Useful links

Here are some useful links to help you out.

Virus/Spyware/Malware/Other Nasties
NOD32 Antivirus Techs-on-Call preferred antivirus program.
SpyBot S&D a very powerful, free spyware removal program.
Malware Bytes another good free spyware removal program.
CIAC, the official US list of e-mail hoaxes.
Why phising scams work.
Anatomy of Malware, an article detailing how malware catches people.
Scammers making millions on fake antivirus programs.
Bank Failures, Mergers and Takeovers: A "Phish-erman’s Special", FTC consumer alert.
Web monitoring by your ISP, information on NebuAd, a company that was trying to monitor and sell your web browsing activities with the help of your ISP.

Hardware Information
Anand Tech, perhaps the best hardware review site on the Internet.

Software
Mozilla FireFox, a great free alternative to Internet Explorer. Plus, it does a much better job following web standards.
CCleaner, a simple program that cleans up junk left behind by programs. And it is free too.
Windows Update, use it regularly.
True Crypt, free on-the-fly disk encryption.

Miscellaneous
W3C They create the web standards.