Beware though; there are many dangers on the internet. Some of these dangers include: Viruses, hackers, pedophiles and scams. Many innocent people fall victim to these dangers on a daily basis. So before you connect make sure you are prepared.

Virus Protection

Before ever even stepping foot onto the web, you need to make sure your computer is safe from viruses. Viruses and harm your computer or cause them to not work at all. Computers are not cheap so the last thing you want to do is have to replace one because of a virus. Most computers these days come with trial version antivirus software preinstalled. For the safety of your computer it's highly recommended that you buy a license for the software. Before you buy the software make sure you like how it works and that you are comfortable with the interface. If you do not like it, you can find a lot of trial version antivirus software for download on the internet. Try them out until you find one you like. One last tip for virus protection: Never open emails or files from people that you do not know. I speak from personal experience when I say this, it will lead to nothing but a headache.

Firewall

Most, if not all, computers have a firewall. The firewall on any windows computer can be found in the control panel under security. A fire wall is designed to inspect network traffic passing through it. The firewall either denies or permits based on a set of rules. Firewalls are simple to use and add extra security to your computer. If a firewall block a program or site that you personally know is safe you can stop it from being blocked by going to your firewall settings.

Children and Teens

Other than adults, children and teens love using the internet. They like to chat, meet new people and go onto social networks like Myspace and Facebook. Children and teens can be naive and believe almost anything they are told, making them the main target of online predators and pedophiles. If your child or teen goes onto sites like Myspace and Facebook, set their accounts to private. With the private setting anyone they don't know and that isn't on their friends list. Parents should take use of Parental Controls, which is located in the control panel under security. You can view your children's activity on the web, allow and disallow programs and websites, even hours that they spend online.

Scams

They are everywhere on the internet. The most important rule is to not believe everything you read, no matter how good it looks. People most commonly come across scams while sifting through email and while looking for work online. If you go through your email and you see mails like "Make hundreds of dollars instantly" click the delete button. There is no such thing as making hundreds of dollars instantly. If someone you meet online gives you a business opportunity make sure you get proper credentials on that person, do a little research. If you ever receive emails asking for your SSN, bank account information and/ or credit card numbers delete it immediately.

Thousands of people search daily on the internet for legitimate ways to make money. The majority of these people end up losing money by attempting these online jobs. If you ever come across a job online that makes you pay money to make money, it is not legitimate. No real employer will ever make you pay an upfront fee to work for them. As a person who has searched for work online most of what you will come across are scams.

Happy surfing!

Now that you have been given a rundown of the various dangers on the internet and ways to prevent them you are now ready to safely surf the web.

Phishing is an attempt of hackers to hack sensitive information.

How to avoid Phishing?

Never click on site that you don't trust. You should have strong anti-virus, windows defender, phishing protection, ad-aware, etc. Never download software from unknown websites.

How to recognize Phishing?

Websites where it is safe to enter personal information begin with "https" - the "s" stands for secure. If you don't see "https" do not proceed. If you receive an email requesting your personal information, it is probably a phishing attempt. If you think a website is fraud then you may click on “Tools” and then click on “Phishing filter and then “Report this website”.

Best websites:

Cnet for downloading stuffs

Qmail  for email

Zapak for playing games

If you have any question regarding phishing or anything then contact your software vendor or search about phishing in www.wikepedia.org. Visit Microsoft for safety of the computers for further details.

• The blue and lilac sections are those parts of the installation that use normal telephone cabling
• The green sectors are the Ethernet UTP cabling (Cat 5 and Cat 6) and RJ45 connectors

Electrical Supply Protection

If you also want to include surge, spike, and lightning strike protection then you are best advised to insert them in the following places:

• If you are going to use only 1 such device then it is advisable to insert the Surge Protector between the Telephone Wall Fixture and the Telephone Line Splitter (Double Adapter)
• As this is not always possible you could use 2 of these devices:
  • One between the Telephone Line Splitter and the Micro-Filter
  • The other between the Telephone Line Splitter (Double Adapter) and the Router/ADSL Modem/Bridge/Switch
• Please note that these surge protectors are in addition to those that you have already installed and not to replace them

Note: If you are going to be using USB, IEEE1394 (FireWire), etc. other specialty adapters may be required but the same basic configuration is still applicable. Basically the only section which will change is the Ethernet cabling and RJ45 connectors.

This setup will allow you to share your Internet connection while retaining a fully functional landline telephone service. Multiple computers can be connected to the Internet in this way which will certainly save you considerably on ISP charges for your connection particularly in comparison with a dial-up Internet connection service.

Another benefit is that because you will be using Network Address Translation (NAT) you will have the added bonus of a hardware firewall to add protection against hackers.

