Other Applications...  Privacy? Many other applications can risk your security and privacy  .

• Most forms of peer-peer programs may reveal your specific IP number (file sharing, chat rooms, Instant messenger, etc)
• Peer- to- peer programs can be configured to share the contents of you hard disk.
• Some programs include spyware, which monitor your usage of their product (Ws ftp, real player, smart download)
• Trojans , viruses – Once they are in your system, they can be used to collect personal information ( This is why you want a 2-way firewall)

email related links 

• Outlook Security features - from Microsoft.
• Protecting Microsoft Outlook against Viruses (from Slipstick Systems)
• email security tester (similar to port scanning your firewalls)
• Is that email a hoax? try  Snopes
•  Coalition Against Unsolicited Commercial Email - CAUSE is a leading anti-spam lobbyist.
  

• Some Free program include piggy-back programs (they provide revenue to the free program)
  For example: a stealth p2p network application is bundled with Kazaa
  Buried in the user agreement:
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•  "You hereby grant “Brilliant” the right to access and use the unused computing power and storage space on your computer/s and/or Internet access or bandwidth for the aggregation of content and use in distributed computing," 
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• “Brilliant” now has the keys to your computer.
• 100 million copies of Kazaa have been downloaded.  How hard would it be for a hacker to also access these capabilies
• Article: Stealth P2P network hidden inside Kazaa , scumware - illustrates a link-modifying program also downloaded with Kazaa..

Note for my Alumni: Your referrals are always appreciated