Admittedly, the odds of bodily harm, other than carpal tunnel, are slim.  The danger, rather, lies in the potential impact web browsing can have on your personal identity and financial standing.  Every computer connected to the Net is a target of intrusive adware, malware, viruses and phising (explained below), all of which are secretly and routinely installed onto personal computers without the owners' knowledge.  The nefarious individuals and shady businesses behind these intrusive and invasive software programs have one purpose in mind: to collect personal information about you and make money from what they learn about you.

Collectively, adware and malware are sometimes referred to as "spyware," a term referring to software that snoops on and records your online activities.  Some tamer viruses can also fit into this category.

Adware (short for "advertising software") is software that collects information about your web browsing patterns and uses the information to force ads to pop up on your screen.  Annoying at best, adware can clutter a computer to such a degree that it virtually freezes your machine while you are online.

Malware (short for "malicious software") goes a step further by changing settings on your computer and harvesting personal information about you, including credit card numbers and other important financial information.  Malware can literally prevent a computer from operating, but even worse, keylogger malware software can record every key stroke you type, and from that information steal your passwords, credit card information and even social security number.

Viruses can be even worse than malware.  Installing themselves on your computer, they can perform a number of malicious functions, including stealing files and financial data, keylogging, spreading the virus (or spam) to everyone in your email address book, and taking control of your machine for the purpose of hacking (infiltrating) other computers.  Some persons who create viruses do so expressly in an effort to hack into and gain control of your machine in an effort to cover their own tracks (computers can be traced on the Internet; routing internet data through a series of machines helps obscure the originating machine).  

Phishing is the newest twist on Internet fraud, and refers to bold and deceptive attempts by thieves to obtain your credit card numbers, social security number and other important financial information (basically, your identity) by masquerading as legitimate businesses or organizations, such as eBay, PayPal or your local bank.  Appearing in both emails and on fraudulent websites, these schemes are often very believable on the surface (just as some counterfeiters produce excellent knockoffs of $20 bills).  Phishing is a serious threat to consumers who are frequently unable to distinguish between fake and legitimate requests for information.

All in all, web browsing is a very dangerous activity because it endangers your very identity, which if stolen, could wreck your life financially.

So, how does one avoid adware, malware, viruses and phishing schemes?  The following five steps will help you have a safer web browsing experience.

1.  Use a safer web browser, such as Mozilla Firefox.  Microsoft Internet Explorer, especially used in conjunction with Microsoft Office products, is much more susceptible to adware, malware and viruses than Firefox, Opera and some other lesser known, but very good, web browsers.

2.  Whatever web browser you do choose to use, be certain to download all updates and familiarize yourself with the built-in safe surfing features, and tweak the settings to ensure a high degree of protection.  Most web browsers are now able to warn you if you are about to go to a fraudulent site (especially a phishing site) or if a download poses a possible risk.  (Note: No web browser is able to identity every fraudulent site or risky download.)

3.  Be very careful about downloading any software file off the Internet!  Adware, malware and viruses frequently "ride in" atop music, video and other files.  As a rule of thumb, do not download anything from the Net unless it is from a trusted source ... and even then be diligent, as some trusted Net companies have utilized adware companies to pitch their products.

4.  Use anti-adware, anti-malware and anti-virus software religiously.  A number of reputable companies offer security software.  While most products require a subscription, some excellent software is still free (at least at this point).  Go here to view the top free Anti-Virus and Anti-Spyware software currently available to consumers.  I personally recommend a combination of free offerings:  SpyBot, Ad-Aware, SpyWareBlaster and AVG Anti-Virus.  Together, these four programs will effectively guard against almost all possible intrusions by adware, malware and viruses (phishing, unfortunately, is a bit more complicated).  In addition, advanced users should consider using ZoneAlarm, a firewall utility that monitors and filters all Internet activity on your computer.  Finally, if you are accessing the Net through a broadband connection, install a router between your computer and your modem; routers act as an external firewall, hiding your computer's identification (IP address, or Internet Protocol address) from would-be intruders.

5.   Control who uses your computer.  Teenagers especially are frequently unaware that their music and video downloads can be dangerous.  In general, assume that anyone other than you using your computer does not know how to prevent adware, malware, virus and phishing.  Their lack of knowledge could endanger your identity!

© 2007 Bruce T. Gourley