Beware false security

A study by McAfee and the National Cyber Security Alliance in the US found that, in theory, nearly everyone knows they must keep their computer safe.

Practice tells a different story: a large percentage had expired anti-virus software and disabled firewalls. Less than half had anti-spyware software, and less than half of those who had anti-phishing software had installed it.

Watch out for phishing

Phishing scams use fraudulent e-mail messages and websites masquerading as legitimate businesses to lure unsuspecting users into revealing private account or login information.

Click carefully

Don't download files sent by strangers or click on hyperlinks from strangers.

Buy multi-layered security software

That means get anti-virus, firewall and anti-spyware at the very least.

Surf safely

Use free tools like the McAfee SiteAdvisor (www.siteadvisor.com) and TrustedSource toolbar (www.trustedsource.org).

Siteadvisor monitors over 10 million websites, which together represent 95 per cent of Internet traffic.

If it senses a risky website, you will be warned before you click to that site.

TrustedSource toolbar checks your Inbox and gives a safety rating on the sender of the e-mail. If you think it is spam, click on a button to report it.

Monitor kids online

Social networking sites can be a hotbed for social engineering attacks.

There have been phishing attacks linked to Web 2.0 sites and malicious code has surfaced. Because these sites are rather young, most of them don't have measures to protect their users.

Apply common sense

Don't give out your home address and phone number when you register at such sites. Don?t re-use an existing one, especially your e-mail password.

Sources: McAfee, Secure Computing