Basic Web Safe Practices
Keep your computer operating system and software updated. Enable automatic updates for Microsoft programs. Don’t let arrogance be your enemy — for example, despite the myths the company has created, Apple computers are in fact subject to vulnerabilities and require updates and security patches. Good Linux systems like Ubuntu provide easy updating as well. Keeping your operating system updated and patched is possibly the most critical thing you can do to protect yourself.
Avoid using Microsoft Internet Explorer as your browser. Because the software is so tightly tied into the operating system and its widespread use, it is a primary target for hackers.
Seriously, avoid browsers from companies that exist to track you like Google’s Chrome. While Chrome may capable of configuration to prevent Google tracking, it is not the behaviour that Google wants.
Use a safer alternative such as the free Firefox browser.
Avoid using Outlook or Outlook Express as your e-mail client for the same reason. Use a safer alternative such as the free Thunderbird e-mail client.
Use an e-mail client like the free Thunderbird that allows you to train the software what is spam and what is not.Use the best antivirus/antispyware tools available.
Use a firewall that handles both inbound and outbound traffic.
NEVER open an e-mail attachment from an unknown source.
If an email is From You and To You and you know you didn’t send it to yourself, mark it as spam and delete. Do not open it. This is a very, very common spamming practice.
Before opening an e-mail attachment from a known source, if you did not expect it and it is a file that ends in “exe,” “com,” “vbs,” “cmd” or “bat” contact the sender for verification. It’s a 30 second phone call and these kinds of files can be very destructive.
NEVER trust GMail (Google Mail) or Google Docs with sensitive personal information. Everything you type in any Google application is indexed by Google and used at their discretion.
Protect your computer with a password. Create a password for each of your children to log on, even to their own computers. Do not give yourself and especially not your children “Administrator” accounts.
Use strong passwords. To make this easier, use a third-party tool like the free KeePassword Safe .
Never download movies from “free” sites, particularly when inexpensive, legal and safe alternatives exist.
NEVER reply to spam.
NEVER click on those “Remove me from your list” or “Unsubscribe” links in spam. They simply let the spammer know they have a live e-mail address. You shouldn’t breading email from unknown sources anyway.
For heaven’s sake NEVER fill out a form that arrives by e-mail. Not even if it looks exactly like it’s from your bank. ESPECIALLY if it looks like it’s from your bank. E-mail forms are never acceptable business practice. Just don’t do it.
Never give any personal information in response to an e-mail request, particularly financial information of any kind. If it is someone you know, tell them over the phone.
Do not disclose your passwords to anyone. Reputable services will not ask for your password. If it needs to be changed, it will be “reset” without you having to tell someone what the old password was. Note that when a password is reset it is normal for you to have enter your old password at the web page before being allowed to enter a new password. This never happens through e-mail or someone asking you on the phone for your old password.
Do not use your primary e-mail address for web activities. Maintain at least two e-mail addresses and ensure everyone in your family does the same. One address should be kept “sacrosanct” and never used to register for web services. The other can be used to register or join things like Yahoo! Consider having a third that is used only for web subscriptions.
Do not use any e-mail service that does not provide spam and virus protection at the server level. Best practices providers provide both forms of protection and allow you to directly control the level of spam filtering used.
Remember just because you’ve chatted with him on the web three times, you do not know him. He is a stranger.
NEVER meet with someone without having spoken to him or her on the phone several times. Make sure that you are calling them and that the phone number provided is the same one each time. Criminals are known to use disposable phones so for greatest assurance tell your new friend that your phone line does not work well on cells and he needs to give you a land line number. Make sure you record the phone number(s) and share them with someone trustworthy such as a parent or spouse.
NEVER meet someone in person you’ve befriended on the internet without a real-life family member or friend present for the first few meetings and only meet in well-populated public places.
If your child is approached on the internet in an inappropriate way, do contact authorities.
Internet Parents talk with your children daily about what they are doing on the internet. Specifically ask about the friends they were online with.
To leave comments or see what others are saying, join the conversation here.
