| Arguably one of the greatest inventions the | | | | of the world, or it could be to a PC next |
| world has ever known. The internet has opened | | | | door, who knows where it ends up. |
| up the business world; it allows people to | | | | |
| communicate across vast distances, cheaper | | | | There is little 'widgets R us' can do as the |
| and easier than ever before. There is a world | | | | next time you appear to visit their website |
| of information at your finger tips. More and | | | | they see the same details typed in, the same |
| more people are getting connected and taking | | | | passwords and they greet you back again. The |
| advantage of the great wealth afforded by the | | | | difference is of course it's not you this |
| net. There are however some fairly serious | | | | time, it's some cyber thief, buying your |
| down sides, identity theft is one of the | | | | favourite widgets and you're the one paying |
| fastest growing crimes. By taking advantage | | | | for it. |
| of unprotected surfers, stealing their | | | | |
| personal details, hackers can run up huge | | | | The good news is it's not that complicated or |
| bills in someone else's name and walk away | | | | expensive to protect yourself in the cyber |
| undetected. | | | | world. |
| | | | |
| They say 90% of all PCs are infected with | | | | The first step to online security is to get a |
| some form of spyware. Spyware is simply a | | | | personal firewall. This monitors the data |
| little piece of software that installs itself | | | | coming and going over your internet |
| onto your PC and literally spies on anything | | | | connection, acting as a shield alerting you |
| you do online. One way, the creators of such | | | | to anything suspicious trying to broadcast |
| software nasties, are using to deliver their | | | | from your PC. |
| cargo is exploiting the popularity of | | | | |
| Internet video clips, piggy backing on the | | | | The next essential thing on the list is a |
| latest funny videos. Spyware comes in many | | | | good spyware removal software; this will |
| guises, Mal ware, Ad ware, Key Loggers, | | | | clean up your computer. The good news is |
| diallers to name but a few. They all aim to | | | | there are a few freebies that work really |
| do the same thing, that is rob you of your | | | | well. You'll be amazed after running a clean |
| personal data and generate revenue for there | | | | up tool at just how much faster your PC will |
| creators. | | | | run. There are also a couple of software |
| | | | packages that act as a firewall specifically |
| Key loggers for example, simply record every | | | | for spyware and ad ware, these will alert you |
| keystroke you make whilst online; | | | | should you be straying into an area on the |
| broadcasting this data to someone else's PC | | | | internet known for spyware. |
| somewhere out there in cyber space. Not a | | | | |
| good thing when you are buying your latest | | | | The final piece of your security armoury is a |
| 'widget' from 'widgets R us' and are typing | | | | good anti virus software; this will protect |
| in your credit card details, or when you are | | | | you against viruses, worms Trojan horses and |
| moving money around through online banking. | | | | other viral software. That attempt to spread |
| Unfortunately however secure the website at | | | | your data around the globe. |
| 'widgets r us' is, the problem lies on the PC | | | | |
| in front of you now. The key logging software | | | | By investing in these three software defences |
| is sat on your PC recording all the details | | | | you can feel confident in being able to |
| you type in and sending this data to some | | | | cruise the internet super highway in safety. |
| remote computer. It could be too the far side | | | | |