msn

[druiaghtagh]

How secure is windows xp when running msn, is it hacker proof, my 14 year old Grandaughter wants to use it but i am concerned about hacking and someone getting sensitive info such as bank detail from our pc, thankyou.

[vehelpfulguy]

Warn her of the dangers on MSN and other chat rooms.

Older men have been known to go on their pretending to be young girls or young boys.

They ask questions like what color school uniform to you wear (to try to narrow down which school they go to).

They also suggest they get a web cam and ask them to pose provocatively.

I am not saying it is all like this, but tell her not to give away any personal details (where she lives, address, phone number, school etc).

And NEVER meet anybody.

[vehelpfulguy]

Some advice

http://www.chatdanger.com/

http://www.ukorbit.com/chat_room_advice.htm

[RATTER15]

MSN is fairly secure, as long as she doesn't add anybody to contacts that she doesn't know, it isn't a chat room. Hopefully you don't keep any of your bank details on you PC!! if you do you need to be very careful and keep encrypted. MSN not a threat to it though.

[fo3nix]

No computer is hacker proof; some ex-FBI director is remembered with the quote "the only computer safe from hackers and viruses is one in a steel box six feet under, and i'm not totally sure about that one."

msn is safe enough though, hacker-wise. If you have no sensitive information like your banking details on your computer, then no-one can get at it anyway.

Just make sure you have your firewall and anti-virus on and up-to-date.