Back in the early days of the Internet, when only a small fraction of the population shared information online, security wasn't much of an issue. People chose short, easy passwords and never changed them, and nobody said much about the risk. Now, although security and encryption technology has gotten much smarter, so have the hackers. Because most people actively use the Internet to buy, sell and share personal information, the reward for stealing this kind of data is higher than ever. To avoid being one of the victims, follow these simple steps to ensure Internet Security when doing business online:

Reduce your risk by limiting the number of businesses you share your credit card information with. Instead, use PayPal or another third-party payment site. If you do provide your payment information directly to an online business, make sure it is a secure site. Secure sites always have URLs that begin with "https" instead of "http".

Your online information is only as safe as your password! No matter how good the Internet security steps taken by the websites you do business with, nobody can protect your information if your password is compromised.

a. Never store a list of your passwords anywhere on your hard drive - it would be safer to write them on a note stuck to your monitor. Better yet, commit them to memory. Use a different password for each site you log into. It's annoying, yes, but much less annoying than having your account information compromised.

b. Watch out for "phishing" emails - those that look like they're from a business you trust but ask for your login or other personal information. No legitimate website will ever ask for this information in an email; it's always an Internet scammer hoping that you'll fall for the trick and send them your username and password.

Check your bank and credit card statements often for suspicious transactions. Even small charges that you can't account for could be signs that your information has fallen into the wrong hands. Your annual credit report could also give clues.

Change your passwords regularly, and don't allow your web browser to remember passwords for you. If you use Firefox, you can set a master password to protect your saved passwords. Otherwise, consider saved passwords a freebie for hackers. Also, "security questions" are not as secure as they seem. Go for a memorable, unique answer every time rather than the truth. Write down your answers in a secure location for future reference.

Use common sense! Before providing personal information, ask yourself: Is it reasonable for this retailer to ask for this? Is there a way around providing it? Are they really who they say they are?

Remember, the bottom line is, your information is only as safe as you make it, so take the extra time to protect it well when doing business online. You'll be glad you did.