The Internet has made life a whole lot easier for many people, but being online also brings with it very real risks. Hackers can steal personal and
financial information. There are several precautions that computer users can take to minimize the level of risk that is involved with being online.
One of the most obvious safety precautions is to purchase a good anti-virus and anti-spyware program. Passwords are also a very important part
of online security, and several tips can help users create more secure passwords. First, they should be something that can easily be remembered,
but they shouldn't be something others can guess easily. Your first or last name, phone number, or the name of your street are all bad choices, as
people could leam this information quite easily. Longer passwords are more secure, and those that use a mixture of upper and lower case letters
and a combination of letters and numbers are more secure than those that don't. Finally, passwords should be changed often. This can make
remembering them more difficult, but the extra effort is worth the added security.
The main purpose of this passage is to
O outline important considerations for passwords.
talk about the importance of anti-virus programs
O discuss the major risks associated with Internet use.
o discuss why certain types of passwords shouldn't be used.