There are many reasons why an intruder (also referred to as a hacker or attacker) would want to target YOU.  The reasons range from stealing your identify, to gaining access to your financial records, to using your system to attack other high-profile computer systems for financial gain or terrorist activities.

By taking control of YOUR computer, an attacker can launch sophisticated attacks on other systems while masking their identify, making it look like YOU.  This makes it difficult for the authorities to track the attack back to the real perpetrator, as they are using impersonation techniques to hide their true identify.

The following resources can help you, and your family, learn how to best protect your user IDs, passwords, accounts, and personal information:

OnGuardOnline.Gov - provides practical tips from the federal government and industry experts to help guard against internet fraud, secure computers, and protect your privacy.FTC.gov/idtheft - The Federal Trade Commission website has information to help you defer, detect, and defend against ID theft.

FTC.gov/idtheft - The Federal Trade Commission website has information to help you deter, detect, and defend against ID theft.

GetNetWise.org - This site has information on keeping children safe online, stopping unwanted email and spam, and keeping personal information private.

CyberBully411.org - Between 9-34 percent of young people say they have been the target of Cyber-Bullying in the last year, according to this site. Here you can educate yourself further on this topic.

StaySafeOnline.org - StaySafeOnline is a resource for educators, parents, small business owners and more. This site is home to news, research, online videos, and other resources. This organization is a key partner during Cyber Security Awareness Month.