These days, almost everyone hangs out in cyberspace one way or another. But the vast and growing online world is not always a safe place. And just as you protect yourself from realworld dangers, you need to take precautions when navigating the virtual world.

"The bottom line is, if you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem," says Neil Schwartzman, chair of CAUCE Canada: The Canadian Coalition Against Unsolicited Commercial E-mail "Too many people don't realize how much harm they leave themselves and others open to if they do not take basic security steps!

The trick is to practise good computer hygiene - and we don't mean disinfecting your keyboard. There are a number of steps to protect privacy and minimize the risk of viruses, spyware, spam and the many new hazards that are cropping up online. These include worms, which are self-replicating viruses that sneak into your computer; some can shut down your machine. And some viruses turn your computer into a "Zombie," programming it to specifically attack a company's computer network or Web sites.

"It is so hard to know what to do to stay on top of things" says Gail Allan, a 35-year-old Toronto mother of two.

After she joined an e-mail book discussion club, she started getting lots of junk e-mail. "You wonder, what could be tagging along with that message?" she says.

"You wish you did not have to worry, but now it seems to be a fact of life - you have to protect yourself."

Allan has installed up-to-date anti-virus software and is checking ways to stop unwanted e-mail.

Her family plans to move a second computer to the family room exclusively for her children. She is investigating "net nanny" programs that limit sites children can visit.

Many people do not realize how simple actions can increase security. The first rule is to use unique passwords, ones that are not easy to guess, and never share them.

Second, no one should navigate the Net without having up to-date virus software on his

computer, say experts like Schwartzman and Megan Kinnaird, of the Internet Education Foundation.

"I think it is getting to the point of extreme frustration," Kinnaird says of online hazards. "There is no silver bullet but consumer education and good computer hygiene are the best things we can do."

Third, know the enemy. Spammers and con artists can't take advantage of you if you know their ways and how to foil them.

The Star has put together the following "to do" list to help you have a healthy relationship to cyberspace.

Start with a security program. They cost anywhere from $50 to $200 (U.S), depending on how many security features you order. Before you buy one, you need to know your system specifications, including what operating system you use - for example, Windows XP or Windows2000.

You'll need to know your computer processing speed and the amount of RAM (or short-term processing memory). To find this out for Microsoft Windows 2000, for example, click on the start button in the bottom left hand corner of the screen, then select control panel. Once that opens to a series of icons click on the one for "system.'

That will give answers to the questions above.

You also need to know how you connect online - is it a dial-up of high-speed modem or a LAN connection. (Whereby you are always connected to the Internet by cable).

Again, go to the start menu, select settings and click on network or dial-up connections. The icons will tell you what type of connection you have.

Once you know these details, you can buy an anti-virus program or more general security package. If you are buying online, check out www.symantec.com or www.mcafee.com. Each site has a section that asks you questions about your Internet behaviour: Do you just use email? Buy things online? Download movies? When you've answered the questions, it recommends products that suit your needs.

Once installed, the program will automatically protect your system every time you go online and update itself to protect you from any new virus threats. You'll need to buy a new anti-virus program every year or pay to renew your old one.

Every week or so, do a general scan using all your security features. You must also keep your software, especially your operating system, up to date.

When you buy a computer, you are asked to go online and register with the operating system's manufacturer. You will automatically be sent free updates and security patches to protect against any new tricks hackers may have invented.

You should also have a personal firewall. This is a program that electronically blocks intruders from accessing your computer from the outside when you are online. It is like an additional safety barrier between your computer and the Internet.

Firewalls are included in many security packages. Or you can check to see if your Internet service provider includes them automatically. Call the technical support staff and ask if you need more firewall protection.

Also, turn off your modem or computer when you're not online. Disconnecting from the Internet is the safest way to prevent intrusions.

Many security packages include e-mail filters to block spam and detect spyware and other intruder programs. Spyware is a concern when you’re online. These programs sneak into your computer and record keystrokes and other commands and activities, thereby gaining access to passwords and personal information. Other "intruder" programs may download themselves when you visit a Web site and track your online activities. Some will flood you with unwanted ads.

As for spam, Schwartzman says it is becoming a very serous threat, and studies show it makes up half the world's e-mail traffic. If you do not have up-to date protection, he says, you can be 100 per cent certain your computer is infected with something and you are likely spreading viruses and other hazards.

Many viruses are spread by email. Once in your computer, they often send copies of themselves to everyone listed in your address book.

They can also send spam to people in your address book forged so it looks as if it originated from your e-mail address. Or your originating address could be used to send a message to a non-existent address, which will come back as failed mail. Never open messages marked "failed mail" unless you are certain you actually did send them.

To protect yourself:

Install a spam filter program so the stuff never even arrives.

When you register for a legitimate e-mail discussion group or subscribe to a legitimate e-mail publication, you will be sent a separate e-mail from the source to confirm you are who you say you are. This will also give you instructions on how to unsubscribe, should you wish to.

Spammers may send e-mails with links to sites that say they will remove you from spam fists, when really they are just collecting addresses. Or a spam message may ask you to click on part of the message that says "remove" or "unsubscribe." Again, this just confirms that they have a live address and gets you on 'more spam lists.

And never share files - whether it is a program, music file, or picture - from a source you do not trust. If you do share files, have an anti-virus program in place.

"Phishing" is a scam whereby online crooks send fake e-mails that seem to be from legitimate companies and try to get you to send them personal information.

For example, if you get an email purportedly from your Internet service provider that asks you to reply with information, delete the message and go to the company's Web site to check if this is a legitimate request.

Better still, call the source directly.

Be very suspicious of any company that does not have a bona fide real world address and phone number you can verify and contact. Schwartzman says organized crime has been linked to these types of frauds and many people have lost money.

He and Kinneard also say it is important to read the privacy policies before you submit any personal information online. Find out exactly who is collecting the information and why and what is being collected. Then decide if you think it is necessary.

You should be told how long the information is kept and you should be able to view what is collected about you and correct it if it is wrong. Have a contact address and phone number to be able to complain should you need to.

You may be unwittingly compiling an address book for a spammer by including multiple addresses in the address box of your e-mails or forwarding an e-mail that arrives with multiple addresses. Think about it. Everyone who gets the e-mail can see alI the addresses. Would you want to share your phone number that way, or the phone numbers of all your friends? Each time an e-mail is forwarded, the address Iist grows. Then it is easy for someone looking for addresses to send spam. To send correspondence safely to more than one person, use the blind copy function. To do this in Outlook Express, click on view in the toolbar and select blind copy, That creates a place at the top of the e-mail to put the addresses so no one else will be able to see them.

Other maiI programs have similar features.

A small investment in money and time can help make cyberspace a safer place to visit.

To buy a protection package online, have your credit card handy. Make sure all programs other than your Internet connection programs and browser are closed. Then click on the link to download the program.

Follow the instructions as the program downloads, providing the requested registration information and credit card information. It can take several minutes to download the program. Once it is downloaded, an installation wizard box will walk you through as it installs the program.

Then reboot, turning your computer off using the start menu button to shut down and restart. The program will be in place and up and running.

To maintain the protection, periodically do a general scan. In many systems you do this by right-clicking on the icon for your security system located in the bottom right hand corner. Then select the option you want - a general scan, a scan of e-mail or whatever features the specific package offers.

If it finds a problem, it will ask you if it can fix it. Say yes. You are always prompted about what to do next.