| The role of the personal computer has taken a | | | | |
| whole new meaning ever since the introduction | | | | 4. Hackers mostly employ Active-X and |
| of the Internet. There are scores of Internet | | | | JavaScript for planting malicious programs |
| surfers who use the Internet from shopping to | | | | into computers. Also, cookies are regularly |
| banking to investing and much more and the | | | | planted on your computer to track your |
| Internet today, is a buzzing, throbbing | | | | browsing preferences - but cookies are |
| center of activity. But there's some bad news | | | | relatively harmless. To stay away from |
| - the Internet is also swarming with quite a | | | | malicious programs, you need to tweak your |
| few elements from the dark side - and they | | | | web browser's security settings - Set your |
| are called hackers and phishers. | | | | security setting for the "Internet zone" to |
| | | | High, and for your "trusted sites zone" to |
| Hackers try to break into your computer to | | | | Medium-Low. |
| steal or corrupt your important data, while | | | | |
| phishers try to obtain your personal | | | | 5. Now, you need virus protection and |
| identification using dubious methods. You | | | | therefore, need to install anti-virus |
| have no choice but to protect your computer | | | | software. AVG anti-virus is free software |
| from these elements and here a few, easy, | | | | that is updated regularly and you can |
| cost-effective steps you must take to make | | | | download a personal edition by visiting its |
| your computer almost as secure as Fort Knox: | | | | developer's website |
| | | | |
| 1. Take a backup of important data regularly | | | | 6. Never ever open mail attachments that come |
| - preferably, daily. Buy another hard drive | | | | from unknown sources. They are sure to |
| for the backup, but do not permanently plug | | | | contain a virus or a Trojan. Also, never run |
| it into your computer. The idea is to keep | | | | a program located at an unknown origin, on a |
| your backups away from your computer just in | | | | website that does not have a security |
| case it is hacked into. | | | | certificate - such programs will plant a |
| | | | Trojan on your system. |
| 2. Always update your operating system. All | | | | |
| developers of operating systems (Windows, | | | | 8. The Windows operating system is set to |
| Apple OS and Linux) regularly release patches | | | | "hide file extensions for known file types". |
| and updates when they discover holes in their | | | | Turning off this option will help you see |
| programs. So, remember to keep the "automatic | | | | files with unusual extensions - which, in all |
| update" feature on always. Microsoft Tip: | | | | probability, will be viruses/Trojans |
| Windows users can go to and download the | | | | Keyloggers. |
| latest updates. | | | | |
| | | | 9. When you are working offline, disconnect |
| 3. Your web browser (Internet Explorer, | | | | your computer from the local area network. |
| Opera, Mozilla Firefox, etc.) too must be | | | | That way, a hacker will not be able to attack |
| updated for the same reasons stated above. | | | | your computer. |
| All you have to do is visit the browser | | | | |
| developer's homepage and download the latest | | | | 10. Build a boot disk just in case a |
| version or update. If you are using the | | | | malicious program crashes your system. |
| Microsoft Office Suite, then you must make it | | | | |
| a point to visit and update it, as this | | | | 11. Finally, you need to install an |
| software suite is a hacker's favorite. | | | | anti-spyware program. Ad-Aware SE Personal is |
| | | | an award-winning tool that can help you |
| 4. Next, install a firewall on your computer. | | | | detect and eliminate spyware effectively. |
| A firewall turns your computer invisible on | | | | |
| the Internet and hackers, phishers, virus | | | | These are the basic steps required to secure |
| Trojan developers, malware and adware cannot | | | | your computer. Always remember to keep your |
| break into it. You can visit and download a | | | | anti-virus, anti-spyware and firewall |
| personal edition, which comes free. However, | | | | programs up-to-date. So, use our guide and |
| if your data security needs are critical, | | | | turn your computer into a virtual Fort Knox. |
| then you must consider investing in a 100% | | | | Good Luck! |
| hack-proof firewall. | | | | |