Written for the general computer user, this guide identifies the most common forms of malware, such as computer viruses and spyware, and the risks they pose to computers. It includes widely used tools and techniques for safeguarding a computer against a such attacks and instructions on how to remove them from a contaminated computer. Step-by-step instructions on how to secure the web browser, a common gateway for computer viruses, are accompanied by screenshots and methods for protecting personal and confidential data, the loss of which can lead to identity theft.