You’ve heard about spyware, you’ve heard about phishing, and you’ve even installed computer security software to protect your laptop from viruses and other online threats. You think your computer is safe — think again.

A national survey conducted in October by McAfee and the National Cyber Security Alliance found most Americans have a false sense of security when it comes to the security software on their computer.

According to the survey, while a majority of Americans have anti-virus and anti-spyware programs installed on their computers, 78 percent still aren’t fully protected.

“The good news is that most people are doing something to protect themselves,” said Steven Gribble, an associate professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering.”The bad news is that there is clearly room for improvement.”

University computer security experts recommend several ways to protect your personal computer.

Keep your software updated

Installing the latest software updates or ‘patches’ makes it harder for hackers to infiltrate your operating system, said Daniel Schwalbe, a network security engineer in the Computing & Communications (C&C) department.

Most computers can be configured to do automatic updates of software on a regular basis, Schwalbe said.

Double-check that your system installs the latest patches by clicking on the security settings under the Control Panel in Windows or System Preferences on a Macintosh.

Install anti-virus programs

The UW provides anti-virus software to students, staff and faculty, Schwalbe said.Download it for free at www.washington.edu/uware or buy the UWICK kit, which contains anti-virus software for both Macintosh and Windows systems, for $1 at the University Book Store.

“It’s critical not only that your computer be fully patched, but also have anti-virus software at the same time,” Schwalbe said.”They work hand-in-hand to keep your computer protected.”

Make sure your computer is automatically updating anti-virus programs, because they typically expire after a year, Schwalbe said.

“As soon as you’re lapsing and not getting the latest [updates], you’re already vulnerable,” he said.

Install anti-spyware programs

A study conducted in 2005 by the UW Department of Computer Science found that one in every 25 Web sites contained spyware attachments, and that one in every 10 programs downloaded online contained spyware.

Buy anti-spyware software from a store rather than downloading it, Schwalbe said.

“There have been cases of phony spyware software that you download off the Internet, which itself contains spyware,” he said.

Or upgrade your computer to get anti-spyware software, said Gribble, who was involved with the UW study.

“Windows Vista ships with anti-spyware software built in, so as people upgrade their computers, they will get additional protection for free,” Gribble said.

Hackers also target instant messaging programs and social networking sites, Schwalbe said.

Links sent in instant messages or included in MySpace comments can contain spyware.

Never let your guard down

You may have the latest anti-virus and anti-spyware programs on your computer, but that doesn’t mean you’re completely safe.

Be wary of downloading anything from an unfamiliar Web site.

“Apply common street smarts to the Web,” Gribble said.”If you visit a Web site you’ve never heard of and it’s asking you to install software, you should probably think twice about that.”

Gribble recommends going to McAfee’s SiteAdvisor Web site at www.siteadviser.com for a free security and privacy analysis of any Web site.

“If there is a Web site that you are tempted to visit, but are unsure about whether it is safe to do so, this service can help,” he said.

Also, be suspicious of clicking on links or giving out personal information in e-mails asking you to verify an account. Those are probably phishing attacks that can lead to identity theft, said Schwalbe.

Consultants at the C&C department strongly encourage students, staff and faculty to ask about computer security issues, Schwalbe said.

“C&C is here to help anyone from the UW community … and be a resource to explain things, help inform and educate about computer security and all things related,” Schwalbe said. “We’d much rather you ask than trying to figure it out [yourself].”

[Reach contributing writer Sara Bruestle at development@thedaily.washington.edu.]