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In today’s world of technology it is important to make sure that you protect your computer and details whilst online, we hope to provide some information on how to stay safe whilst online. Threats to your pc can come from anything from online gaming to viruses and spyware programmes, we will be covering how best to protect against these threats.
www.getsafeonline.org
It is essential to take sensible measures to protect your computer from the numerous threats encountered online these days. This should be relatively simple for anyone who can use a computer, and there is ample guidance on this website to help you to do so.
Effective protection will safeguard against your computer being infected with viruses and spyware that could result from your online activities that seem completely harmless – such as searching the internet, downloading, playing games and even using email. In turn, it will safeguard you against potentially serious consequences such as fraud and identity theft.
Viruses and Spyware.
A virus is a file written with the sole intention of doing harm, or for criminal activity. There are many types of virus.
A worm, for example, can exploit security vulnerabilities to spread itself automatically to other computers through networks. A Trojan horse (or simply ‘Trojan’) is a program that appears harmless but hides malicious functions. Viruses may harm a computer system's performance or data. Some are noticeable to the computer user, but many run in the background, unnoticed by the user. A virus may be designed to replicate itself.
Spyware is a type of virus that is specifically designed to steal information about your activity on your computer. Spyware writers have a number of different objectives, mainly fraudulent financial gain. Spyware can perform a number of illicit functions, from creating pop up advertisements to stealing your bank login details by taking screen shots of the sites you visit and even logging the keys you type. Spyware may also be self-replicating.
Potentially, a virus could arrive on your computer in the form of a Trojan, it could replicate itself before moving on to another computer (a worm) and also be designed as a piece of spyware. Viruses and spyware are types of malware, which also includes rootkits, dishonest adware andscareware.
The Risks
Viruses and spyware can attack your computer via the following means:
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Opening infected email attachments such as .exe files.•
Opening infected files from web-based digital file delivery companies (for exampleYouSendIt, Dropbox).•
Visiting corrupt websites.•
Via the internet, undetected by the user (worms are an example of this).•
Macros in application documents (word processing, spreadsheets etc).•
USB connected devices (eg memory sticks, external hard drives, MP3 players).Viruses and spyware can cause very serious consequences including:
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Deletion, theft and corruption of data.•
A slow or unusable computer.
Antivirus Software
It is vital to keep your antivirus software up to date in order to provide the most complete protection. Thousands of new viruses are detected every year, to say nothing of the variants of new and existing ones. Each has a set of characteristics or ‘signatures’ that enable antivirus softwaremanufacturers to detect them and produce suitable updates.
Most antivirus software automatically downloads these updates (sometimes referred to as ‘definitions’) on a regular basis, as long as you are online and have paid your annual subscription (for a paid-for product). This should ensure protection against even the latest virus threats.
Antivirus software scans for viruses in a number of different ways:
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It scans incoming emails for attached viruses.•
It monitors files as they are opened or created to make sure they are not infected.•
It performs periodic scans of the files on your computer.Some antivirus software also scans USB connected devices (eg memory sticks, external hard drives, MP3 players), as they are connecting. Some also highlights suspect websites.
Antivirus software will not protect you against:
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Any kind of fraud or criminal activity online not initiated by a virus.•
A hacker trying break into your computer over the internet.It is not effective if it is switched off or not updated with the latest virus signatures.
Choosing antivirus/antispyware software
For personal and home office use there are a number of choices that you can take to decide which antivirus/antispyware software to buy:
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Package or standalone antivirus/antispyware software. Most antivirus/antispyware softwarecompanies sell a program that only scans for viruses, as well as selling full security packages that provide other protection including firewall, spam filtering, antispyware and parental controls. Antivirus/antispyware packages alone normally cost from £20 and full packages from £30. A package should include everything you need to protect your PC against online threats, is easy to use as everything is controlled from one screen, and is cheaper than buying each component separately.•
Free antivirus/antispyware software.There are a number of antivirus/antispyware products that are free for personal or non-commercial use. In most cases, these ‘free’ products are no-frills versions of purchasable products which the manufacturer hopes you will upgrade to in the future. The protection factor is likely to be equivalent to the paid-for version, but there may be limited or no technical support and some reduced functionality, for example in scheduling full scans.•
Antivirus/antispyware software for businesses. Typically, antivirus/antispyware softwareand internet security packages cover up to three computers. Businesses should consider business versions designed to make installation, updating and management easier on multiple computers.•
Windows Defender software is included – and enabled by default – in Windows Vista and Windows 7, and is available as a free download for Windows XP and Windows Server 2003. The Microsoft product is designed to prevent, remove, and quarantine spyware in Microsoft Windows. It was formerly known as Microsoft AntiSpyware.Where to get antivirus/antispyware software
Antivirus/antispyware software and internet security packages are available to purchase from a variety of high street and online retailers as well as from the software manufacturers’ own websites. When purchasing in store, it is normal to load a disk and then download updates over the internet when prompted. When purchasing online, you will automatically download the latest version incorporating all updates.
