Trillions of e-mails, faxes, text messages and other communication features have been used world-wide in the last two to three decades.

This explosion in worldwide communication has also reflected in the desire to create viruses, malware and spyware to steal information while communicating and sharing files online and through online faxing. Such spyware can deeply embed in your computer, whether it is a notebook, desktop, tablet or smartphone.

Sending information in a secure fashion online can be very difficult in such circumstances. However, you can reduce the chances of getting into trouble by using these three precautions before you share files with friends, family or strangers.

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1. Use your Windows or Mac Firewall
Windows and Macintosh are the two most common operating systems on computers today with the exception of smartphone world. The spyware and virus problem has not yet emerged as a serious issue on smartphones, but on notebooks, desktops and tablets it can become a lethal problem.
Use firewall features available on your operating system to protect the integrity and security of your computer for safe file transfers. For instance, on your Windows operating system, you can click on the “control panel”, then click on the icon “internet options” and finally click on “privacy” and “security” options to enhance the level of security for your computer.

2. Only Go to Trusted Sites
The best way to avoid problems is to only visit those sites you are really comfortable with and know for sure that they will not surreptitiously install spyware and malware to compromise the safety of your computer. For example, you may visit “Google news” or popular and safe blogs to read news headlines, but do not go to questionable sites or blogs unless you really want to risk the security of your computer.

If you want to purchase products, go to trusted sites like Amazon and Best Buy. If you want to use e-mail services, use common service providers such as live.com, Gmail, and Yahoo! and frequently change your passwords. Make sure your password strength is very strong by incorporating alphanumerics and symbols.

Do not use your primary e-mail account you use to share files to receive product updates and special deals from third-party vendors.
Do not watch pornography, even soft pornography on your computer at all. Pornographic, gaming and gambling sites are the three most destructive types which you must surely avoid. Besides being a tremendous waste of time and mental faculties, they can secretly transmit spyware and malware to your computer which even your Anti-Virus detector may not be able to trace, neutralize and eliminate.

3. Clean up and Update your System
Update your Anti-Virus protection system frequently by downloading the latest virus definitions. Update your system by allowing the download of software updates from your operating system vendor whether it is Microsoft or Apple, and use the deep clean-up function to clean up all the temporary and unnecessary files to maintain the integrity of your files.