You might assume your new PC is secure, but is it? In the U.S., the Federal Trade Commission just charged [http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2012/09/designware.shtm] seven rent-to-own computer companies and a software design firm with computer spying. Some 420,000 rent-to-own computers allegedly secretly collected personal information, took pictures of users in their homes, and tracked their locations. Meanwhile Microsoft [https://blogs.technet.com/b/microsoft_blog/archive/2012/09/13/microsoft-disrupts-the-emerging-nitol-botnet-being-spread-through-an-unsecure-supply-chain.aspx?Redirected=true] found that PCs from China had malware embedded before reaching consumers. The virus [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/14/pre-infected-pcs-expose-risks_n_1884441.html?utm_hp_ref=cybersecurity] "could allow a hacker to switch on a microphone or Webcam, record keystrokes and access users' login credentials and online bank accounts." And, an FBI investigation [http://www.zdnet.com/blog/projectfailures/fbi-counterfeit-cisco-routers-risk-it-subversion/740] found that counterfeit routers purchased by various US government agencies also were pre-loaded with malicious software. Do you assume your new PC is secure, or if not, what steps do you take to secure it?

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