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These ten steps will help you increase your computer'ssecurity. From discovering viruses to learning how to avoidthem, this article is a must read!

Windows password This is the easiest way to make sure youknow who is using your pc. Choose a lengthy password thatcontains capital and lower case letters. Including a numberor two will greatly increase your security. Having aWindows password means that the only people that can logonto a Windows session are people that you have grantedaccess to.

Password manager You should never write your passwordsdown. Using the same password all the time will also makeit very easy for hackers to reach your personalinformation. So if you can*t write it down and you*re notsupposed to use the same one * how are you supposed to keeptrack of all of your passwords? The easiest way to do thisis to use a password manager. We prefer to use Roboform.Roboform is an easy to use password and profile managerthat docks neatly into your Internet Explorer toolbar andkeeps track of all of your passwords for you. Roboform alsouses a master password system. You will have one passwordthat accesses all of the passwords in the program. This wayyou can keep all of your information safe and secure. Youcan download Roboform for free by http://www.roboform.com.

Spyware Remover Next to spam, spyware is the internet*sbiggest annoyance. By definition, spyware is *any softwarethat covertly gathers user information through the user'sInternet connection without his or her knowledge, usuallyfor advertising purposes. Once installed, the spywaremonitors user activity on the Internet and transmits thatinformation in the background to someone else. Spyware canalso gather information about e-mail addresses and evenpasswords and credit card numbers.* The amount of spywarethat exists on your pc is dependent on the amount ofinternet surfing you do. A good rule of thumb here is toscan for spyware once per week or whenever poor systemperformance surfaces. If you don*t have a spyware scanner,we recommend http://www.webroot.com.

Antivirus This should go without saying, but if yourcomputer is connected to the internet you need antivirussoftware. With weekly scans and program updates you shouldbe protected from most threats. For added protection, werecommend using more than one anvtivirus scanner.

Firewall A firewall will keep unwanted visitors out of yourcomputer. You can obtain a firewall either by usingsoftware application like ZoneAlarm or Black Ice Defender,or by using a router with your internet connection. Formore information on routers plese visit http://www.Linksys.com.

File sharing Basically, file sharing programs are thesingle biggest security risk you will come across. This isbecause the only facts you have about the files you aredownloading are the file name and the file size. It isquite simple to change a filename to dupe someone intodownloading a virus or other malware like keystrokerecorders. Our advice * stay away from file sharing at allcosts. If you need to use it, make sure you have updatedantivirus software installed and running.

Research In a sentence * know what's out there. http://www.Symantec.com has a section on their website that will serve you well. Knowing what types of viruses exist and how to avoid them will make you a much smarter internet user.

Email protection Most of the antivirus applicationsavailable offer email scanning. If yours does not, you willwant to get one that does. Email scanning will make sureall of your incoming and outgoing emails are safe for bothyou and the recipient. Email viruses spread very quickly byusing your address book to propagate. Never read email frompeople you don*t know and always make sure your emailscanner is active.

Network security Another way that viruses spread is throughcomputer networks. We have a few quick tips to keep yournetwork safe. Always scan any files that come in from othercomputers. Even if it's a file you have brought from home.Never allow a file to be placed on your network until ithas been scanned. The main server should be the onlycomputer with file sharing enabled. By not allowingcomputer users to transmit files, you can quicklyneutralize a threat.

Maintenance Performing weekly virus and spyware scans willgo a long way to keeping your computer safe. Defragmentingweekly will also greatly improve performance. If you put inthe effort, you will be rewarded with a safe and smoothrunning pc. Not to mention less headaches!

By following these ten guide lines, you will greatlyimprove the performance of your computer. You will alsogenerate peace of mind as you gain a new sense of security.

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