General Computer Safety
Access to information in today's world is far greater than in earlier generations. Information, entertainment, credit, financial services and products from every corner of the world are now at your fingertips. Transactions take place and information changes hands within seconds.
Although seemingly innocuous, the Internet comes with many threats associated with easy and swift access to information. The convenience of the Internet — and the anonymity it appears to afford — can also give online scammers, hackers, and identity thieves access to your computer, personal information, finances, and more.
By increasing your awareness, you can minimize the chances of an Internet mishap. Being on guard online helps you protect your information, your computer, and yourself. The seven guidelines below should be adopted to help ensure the safety of your online environment.
7 Practices for Safer Computing
- Protect your personal information. It's valuable.
- Know who you're dealing with.
- Use anti-virus and anti-spyware software, as well as a firewall, and update them all regularly.
- Be sure to set up your operating system and Web browser software properly, and update them regularly.
- Protect your passwords.
- Back up important files.
- Learn who to contact if something goes wrong online.
1. Protect your personal information. It's valuable.
Why? To an identity thief, your personal information can provide instant access to your financial accounts, your credit record, and other assets.
If you think no one would be interested in your personal information, think again. The reality is that anyone can be a victim of identity theft. In fact, according to a Federal Trade Commission survey, there are millions of victims a year. It's often difficult to know how thieves obtained their victims' personal information, and while it definitely can happen offline, some cases start when online data is stolen. Visit ftc.gov/idtheft to learn what to do if your identity is stolen.
Unfortunately, when it comes to crimes like identity theft, you can't entirely control whether you will become a victim.
Click here for tips that can help minimize your risk while you're online.
2. Know who you're dealing with.
And know what you're getting into. There are dishonest people in the bricks and mortar world and on the Internet. But online, you can't judge an operator's trustworthiness with a gut-affirming look in the eye. It's remarkably simple for online scammers to impersonate a legitimate business, so you need to know whom you're dealing with. If you're shopping online, check out the seller before you buy. A legitimate business or individual seller should give you a physical address and a working telephone number at which they can be contacted in case you have problems.
PHISHING: Bait or Prey?
“We suspect an unauthorized transaction on your account. To ensure that your account is not compromised, please click the link below and confirm your identity.”
“Phishers” send spam or pop-up messages claiming to be from a business or organization that you might deal with — for example, an Internet service provider (ISP), bank, online payment service, or even a government agency. The message usually says that you need to “update” or “validate” your account information. It might threaten some dire consequence if you don't respond. The message directs you to a website that looks just like a legitimate organization's, but isn't.
FREE SOFTWARE AND FILE-SHARING: Worth the hidden costs?
Every day, millions of computer users share files online. File-sharing can give people access to a wealth of information, including music, games, and software. How does it work? You download special software that connects your computer to an informal network of other computers running the same software. Millions of users could be connected to each other through this software at one time. Often the software is free and easily accessible.
But file-sharing can have a number of risks. If you don't check the proper settings, you could allow access not just to the files you intend to share, but also to other information on your hard drive, like your tax returns, email messages, medical records, photos, or other personal documents. In addition, you may unwittingly download pornography labeled as something else. Or you may download material that is protected by the copyright laws, which would mean you could be breaking the law. If you decide to use file-sharing software, set it up very carefully. Take the time to read the End User Licensing Agreement to be sure you understand and are willing to tolerate the side effects of any free downloads.
3. Use anti-virus and anti-spyware software, as well as a firewall, and update them all regularly.
Dealing with anti-virus and firewall protection may sound about as exciting as flossing your teeth, but it's just as important as a preventive measure. Having intense dental treatment is never fun; neither is dealing with the effects of a preventable computer virus.
Anti-virus Software
Anti-virus software protects your computer from viruses that can destroy your data, slow your computer's performance, cause a crash, or even allow spammers to send email through your account. It works by scanning your computer and your incoming email for viruses, and then deleting them.
To be effective, your anti-virus software should update daily with antidotes to the latest "bugs" circulating through the Internet. Most commercial anti-virus software includes a feature to download updates automatically when you are on the Internet.
