs are fine for it.

That's an option alright. Is it expensive though?

sugarman wrote: »

Support ends today but the last patch/update is also released, so its alright for another month.

Phew!. A wee bit of breathing space :cool:

FSL · 08-04-2014 10:16am

If your computer is accessible from outside your network then it's accessible regardless of the operating system. Unless you require remote access then make sure you have a firewall which blocks all unsolicited traffic.

Use a browser which enables you to only allow scripts and cookies by positive action. Always delete browser history and cookies on exit. This keeps your machine from filling up with junk and makes tracking you a little but harder.

If you do need remote access then always use a secure VPN. OpenVpn for example provides a secure encrypted connection using certificate exchange. It is free and open source.

Never allow autoplay on any removable device.

Never store banking or credit card details on any computer, phone, tablet or other device.

Never allow any website to store your credit card or banking details. If they insist as a condition for using them then find an alternative.

If any site you visit on a regular basis has two factor authentication as an option then always use it.

Use common sense when on the internet you wouldn't walk down a dark alley in a strange town. Always check the actual address of links and if in doubt copy the link address and search for it.

Never open attachments from unsolicited emails. Banks and credit card companies do not send you attachments neither do Microsoft.

If you do have a machine on which you want to host a game then put it in a DMZ so it has no access whatsoever to any other machine on your network and never reconnect it to your network without first making sure it is absolutely clean, preferably by reinstalling the OS.

99% of malware is distributed through links to dodgy sites, visiting dodgy sites, opening attachments to emails, and then allowing software to be installed.

unkel · 08-04-2014 11:52am

bonzodog2 wrote: »

Make a new user account for future use(non-administrator), delete any others
Get ccleaner and run it
Get ONE decent free AV scanner
Defrag the drive
Uninstall all browsers and use IE to get latest version of one you like. Firefox,Opera,Chrome are all good

That's not gonna cut it. None of the concerns the OP has will be dealt with by any of those actions.

OP, securely wipe the hard disk from a universal boot cd. Then install windows 7 plus some decent free AV software. Job done, and won't cost that much (about £45 last time I looked)

muffler · 08-04-2014 12:12pm

unkel wrote: »

OP, securely wipe the hard disk from a universal boot cd

Sorry, Im sorta lost with that bit unkel.

FSL · 08-04-2014 2:05pm

unkel wrote: »

install windows 7 plus some decent free AV software. Job done,

No disrespect to UNKEL but anyone who thinks installing AV software gives them 100% protection is living in cloud cuckoo land.

How many of those caught out by the telephone 'I'm from Microsoft' scam didn't have a fully patched OS and up to date AV?

unkel · 08-04-2014 2:53pm

Of course that doesn't give you "100% protection", whatever that means

All the privacy / security concerns that the OP has will be gone this way though. None of the information will be retained.

@muffler - here's how to download and install UBCD on a cd or on a USB stick

Once you have done that, boot from it and run HDDErase or any of the other programs for securely wiping your hard disk. Then boot from your newly bought W7 DVD and follow the installation process. If you're stuck when the time comes, post here again with the details of your PC (make and model will do) and someone here will help you out

PropJoe10 · 08-04-2014 3:51pm

FSL wrote: »

No disrespect to UNKEL but anyone who thinks installing AV software gives them 100% protection is living in cloud cuckoo land.

How many of those caught out by the telephone 'I'm from Microsoft' scam didn't have a fully patched OS and up to date AV?

With all due respect, thats down to user stupidity. The NSA mainframe computers are all behind about a zillion firewalls, but that doesnt count for much if the security man gives a thief a key to the building. Its the same thing. Users need to be educated as well as protected. Not being rude or disrespectful here, its just a fact.

Mint Sauce · 08-04-2014 11:34pm

Sorry to gatecrash Muffler, but I too have an old XP device.

My old laptop is being used by the folks. Very very ocasioanly conected to dial up, and nothing where personal details would be submitted. At least not since I did a factory reset on it, after installing a new hard drive about 4-5 years ago.

Has been ocasioanly connected to a dongle, just to get a faster connection, and only when I was updating the service packs and updates, putting on AVG, and running an ESat online scan a couple of times after the reset for them.

Any precautions I should take for them for the very rare occasion they might go online, bar updating the up dates, AVG, and maybe changing the Browser to Firefox. Or a final resort of giving them my Vista one, and treeting my self to a window 8 device.

