Improve Windows Security

Rename the Administrator account and disable the Guest account (Windows
XP Professional only.) Crackers need both a password and a user name to
get into your computer. Windows XP Pro comes with a default account
called Administrator that has full privileges on your system and Guest
that has limited privileges on your system.

Disable the Guest Account: (XP Pro) Now you are back at the Computer
management screen. Right-click on the Guest account and choose
Properties > in the resulting screen check the box that says Account is
disabled > click Apply and OK. A red circle with an X should now be over
the icon next to the Guest account. While you're there change the
description of the account. Right-click on the account name and choose
Properties > In the description box change or delete the contents.

http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.txt Note: the below locations are
for the default paths, edit as needed.

Windows XP        =    C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\ETC
Windows 2000    =    C:\WINNT\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\ETC
Windows 98        =    C:\WINDOWS
Windows ME        =    C:\WINDOWS

There is no need to turn on, adjust or change any settings. Windows
automatically looks for the existence of a HOSTS file and if found,
checks the HOSTS file first for entries to the web page you just
requested. The 127.0.0.1 is the location of your computer, so when the
entry (example) "ad.doubleclick.net" is requested your computer thinks
127.0.0.1 is the location of the file. When this file is not located it
skips onto the next file and thus the ad server is blocked from loading
the banner, Cookie, or some unscrupulous ActiveX, or javascript file.