Security, The Internet and You

The Internet is an absolutely wonderful tool for individuals and businesses alike. It provides access to an almost infinite range of information, and makes communicating with people across the globe as simple as can be.

But like any powerful technology, the Internet also brings with it its share of dangers and pitfalls, such as viruses, hackers, trojan horses, adware, spyware, pornography and so on. The information that follows is designed to help you avoid as many of these as possible.

Parents of young children should pay particular attention to Danger #4 Pornography and Pedophiles.
Webmasters and domain name owners should pay particular attention to Danger #3 Internet Fraud and Phishing.
And ALL users should pay attention to Danger #1, the virus threat.

NEW: Fake security programs. Please see Danger #8 - ScareWare

PLEASE NOTE:
Do not be too alarmed by what you are about to read. This is very much a “BBC Crimewatch” situation - the vast majority of Internet users are never in any danger. But it is wise to take precautions, isn’t it?

Internet Danger Index:

Danger #1: The Virus Threat: What they are, how your PC can get infected by a virus, and what you can do to protect your system from them.	Danger # 2: Unsolicited email - SPAM: What is Spam? How do you avoid getting Spam? Can you stop Spam completely?
Danger #3: Internet Fraud and "phishing": What to look out for, what to do and what not to do.	Danger #4: Pornography and pedophiles: The dangers to you, your PC and your kids.
Danger #5: Hackers: How to protect yourself from hackers.	Danger #6: Adware and Spyware: How to avoid and remove spyware and adware
Danger #7: Cookies and Tracking Cookies: What they are, and do they really pose a threat to your security and privacy?	Danger #8: ScareWare (fake security software): How to avoid and remove fake security software

NOTE: What we describe on these pages is merely our opinion of what the most important things you need to know and do in order to keep your Internet experience as safe as possible. You should therefore not treat it as a definitive text on Internet security, nor as being necessarily 100% accurate, but instead simply as a general guide.

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