How easy is it to break into my computer?

Unfortunately, intruders are always discovering new vulnerabilities (informally
called "holes") to exploit in computer software. The complexity of software makes
it increasingly difficult to thoroughly test the security of computer systems. When holes are discovered, computer vendors will usually develop patches to address
the problem(s). However, it is up to you, the user, to obtain and install the
patches, or correctly configure the software to operate more securely.

A lot of incident reports of computer break-ins can be prevented if system administrators and users kept their computers up-to-date with patches and
security fixes. Also, some software applications have default settings that allow other users to access your computer unless you change the settings to be more secure. Examples include chat programs that let outsiders execute commands on your computer or web browsers that could allow someone to place harmful programs on your computer that run when you click on them.