4. Make every password AT LEAST 6 characters long.

5. Use a mix of upper- and lowercase letters, and numbers -- and, if allowed, include symbols, i.e., "Hammer*shreW" or "booKbuicK-720". The more variety your password contains, less likely that it will be guessed.

6. Do not use a single word as your entire password. At several hundred guesses per second, my software could (and often did) go through entire unabridged dictionary files, many megabytes in size, and in several languages in no time. Combine two unrelated words, such as bookbuick or hammershrew.

7. Change your password frequently if site gives you that option.

8. Do not use same username/password combination at multiple sites.

I've grown out of "PassBandit", and it no longer holds a thrill for me. Instead, I've hopped fence and teach loss prevention topics. But there are thousands of "PassBandit"s out there looking to get your into your website stash. Don't make it easy for them.

I will not accept an .exe file, a .doc file or a .zip file and neither should you... UNLESS it is from a reputable, known source and you have specifically requested this information.

We, for example, have Eudora software available at our Web Site and are authorized distributors. I personally have used this program without problem for quite some time, and same software I use is available there. Does this mean you should accept unsolicited files from friends - NO! They could unwittingly be infected and could pass virus along to you.

Blocking all attachments is not realistic. The maxim you should follow is simple - don't download files unless you have requested them - but let's face it, if you receive an unsolicited attachment, be wary but don't panic. It can't hurt you unless you open it.

Rather than simply rejecting any e-mail with an attachment, you would probably be better served by first getting a good virus protection program, and then examine each one on a case by case basis.

You should automatically delete anything that ends with vbs, .bat, .zip, .exe, .pif , and .scr files. Regardless of how they may look, don't be fooled with an attachment that looks like something else. The "Love-Letter-For-You" virus looked like a text file when it arrived and it could have been thought to be one. The attachment however ended in .vbs. and arrived with attachment name Love-Letter-For-You.TXT.vbs.

If you take reasonable care, you should be safe from real viruses. Don't spread false rumors about viruses that are actually hoaxes, as they will spread like wildfire, and cause a lot of people undue concern.

Did you know that subscribers to Bob Osgoodby's Free Ezine the "Tip of the Day" get a Free Ad for their Business at his Web Site? Great Business and Computer Tips - Monday thru Friday. Instructions on how to place your ad are in the Newsletter. Subscribe at: http://adv-marketing.com/business/subscribe2.htm