From the course: Working with Computers and Devices

The security settings on your computer

From the course: Working with Computers and Devices

The security settings on your computer

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- [Instructor] Modern desktop operating systems have built-in features to help protect your computer from being compromised by problems like viruses and hackers. There's always more you can do to ensure the security of your data, but at the bare minimum, you should check that the basic security features of your computer are enabled. For example, here in Windows 10, we can go to our System Control Panel by typing control panel in the Cortana search field, selecting it here. And from here we can select System and Security. Here you'll find Windows Defender Firewall, which is a built-in service that helps protect your computer from unauthorized access over your network and over the Internet. It can defend against malicious software and hackers that may attempt to gain access to your computer. Windows Defender should be enabled by default, but it's a good idea to make sure. Click its name and then click Turn Windows Defender firewall on or off. Make sure Turn on Windows Defender Firewall is enabled under both the private and public network settings areas. And also make sure that both instances have Notify me when Windows Defender Firewall blocks a new app are checked. This will have your system alert you if any application tries to gain access to your computer, so you can determine whether to allow it that access. Now, Windows 10 also includes built-in antivirus features. You can check and configure its settings by going to the Start Menu, to Settings, and then Update and Security. Here, select Windows Security, and click Virus and threat protection. By default, Windows periodically scans for viruses. But if you suspect your system may have been compromised by a virus, you can click on Scan Options to choose the level of scan you want to perform. And then click Scan Now to have Windows check for viruses. Again, both Windows Defender and Windows antivirus features are enabled by default, but it's still a good idea to check your own computer to make sure they're enabled and running.

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