Antivirus - use a good antivirus program and keep it updated.

Firewalls - use a hardware & software router.

Spyware - use reputable Spyware scanners. (See Links page)

Turn it off - Turn your computer off when you not using it. There is no sense offering your PC's ports to the Internet while your not using your computer for a time.

Passwords - Secure any Administrator-level accounts behind strong passwords. Use at least 8 characters; numbers and letter combinations (including lower and upper case letters) work best.

Beware ActiveX - ActiveX controls execute cool interctive elements on Web pages, but they also provide access to the local operating system (Windows). This is highly risky! While in Internet Explorer, click on Tools | Internet Options and go to the Security tab. The Custom Settings button takes you to Security Settings. Choose Prompt for Download signed ActiveX controls and Disable for Download unsigned ActiveX controls.

Sharing - If any of your folders are shared for a local network, only share the folders needed. Don't share the entire hard drive!

Avoid foreign objects - Avoid download games that your kids friends bring over. Quite often, spyware is installed with them.

Keep Windows updated - Set Windows to automatically download updates and install them. Windows only automatically download critical updates which are just that - critical.

Backup - Prepare for the worst. Backup important data on CD's, DVD's, or a back-up hard drive - often. Practice restoring data to know your back-ups work properly before you need them!