Anti-spyware Software
Installed on your computer without your consent, spyware software monitors or controls your computer use. It may be used to send you pop-up ads, redirect your computer to websites, monitor your Internet surfing, or record your keystrokes, which, in turn, could lead to the theft of your personal information.
Firewalls
Don't be put off by the word “firewall.” It's not necessary to fully understand how it works; it's enough to know what it does and why you need it. Firewalls help keep hackers from using your computer to send out your personal information without your permission. While anti-virus software scans incoming email and files, a firewall is like a guard, watching for outside attempts to access your system and blocking communications to and from sources you don't permit.
Don't Become a Zombie Drone
Some spammers search the Internet for unprotected computers they can control and use anonymously to send unwanted spam emails. If you don't have up-to-date anti-virus protection and a firewall, spammers may try to install software that lets them route email through your computer, often to thousands of recipients, so that it appears to have come from your account. If this happens, you may receive an overwhelming number of complaints from recipients, and your email account could be shut down by your Internet Service Provider (ISP).
4. Be sure to set up your operating system and Web browser software properly, and update them regularly.
Hackers also take advantage of Web browsers (like Internet Explorer or Netscape) and operating system software (like Windows or Linux) that are unsecured. Lessen your risk by changing the settings in your browser or operating system and increasing your online security. Check the "Tools" or "Options" menus for built-in security features. If you need help understanding your choices, use your "Help" function.
5. Protect your passwords.
Keep your passwords in a secure place, and out of plain view. Don't share your passwords on the Internet, over email, or on the phone. Your Internet Service Provider (ISP) should never ask for your password.
One way to create a strong password is to think of a memorable phrase and use the first letter of each word as your password, converting some letters into numbers that resemble letters. For example, "How much wood could a woodchuck chuck" would become HmWc@wC.
6. Back up important files.
If you follow these tips, you're more likely to be more secure online, free of interference from hackers, viruses, and spammers. But no system is completely secure. If you have important files stored on your computer, copy them onto a removable disc, and store them in a safe place.
7. Learn who to contact if something goes wrong online
Hacking or Computer Virus
If your computer gets hacked or infected by a virus:
- Immediately disconnect your machine from the Internet. Then scan your entire computer with fully updated anti-virus and anti-spyware software, and update your firewall.
- If your computer is infected and you can't get it to recover any other way, you can buy software to "wipe" — or erase — the hard drive. You'd then have to reinstall the operating system, and any other files you wish to use.
- Take steps to minimize the chances of another incident.
- Alert the appropriate authorities by contacting:
- your ISP and the hacker's ISP (if you can tell what it is). You can usually find an ISP's email address on its website. Include information on the incident from your firewall's log file. By alerting the ISP to the problem on its system, you can help it prevent similar problems in the future.
- the FBI at www.ic3.gov. To fight computer criminals, they need to hear from you.
Internet fraud
If a scammer takes advantage of you through an Internet auction, when you're shopping online, or in any other way, report it to the Federal Trade Commission, at ftc.gov. The FTC enters Internet, identity theft, and other fraud-related complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.
Deceptive Spam
If you get deceptive spam, including email phishing for your information, forward it to spam@uce.gov. Be sure to include the full header of the email, including all routing information. You also may report phishing email to reportphishing@antiphishing.org. The Anti-Phishing Working Group, a consortium of ISPs, security vendors, financial institutions and law enforcement agencies, uses these reports to fight phishing.
Divulged Personal Information
If you believe you have mistakenly given your personal information to a fraudster, file a complaint at ftc.gov, and then visit the Federal Trade Commission's Identity Theft website at ftc.gov/idtheft to learn how to minimize your risk of damage from a potential theft of your identity.
Parents
Parental controls are provided by most ISPs, or are sold as separate software. Remember that no software can substitute for parental supervision. Talk to your kids about safe computing practices, as well as the things they're seeing and doing online.
* The information above has been taken from the Federal Trade Commission Website, http://onguardonline.gov
See a problem on the website? Contact Us
