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Why should you be concerned?

Each year, millions of people have become victims of identity theft. In most cases, identity theft results from the usage of computers that are not properly secured.

Spyware, computer virus and Windows security flaws can lead internet hackers to your computer. Once your computer is haijacked, everything that you do at a computer is secretly monitored and private information is harvested by attackers.

What are at risk?

• Your private information, such as, social security number
• Your banking accounts and credit cards
• Your email and accounts with online merchants
• Your computer files, such as, music, pictures and videos

How to minimize the risks?

• Install anti-virus, anti-spyware and firewall software to prevent any unwanted intrusion
• Keep Windows XP, 2000 or Me up-to-date with the latest security patches
• Do not download and install any little-know free software

How to choose a good password?

A good password should be easy to remember, but hard to guess. Never use simple passwords like "1234" or "abcd".

It is not a good idea to pick a word out the dictionary. If you do wish to use a word easy to remember, try mix some special characters, such as, "!", "$", "@". For example, the password "M!nne$ota" is stronger than "minneosta".