This page is a short introduction to personal computer security.

It is by no means sufficient to guarantee safety and integrity.

You are advised to start with a secure operating system, a secure browser and email client.

Howto start

Some simple advice for internet users who are not computer literate.

• Use secure passwords and keep them secret
• Keep seperate passwords for different security levels (email, web sites, secure sites, banking ...): most email passwords and web form logins are still being sent across the internet unencrypted, keep these passwords completely separate from your other, more important passwords (banking, official,..) - use a password reminder if you need to
• Keep your system up to date with your vendor patches - use the automatic update feature if it is available
• Use antivirus and firewall software
• Do not trust email attachments, never open them unless you trust their source
• Do not ever reply to any unsollicited email, no matter what the message says
• Use secure email services
• Avoid certain products which are known to be inherently insecure or badly designed (Outlook, Internet Explorer, ...)
• If you are concerned about the security and integrity of your data, use professional services like ours

If you want more security, follow on to the next level