1. New viruses are created everyday, for this reason you should make sure your operating system (whether it be Windows, Macintosh or any other system), these updates generally pop up onto your screen every now and again, because your computer automatically searches for them. Don't think, oh I can't be bothered to download this update and chose download later, download it now it is made to protect and improve your computer. The same thing applies for internet browsers (Firefox, Internet Explorer etc... ).
2. Make sure you have up to date anti-virus software. Anti-virus software will prevent viruses from entering your computer. I recommend Norton anti-virus but if you don't want to spend anything on Norton then the free version of AVG anti-virus is an excellent piece of software and can be downloaded from here. As soon as you have installed your anti-virus software, I recommend you run an immediate virus-scan of your computer. This will make sure your computer isn't already infected with a virus, if it is the virus will be destroyed. From then on I would advise scanning your computer for viruses every 2-3 months.
3. Get a firewall, you should already have one built into your operating system, but most of these are inadequate and easy for hackers and Trojan horses to get round. For this reason I suggest that you download Comodo firewall which is excellent and free, it can be downloaded from here. This will keep Trojan horses and hackers out of your computer, thus protecting your personal details.
4. This one is for windows users only, sorry to those of you on different operators. Running a windows OneCare safety scan will protect your computer, clean it up and increase its performance. These scans take an hour or two, but are well worth it and you can still use your computer whilst the scan is running. You can run a scan by clicking here.
5. Spybot search and destroy is an amazing piece of free software. It protects your computer from spyware, scans for spyware that may already be in your system and destroys any spyware it finds. You can download it from here. There are also tutorials describing how to use Spybot, on the website mentioned.

I hope you have enjoyed reading this article, if you decide to follow any of these steps. Your computer will be better protected from viruses; Trojan horses; hackers and spyware. These steps may also improve the performance of your computer. I will not be held responsible for any side effects that may occur from following this guide (I don't think there will be, but just in case).

I am not against modern conveniences by any means, but if technology is abused it often becomes more hassle than it's worth. Example:A computer is used effectively to store and transmit information.

If a hacker gets hold of that information, then the hacker now has the capability to disrupt lives.

Often if they get information they can use it to not only disrupt, but to destroy.

It seems every time Law Enforcement officials figure out one set of hacker tricks, they are faced with ever more inventive and intelligent hackers.

The question of what can be done to curb computer crimes has plagued Law Enforcement for years.

My advice is, put encryptions and passwords for sure. If you are on an unsecured network that can be a problem.

To solve it I'd say get anti-virus and anti-phishing software.These days you can also purchase encryption software, so just because you might be on an unsecured internet server doesn't mean your information has to be exposed to prying hacker eyes.

Hackers are getting more knowledgeable daily, if you keep up with technological news you can stay ahead of the curve.

I am not against technology, I am however against the abuse and mishandling of technology.

On a weak password (3 letters 4 numbers) it would take:

Your password is 7 characters long and has 175,760,000 combinations.
It takes 0.00 hours or 0.00 days to crack your password on computer that tries 25,769,803,776 passwords per hour. This is based on a typical PC processor in 2007 and that the processor is under 10% load

On a strong password (5 letters 3 numbers and 3 special characters) it would take:

Your password is 10 characters long and has 38,932,892,876,800 combinations.
It takes 755.40 hours or 31.47 days to crack your password on computer that tries 25,769,803,776 passwords per hour. This is based on a typical PC processor in 2007 and that the processor is under 10% load.

So as you can see that is a huge difference in time.

But back to the point in hand. I decided to test what the researcher's had found using 3 tools Nessus, Nmap and Cain & Able (I know they are for script kiddies). Using these tools I set up 2 extra computers on my private network.

Once they where all set up I loaded them up and began testing and what I found disproved what the researcher's said. When using them I could access both the passworded machine and the un-passworded. This shows that you need a strong password on your machine to protect it. The results will be posted up soon when I get round to uploading them. But on both machines I could get full access to everything on them. I will soon test the Internet security of this soon and let you know how it went.

So please for the sake of your privacy password your machines and stay safe online.

Hacking is known to be the most popular computer crimes. Hacking means unauthorized access. It was clearly done by people who are very good in computer usage. People usually hack in order to gain or steal important information. Other than that they can also change and delete data after they access our computer. Most common serious hacking crimes are hacking into large company stealing precious information and robbery. That information from large company can be sold to other companies to earn living or just to destroy the computer. For example of stealing information are like Microsoft just release some new programs, free trial are given on the web and which we need to pay for it in order to get the serial number for full version so hackers job is to steal those serial number by hacking into Microsoft company and then release it on the web that makes everyone can get free program and so the company will not gain any income. Other than that hackers like to change data. For example, the hacker can hack into the bank data and change it to wipe out the money.

