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As is generally known, an anti-virus application and a firewall are two essential tools to avoid internet security risks. However, your PC may still be at risk, even with this type of protection installed.

Every time you access the web, read an e-mail, or download a file, you are opening a connection that can be compromised by outside attacks. Persons like hackers are constantly scanning ports to find vulnerable PC's so that they can ultimately access their hard drives or any important information.

What to do:

- First of all, make sure that your firewall and anti-virus application are updated with the most recent patches. If necessary, you can configure them to automatically update whenever you log on.
- Make sure your firewall protects you against the most important types of attacks. There are many different types of firewalls and it is important to do some research on them in order to fully understand each ones strengths and limitations.
- Be careful when using P2P programs, as they usually open ports for file transfers that make your PC vulnerable to attacks.
- Finally, test your firewall. Access any search engine and type "firewall test". You will find a list of sites that have different types of online tests that you can use in order to find out just how secure your firewall is. This will give you a clear idea of the risks that you may be currenty taking and how to eliminate them.