1. How do I protect my computer from Virus, Worm, Trojan, and Spyware infection?
The best way to protect yourself against virus and worm infection is to regularly scan your computer with an up-to-date Anti-Virus software program. Trojans exploit open ports on your computer (the most common ports used are ports 80, 21, and 25) and the best protection is to have a properly installed firewall on your machine. To protect your computer from Spyware programs, which perform a variety of malicious acts, you should install one or more Spyware removal programs on your computer and run them regularly.

2. What is computer-based fraud and how can I protect myself from it?
Computer-based fraud can take on a number of forms. Some of the more common are: phishing, fraudulent online auctions, Nigerian money offers, General Merchandise frauds, fake check scams, Job Scams, and Work-At-Home Scams. Often it is hard to tell the difference between a reputable and a fraudulent post.

One of the most common types of computer fraud is known as Phishing. This type of scam uses 'spoofed' e-mails and fraudulent websites designed to fool recipients into disclosing personal and financial information such as credit card numbers, account usernames and passwords, social security numbers, etc. They are often designed in a manner that makes them seem reputable and legitimate.

For more information on computer fraud, see the following sites:

US Government FBI - http://www1.ifccfbi.gov/strategy/fraudtips.asp
Library of current scams - http://www.antiphishing.org/phishing_archive.html

3. How can I tell if an email I receive, that seems legitimate, is a Hoax or Not?
Internet hoaxes usually come in the form of an email and are designed to play upon the reader’s sympathies and desires. The language in these email scams will typically have an urgent tone, often with an overemphasis on capitalization or with a lot of exclamation points. A hoaxer wants to create an urgency to act. Some examples are chain letters and phony virus alerts.

The intent is to get you to react before you have time to think. Look for a variation on a request to “Send the message to everyone you know”. Sometimes you’ll also see a message like: “This is not a hoax.” The hoaxer is relying on your willingness to trust and preying on your desire to protect those you care about. Hoaxers may sound credible but will rarely cite verifiable sources for their information. It is always a good idea to research the claims made before acting. Most pranks and hoaxes have forged headers and signatures, and when you try and verify the validity of the message, you will generally find that the address is not valid.

4. What is Identity Theft and how can I prevent it?
Identity theft is the deliberate assumption of another person’s private information such as name, social security number, credit card number, bank account information, username and password to personally profit at the other persons expense. With the right information, a criminal can submit false applications for loans or credit cards, make fraudulent withdrawals from bank accounts, or use a telephone calling cards to make long distance calls.

One of the first actions that can be taken is to update and use Anti-Virus and Spyware removal software on a regular basis. Viruses and Spyware can steal personal information by recording and reporting keystrokes to their originator. Another way to minimize the risk is to always transact private business and shopping on legitimate and secure sites.

5. How do I protect my children from visiting or being directed to unwanted websites?
Content Filtering software, often referred to as Parental Control software, offers a variety of control mechanisms to filter, monitor, and regulate a child’s exposure to the Internet. These programs are generally customizable to satisfy the unique safety needs of various family members. They also offer a wide variety of features such as the ability to review activity logs, set browsing time-limit, setup search restrictions, provide specific content screening, control chat-site activity, and specify privacy settings. In making a decision on what program to use it is important to review the features of each program to ensure they satisfy your unique needs.

For additional information on protecting your children while on the Internet, see our articles on Making the Internet Kid-Safe and Protect Your Children Online-Tips for Parents.