By Norm Morin

"There is nothing wrong with your television.... We are now controlling the transmission...."

This was the narrator's message at the beginning of the "Outer Limits," a show originally broadcast in the early '60s. Monsters, space aliens and other strange characters had control of your television while the show was televised.

This situation might seem similar to hackers attacking computers. The rightful computer owners have no control over the situation. They are just a captive audience and unable to alter events.

Things really aren't that bad. You do have alternatives.

Have you protected your computer with a virus scanner? This is the first step. No computer should be without a virus scanner. There are all kinds of opinions as to which virus scanner is the best, but any virus scanner is better than none.

Common sense is another important component to protecting your computer.

If your computer is protected, are you safe from hackers and identity theft? Did you know that your information may be divulged by someone else? If a bank, government or other organization holds information about you, your information could be exposed through no fault of your own.

Think about it. What happens if hackers break into a large retailer's computer? Customer information is available to the hacker. All information on file could be compromised and made available. You might think that no one is interested in your personal information, and that you have nothing to hide. Think again. Would you believe hackers have clearing houses for identity information?

Anyone who has worked in the medical industry is aware of HIPPA rules. Information about patients is confidential. Health-care facilities are serious about conforming to the privacy regulations. Any health-care worker who doesn't abide by the rules is usually terminated.

While you can't police all the places that hold information about you, you can make it more difficult to mine data about you. When you are queried for information, provide misinformation to anyone who doesn't have a valid reason to know things about you. Who cares if the retailer doesn't have accurate information about you? Give them fake information.

Why does Facebook need to know your birthday? Why does Facebook have to tell the world your birthdate?

Retailers are notorious for asking for information, but they aren't very attentive to protecting it. You can easily find news stories of multiple data compromises. Why does a store need your Social Security number if you don't hold a line of credit from the store?

You need to be vigilant and protect your information because no one else has your best interest at heart.
