As more developers take advantage of 4D's advanced web serving capabilities, and as fast internet services become more affordable, many 4D users are permanently connect their computers to the Internet.

However, connecting any computer to the internet exposes you to the very real threats from hackers. Windows, particularly, is very vulnerable to hackers.

Not everyone has the time or resources to become an expert on internet security. But there are simple steps you can take to make yourself reasonably secure.

The first thing to do is to ensure that you are making regular backups, and that at least some of those backups are on a removable volume not connected to the computer itself.

Other steps are more complex: you need to look at a large range of settings on your PC which can affect your vulnerability. However, a great web site has been put together which can test your settings and advise you, in detail, about what you can change to reduce exposure to attacks.

The site is called "Shields Up!", and it is at:

http://grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2

Essentially, Shields Up! takes the first steps in hacking into your computer and advises you about the results.

Note: 4D has no affiliations with this site, and can't make any guarantees about
its worth, but several 4D staff members have tried out this service, and have been very happy with the results.