You probably know that computer hackers can steal your identity, but did you know they can also ruin your reputation? 

Pedophiles can use Internet viruses to get into your computer and download and store illegal pictures and videos.  If child pornography turns up on your computer, you look like a pedophile.  You could lose your family and friends, your job, even end up behind bars.

You might think your PC is safe in the QCA, but Edward Zipper of Precision Computer Services in Davenport says the online world is small.  "If you're on the Internet, you're connected to every other computer all over the world on the Internet."

All it takes is one visit to an infected web site, or a click on an infected e-mail attachment and you're basically giving an Internet predator back door access to your computer.  Zipper says, "Once the back door is open, they invite their friends over and have a party in your computer."

Hackers can take control of your computer and wait until you're not using it. "When they see there's no activity, they upload files to your computer and now they're hidden," Zipper says.  "People can access that folder and download those files whenever they want to."

 They can also force your computer to surf child pornography sites, collecting images along the way.  One security software maker says at any moment about 20 million Internet-connected computers are infected with viruses that can give hackers control.

Experts say there's no surefire way to protect your PC but making sure windows is updated and installing security software can help.  Zipper also says you should be aware of changes in your computer.  "If you use your computer every day, you notice when it's slowing down, doing strange things, taking you to different sites, lots of pop-ups."  If that's the case, you might want to take it to an expert to get it cleaned.

Zipper says if you ever do find child porn on your computer, call police.  And whatever you do, don't delete it. "If a forensic study is done on your computer by police or by the FBI, it'll show you were aware of it and then you deleted these things, making you look like the guilty party."  

Zipper says when it comes to e-mail, you can't always trust the source, even if the message is from someone you know.  Hackers can grab entire address books and send messages that look like they're from family and friends.  So if something doesn't look right, don't open it.

Computer security experts estimate 1 out of every 10 pages on the Internet is infected with some type of virus.  They say that's another reason it's important to talk to your kids about where they go online.