Staying Safe Online

Keep your Information Secure

Overview

• How does information work on the Internet?

• How is your information at risk?

• Browsing Practices and Security– unsafe websites

• Email Practices and Security– viruses– hacking– spam filter

• Personal Information Security Practices– privacy settings

• Password Security

Information on the Internet

• Information is transferred through computers in the form of packets (bundles of data)

• We use IP addresses to move files around. Every computer has an IP address

• Packets can potentially be intercepted, and attacks can be launched from this information.

How Is Your Information at Risk?

• When online, the information sent by your computer is not always secure or protected. It may be accessible by hackers who are looking for weak computers. This is why it is necessary to make your computer as secure as possible.

• Information on your computer can be accessed in multiple ways – here are some of the most common.– Malware– Viruses– Trojan– Spyware– Adware– KeyLoggers

Information Risk

• Malware: Malicious Software. Any software that damages or disables systems. Can be passed between systems (USB keys).

• Viruses: Common form of malware. Damage the computer system, can be spread (USB keys, emails, etc.). Can be used to install Spyware which leads to compromised information.

• Trojans: Give an outside user access to your computer. User can access information about your system, and gather personal information (credit cards, bank accounts, etc.). Trojans try to be invisible.

Information Risk cont.

• Spyware: Type of malware that is more of a secret agent, quietly sending all of your browsing and computing habits back to a server so attackers can gather data about you.

• Adware: Software that creates endless popups on a system. Can take over internet browsing. Clicking on ads (i.e. for free anti-virus software) can lead to this being downloaded to your system.

• Keyloggers: Usually get a system via an email attachment from an unknown sender, or through a Trojan. Keep track of every key typed on a computer. Can send password information to the attacker, leaving your system vulnerable.

Protecting Against Attacks

• Good Anti-Virus Software. Leading (Norton, Microsoft Security Essentials, Avast, McAfee and AVG). Will monitor your system and block potential attacks.

• Spam Filter on emails. Set spam filter in email account(s) so all emails from people you do not know are filtered out. DO NOT open email attachments from people you don’t know.

• Beware emails that pretend to be someone you know. It is easy to change sender name to your best friend’s name. It might not be them. Always check the actual email address.

• Do not click on pop-up ads.

• Do not download anything if you do not know what it is.

• Do not keep sensitive information on your computer (i.e. credit card or bank acct logins, acct numbers, list of passwords).

Protecting Against Attacks cont.• Check cookie settings. Set to at least

medium, if not high or block all.

• Cookie: small piece of data sent from a website and stored in a user's web browser while a user is browsing a website.

• When the user goes to the same website in the future, data stored in the cookie is retrieved by the website to notify the site of the user's previous activity.

• Tracking cookies and third-party tracking cookies are used to compile long-term records of browsing histories. Cookies can store passwords and forms you filled in, credit cards numbers or your address.

McAfee Anti-Virus Setup

Privacy Settings & Online Stalking

• If privacy settings are not set, your info is available to anyone.

• Ex: You post an update saying you and your family are going to California for the week. Without privacy settings, anyone can see the post. With a basic phone book or the internet, they can find your address, and can then burglarize your home while you are gone.

• Additionally, online stalkers can use this information to find out where you live, go to school, eat out, and shop.

• Set privacy so only friends can see your profile. Group friends into categories; give them their own settings for what info they can see.

• All social media sites have privacy settings. Under no circumstances should your profile be open to everyone.

• Be wary of friends you accept. Do you know them in real life? Are they a “friend of a friend”? Know who is looking at your info.

Privacy Settings cont.

Password Security

• Activity: Pretend you have just set up your account for online banking, and you are being asked to create a password. Create a password and write it down on a piece of paper. Make sure that it is something you would be able to remember.

• How many people used a piece of personal information in the password? A name of a friend, family member, or pet? Who used a personal sequence of numbers like an address, phone number, zip code, or graduation or birth year? How many people’s passwords were less than 8 characters?

Password Security cont.

• What is a bad password? Jake2013 5051234567 (phone number) password Jake (Boyfriend/girlfriend name)

• What is a good password? 80!2runn1ng7%! (for Jake Callaghan) J@Hgn!52#l0g1n

• How quickly can your password be cracked? http://www.howsecureismypassword.net/

• Examples: yourfirstname = almost instantly

• Firstinitiallastname = about a second

• Firstinitiallastname+last 2 digits of a year = 11 minutes

• Phonenumber = about 2 seconds

• 80!2runn1ng7%! = 6 million years

• J@Hgn!52#l0g1n = 2 billion years

Password Security cont.

• How many people use the same password for more than one account? What if someone hacks one of your passwords? What information would be compromised?

• How long should your password be, and what should it contain? Current minimum password length is recommended to be 12-15 characters including numbers and special characters.

• How often should you change a password? Every 6 months, if not more frequently.

• To get an idea of what safe passwords look like, go to: http://strongpasswordgenerator.com/

Summary

• Anti-Virus Software

• Privacy Settings

• Spam Filters

• Careful Browsing

• Secure Passwords

Questions

Questions?

Thank you!