Security: My top nine tips:

1. If you're connected to the internet, you need a personal firewall. Period. It doesn't matter if you have a dial-up, cable, DSL, or satellite modem; or a static or dynamic IP adress.

2. Zone Alarm is a free personal firewall. Commercial programs include Norton Personal Firewall, McAffee Firewall (Formerly Guidedog), and Black Ice Defender. You can also visit Firewall Guide Sources for more options. Now you have no excuse.

3. After you install your firewall, visit grc.com's Shields Up! page to make sure your computer is "stealthed" while surfing. Stealthed means that others can't even tell there's a computer at your end of the connection.

4. Turn off file and print sharing in Windows™. To remove windows file sharing, go to Start -> Settings -> Control Panel and double-click on Network. If the option for "File and Print Sharing for Microsoft Networks" is present, select the component and click the remove button.

   You should also select the "Client for Microsoft Networks" option. Click on the component and click the remove button. Windows may take a few seconds to rebuild the driver database.

   To remove print sharing, go to Start -> Settings -> Control Panel, double-click on Network, and click on the "File and Print Sharing" button (if there is one). Make sure both checkboxes are unchecked, and click Ok. You may need to reboot your computer after this.

5. Use a stand-alone email program that supports virus checking of attachments. Pegasus Mail and Eudora Lite are both free email programs. They're separate from your browser, and both offer commercial, full-featured versions at a reasonable price.

6. This one falls under both privacy and security: NEVER enter personal information on an unsecure page. You'll know if a page is secure by the lock icon at the top of your Netscape screen, or at the bottom of Internet Explorer's screen.

7. Here's what should be a no-brainer by now: never open an email attachment from someone you don't know and/or one you weren't expecting. That's one way viruses are spread.

8. Run Windows™ Update Regularly. Updates often contain patches for know security holes in Windows. You can also do this by starting Internet Explorer, and choosing "Windows Update" from the "Tools" menu.

9. When making a purchase on the internet, never check the box that says "remember my credit card information," or anything similar. That stores your credit card information on their servers, and hackers have been known to break in and steal listings.

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