Think only big companies need to worry about Internet security? Think again.

With home computers getting faster and more sophisticated and home Internet use increasing, your PC is starting to look much more attractive to malicious Netizens than it did a couple of years ago. Not only do Net criminals break into home PCs to steal personal information, sometimes they attempt to use your machine to attack larger computers at corporations and government agencies, too.

Read on, and we'll explain today's myriad PC security risks and show you how to protect your machine from break-ins, theft, and worse.

Understand the dangers of the Net
It's 4 a.m. Do you know what your PC is doing?

Protect yourself against viruses
Yes, your computer can catch viruses and creepy-crawly worms from the Internet as well as via e-mail.

Keep Internet access open
Did you know that leaving your PC unprotected could help take down the Net?

Cover your tracks online
Here's what you can do to keep your personal information and surfing habits out of strangers' hands.