The Internet is a dangerous place, full of profiteers who sell your personal data to information brokers and cunning criminals who have nothing better to do than steal your Social Security number, obtain credit cards in your name, go on spending sprees, and ruin your credit rating. So whether you're shopping at Macys.com or chatting with your buddies over ICQ, you'll need to take certain precautions to keep your personal info from falling into the wrong hands.

Fortunately, there's no need to get paranoid. To protect yourself, you simply need to understand potential dangers and know how to defend yourself. So get ready, because we're going to give you a whirlwind course on how to stay safe and keep your information private.

(Note: Because the majority of CNET's readers are running some flavor of Microsoft Windows, this article assumes that you do, too. However, many of our tips also apply to the Mac OS, Linux, or any other operating system that connects to the Internet.)

Safe surfing quiz
Do you practice safe surfing? This short quiz will let you know just how safe you really are.

Hide your identity
Once spammers and hackers know your IP address, they can find your PC on the Web and possibly break into it. We'll show you how to keep your IP address to yourself.

Stop hostile apps
Web snoops use viruses, cookies, and various software tools to gain access to your PC and the data within. Find out what you can do to stop them.

Block spammers and scammers
Sometimes it seems like no matter how you configure your e-mail, you still end up with a plateful of spam at the end of the day. Try some of these tricks to stay spam-free.

Deter IM invaders
Without the proper precautions, instant messengers give nosy Nellies easy access your computer. Here's how to keep them at bay.

Secure your financial transactions
Find out how to shop and bank online properly so that you don't accidentally hand your cash to a crook.

Tell me if I'm a safe surfer