Security Issues
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Safeguard your computer with an anti-virus solution AND a firewall.

Install anti-virus software
Get virus protection from one or both of the two industry leaders: Norton (Symantec) and McAfee.

Make sure your virus protection is current and active (you typically need to renew yearly). Be sure to set it up to scan your computer regularly, e.g., once a week or as necessary depending on your circumstances. Do additional updates if needed. Check their sites for the latest upgrades and alerts.

Here is a link to Symantec's Norton's latest security alert.
http://securityresponse.symantec.com/
You can download the latest Certified VirusDefinition for Norton AntiVirus. Ensure your Norton AntiVirus product contains the most up-to-date detection and prevention. You can also get virus removal tools here.

Use a Firewall
Use one of the ZoneAlarm products from ZoneLabs (or a firewall from another vendor). Make sure to set it to the level of security that you need for your circumstances, and set it for automatic updates. Check their site for additional information on any current issues.

You can get the basic free firewall download, or the information on the site can help you to better determine your needs and whether you need a more robust version. 

Why you need a firewall
Hackers use Trojan Horses, worms, and spyware to control your PC and access your private information disguised as you.

You need a Firewall because
Without a firewall, your computer is operating under an "open door" policy. Bank account information. Passwords. Credit card numbers. Documents and photos that you don't want to share with the world. They are all available to anyone with bad intentions and basic computer skills. Hackers can get in, take what they want, and even leave open a "back door" so they can turn your computer into a "zombie" and use it to attack other computers.

Every minute that your computer is connected to the Internet, either through a dial-up (modem) connection or through a broadband (DSL or cable) service, it is at risk.

The people who want to break into your computer don't care who you are or where you live. They may be "script kiddies" using malicious code they find on the Internet to wreak havoc on others' computers, or they may be computer criminals with cutting edge technology to sniff out unprotected computers anywhere in the world and exploit their vulnerabilities. An attack can come at any hour of the day or night.

When your computer is connected to the Internet, it receives traffic from a wide range of sources, most of it benign. Your instant messaging client alerts you that a friend has signed on; your mail client finds new mail waiting for you and downloads it; a weather site refreshes its rainfall map by telling your web browser to reload a page. All of this traffic is handled invisibly by your computer, which is listening to a large number of "ports." A port is a specific connection point through which applications on your computer connect to the Internet. And a hacker only needs one open port through which to mount an attack.

Your computer is just one machine among the millions connected to the Internet at any given moment. And a moment is all it takes for a hacker to get in.

Virus protection is not enough
Antivirus software comes installed on most new PCs, and most people think that it protects them completely from Internet-borne threats. But virus protection is only as good as the latest virus definitions, which are created in response to the latest viruses. It's a game on one-upsmanship that the hackers always win, in a sense; someone (potentially many thousands of people) must be infected before the makers of antivirus software can create a defense. And antivirus software does nothing to secure your computer against direct hacker attacks.

Enter the Firewall
A firewall is a piece of software that monitors all incoming network traffic and allows in only the connections that are known and trusted. Port 80 is open so that you can browse web pages; port 1863 allows you to engage in instant messaging with friends; port 443 gives access to secure web pages used by online merchants to encrypt purchases.

You could manually grant or restrict access to each of the 65,535 ports available under the Internet Protocol. Every time you add a new program that requires Internet access, you would need to determine which port(s) it uses, and reconfigure your computer accordingly. You've likely got better ways to spend your time.

Firewall software takes on this burden for you, allowing access to the ports you need open, and closing off those you don't. It also makes your computer "invisible" on the Internet; if hackers can't find you, they will have a hard time attacking you.

More advanced firewall software also monitors outgoing traffic. This is crucial since malicious code spreads by accessing the Internet and pushing copies of itself to other computers (often those of your friends and family!). Outbound protection can keep even brand-new Trojan horses and spyware from doing their damaging work. The ultimate protection is program-level control, so that only those applications that you trust are allowed to access the Internet.

Free ZoneAlarm.
Free download provides Basic Internet Protection. Basic PC protection for the home user.

ZoneAlarm Pro.
The award-winning PC firewall that keeps your personal data and privacy safe from Internet hackers and data thieves. Shield your system with our proven, award-winning personal firewall. Keep hackers at bay with protection against worms, Trojans, spyware, and 47 types of malicious email attachments. ZoneAlarm Pro includes Cookie Control and Ad Blocking for a faster, safer Internet experience.

ZoneAlarm Plus.
Shield your system with our proven, award-winning firewall. Protect against worms, Trojans, and malicious email.

ZoneAlarm Plus with Web Filtering.
Control what Web sites can be accessed by your family or business—automatically—plus shield your PC and privacy.

Why choose ZoneAlarm?

• Zone Labs is the leader in personal and distributed firewall technology trusted on over 25 million PCs.
• Our proven firewall technology protects your identity by keeping hackers away from your passwords, account numbers, and valuable data.
• Our advanced privacy solutions stops Web sites from following you online and stops annoying pop-ups.
• We build software that everyone can use. Novices can protect their computers immediately. Advanced users can personalize their privacy protection.
• Zone Labs continues to win its share of industry awards. These are products you can trust!.