Protect Your Machine from Hackers

A malicious hacker does not need much to gain remote computer access to your machine. In fact, if you purchase a new computer with Windows on it and go online, your computer will probably have been owned—computer jargon for infected by a worm or virus that has the ability to control your computer without your permission—within minutes, especially if your computer is on a broadband connection.

It is imperative, therefore, that you maintain updated antivirus software, run virus scans regularly, and use a personal firewall on your PC. Furthermore, you would do well not to use a traditional email client such as Outlook, and instead use a web-based email client such as GMail, HotMail, or YahooMail. Taking these precautions will not guarantee the security of your computer and the data it contains, but they go a long way.

The bottom line is that if you don't want a hacker to use your system as a remote computer from which to serve child pornography or attack the white house computers, you should take these precautionary security steps seriously.