PropJoe10 · 08-04-2014 11:40pm

Mint Sauce wrote: »

Sorry to gatecrash Muffler, but I too have an old XP device.

My old laptop is being used by the folks. Very very ocasioanly conected to dial up, and nothing where personal details would be submitted. At least not since I did a factory reset on it, after installing a new hard drive about 4-5 years ago.

Has been ocasioanly connected to a dongle, just to get a faster connection, and only when I was updating the service packs and updates, putting on AVG, and running an ESat online scan a couple of times after the reset for them.

Any precautions I should take for them for the very rare occasion they might go online, bar updating the up dates, AVG, and maybe changing the Browser to Firefox. Or a final resort of giving them my Vista one, and treeting my self to a window 8 device.

I would not recommend using XP online for much more than another month, but if you must:

- Set up a new limited account rather than using a computer administrator account, and let them use that.
- NEVER use IE again. Firefox or Chrome (latest version always)
- Disable any Java browser plugins
- Only connect the computer to the internet when its really necessary. Disconnect it when finished.

Hope this helps a bit.

Mech1 · 08-04-2014 11:44pm

Lots of people dont install the updates anyway so "nothings changed" for them.

Mr. G · 08-04-2014 11:52pm

You could put a linux OS on it? I say this because it is an old laptop and the specs may not be brilliant.

Just make sure you check to see if the dial-up modem is compatible with it. It may not be compatible with W7 either.

A bit OT, but why are they on dial-up? Surely that costs them a fortune? A prepay mobile broadband stick would be quicker and cheaper.

beauf · 09-04-2014 12:00am

Considering xp users have ignored security issues for many years. I bet a lot will continue oblivious. MS missed a trick here. A cheap W8 offer would have shifted a lot of users. But its so expensive most wont pay it at current prices.

Mint Sauce · 09-04-2014 7:17am

Mr. G wrote: »

You could put a linux OS on it? I say this because it is an old laptop and the specs may not be brilliant.

Just make sure you check to see if the dial-up modem is compatible with it. It may not be compatible with W7 either.

A bit OT, but why are they on dial-up? Surely that costs them a fortune? A prepay mobile broadband stick would be quicker and cheaper.

Hardly costs anything, as its hardly ever connected, I'm just thinking for the very odd time it is.

Not sure the laptop would support anything else, it orriginally only had a 40GB hard drive, I updated it to 80 when replacing it. The ram is no more than half a GB, and it had a floppy drive as well as CD Rom.

Why though would you set up a limited account, rather than the administrator, is that just to stop people updating/adding stuff by accident.

GarIT · 09-04-2014 7:51am

There is no way to make XP safe. The Operating System is now vulnerable at a its core. No amount of security can protect you. The only safe thing to do is to never allow any computer running XP to connect to the internet ever again. The simple way of thinking about it is that if you are going to use an XP computer that is connected to the internet at all assume your screen is being watched and all your files are being copied.

PrzemoF · 09-04-2014 9:28am

I'm quite sure there will be a botnet mining bitcoins, sending spam and making ddos attacks made of "my xp still works fine, so I was right to ignore the deadline" PCs.

FSL · 09-04-2014 7:22pm

PrzemoF wrote: »

I'm quite sure there will be a botnet mining bitcoins, sending spam and making ddos attacks made of "my xp still works fine, so I was right to ignore the deadline" PCs.

I'm sure there are already plenty out there already made up of a variety of OS's all belonging to people who believe AV gives them all the protection they need, so it doesn't matter where they go to, what links they click or attachments they open.

Behind a hardware firewall (not one with a NSA backdoor) which blocks all unsolicited incoming traffic where you go and what you do rather than your OS is the major determining factor as far as malware is concerned.

FSL · 09-04-2014 7:26pm

GarIT wrote: »

There is no way to make XP safe. The Operating System is now vulnerable at a its core. No amount of security can protect you. The only safe thing to do is to never allow any computer running XP to connect to the internet ever again. The simple way of thinking about it is that if you are going to use an XP computer that is connected to the internet at all assume your screen is being watched and all your files are being copied.

I have an xp machine sitting behind a hardware firewall which blocks all unsolicited traffic. Tell me how you are going to read all the files on that system.

Another XP thread - HELP!

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