How can I check my system?
Even beginners can use the Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer (MBSA) to help secure their PC. It gives a nice report of what it found, how it found it and how to fix it, all in accordance with Microsoft security recommendations and offers specific remediation guidance. Improve your security by using MBSA to detect common security misconfigurations and missing security updates on your computer system.
MBSA Version 2.0.1 will scan Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003 systems for security weaknesses in your browser and operating system settings and provides easy instructions to correct them. This includes missing critical Windows security updates, system vulnerabilities, disabling unnecessary services and your Internet Explorer security settings.
Get the download here: Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer.
More advanced users may want to try the Belarc Advisor. It’s a free tool that does some of the same things for Windows 98 & ME users. It builds a detailed profile of your installed software and hardware, missing Microsoft hotfixes, anti-virus status, CIS (Center for Internet Security) benchmarks, and displays the results in your Web browser. All of your PC profile information is kept private on your PC and is not sent to any web server. The initial report is a nice description of your system, both hardware and software, but the method of describing remedies to any problems uncovered may be beyond the beginner.
Is there a security analyzer for Vista?
The only 2 I have experience with are Microsoft’s at http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/security/cc184923.aspx
or the Belarc Advisor at http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html