As more consumers than ever hit the Internet next week, more hackers are lying in wait to take advantage of them. So how does one stay protected from the dangers of the Internet while Christmas shopping?

CLAREMONT, N.C., Nov 26, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Cyber Week, the week after Thanksgiving when more Americans surf the Internet for shopping than any other day, is almost upon us.
Judging from the grim holiday outlook, consumers are more frugal and looking on the Internet for bargains. In fact, BusinessWeek reports a new survey by The Conference Board and the research firm TNS shows that planned online holiday spending will be up 9 percent from last year, to $42.5 billion--compared to a 1.5 percent growth rate in storefront spending. Retailers are already prepared, with many offering special deals and incentives for shopping online.
With any opportunity also comes a threat: As more consumers than ever hit the Internet next week, more hackers are lying in wait to take advantage of them. So how does one stay protected from the dangers of the Internet this holiday?
"The Internet is safe if you follow basic, fundamental rules of using a computer safely," says Luke Walling, Founder and President of Walling Data, one of the largest distributors of online security products in the country. "Many people think of their computer much like they would an appliance, such as a microwave or stereo that behaves in a predictable pre-programmed way. But, in reality computers are dynamic devices that evolve dramatically with the installation of each new program. It's important to remember that viruses and spyware are programs as well."
"Bottom line: If you use your computer on the Internet, it and you are exploitable. When you plug your computer into your cable modem, and open up your web browser, you become a part of a gigantic world-wide network - and immediately put yourself at risk."
"Things are not always what they seem. Most of the threats we see today are well disguised before and after installation; they are designed to exploit your behavior, holes in your operating system or web browser to install automatically and then sit quietly in the background logging your personal details."
Here are Luke Walling's top ten things to remember this holiday season to keep your computer and identity safe from hackers:
1) Update your computer regularly. Your top defense against "web exploits" is 'patching' your software (making sure it is updated). Visit manufacturer's websites often for updates and don't ignore regular update prompts at the bottom of your screen - this applies to anything that uses your web browser or is linked to it. Apply Window Products Updates religiously - (windowsupdate.microsoft.com) and keep up-to-date security software running on your PC.
2) Secure your Internet connection and PC. People who use low bandwidth connections, such as dial-up, are more susceptible to threats simply because they are "directly connected" to the internet. Make sure you have a firewall running on your PC (Windows XP SP2 includes one free and enabled by default) and if you have a high speed internet connection, you are using an external firewall built into your router. Always keep reputable anti-virus and anti-spyware protection running and updated!
3) Security through anonymity: Use something other than a PC. I use Windows myself and throughout our business, but Apple users are generally at far less risk mostly because the user-base is smaller. Hackers don't even bother creating exploits for Apple computers because there are fewer Apple users, and it's harder work to hack. Why not just concentrate on those easy to reach Windows users?
4) Security through anonymity: Use a browser other than Internet Explorer and keep it up to date. Most threats are designed to exploit holes in Internet Explorer. You can reduce your risk dramatically by using browsers with a smaller user base such as Mozilla Firefox, Opera or even Apple's Safari. Make sure you check for browser updates frequently, too.

Posted by Justin Payton in Adware, Spyware and Trojans at 12:01