Humans – We want to be part of people’s lives, we want to learn from each other, we want to have an opinion, we want to be able to express that opinion. We want to debate. We want encouragement. We look for inspiration. We want community. The answer lies in Social Networking.

Social networking over the last few years has witnessed a remarkable rise, growing from strength to strength as a tool that has this amazing ability to connect people, so much so that a lot of us have become wired to it. Social networking has given us a space, a forum where we can express ourselves freely. But the same freedom has in a way blurred lines with an intrusion to one’s privacy. But social networking when handled safely could be a very powerful tool, so what precautions do you have to take when using a social networking site? Here’s a list of a few things that you can keep an eye out for.

Viruses are one of the main threats in social networking. Where and how do viruses live on a social network? Viruses can primarily be found in emails, especially ones that carry attachments with them. But viruses are a risk that can be avoided by using caution when opening mails. It is advisable to scan incoming mails using up to date anti-virus software. Even if the sender of the message is known, he/she may not be aware that the attachment contains viruses.

A social network is a useful tool using which we can share information with the world. But, at times, we make the mistake of divulging too much information, which brings us to the second threat resulting from networking. We can limit this risk by keeping a check on what we post on a public forum. You will also want to be careful when you are writing about your friends, get their permission first when writing about them or posting a picture.

Social networking has given us the excellent opportunity to interact with different kinds of people, a chance to become friends with complete strangers who are sitting on the other side of the globe. But there lies a risk in getting too friendly. It is important to check out their profile and a small check to ensure that they are who they say they are. When they send you an email, scan the email first to see if they pose a risk that way. And even if they look harmless and okay, don’t give them any personal information and be very cautious with what you do tell them.

There are some fun social networking sites that you can join. For the most part these sites and those that use them are no threat to you or your household. There are some social networking safety risks and how you can avoid them is to be cautious in what you post and not give any personal information, and use anti-virus software to safeguard your system. You can make new friends, just use good judgment and scan for viruses to avoid the social networking safety risks.

Twenty-one-year-old Philip Gabriel Pettersson, known as “Stakkato,” was charged for intruding into the networks of tech-gear maker Cisco Systems Inc. and high-end computing equipment at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

In 2007, he was fined by a Swedish court for hacking networks at three Swedish universities. When FBI has interrogated him in 2006, regarding hacking of U.S. networks and Cisco systems, he denied it.

But he had started hacking these systems during his teenage, now he is 21, to steal trade secrets. The stolen data were used in the company’s Internetwork Operating System which is a cornerstone technology for the San Jose, Calif.-based company that is a common thread through many of its products.

After the incident, Cisco reported that “it did not believe that any customer information, partner information or financial systems were affected”.