Never open attachments to emails unless you are absolutely sure you know the sender or are expecting a particular file to be sent to you. If it looks suspicious, it probably is. Banks will never ask for your account details by email, no matter how convincing the email may look. If in doubt, contact your bank direct and verify your details in person.

On a more technical level, you can carry out some security checks that will prevent hackers from piggybacking onto your network or hacking into it. This is particularly important if you are operating a Wi-Fi system. Change the SSID (name) of your network and disable the SSID broadcast. You can also prevent unwanted access by disabling the DHCP control MAC address filtering.

Installing WEP Encrypt also adds an extra blocking mechanism against hackers and change the WPA to a random selection of 10 characters. Finally, make sure that you have different passwords for each facility you access such as your Internet banking, Ebay and Amazon. Having the same password for everything is an open invitation to hackers. If they get hold of one password, then you can limit the damage they can cause. But if that password is an ‘access all areas’ key, you are leaving yourself wide open to an onslaught of hacking that could wipe out your sensitive information and even your bank accounts. Never underestimate the abilities of hackers, and never underestimate the importance of Internet security.

Let’s start with cost. McAfee Secure can run you nearly $2,000 a year. You can probably find a more comparable package for as little as $500 with an application penetration testing and hacker safe type of program. The world of website security has gotten considerably competitive, which drives prices down. At the same time, it’s important to understand what you’re getting for the money.

First, let’s discuss where McAfee Secure fails. For starters, there is no easy sign up process, nor is there a quick approval given for websites. By contrast, you can probably find a competitor that makes signing up a cinch, and you won’t have to spend days or weeks wondering if your website is secure. Always look for a company that offers quick approval, a feature you won’t get with McAfee Secure.

In a website security program, you need security checks to be conducted at least daily. This is a service offered by Hacker Safe, and it is essential. Shop around, but make sure daily security checks are offered by anyone you end up choosing. Who’s to say your website is secure if it’s not checked every day?

A security seal is also essential in any website security program. If you don’t have one, what’s the point?  It’s not like your customers can just take your word for it. Ideally, you should offer a security seal that is PCI certified. Without proper certification, how can you prove your security is valid? While McAfee Secure offers a security seal, they don’t offer one that is PCI certified.

CISSP security and support is also essential in a website package. While McAfee Secure offers it, not many do. If you’re looking for an alternative to McAfee, remember to ask if they’ve got CISSP security and support.

Don’t assume high rollers only like McAfee Secure; many companies are now shopping around for the best deals available and that might mean looking into a Hacker Safe or application penetration testing company that offers the best package to get the job done. More than likely, there is a cheaper alternative if you take a look. Try browsing the Internet. You’ll be surprised by what you come up with. In a global market, website security has grown into a buyer’s market. Do your research, and you can likely get a package better than McAfee Secure, at a fraction of the price. Who said reliable website security had to break your budget?

There are dozens of so called porn filters on the market today, but not all will do the job. There are free and there are paid. But with all things, free often comes at a price in the form of not working properly and so exposing your children to the content they were supposed to protect from.

The major problem with most internet filters today is that they put the burden on the parent. You have to manually block and password protect sites that you don’t want your children to see. You have to spend hours seeking out porn sites to block them. I don’t know about you, but that isn’t something I would enjoy. The problem is also that this kind of service only blocks the websites you choose. That doesn’t stop older kids or other people from emailing or using messaging programs to send porn. In fact, user shared content is the reason the internet is so popular and there will always be a new website to replace the old.

If this prospect does not sound good to you, then you are better of going with a managed internet filtering service. This type of service will do all the work for you by using both technology and human eyes to compose a massive database of website, keywords and even filenames that are blocked. This means that even files or images sent by email or messaging is blocked before your child can open it. These services are by far the best choice.