A U.K. security company reports email-borne threats that rely on embedded links to malicious or hijacked web sites, have skyrocketed 10-fold in just the last six months.  There has been a shift away from attachments, as people learn not to open attached documents in unexpected email.

Clicking on links in spam emails can quickly take you to virus/malware downloads, or to sites that will try to attack your computer.  Even well-known, familiar sites can be hijacked and used for malicious purposes.  For example, a while ago a Republican site in the U.S. midwest was compromised for a few days.

This is why it is important to always use good habits on the web.  Do not even open spam, just delete it.  If you are tempted to read spam email, perhaps due to an enticing subject line, at least never click on the links inside.  Keep all your security programs up to date, especially Windows.

Why is this very important?  Because studies have shown that most attacks on home PCs exploit flaws in the operating system that were patched months previously.  Keeping your Windows up to date will go a long way to keeping you safe online.

Syd Tash is a noted computer security consultant and author of How to Protect Your Computer Online.  He has been keeping Internet surfers safe and secure since the last century.  Find out how he does it; protect your own computer with five layers of protection right here: => http://mypcsecuritysite.com/

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