Courtesy of OnGuardOnline.gov, here are the 7 Practices For Safer Computing:

1. Protect your personal information. It’s valuable.
2. Know who you’re dealing with.
3. Use anti-virus and anti-spyware software, as well as a firewall, and update them all regularly.
4. Be sure to set up your operating system and Web browser software properly, and update them regularly.
5. Protect your passwords.
6. Back up important files.
7. Learn who to contact if something goes wrong online

Accessing the story itself, they go into detail about how and why each of these steps is necessary. A very good article to share with friends, families, and co-workers.