In today's digital age, securing your internet activities is crucial, especially on Windows systems that are widely used both personally and professionally. This article will guide you through various methods to enhance your internet security on Windows, using built-in tools and settings.

1. Keep Your System Updated: Regularly update your Windows operating system to protect against vulnerabilities. Use Windows Update to ensure your system has the latest security patches.

2. Enable Windows Firewall: Windows Firewall is an essential feature that helps block unauthorized access to your computer. To enable it:

   • Open the Control Panel.
   • Go to "System and Security" > "Windows Defender Firewall".
   • Click "Turn Windows Defender Firewall on or off" and ensure it is enabled for both private and public networks.

3. Use Windows Defender Antivirus: Windows Defender provides real-time protection against threats. Ensure it is active:

   • Open the "Settings" app.
   • Navigate to "Update & Security" > "Windows Security".
   • Click on "Virus & threat protection" and ensure all protection settings are turned on.

4. Configure Network Security: Use the following command in CMD to view your network configuration and ensure your DNS settings are secure:

   ipconfig /all

   Verify that your DNS server addresses are correct and consider using a secure DNS service like Google DNS (8.8.8.8) or Cloudflare (1.1.1.1).

5. Use PowerShell for Security Audits: PowerShell can be used to audit your system's security settings. For example, to check the status of your firewall, execute:

   Get-NetFirewallProfile

   This command will display the current status of your firewall profiles (Domain, Private, Public).

6. Secure Your Browser: Use secure browsers like Microsoft Edge or Mozilla Firefox and enable features like tracking protection and HTTPS-Only mode.

7. Implement User Account Control (UAC): UAC helps prevent unauthorized changes to your system. Ensure it is enabled by:

   • Open the Control Panel.
   • Go to "User Accounts" > "Change User Account Control settings".
   • Set the slider to a level that notifies you when apps try to make changes to your computer.

8. Use Strong Passwords and Enable Two-Factor Authentication: Ensure all your accounts have strong, unique passwords and enable two-factor authentication wherever possible.

Examples:

• To enable Windows Firewall via CMD:

  netsh advfirewall set allprofiles state on

• To check for Windows updates via PowerShell:

  Install-Module PSWindowsUpdate
  Get-WindowsUpdate
  Install-WindowsUpdate