Tips to avoid being hacked..
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Avoid Suspicious Attachments
"It is extremely easy for someone to forge an e-mail message," said Chris Hofmann, director of engineering for the Mozilla Foundation, the organization that makes the Firefox Web browser. "If a message requests that you send your password or other private information, or asks that you run or install an attached file, then it is very likely that the message is not legitimate. When in doubt, just mark the message as junk and delete it."
Use Multiple Layers of Protection
Many traditional antivirus vendors now offer integrated-security products that not only give you the ability to set up a firewall easily, but also offer several options for locking down your computer against spam, viruses, and spyware. Rather than require that you purchase and maintain separate software products for each type of protection you need, these integrated software packages combine several kinds of protection in one suite, providing overall security for your computer at a lower cost per module.
Don't Neglect Software Updates
Of course, your software might want to update itself right when you're in the middle of doing something on your PC that requires most of your processor's power. And you might be tempted to click the delay button. But when the software prompts you to update, resist the urge to postpone it. The more current your software is, the less likely it will be that you have to cancel your credit cards as a result of identity theft.
Use a Little Link Logic
Here is one example of the kind of messages designed to steal your account information: "This e-mail is a reminder that your eBay account information is suspended. To avoid any interruption to your service, including the ability to log on to your eBay account, please update your credit or debit card information by clicking here and submitting our form." While the text might sound completely authentic and the e-mail might look perfectly legitimate, replete with eBay graphics, resist the temptation to follow the instructions.
Use Safer Surfing Tools
Currently, Internet Explorer 6 is the most dangerous Web browser to use because it is the most popular. When it comes down to it, it's a numbers game for hackers. They know that some 90 percent of Internet users rely on Internet Explorer to surf the Web. So they tailor their malicious scripts, ActiveX controls, and all sorts of other malware specifically to weaknesses in the current version of Internet Explorer.
Subscribe to a Credit-Monitoring Service
For example, Equifax, one of the three leading credit bureaus, offers a service called Credit Watch that can alert you about any credit file changes at all three major credit-reporting companies. Other credit-monitoring services include Identity Guard (www.identityguard.com), which provides three-bureau monitoring and is offered directly through some online-banking outlets. Another is TrueCredit (www.truecredit.com), which provides reports on credit scores from the three major credit bureaus and offers other credit-monitoring services.
Educate Yourself About Online Threats
Learn more about protecting yourself from phishing attacks and other online identity scams by visiting sites specifically devoted to these issues, such as www.antiphishing.org, www.consumer.gov/idtheft, http://safety.msn.com/phishing, or several others that provide information about how to protect yourself against online scams.
