| The role of the personal computer has
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| | edition, which comes free. However, if
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| taken a whole new meaning ever since the
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| Internet from shopping to banking to
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| | 4. Hackers mostly employ Active-X and
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| | JavaScript for planting malicious
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| today, is a buzzing, throbbing center of
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| Internet is also swarming with quite a
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| few elements from the dark side - and
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| they are called hackers and phishers.
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| Hackers try to break into your computer
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| | tweak your web browser's security
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| to steal or corrupt your important data,
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| | settings - Set your security setting for
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| while phishers try to obtain your
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| | "trusted sites zone" to Medium-Low.
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| methods. You have no choice but to
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| | 5. Now, you need virus protection and
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| steps you must take to make your computer
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| | download a personal edition by visiting
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| 1. Take a backup of important data
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| | its developer's website
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| regularly - preferably, daily. Buy
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| | 6. Never ever open mail attachments that
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| another hard drive for the backup, but do
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| | come from unknown sources. They are sure
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| not permanently plug it into your
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| case it is hacked into.
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| | security certificate - such programs will
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| 2. Always update your operating system.
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| | plant a Trojan on your system.
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| All developers of operating systems
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| | 8. The Windows operating system is set to
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| release patches and updates when they
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| remember to keep the "automatic update"
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| users can go to and download the latest
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| | 9. When you are working offline,
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| updates.
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| | disconnect your computer from the local
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| Opera, Mozilla Firefox, etc.) too must be
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| updated for the same reasons stated
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| | 10. Build a boot disk just in case a
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| above. All you have to do is visit the
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| | 11. Finally, you need to install an
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| hacker's favorite.
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| | These are the basic steps required to
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| 4. Next, install a firewall on your
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