Protecting your computer from viruses, malware, and spy programs is really not as simple as installing a security program, thinking, “I’m protected,” and moving on. The sophistication of hackers has increased by orders of magnitude in the last few years. You’re no longer dealing with a student hacker who is doing it to prove he can; you’re dealing with criminals who are out to steal your personal information and make money. Start with a good internet security program. Make sure it updates regularly. It is absolutely useless to have a security program with detection information that is weeks or months old. New malware shows up daily. It’s vital to have the most current protection you can get. The major security software companies such as McAfee and Norton are updating their files all the time, attempting to stay ahead of the scammers. Go one step further and make sure your operating system has the latest patches and updates. Programmers create patches as soon as they identify vulnerable points in the software, but they won’t help you if you don’t take the time to install them. Your operating system probably has a reminder system to let you know when updates are available and may install them automatically if you set the system to work that way. Once you’ve done what you can for the system, the next part is up to you and common sense. Turn on the spam filter in your email program and let it do its job. Two thirds of the email sent through the internet is spam and no one is immune. Opening an email attachment from someone you don’t know is an invitation for trouble. The intriguing title is there specifically to entice you to open the attachment. Don’t do it. Don’t download anything to your computer unless you are sure it’s legitimate. Set your antivirus/security software to scan everything before it opens the file on your computer. Even your best friend might send you an infected file without realizing it. A huge number of people fall victim to email scams that ask for information. If somebody approached you on the street and asked for personal information, you wouldn’t give it to them. Why do it with an email? Never respond to email requests for information unless you are certain who is asking and why, and even then, be selective about what you send. Don’t ever put important personal data, passwords, and so on in an email. Enter information only on a company website that uses secure transmissions (look for the padlock symbol on the browser bar or “https” in the URL). Email is a convenient way to send messages and keep in touch, but it’s a bad way to handle sensitive data. As with many things in life, the one person who can do the most to keep you out of trouble is you. Category:Home › Other • Pomegranates: A newly discovered superfood • Where did the joke why did the chicken cross the road come from and why is it funny? • Can mothers diagnosed with bipolar disorder make good parents? • Spiritual evolution of human consciousness • Tips for getting a college basketball scholarship • Living with Pseudotumor cerebri (PTC) • Caring for the caregiver • Technologys impact on society