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It is absolutely essential to have good anti-virus protection software when surfing.
I would recommend either norton or mccafee. There are free virus protection software available but it really is better to pay for it. This way if you do have problems you can contact someone and get support. The free virus providers offer little or no support.
As well as virus protection it is also essential to have a firewall. A firewall is basically a program that controls all access from and to your computer.It will warn you if someone is attempting to access your computer without your knowledge.

Schedule your antivirus to do a complete scan at least once a week. This way you make sure you have a clean system.
Google estimates that 10% of all websites attempt to download malicious software to your PC. It is very difficult and expensive to remove this software once you have been infected.
It is also essential to perform regular backups. This means if you do need to re-install software you can. It is essential however that you do a virus scan first before you do a backup, otherwise you could just backup the virus.
Never open email that you are unsure about and never download any programs unless you know the source.
Vista now allows protected mode while surfing the net. This allows only limited access to your hard disk and should provide some protection.
Check the main websites for alerts and new treats.
Never enter sensitive information on a wifi network.It is easy to get software that can read what you enter and duplicate your identity.

Learn more about this author, Norman D'Souza.
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