How to stay safe online with a PC or Mac
When in doubt, stop. Think. Ask for help.
Many people think that security begins and ends with antivirus software. I disagree. Of course you should run a well-supported, up-to-date security program—whether you use a PC or a Mac. What else do you need to do? In this gallery and the accompanying blog post, I share the five steps I teach to friends, family members, and clients who want to avoid malware, scareware, phishing sites, and other online scams.
Keep Windows up to date
See Ed Bott's full report: Stay safe online: 5 secrets every PC (and Mac) owner should know
Keep your Mac up to date
Spam that uses HTML formatting can be tricky
Microsoft's spam filters force junk mail to display in plain text only
Learn how to tell a secure site from a standard HTTP connection
Digital signatures help you separate legit programs from malware
When in doubt, upload a suspicious file to Virustotal.com
A file that has been around for a while has a reputation you can check
The best passwords are complex and difficult to guess
See Ed Bott's full report: Stay safe online: 5 secrets every PC (and Mac) owner should know