Okay. You use an anti-virus program, you do your Windows updates regularly, and you don't open email attachments that you are not expecting. Yet, have you ever wondered if your computer is really secure? Well, this free service will run a scan to check your computer for vulnerabilities, and will give you the immediate results.

Just visit the Shields Up!! website, which is a part of Steve's Gibson's Gibson Research Corporation. Steve is a highly-rated security expert and I have been using his Shields Up online security checker for years. It is not only perfectly safe, but it can alert you to security gaps that your should know about.

All this security stuff can be complicated because it deals with IP addresses, file sharing, TCP ports, subnets and other terminology that may make the average user wince. Yet, you can just do the testing, or you can read Steve's explanations. Some of his links are, "Explain this to me", "Am I really in any danger?", and "What can I do about this?" So, not only will the scan alert you to any security problems, but it will explain what is going on and help you correct any deficiencies.

Even with Steve's explanations, some of the concepts can be difficult to comprehend. Be ready to spend some time reading and researching if you really want to understand everything. If your computer doesn't pass muster and you don't want to investigate yourself, you can always hire a computer consultant, ask a geeky friend, or post your question on the Compu-KISS message boards. Remember that computer security should always be taken seriously.