Considering the wealth of methods that malicious users employ to gain access to other people's machines, you would expect the general public to be better protected while online.

However, a survey conducted in 2004 found that even though 63% of respondents thought they had a firewall protecting their system, only 33% actually had a live firewall. Moreover, 77% of respondents had the general thought that their computers were safe.

It would seem that the general public are aware of the threats of the internet, but not as clued up as they should be on how to prevent any malicious attacks. For instance, 67% of the respondents either, did not have a virus checker or had not updated it recently.

The first and most commonly overlooked step when securing ones PC is the physical aspect. For instance, at work, you should always lock your workstation so that no one else can gain access to your information.

At home, younger members of the family are often prone to installing generally useless pieces of software which may be "piggybacked" with malicious spyware or malware. It is therefore, important to educate your family on what to look out for when downloading.

Most users are now aware that having both firewall and antivirus software is vital if they are going to be using the internet. What is often overlooked though is the requirement to keep both of these applications up-to-date, as new viruses are being released daily.

There is a myriad of internet security packages available, some free, some not, and each have their pro's and con's. Consumer reviews are probably the best way to determine which company has the right package for you.