Tips to Stay Safe on the Internet

Recent findings show that many computer users' surf the Internet unprotected. This can be a very dangerous game to play with a computer. It is vitally important to take at least the basic precautions to protect your computer when on the Internet. Why? There are plenty of new computer viruses, malware, Trojans, waiting to infect an unprotected computer. Just take a second to think about all the websites that you visit daily. Could there be a malicious virus waiting in that link or download? Here are a few important tips to follow to stay safe on the Internet.

Use Paranoid Tendencies to Your Advantage

Learn to be very paranoid on the Internet. It is a good move to presume that every website or link is waiting to take you down. Don't trust anyone or thing. Automatically assume that any new website is infected with some type of malware waiting to invade your machine. Update your malware and antivirus programs on a regular basis to keep the computer safe.

Don't Click

Suppose an email arrived in your inbox. The email said "Check out these hot pix of your favorite movie star" or something very similar. Would you click the link? Many people would click the link out of curiosity. Don't click that link. That link might be infected with attachments that remotely install malware on your computer.

Update Patches

Keep all those Windows patches updated on your computer. This is one way to stay safe and stop malicious security attacks on your computer.

Passwords

Never use a password that is easy to hack. Experts find that passwords with six or even seven characters are not enough. Passwords should have at least eight characters. Never use easy to guess words or personal information in a password. They are simply too easy for the hacker to crack. Mix up the characters in the password. Use upper case, lower case, numbers, symbols. Never use the same password for all your accounts on the Internet because if the password is hacked, all your accounts are in jeopardy.

Avoid Torrent Sites

Sure the sites offer lots of free peer to peer music, videos, and software. Did you know that many of the torrent sites are also responsible for infecting millions of computers with malware? For many, it is impossible to not succumb to the lure of the torrents free playground. So, always protect your computer with the latest antivirus and malware to keep safe.

Use the tips included here to keep safe while on the Internet.