Free antivirus/antispyware software and internet security packages as described above, are available from some internet service providers (ISPs) and banks. It is also possible to download free antivirus/antispyware software from the internet, but be sure you are using a trustworthy website.
Virus & Spyware Protection
Apart from installing antivirus/antispyware software and keeping it updated, we recommend a number of other ways in which to keep your computer protected against viruses and spyware. After all, prevention is better than cure.
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Do not open any files attached to an email from an unknown, suspicious or untrustworthy source.•
Uninstall one antivirus program before you install another.•
Be careful with USB connected devices (eg memory sticks, external hard drives, MP3 players) as they are very common carriers of viruses.•
Be careful with CDs/DVDs as they can also contain viruses.•
Do not open any files from web-based digital file delivery companies (eg YouSendIt,Dropbox) that have been uploaded from an unknown, suspicious or untrustworthy source.•
Switch on macro protection in Microsoft Office applications like Word and Excel.•
Buy only reputable software from reputable companies.•
When downloading free software, do so with extreme caution.
There are many types of anti-virus programmes you can use, the most popular being Mcafeeand Norton, these programmes youcan buy from any of your pc store and usually need updating after a year, you can do this from your computer. Microsoft also do a free anti-virus programmecalled Microsoft Security Essentials, this has been specifically designed by Microsoft to work on all computers, laptops or netbooks running Microsoft software. You can download thisprogramme through Google.
The internet has revolutionised the way we live our lives – enabling us to read the news, enjoy entertainment, carry out research, book our holidays, buy and sell, shop, network, learn, bank and carry out many other everyday tasks.
However, there are a number of risks associated with going online. These result from either visiting malicious websites or inadvertent disclosure of personal information.
browser
The risks of visiting malicious, criminal or inappropriate websites include:
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Viruses and spyware (collectively known as malware).•
Phishing, designed to obtain your personal and/or financial information and possibly steal your identity.•
Fraud, from fake shopping, banking, charity, dating, social networking, gaming, gambling and other websites.•
Copyright infringement – copying or downloading copyright protected software, videos, music, photos or documents.•
Exposure to unexpected inappropriate content.
Use the Internet Safely
It is very easy to clone a real website and does not take a skilled developer long to produce a very professional-looking, but malicious site.
Being wary of malicious, criminal or inappropriate websites:
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Use your instincts and common sense.•
Check for presence of an address, phone number and/or email contact – often indications that the website is genuine. If in doubt, send an email or call to establish authenticity.•
Check that the website’s address seems to be genuine by looking for misspellings, extra words, characters or numbers or a completely different name from that you would expect the business to have.•
Roll your mouse pointer over a link to reveal its true destination, displayed in the bottom left corner of your browser. Beware if this is different from what is displayed in the text of the link from either another website or an email.•
If there is NO padlock in the browser window or ‘https://’ at the beginning of the web address to signify that it is using a secure link, do not enter personal information on the site.•
Websites which request more personal information than you would normally expect to give, such as user name, password or other security details IN FULL, are probably malicious.•
Avoid ‘pharming’ by checking the address in your browser's address bar after you arrive at a website to make sure it matches the address you typed. This will avoid ending up at a fake site even though you entered the address for the authentic one – for example ‘eebay’ instead of ‘ebay.•
Always get professional advice before making investment decisions. Sites that hype investments for fast or high return – whether in shares or alleged rarities like old wine, whisky or property – are often fraudulent.•
Be wary of websites which promote schemes that involve the recruitment of others, receiving money for other people or advance payments.
Secure Websites
Before entering private information such as passwords or credit card details on a website, you can ensure that the link is secure in two ways:
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There should be a padlock symbol in the browser window frame, that appears when you attempt to log in or register. Be sure that the padlock is not on the page itself ... this will probably indicate a fraudulent site.•
The web address should begin with ‘https://’. The ‘s’ stands for ‘secure’.The above indicate that the website owners have a digital certificate that has been issued by a trusted third party, such as VeriSign or Thawte, which indicates that the information transmitted online from that website has been encrypted and protected from being intercepted and stolen by third parties.