In addition hackers like to create viruses too. As it have been said people who hack computers are good in computer usage and so people who create virus too. Virus is very troublesome as it can as well change, delete and duplicate data. Viruses are usually make and then set it on the internet. It spread very fast as million of people might be connecting to the internet at the same times and it can be attach itself to portable device. Nowadays our computers is now safer from the virus as we have firewall and is protected by antivirus but those can only protect our computer from the old detected virus so our computer is still in danger against new virus that cannot be detected. Viruses not only cause damage to computers or destroy of data, it also causes life. For example an airplane have auto pilot function which uses computer to process data. If the computer gets virus and causes malfunction it will in danger the passengers.

Hacker part time job are blackmailing, it is said to be part time because blackmailing can be done by other people than hacker. Due to the access to internet blackmail was brought online. Serious blackmailing includes threatening government or companies. Fraud is also a common computer crime which means cyber scams. Fraud usually happens on selling goods through net where fake cyber shops are made to trick people money and credit card info. The criminal will then make use of this information for their own purposes. Those criminal usually sell goods that are a lot cheaper than where we can find form any other website to attract people so it is always advice to buy goods through net from a trusted website than a site with cheaper prices.

Forgery in the other hand means something imitated for crime purposes. This happens in term of emailing or posting where fake or change information is used. Example of forgery includes posting messages in an Internet newsgroup or online bulletin board with a false author's name that is intended to harm the reputation of the real person of that name. Forgery can also act as harassment or stalking. Harassment can be as simple as continuing to send e-mail to someone who has said they want no further contact with the sender. Harassment may also include threats, sexual remarks, pejorative labels. A particularly disturbing form of harassment is sending a forged that appears to be from the victim and contains racist remarks, or other embarrassing text, that will tarnish the reputation of the victim.

As it has been said that computer can be done by almost everyone and so piracy is a very good example. Computer hardware likes DVD writer and CD writer helps a lot in this case. Everyone who has that hardware can always burn a pirated copy and that writable DVD/CD can easily get from any computer shop. Most people prefer pirated version than original version as pirated version are cheaper. Actually, people who buy pirated version are too criminal as they support the pirated version, without supporter pirated version will be useless since noyone will be buying it. Not only that, piracy cases includes hacked serial number or CD key too. For example a child downloads a free trial game from the internet and full version serial number is needed to be purchase, the child can easily find free serial number from the internet or crack file to make it a full version game and this make it a pirated game too.

In conclusion, computer crimes happen when the criminals are lack of respect for the property or privacy of other people. It was not easy to catch and find out the exact location of the criminal as internet involve world wide. Not much law is set on computer crimes and heavy punishment only acts on if victim's life is involved. This is why computer crimes is now famous.

I never knew the difference between adware and spyware. Now, I don't have to worry. Spyware Terminator is adware and spyware removal. I feel that I don't need Ad-aware now, Spysweeper, and an anti - virus program.

Sometimes other programs seem to get old even when they are updated. They seem to find a great number of threats when you first download them and only a few after you have had the program for a long time. If your computer does not seem to perform any better, and if your terminator seems to keep finding the same old threat every time you scan, it is time for something new.

I noticed that Spyware Terminator found some threats that I kept seeing in my other terminating programs. It was suppose to have gotten rid of them. With Spyware Terminator, you can remove them. It found threats that I did not know I had. Try Spyware Terminator today and find out more.

Firstly you will need a firewall and I don’t mean the one built into windows xp as to be honest it’s a terrible, although if you can’t get a firewall its better then nothing, just. Now not many people want to pay around £45 every year for a firewall and I’m one of them, so I used google to find a free firewall the best I have ever used is one by zone alarm and it’s totally free every year. I would recommend it to anyone, now have you firewall set to about medium security as this will allow you to use the web and be safe.

Now you will need a virus scanner the best obviously cost money and once again every year you will have to pay for software, not unless you find a free one that’s good, I use AVG free version it’s a very good product and every year its free, every day you will be able to download an update to keep your computer up to date against virus attacks, its perfect. Now at least once a week you should perform a virus scan to make sure your computer is fully clean.

Spyware is a bitch, it hides on your computer and records what you do, it then sends the information back to the creator, this is a huge problem, now there are products you can buy on the market to protect against spy ware, however if your like me you will want free products such as spy ware search and destroy a great free tool, spy ware blaster is a free tool that creates a spy ware firewall on your system and last but not least ad wares free spy ware remover. Perform once again a spyware scan once a week at least.

I hope these simple tips help you keep your computer safe while on the internet.