Installing a firewall and creating a strong password are two of the most important ways you can keep your computer and your identity safe online.

What’s a firewall and what does it do?

An internet firewall filters all the information coming from the Internet to your computer and protects it from viruses, spam and other dangerous programs. It also protects your personal information and files from being stolen or hacked by an internet criminal.

How to turn on your firewall:

Most computers already come with internet security software that you have to activate. It’s usually as simple as clicking a box that says “Turn Firewall On.”

See a demo.

You should only use one firewall at a time, so if you decide to install a higher security two-way firewall with anti-virus protection, like Norton 360, make sure you turn off your automatic firewall first.