PC Stats has posted a new beginners guide on "Encryption and Online Privacy"

As on-line shopping becomes more and more an accepted part of our economy, it seems obvious that their would be a concurrent increase in the frequency of computer related crimes such as fraudulent on-line marketing sites and identity theft, and, to a certain degree there has been. On the other hand, the success of online marketing has the goliath's of the brick and mortar business world fully involved now, most notably the banks. As larger companies get increasingly involved in doing day-to-day business on the web, they bring the same awareness of security concerns that they employ successfully in other enterprises to the Internet. While the comparison of online shopping to regular business works well enough on some levels, the fact is that computers, for all their advantages, add several new security and privacy concerns that everyone who uses them should be aware of. This article aims to cover the basics of online security, including a description of the methods online stores use to protect themselves and their customers. It will also go into detail on protecting personal information and your privacy on your Windows XP computer.

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