web security issues and how to deal with it?

Answer 1

run a firewall, have scanners, run a BSD firewall, use Linux . . .

many alternatives

the Most important, be vigilant, and do not open emails from "people" you do not know.

Answer 2

If you're running on a cable/dsl connection, the first and foremost security measure is to buy a router. Simply having the NAT (Network Address Translation) layer between you and the rest of the world is a huge difference.

Second, if you're using a wireless connection, be sure to implement strong security (WPA or better). Forget about WEP, it's useless (even at 128 bits).

Third, secure your software. You need these basic essentials:

1 - Anti-virus.
2 - Firewall that detects OUTGOING connections. Windows' firewall is useless for this.
3 - Anti-spyware. Ad-Aware is good, so is SpyBot. Both are free for home users.

Fourth, make sure all your web software is patched and up to date. I recommend using FireFox over Internet Explorer as it is updated much more frequently in response to new exploits.

The last thing you need is common sense. If you can't trust it... don't click it!

Answer 3

Start with a good Antivirus software.
Install Firewall.
Install AdAware / Spybot Search & Destroy
Install SiteAdvisor software from McAfee
Use Firefox browser which is known as more secure than IE.