I have been deeply involved in the Internet community since 1993. Again, this is not to say that such things don't occur, but that they rarely occur in the life of the average Dick and Jane. Let's take a brief look at the dimensions of the real threat and some simple measures you can take to defend yourself. Slamming the door on unwanted hard-drive guests Email is both a blessing and a beast. It provides nearly instantaneous communication, but it can also deliver unwanted viruses and, in rare instances, a portal to your hard drive.
Viruses are a major problem, but truth be known are easily avoided.
Don't open, or even browse, an email from someone you don't know. The town I live in makes Barney Fife's Mayberry look like New York City. You better believe I do most of my shopping on the Internet. Yes, but less so than the chance of leaving my card on the counter of an OfficeMax 50 miles distant. He tells me that the odds of hackers intercepting an online credit transaction are roughly equivalent to the chance of someone stealing your wallet in an isolated Virginia cornfield.