It's been awhile since I touched on the "Safe" Computing angle so I'll take a moment to quickly post a Top Ten, if you will, of computing tips that will refresh our memory of how not to get stung by the many, many bugs out there!

1 Beware Of E-mail Attachments

Never open an e-mail attachment from someone that you do not know! Or better still, unless you know why you have recieved it. These new viruses can and will copy themselves to your friends & families address books and will send you an e-mail with the infected file...and they usually won't realize it.

2 Stay Away From Download Files From Newsgroups

Hackers and Internet Near-Do-Wells sometimes place infected files in newsgroups anonymously. This is just asking for problems, in my humble opinion.

3 Update Your Anti-Virus Software!

I update my anti-virus dats once per week. This is not excessive as the manufacturers are very good / quick at getting the latest virus cures up there for us. But if you do not check periodically for the updates, you can't keep your PC current against the new strains of virus that seem to appear weekly! Please consider once a week as it doesn't take that long.

4 Keep Your Other Software Updated

Communications software, such as browsers need to be updated also. When manufacturers find a security hole, they will post it for download. These patches are as crucial as updating the anti-virus software. If you neglect this, you leave your PC vulnerable.

5 Online Scanners?

I often use an online virus scanner just to ease my mind that my software is reporting correctly. My favorite is PC HouseCall by TrendMicro™. These sites will automatically scan using the latest anti-virus data. It's cheap piece of mind.

6 You Should Use Safe Settings

Your e-mail and web-browser settings should be set to at least Medium. To do this, click on Tools( top taskbar )>Internet Options>Security and click on the Custom Level button. There you can adjust your settings to your comfort level.

7 Add Multiple Levels Of Protection

You may also want to invest in personal firewall software, especially if you have an "always on" connection such as DSL ( Digital Subscriber Line ). Dial up connections are not as crucial as you have a new IP address everytime you log on to the Internet. The DSL IP addy stays constant so it is right out there to see ( for hackers & unfriendlies! ). My favorite firewall software is free and is called ZoneAlarm. This free download can be found at ZoneLabs. This is very user-friendly to download and install. Other programs are BlackIce Defender & Symantec's Norton's Internet Security. These are not free but very good also!
Your firewall will limit the kinds of computer access from outside sources, therefore protecting your PC from hackers. These individuals love infiltrating computers looking for your personal info.

8 Should You Use Encryption?

If you feel that a personal firewall would be an over-kill, then you could try using an encryption program for those few files that you want kept secure. PGP ( Pretty Good Privacy ) is an outstanding program developed by Network Associates. This can be downloaded as well as PGP Security Suite or PGP Freeware. The site you need is www.pgp.com. At least give them a look.

9 Use Smart Passwords

Randomness in choosing / using passwords is truly a must. Try using a variety of characters and don't use the names of pets & family members. These are too easy for others to guess. In addition, you really should change your passwords often, especially for sites where you use your credit card.

10 Make Back-ups A Regular Habit

If you do happen to contract a virus, you can minimize and / or contain the damage more effectively if you have a recent back-up of your system handy. Just make sure to scan these files also prior to restoring them.

Hopefully these suggestions will help you now and in the future. Thank you for making this web-site a regular stop. The site hits are picking up weekly and this makes it all worth while!!...spider-boy!

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Official Disclaimer:spider-boy.com is not responsible for user-induced damage to your PC.These Tips & Tricks are provided in good faith and are meant to ease your use of Win98.Some links on this site connect to third-party web-sites and although we at spider-boy.com try our best to verify the integrity of each link,we are also not responsible for the content found there.
Thank you and come again...Spider!

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