FTC Consumer Information Re-print

Our access to information and entertainment; credit and financial services; products from every corner of the world – even to our work – is greater than earlier generations could ever have imagined. Thanks to the Internet, we can order books, clothes, appliances and gifts online; book a hotel room across the ocean; check our credit card and bank balances 24 hours a day; or access our offices from an airport thousands of miles away.

And yet, while the Internet helps make our lives richer and more convenient, it also provides a gateway to our personal information; our homes, families and worksites; our security and safety. Viruses, hackers and worms have become the stuff of headlines, with results that can range from mere headaches to complete havoc.

The good news is that securing your computer is largely a matter of routine maintenance. Using strong passwords, installing personal firewalls, and regularly running updated virus software can go a long way toward protecting your computer, your information, and your peace of mind from computer creeps who try to slow down a network operation, or worse yet, steal personal information to commit a crime.

The Federal Trade Commission has created this website for consumers and businesses as a source of information about computer security and safeguarding personal information.

In the Resources section, youšll find links to information
security materials from other government agencies and non-profit organizations

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