Some of you can practically sing along with me. I tend to repeat the same security advice column after column.

Get a firewall and use it. Make sure you have an up-to-date anti-virus program and another for spyware and adware. Use a password that contains numbers and letters and no words you would find in the dictionary. Routers provide added security from hackers.

It's all true, and I'll probably say it again. But today, I'll assume you've taken my earlier advice and offer some additional ideas that will make you even safer from hack attacks.

> Don't hide the truth: Programs that provide a back door into your computer for hackers, along with some viruses, can come disguised as harmless attachments or photographs. The most dangerous ones are tiny programs. Most programs have file names that end in .exe and .com. When you see that, it's a good clue that the attachment is harmful. But many of you operate blind because Windows is set to hide common file extensions. To change that, open Internet Explorer, click on Tools, then Folder Options. Click on the View tab. Then remove the check mark from the place where it says "Hide Extensions For Known File Types."

> Reduce the demand: While you're messing with Windows Explorer, let's do one more change. Open it up, click on Tools, then Internet Options. Finally, click on the Advanced tab. Scroll down the list of options until you come to two items that include the verbiage "Enable Install On Demand." Remove the check marks from both. That will keep evil Web pages from installing programs without your permission.

> Get some service: If you use Windows XP you simply must install Service Pack 2. I wish I could promise you the upgrade will be painless. In most cases that's true, but some users have run into problems. So I'm not promising a rose garden here. But I can tell you that bigger problems await if you avoid the security improvements and fixes provided by Service Pack 2 (available at the Microsoft Web site, www.microsoft.com).

> Subtract some problems: The add-on manager is available only to those who installed Service Pack 2. It alone is worth the hassle of the upgrade. You can use it to remove programs that have attached themselves to your Web browser. These little programs are often downloaded because they're free and sound useful. Many of them contain harmful spyware and adware.

If you have the add-on manager, you can remove them. Open Internet Explorer, click on Tools, then on Manage Add-Ons. You'll see a list of add-on programs. My suggestion is that you remove all of them --- especially if you aren't sure what they are. If in doubt, remove them.

> Put out the firewall: If you're using the firewall that's built into Windows XP, you're far ahead of most users. However, today we're talking about ways to go beyond the basics. So buy a software firewall. Both Norton and McAfee offer excellent commercial firewalls that beat the Windows versions hands down.

I don't have room to go into all the reasons why the built-in version isn't up to snuff. But the most glaring problem is that it just monitors traffic coming into your computer, not stuff that is being sent out. That means if a hacker manages to get a program installed in your computer that offers remote control access, you may not see the traffic it generates.

> Watch out for the engineer: Talk to any security expert and you'll learn many computer break-ins aren't high-tech exploits at all. Instead, the break-in artist relies on social engineering --- taking advantage of how humans think and operate.

For instance, many of you set passwords based on the name of a pet, a child or some other bit of personal history that is easy for you to remember. It's human to do that, and it's dumb to do that. Avoid these kinds of passwords, and change them often.

> Erase your tracks: When I travel I often use a desktop computer provided by the hotel's business center. That allows me to leave the laptop at home on most trips. But since I check e-mail using the Web site provided by my Internet provider, I make sure that all traces of my user name and password are removed from the computer when I'm done. To do this, open the browser that you used, click on Tools, then Internet Options, and click each of these buttons: Clear History, Delete Files, Delete Cookies.

Following these tips will provide extra protection. Think of it as a second step for people who are already security-conscious.

However, the basic security tips --- the ones I repeat so often --- are still mandatory for every computer user. So, keep singing along with me on those, and just add a second verse.