The average Web user is a savvy individual who tends to err on the side of caution when surfing, sticking to trustworthy sites and only opening attachments to files they know are safe. But links are a different matter, especially if they are shortened into the random jumble of letters and numbers which populate social networking sites these days. Luckily, the spammers and scammers don’t have it all their own way.

We’re currently living in a celebrity-obsessed age where us ordinary, unknown folk look up to anyone with a little bit of fame. There are also more celebrities than ever before thanks to reality TV and new chances for infamy online. But searching for these celebs on the Web can be a dangerous business. Google ‘Jessica Biel’ at your own risk because there’s a high probability of finding something altogether less pleasant.

A top Symantec executive has hit out at free antivirus software, including Microsoft’s Microsoft Security Essentials, warning consumers that it won’t be enough to keep them safe.

Spammers and scammers alike have been churning out emails designed to ensnare fans looking for news about the death of the King of Pop. Some security researchers describe the surge in malware as, “bad, bad – really, really bad.”

Prior to the official announcement that Michael Jackson was dead, there was a flurry of rumors going across the Web causing much confusion. Many sites were reporting that Michael Jackson was in a state of deep coma while others were reporting of his passing. It has been found that devious hackers have taken advantage of this confusion by leveraging virus and spam attacks disguised as Michael Jackson information.

Microsoft recently announced the official name and details of the anti-malware tool it’s been covertly working on. The best part about the tool is that it’s completely free to consumers. The tool looks to be promising which could put more pressure on existing antivirus tool developers to step it up a notch.

Security firms Symantec and McAfee have each been fined $375,000 for charging customers for renewing annual services without permission. The firms also agreed to rewrite terms and conditions to make it clearer when subscriptions would automatically renew each year.

Microsoft is set to release a beta version of its free antivirus software codenamed Morro. The company intends to patch its own gaping security flaws and wipe out a multi-billion-dollar antivirus software industry  in one fell swoop.

Over 300 critically important medical devices were connected to the Internet, infected with the Conficker virus, and then could not be fixed for 90 days because of federal regulations.

If you want to keep your computer secure but don’t want it clogged up with bloated security software, there could be a solution. A firm named Panda Security has launched an anti-virus package which runs from the Web rather than your desktop.

Firewall alerts come in all shapes and sizes, and vary greatly depending on the type of firewall you’re using at the moment.  Let’s take a look at what they mean, how to decide whether they’re legitimate, and how to respond to them.

A third-party program designed to make eBay easier to use has been hit by a Trojan virus. The developers behind Auctiva have urged users to switch to browsers such as Firefox rather than Internet Explorer.

Security firm Kaspersky has confirmed a customer database was exposed for up 10 days and its Web site was eventually hacked. But it insists no personal information was exposed and denies ignoring warnings from the hackers.

Wondering what the best free antivirus software is? There’s a myriad of questions most people have when trying to figure out the best antivirus software, especially ones that are free.  While some maintain that no free antivirus software works as well as the robust (and expensive) alternatives, there are several great options for both Mac and PC that perform as well or better then their pricey brethren.

There are viruses and Trojan horses lurking everywhere. McAfee security says that the Google Code site is now being used to spread that sort of malware.

If you gave or got a Samsung digital photo frame this Christmas, check your model number carefully. The SPF-85H 8” model came with a bonus gift: an installation CD infected with a virus.

So-called ‘scareware’ firms that falsely claim a user’s computer has a virus to trick them into buying security software are under threat. The Federal Trade Commission has won court backing to freeze the assets of several offenders and bar them from future scams.