Microsoft has long believed that you should get to decide what information you share online and what you keep private. That’s why we've made privacy settings for our products a priority. Learn how Microsoft can help you protect your online privacy . Privacy in Internet Explorer 10 Internet...

The latest volume of the Security Intelligence Report (SIR) highlights the importance of using antivirus software . Antivirus software helps protect your computer from malicious software (malware) and can be downloaded or installed inexpensively or at no charge. Still, according to the SIR v14 findings...

We’ve received increased reports of a new phishing scam email message that uses the name and official logo of the Microsoft Digital Crimes Unit (DCU). The wording varies, but it looks like a security measure and says you need to validate your account by confirming your user name and password or...

It’s tax season in the United States, which means it’s time for us to remind you about tax scams—especially email messages that appear to come from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) or another legitimate organization. These seemingly valid offers are designed to trick you into turning...

If you use Outlook.com or Hotmail and think your account has been hacked , you should act right away to help protect your Microsoft account . If you can still access your Microsoft account, sign in and immediately change your password. For Outlook.com, go to the Password and Security section; for...

On February 6, Microsoft announced that its Digital Crimes Unit had worked with Symantec to successfully deactivate a major botnet called Bamital . Below is an overview of Bamital and how you can remove it from your computer. Botnets are networks of compromised computers, controlled remotely by criminals...

You may have seen reports about security alerts for Java recently. Java is a commonly used piece of software from Oracle, so there’s a good chance you have it installed on your computer. Cybercriminals often use fake virus alerts to lure you into buying fraudulent antivirus software. These alerts...

In recent years, many of our customers have reported phony tech support phone calls from people who claim to be from Microsoft. These callers are cybercriminals who want to: Trick you into downloading malware . Take control of your computer remotely and adjust its settings to expose it to security...

Microsoft releases security updates on the second Tuesday of every month. The bulletin announces the release of 7 security updates. Download the January security updates for Microsoft .NET Framework, Microsoft Developer Tools, Microsoft Office, Microsoft Server Software, and Microsoft Windows....

Calling all teens! Here's your chance to create something fun that can help others. Start by reading the eligibility requirements and prize information in the official rules . Then have a look at the online safety materials from Microsoft for ideas to do one of the following: Stage a skit or...

Have you ever received an email or seen a warning page on a website claiming that legal authorities had detected illegal activities on your computer? This scam infects your computer with a type of malicious software called “ransomware.” The aim of ransomware is to prevent you from using...

Need help spotting an online scam? Download our new free 12-page booklet called Online Fraud: Your Guide to Prevention, Detection, and Recovery . This guide includes: Real-world examples of false promises made in fake emails Images of scam emails to help you avoid them Tips for guarding...

Many respondents to a recent Microsoft survey expressed concern about trickier scams that are happening on social networks. The Microsoft Malware Protection Center recently blogged about one of these new scams that claims to offer a free Costco gift card to all Facebook users. But don’t click...

Judy writes: My virus protection doesn't seem to want to stay on. I’ve been able to turn it back on, but when I shut down and then restart my computer later, the virus protection is off again . Is this some kind of Halloween trick? Having a virus is no treat Achieving 100 percent protection...

What if we stopped listening to the fear-based news about cyberbullying, over-sharing, and loss of privacy? What if we focused on research that doesn’t make for a scary headline on the evening news? Would it surprise you to learn that a recent study by the Family Online Safety Institute ...

Today Microsoft released a security update for Internet Explorer. To help protect your computer, visit Windows Update to download and install the update and ensure that you have automatic updating turned on. Note: This update replaces the Fix it that we posted earlier this week. If you install this...

Microsoft releases security updates on the second Tuesday of every month. The bulletin announces the release of 2 security updates: 1 update for Visual Studio 1 update for System Center Get the updates . Watch a video about the updates . To get more information about security...

Today the Microsoft Security Response Center (MSRC) posted details about the September security updates . On Tuesday, September 11 at approximately 10 AM Pacific Time Microsoft will release 2 bulletins. The MSRC also posted information about important changes to the Windows certificate requirements...

We’ve received reports about a new phishing scam email that tells “email users across the world” to validate their email account or it will be deleted from “the world email server.” This email is fake, but it does use the official logo of the Microsoft Digital Crimes...

Gabby writes: I just wanted to let you know that I received a phone call this evening from a guy called “Daniel” from “Technical Maintenance of Microsoft Windows.” He said that Microsoft had received error messages from my computer and he asked me to turn my computer on and...

Outlook.com is Microsoft’s new free cloud email service for personal use. You can use Outlook.com with the Outlook desktop application, via the web at http://outlook.com , or via other email apps that support Exchange ActiveSync or POP3. The new Outlook.com offers several security and privacy...

Last month McAfee released results from their 2012 Teen Internet Behavior study . The study revealed that 61 percent of teens think that they can successfully hide their online behavior from their parents. Here are a few examples of what they do: Erase browser history Minimize browser window...

John writes: I received an email that said that I won a prize from Microsoft and I am concerned that others may fall for this scam. Can't anything be done about these types of scams? The Microsoft Lottery scam is a fraudulent email that claims that you have won a lottery, a prize, a sweepstakes...

Want to know an easy way to make sure you have the most up-to-date security settings and software for your Windows operating system? Microsoft offers a free downloadable tool that scans your computer and makes recommended changes based on your current settings. Run the Microsoft Malware Prevention...

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) issued a warning earlier this month that travelers should be careful using Internet connections in hotels. Some travelers had inadvertently downloaded malicious software onto their computers when they accepted fake security updates. Reportedly, hackers had...