Everyone's heard scares about Internet security, but just how do you stay safe online?

We've put together a few helpful tips:

• Only ever enter credit or debit card details when you see the padlock symbol your web browser.  This means your card details are being encrypted. 
• Ensure you have a virus checker running at all times, and that your virus software is up to date. An out of date virus checker won't be able to spot new viruses.
• Watch out for suspicious email attachments, even if they're from friends or colleagues. Don't open them - delete them.
• Be aware of 'phishing'. This is when someone sends you an email which appears to be from a bank, EBay, PayPal, UPS, or other reputable organisation, asking you to go to a website and enter credit card or other personal details. 
• When online banking, or logging in to your accounts at EBay, PayPal, or other such organisations, it's safest to type the web address directly in to the address bar of your browser, rather than following links in emails or online. This is so you can be sure you really are at the correct website.
• Don't download or install software from suspicious sources. 
• Stay free from spyware (programs installed on your computer without your knowledge) by using an anti-spyware program.
• Keep your browser up-to-date. Security issues are frequently fixed, so it's important to be running the latest version of your software.
• When choosing passwords, make sure they are not easy to guess. Using simple English words or names isn't a good idea. The hardest passwords to guess are random numbers and letters, and use a mixture of lower case and upper case letters. 
• Don't keep your passwords, personal, credit card or bank details anywhere on your computer.
• Back up the files on your computer regularly on to a writeable CD, DVD, or external disk drive in case of malfunctions, and keep these backups safe.