Protecting your computer has gotten a lot more complicated than just having an up to date antivirus, but it's amazing how many people don't even have that.

There seem to be three different attitude when it comes to security:

1. I'm doing everything possible to be secure.
2.  I don't have to worry about it, nothing bad will happen to me 
3.  I don't know anything about it so I'll just ignore it.

As you can imagine, attitude number 1 is the one you should have.

So is your computer, or your network safe?  Despite all the software you have installed, how you, or others on your network, act will answer that question.  Forbes.com posted an excellent and enlightening article yesterday, The Ten Most Dangerous Online Activities.

Here's their list, but I urge you to take time to read the article.  After you've read it, take their advice and "stick this list up on your office door. Better yet, post it to the company bulletin board. If it keeps just one person from making a big mistake, it will have been worth the effort."

1. Clicking on e-mail attachments from unknown senders
2. Installing unauthorized applications
3. Turning off or disabling automated security tools.
4. Opening HTML or plain-text messages from unknown senders
5. Surfing gambling, porn or other dicey Web sites
6. Giving out passwords, tokens or smart cards.
7. Random surfing of unknown, untrusted Web sites.
8. Attaching to any old Wi-Fi network
9. Filling out Web scripts, forms or registration pages
10. Participating in chat rooms or social networking sites.

• Without brokers, home buyers and sellers find limited success on the Web
• His story helps illustrate how the Internet, while undoubtedly growing in popularity as a tool for buyers and sellers alike, has turned out to validate the role of the real estate professional.
• the housing slowdown now unfolding only underscores how crucial of a role that brokers have
• What the Internet does is educate consumers about what's out there, preparing them for the real estate road ahead of them.
• the Internet has become more of a research tool for prospective home buyers and sellers -- not a replacement for a real estate professional
• sellers may want to consider an agent's online marketing plan before giving him or her the job of selling their house