Tip of the week: How to stay secure online

Get the latest armor; Look before you click; Back it up

Get the latest armor. Installing up-to-date computer security software can reduce your risk of becoming one of the “nearly 2 million” households victimized by online identity theft each year. Take advantage of free browser upgrades; many offer protection against attacks. If you have an older PC, “get a firewall”; a free one is available at ZoneAlarm.com.

Look before you click. If a pop-up ad tells you to update software, watch out. Deceptive pop-ups can infect your computer with malicious software, causing you to “unwittingly send out spam” to contacts. Security updates should only be downloaded from sites of a reputable software publisher, such as Adobe, McAfee, or Norton.

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