How to protect your computer from hackers

The internet in this day and age is fraught with all manner of dangers for your computer-there are viruses and worms to worry about, as well as all manner of spyware; there are identity thieves and con artists-but the most publicized danger on the internet has always been the hacker.

Hackers seem to be everywhere-at least, if you believe the advertisements-but there are a few simple steps that you can take to keep yourself safe from most of their attentions. They're not foolproof, by any means, but by following these steps, you can greatly reduce your vulnerability.

First, have a fully updated antivirus program-the well-known ones are Norton and McAfee, but a company called AVG has a good one that they'll let you have for free. While it doesn't specifically protect against hackers per se, many hackers have been known to look for infected computers to exploit for their own purposes.

Second, have a firewall. If you run windows XP, the built-in firewall may be enough. You'll want to restrict as much as you can, leaving only the openings that you absolutely need to use for your programs that communicate with the internet. A firewall will prevent a hacker from accessing many of the usual avenues used to exploit your computer.

Third, make sure to have the latest security updates distributed by the manufacturer of your operating system. It's often a hassle to have to keep updating the operating system, sometimes weekly, but it's necessary if you want to keep your computer properly safe; most of the ways that a hacker can get into your computer are through those same areas that the updates are used to patch.

Fourth, make sure to practice safe internet use: don't accept files from strangers; don't directly connect to anybody you don't already know and trust-direct connections reveal your IP, the 'address' of your computer, which is needed for them to know how to break in; don't run any programs that you aren't sure of the source. Use common sense, and this step shouldn't be too difficult.

Finally, if you have a friend who's adept with computers, see if you can have their help securing your computer, and checking up on it now and then to ensure that you have everything you need to keep your computer safe.

No computer is ever entirely safe from hackers-but you can take steps to keep the dangers to a minimum. All it requires is some common sense and some vigilance, making sure to keep up-to-date with all the news as it happens.