Windows security alerts that appear on your computer can either be legitimate ones or fake ones.
What Are Legitimate Windows Security Alerts
Legitimate Windows security alerts are generated through the Windows operating system to protect your computer from malware. They are designed to keep your system safe and secure and to prevent hackers from gaining access to your data. On some Windows operating systems, the Windows firewall is enabled at installation and closes ports in an effort to prevent the computer from connecting to other resources. If you are accessing one of these closed ports while trying to connect to the Internet, that is why the message or Windows Security Alert is appearing.
Dealing with Legitimate Windows Security Alerts
The Legitimate Windows Security Alert that you received should display a message that provides an indication of the problem. This message is your clue as to how to resolve the problem. For example, the message might provide the question “Do you want to continue to block this program?” You would have three options: “Keep Blocking,” “Unblock,” and “Ask Me Later.” Once you click your answer, you would then click “OK.”
Internet Connection and Legitimate Windows Security Alerts
Go through each of the steps that you took to set up the wireless Internet connection on the laptop and make sure that you have followed each step properly. This includes setting up your static IP address. Additionally, you might want to scan the computer for spyware and viruses once you do get it set up, so be sure to install a reliable anti-spyware/anti-virus application.
Fake Windows Security Alerts
In general, fake security alerts will advise you that you have lots of spyware and/or viruses on your computer. They will also suggest that you download a specific application in order to rid your computer of the spyware or viruses. If you click to follow this suggestion, you will load real spyware/adware onto your computer. Instead of removing the spyware and viruses that this fake security alert tells you exist on your computer, it will add real spyware onto it.
Since your computer has not yet been connected to the Internet, it’s doubtful that you have an infection. In fact, the security alerts are likely telling you that you need to update your operating system or something similar. Windows needs regular updating which is generally performed by connecting to the Internet. When it hasn’t been updated recently, a security alert is issued, reminding you to do this.
Go ahead and set up your computer for Internet access. Once you do get your computer connected to the Internet, one of the first tasks you should do is launch Windows Update and update the operating system with the latest security patches. Another critical task is to install a reliable computer security product such as ParetoLogic’s Antivirus Plus or any of the products on our antivirus review page.
Susan Keenan | April 9th, 2009
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