They're actually more like the car than the key, I suppose. They are the tools we use to travel around the web, finding interesting destinations. The trouble is, sometimes an unwanted passenger climbs aboard along the way. In some cases they may even carjack you, taking you places you had no intention of going.
The question is, what can you do to stop them?
There are quite a few things that you can do, the first being choosing an alternative browser. Microsoft Internet Explorer has the majority of the market, but there are others such as Firefox or Opera that can offer more security.
Even when not inherently better, other browsers and operating systems are less popular targets. Until both legislators and software vendors get really serious about security, it's possible to reduce your 'target area' by staying out of the limelight.
Education is another key to 'hardening' browser security.
There are a lot of options and setting in Internet Explorer (and most other browsers) that allow you to have more control over what is allowed and what isn't. The trouble is, most people have little to no idea how to set them properly.
For example, is it desirable to 'Allow ActiveX controls and plug-ins' to Run, or should that be set to Prompt? Individual judgments here, as in all aspects of security in life, have to be made. One factor is your tolerance for responding to prompts versus your willingness to risk infection. After all, you have to decide whom to let in your car, don't you?
These kinds of trade-offs are a pain in the neck and hopefully the day will come when they're no longer necessary. In the meantime, however, you really should do some reading and learn a bit about how to set things up for the most effective protection.
Another important factor here is how you use your browser. If a warning message pops up when you're on a website, do you just click OK and move on or do you actually read it? Unless you know for a fact that you can trust the site, it's always best to be thorough.
Most users are unaware of the extent to which using a browser opens up their system to the rest of the world. Being on the Internet means not just seeing, but being visible. And accessing sites usually means being accessible. It isn't just harmless cookies that can be downloaded to your system. Once executable programs are downloaded they often have free rein to your entire system.
Making the time to learn how to protect your computer will pay off in spades when you don't get hit with the next big virus or spyware problem.
Article Source: http://www.articlemanual.com
To get more information how to protect yourself from online security threats, visit the Online Security Toolkit at www.onlinesecuritytoolkit.com, where you'll find helpful information about spam, spyware, viruses, identity theft and more.
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