Staying safe online is Priceless.
Do you use the same password for all websites? Do you over share on Facebook, twitter, hi5 etc? If so, you're a target for
cyber criminals – whose computer scams are costing Britain £27bn a year.
I will briefly detail 7 simple steps that would help keep you safe online
Have The Latest Update ( Browser/Windows/Mac)
Outdated software is the enemy of online safety and security. Fortunately this process is easy and you should do this right now, even before reading the rest of this article.
If you use Microsoft Windows…
Fire up your Internet Explorer web browser and visit
Microsoft Update. Just follow the instructions on the screen to update your system with the latest software. Next download and install
Microsoft Security Essentials, which is their free antivirus software package.
If you use Mac OS X…
All you have to do is click the Apple logo in the top left of your screen, select “Software Update…”, and then follow along.
Download the Latest Java Plugins
Old java plugins is as good as no Java at all.
Hackers are now using Java to corrupt your computers, which is why U.S. Department Homeland Security is worried.
According to
Reuters, hackers have figured out how to exploit Oracle Corp's Java software to install malicious software "enabling them to commit crimes ranging from identity theft to making an infected computer part of an ad-hoc network of computers that can be used to attack websites," the report said.
Java is widely used, which is why it's a prime target for hackers.
Latest Antivirus Software
Antivirus software is designed to prevent malicious software programs from embedding on your computer. If it detects malicious code, like a virus or a worm, it works to disarm or remove it. Viruses can infect computers without users' knowledge. Most types of antivirus software can be set up to update automatically
This should not even have to be listed, if you don’t have anti-virus software installed, you’re asking for trouble! And if your reason for not installing anti-virus software is because it’s too expensive, then that can reason can be shot down because there are several free anti-virus programs out there that are considered better than commercial software packages
Do not Click on Links or Documents if Not Sure
The golden rule. The main way criminals infect PCs with malware is by luring users to click on a link or open an attachment. "Sometimes phishing emails contain obvious spelling mistakes and poor grammar and are easy to spot," says Sidaway of Integralis. "However, targeted attacks and well-executed mass mailings can be almost indistinguishable [from genuine emails]."
Social media has helped criminals profile individuals, allowing them to be much more easily targeted, he adds. "They can see what you're interested in or what you [post] about and send you crafted messages, inviting you to click on something. Don't."
Expand Short links
Avoid phishing, malware, and viruses by examining short URLs before visiting them. Find out where links really take you.
go to www.longurl.org and confirm before clicking
EXAMPLE IS BELOW
Title:
GoogleShort URL:
http://is.gd/w would Redirect you to
http://google.com
http://www.google.com
Different Password for different sites
You wouldn't have the same key for your home, car, office, safe, etc. For the same reason you shouldn't use the same password for all your online accounts
With individuals typically having anything up to 100 online accounts, the tendency has become to share one or two passwords across accounts or use very simple ones, such as loved ones' names, first pets or favorite sports teams. Indeed,
research by Ofcom last month revealed that over half of UK adults (55%) use the same passwords for most, if not all, websites they visit, while one in four (26%) use birthdays or names as passwords. Any word found in the dictionary is easily crack-able. Instead, says Sian John, online security consultant at Symantec, have one memorable phrase or a line from a favorite song or poem. For example: "The Observer is a Sunday newspaper" becomes "toiasn". Add numerals and a special character thus: "T0!asn". Now for every site you log on to, add the first and last letter of that site to the start and end of the phrase, so the password for Amazon would be "AT0!asnn". At first glance, unguessable. But for you, still memorable."
Shut Doing your PC/Mac
When not using the PC/Mac, common sense dictates you shut down. PC/Mac left ON is an easy target for hackers. please read our other blog on RAT.
This is in no way a conclusive guides to statying safe online, but it is a step in the right diurection.