When using websites that you do not know, look for an Extended Validation (or EV-SSL) certificate, which indicates that the issuing authority has conducted thorough checks into the website owner. The type of certificate held can be determined by clicking the padlock symbol in the browser frame which will launch a pop-up containing the details.
Do also note that the padlock symbol does not indicate the merchant’s business ethics or IT security.
Safe Use of Browsers
The most common internet browsers enable you to manage your settings such as allowing and blocking selected websites, blocking pop ups and browsing in private. Respective browsers will tell you to do this in slightly different ways, so we recommend that you visit the security and privacy section of their websites, or the help area of the browsers themselves:
Internet Explorer
Opera
Chrome
Safari
Firefox
Some browsers also have the ability to identify fraudulent websites by default.
What to do if you Encounter Illegal Material
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If you come across content that you consider to be illegal such as child abuse images or criminally obscene adult material, you should report this to the IWF: www.iwf.org.uk.•
If you come across content that you consider illegal such as racist or terrorist content, you should report this to the Police.
Identity theft is the UK’s fastest-growing method used to carry out criminal activity. It involves unauthorised use of your name and personal details to either steal from you, or commit a crime in your name. Identity theft can be carried out either online, physically using printed documents, or by a combination of the two. identity theft
The Risks
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Being tricked into divulging personal data in response to an email, text, letter or phone call.•
Theft of or access to paper documents (for example, bank statements, utility bills, tax returns, passport/driving licence).•
Sharing private information with family, friends or people who take you into their confidence.•
'Shoulder surfing’ – people looking over your shoulder at your computer orsmartphone/tablet, or at the ATM.
There are several ‘symptoms’ to look out for in suspected identity theft, the symptoms are as follows.
The Symptoms
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Not receiving bills or other correspondence – suggesting that a criminal has given a different address in place of your own.•
Receiving credit cards which you did not apply for.•
Denial of credit for no apparent reason.•
Receiving calls from debt collectors or companies about things you have not bought.•
Unrecognisable entries on your credit history.•
You have recently lost or had stolen important documents such as your passport or drivinglicence.•
When buying or selling, you get complaints about non-delivery of or non-payment for goods you are not aware of.•
You see entries on your bank, credit or store card statement for goods you did not order.•
You cannot log into a site using your normal password (because a criminal has logged in as you and changed it).
Prevention
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Do not share account information with friends, family or other people.•
If possible, arrange for paperless bills and statements.•
File sensitive documents securely, and shred those you no longer need – preferably with a cross-cut shredder.•
Never divulge private information data in response to an email, text, letter or phone call unless you are certain that the request is from a bona fide source.•
Always beware of people looking over your shoulder when you are entering private information on a computer, smartphone/tablet or ATM.What to do if your Identity has been stolen
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Act promptly in order to minimise the impact of the theft.•
Contact any affected websites and advise them about the problem.•
If you can, log in and change your password immediately using a strong password.•
If you are unable to log in, contact the website’s technical support department immediately for further advice.•
Ask your bank, building society or credit card company for advice (for example, on freezing accounts and getting new cards, passwords and PINs). Most will refund the full amount lost providing you were not negligent in some way.•
Change your password on other websites in case they have also been compromised.•
If website access requires a secret question, change it if you can to avoid repeat incidents.•
Check your other personal information, such as addresses, to make sure it is still correct.•
Check for other transactions, items for sale or items purchased in your name which you have not originated, and cancel them.•
Report all lost or stolen documents (passports, driving licences, credit cards, chequebooks,etc) as soon as possible to the relevant issuing authorities.•
Do not continue to use a compromised PIN.•
Check with credit reference agencies for any unusual entries, and for advice.•
Notify the Royal Mail if you suspect mail theft or that a mail redirection has been fraudulently set up on your address.If you think you have been a victim of fraud: Report it to Action Fraud, the UK’s national fraud reporting centre by calling 0300 123 20 40 or by visitng www.actionfraud.police.uk
Thankyou for joining us for tonight’s topic, feedback on our topics are gratefully received, we hope you found our topic tonight helpful, and that we have accomplished what we set out to do in informing you on how to stay safe online. Becks, Dani, Nic.
The information for tonight’s topic has been collected from www.getsafeonline.org
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