Web surfers are a major target for attackers. If you use a poorly protected computer and land on a site with malicious code, you seriously increase your chances of getting infected.

Why is the problem so bad? Because hackers are actively looking to infect users and steal valuable information. Vendors are desperate to give customers a safe browsing experience and issue security patches regularly, but those only work if people download and install them.

Recommended safeguards:
• Sign up for notifications from your browser vendor about new security patches and install them right away.
• Consider turning off scripts so they don't run by default when a Web page loads.
• Use up-to-date antivirus software and configure your firewall as tightly as you can without destroying the usability of your computer.