Microsoft has released several free tools and resources to help individuals and their families increase their safety and privacy online. Here are a few of those tools and resources: Free Internet safety calendar . Download a free Internet...

Kim Sanchez, a group manager in Microsoft's Trustworthy Computing Group, has assumed the chair of the Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI) Board of Directors. FOSI is one of a variety of government and nonprofit organizations that Microsoft works...

Microsoft releases security updates on the second Tuesday of every month. Today Microsoft released 9 new security updates. 7 updates for Microsoft Windows 1 update for Microsoft Office 1 update for Microsoft Internet Information Services ...

A few weeks ago we told you about 4 ways that spammers can get your email address . Readers sent in a few more tips. Anonymous writes: It's always good to have another email account setup that you use when you register for things on the web. ...

Microsoft just released a free ebook to help teens keep themselves and their stuff safer online. In partnership with security expert and author, Linda McCarthy , this free downloadable version of her new book, "Own Your Space - Keep Yourself and Your...

Botnets are networks of compromised computers that are controlled remotely and secretly by one or more cybercriminals. If your computer is infected with a botnet it can perform automated tasks over the Internet without your knowledge. These tasks...

A reader recently asked us if they need both Microsoft Security Essentials (free antivirus and antispyware software) and another security suite that requires a paid subscription service. The short answer? No. The long answer? Microsoft Security...

A reader asks: "I recently received a package from UPS. This Overnight Air envelope contained three postal money orders for $820.00. I called the UPS number on the envelope and spoke to someone about tracking the envelope and found out it was a...

The Microsoft Privacy and Online Safety team regularly tweets at twitter.com/safer_online. Here are some of our recent updates. Which Countries Have the Safest Web Access? http://bit.ly/do9fKz Should parents "friend" their kids on Facebook...

If a deal for software seems too good to be true, then it probably is. The software could be pirated, which means that it's been copied and sold illegally. One of the dangers of using pirated software is that you might not get security updates, which...

A reader recently asked us if she needed Windows Defender , antispyware software from Microsoft that comes with Windows Vista and Windows 7, if she had downloaded Microsoft Security Essentials (free antivirus and antispyware software). If you use Microsoft...

Disasters like the recent floods in Pakistan are another opportunity for cybercriminals to take advantage of people who want to donate money online. Use caution with suspicious email , websites, instant messages, or posts on social networking sites...

If you think you have a computer virus or other security help needs, you can get free help at the new Virus and Security Solution Center . You can: Find out if you have a virus with the Windows Live Safety Scanner . Get rid of viruses with...

Americans are just as worried about losing personal and financial information online as they are about losing their jobs, a study by the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) and the Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG) finds. According to the poll...

Microsoft Office 2010 is now available. New security features in PowerPoint, Word, Outlook, Excel, and other Office programs help you complete tasks more easily and more safely. For more information, see Security in Microsoft Office 2010 .

A reader of this blog recently received the following suspicious email: "This Email is from Hotmail Customer Care. We are having congestions due to the anonymous registration of Hotmail accounts so we are shutting down some Hotmail accounts and your...

Microsoft releases security updates on the second Tuesday of every month. Today Microsoft released 14 new security updates. 7 updates for Microsoft Windows 2 updates for Microsoft Office 1 update for Windows Media Player 1 update for Windows...

Pirated or counterfeit software can put your computer at risk for viruses , spyware , and other kinds of unwanted software. This can happen in at least two different ways: Malicious software could be written into the code of the pirated software, or the...

There are several common ways that spammers can get your email address: Crawling the web for the @ sign. Spammers and cybercriminals use sophisticated tools to scan the web and harvest email addresses. If you publicly post your email address online...

Last week at the Black Hat security conference , Microsoft announced the newest version of the Enhanced Mitigation Experience Toolkit (EMET) . EMET is a free tool designed to help IT professionals protect systems from common threats, even in older...

We wanted to remind you about a fraudulent email scam that seems to be on the rise. If you receive an email that claims you've won a lottery that's sponsored by Microsoft , you can be sure that this is an advanced fee fraud . These emails usually ask...

Today Microsoft released an out-of band security update that addresses a security vulnerability in: Windows XP Windows Vista Windows 7 Windows Server 2003 Windows Server 2008 Windows Server 2008 R2 To help protect your computer...

Today at the Black Hat USA 2010 conference Microsoft announced the extension of the Microsoft Active Protections Program (MAPP) to include vulnerability information from Adobe Systems. MAPP is a collaborative effort that helps protect people from current...

It's true that a slow computer could be a sign of a virus or other malicious software, but it could be something else. If your computer is acting funny, take these three steps to help diagnose the problem: 1. Scan your computer for viruses with...

There's a new version of Microsoft's free webmail service and it's coming your way soon . The new Windows Live Hotmail offers cool new features like more storage, the ability to edit Microsoft Office documents, and better interaction with your favorite...