SafetyFirst11May 04082011.pub

Transcription

Safety First:
Privacy and Security Online
Student Workbook
OASIS Connections is made possible by contributions from:
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© November 2009 The OASIS Institute
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St. Louis, MO 63105
314-862-2933
www.oasisnet.org
OASIS Connections
Safety First
Safety First: Privacy and Security Online
Introduction
The Internet facilitates a vast world of information through the ability to shop
and bank online, instant message with friends, send email to family, and even
meet new people. However, it can also create some threats to your personal
privacy and safety.
Knowing how to use websites, email, and even the telephone safely, can help
protect you against fraud and other potential dangers. Today we will:
•
Define expectations of privacy
•
Learn about identity theft and phishing schemes
•
Discuss passwords and good security habits
•
Learn how to email safely and block spam
•
Learn all about cookies, virus protection, and firewalls
•
Discuss safety when using wireless Internet connections (Wi-Fi)
•
Learn the basics of telephone safety
•
Discuss safe financial transactions and online shopping
•
Learn about safety while communicating online
•
View a family safety game
Phishing: When someone pretends to represent your financial institution to
trick you into revealing passwords or other valuable information.
Spam: Unwanted and annoying emails—including phishing emails.
© Rev. 11/2009 The OASIS Institute
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Privacy Expectations
When information is sent over the Internet, it may pass through many
different computer systems on the way to its destination. Each of these
systems may be capable of capturing and storing your personal information.
There are no online activities that absolutely guarantee privacy and security,
but there are ways to maximize the privacy of your online communications.
There are three types of online communications. This page defines each type
and the privacy risks that each one poses.
1. Public Activities—Public activities include things like newsgroups and
listservs. You can find a good list of these sites at www.yahoo.com, or at
www.groups.google.com. When you use a newsgroup or listserv,
all communications are available to anyone who would like to see them.
Most of the time, you will be receiving information from these groups
rather than posting it. If you do post information, use a “screen name” or
alias to identify yourself.
2. Semi-Private Activities—Some user groups and discussion forums require
that you use a password to enter their forum. This does not mean that the
information is private. Anyone can still access the forum by creating their
own password.
3. Private Services—While email service providers are required by law to
keep your communications private, there are exceptions to the law. Stored
messages are given less protection than messages en route. Don’t leave
your emails stored for long periods of time on your email provider’s server.
Online Communications: Computer communications over a telephone,
cable network, or wireless system.
Online Newsgroup: A continuous public discussion about a particular topic.
An online conversation between hundreds or even thousands of people.
Listserv: An email program that allows you to communicate with other
people who have subscribed to a list regarding the same topic of
interest. When a member submits an email message to the listserv, it is
forwarded to everyone on the listserv.
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Understanding Identity Theft
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) estimates that as many as nine million
Americans have their identities stolen each year. Identity theft occurs when
someone uses your personal identifying information—such as your name,
social security number, or account number—to steal money from your bank
accounts, buy things on your credit cards, or even open new credit accounts in
your name. Let’s look at some forms of identity theft and how to prevent them.
1. Dumpster Diving: When others rummage through your home or office
trash looking for bills or other papers that have account numbers and
personal identifying information on them. Always shred papers with
personal information on them before recycling or throwing them away.
2. Phishing: When someone calls you or sends an email pretending to be your
financial institution, or other company you do business with, to trick you
into revealing passwords, pin numbers, and other personal information.
Banks and businesses never call or email to verify or update your
passwords or account numbers, so never reveal these via phone or email.
Report such instances to your institutions.
3. Changing Your Address: When someone diverts your bills or checks to
another location by completing a change of address form. Check all
monthly statements for fraudulent charges. Use a free credit report website
to review your credit report once a year for fraudulent accounts.
4. Stealing: Stolen wallets, computers, handheld PDA devices like
Blackberries, and US mail can also supply personal information. Always
keep valuables in sight. If you have a concern about mail being stolen out of
your mailbox, consider getting a post office box.
To learn more about preventing identity theft, go to: www.ftc.gov/idtheft.
Identity Theft: When someone uses your identity to commit a crime.
Personal Identifying Information: Your personal information such as name,
address, social security number, account numbers, and pin numbers.
Phishing: When a fraudster pretends to be from your bank to trick you into
revealing account numbers, pin numbers, and passwords.
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All About Passwords
Many Internet sites require you to enter a password before you can access their
site. Although this password does not totally secure your communication, you
can improve your online security by creating a password that is hard to guess.
1. When you choose a password, as you would for Yahoo! Groups, the site
will often ask you to type it in twice. This is to make sure you have typed in
the exact password you wish to use.
2. Avoid common words as your password. Make it something that someone
else can’t easily guess. For example, your first name or your dog’s name is a
fairly obvious password. Instead, use an abbreviation or a combination of
numbers and letters that you will remember, such as Ilov2Sk8. A good
password will have eight characters including both numbers and letters,
and using both upper and lower case.
3. Change your password periodically and don’t share it with friends, family,
or coworkers. Avoid writing down your password. However, if you must
write it down to remember it, keep it in a locked drawer.
Below are some things to avoid putting in a password since they are easy for
other people to learn about you:
• Your username or login
• Your real name or the names of family or pets, i.e. your grandson’s name.
• Your birthday, phone number, address, or social security number
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Good Security Habits
You can increase your computer security and safety by practicing good
habits. Many of these tips are no different than those you would use in any
type of transaction. There will be more explanation on these good habits as
we continue through the lesson.
1. Use a virus protection program and keep it up-to-date.
2. Use a firewall.
3. Don’t run unknown programs, i.e.: ones sent to you via email.
4. Make backup copies of important information often.
5. Turn off your computer or disconnect it when you are not using it.
6. Only use secure servers for making purchases. You can tell if you are on a
secure site by looking at the Internet address of the site. If it has https:// at
the beginning instead of http:// then the site is secure.
7. Read privacy statements on the websites you visit.
8. Look for sites that have been monitored by an outside source such as
TRUSTe, an independent, non-profit initiative. These sites will have a seal
of approval.
9. Always use caution and security common sense.
10. Assume that your communications are not private unless you use
encryption software.
11. Be careful of “start-up” software. This is software that helps you fill out
forms so they don’t have to be done over again. It is best to fill out forms
each and every time they appear.
Firewall: A combination of hardware and software that will protect your
computer or computer networks.
Secure Server: A computer that encrypts your personal data to protect it
against third party tampering.
Encryption: Jumbling the contents of an electronic message so that it cannot
be read by unauthorized Internet users.
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Protecting Your Email
You should consider certain questions when opening, sending, or responding
to email.
Receiving Email:
1. Do you know the person sending the email?
2. Do you know what the attachment is before you open it?
3. Do you know where the email you received originated?
4. Do you have a program to scan email for viruses?
Sending or Responding to Email
1. Are you forwarding an email from someone else?
2. Are your attachments clearly marked?
3. Have you kept your email clear of personal or private information?
4. Do you have more than one email account to use for different types of
transactions?
•
Never open an email attachment that ends in .vbs or .exe because they
contain a hidden file extension that can carry a virus.
•
Make sure your email software Junk Mail Filter is activated.
•
Never write anything in an email that you would not post on a public
bulletin board.
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Avoiding Email Spam
Spam is unsolicited, unwanted email that can clog your email box. One way
you can end up on spam mailing lists is by visiting unscrupulous websites and
entering your email address. In addition to being annoying, spam can contain
financial scams, malicious viruses, and inappropriate topics. Below are five
tips for safely managing spam, as well as avoiding it in the first place.
1. Be Choosy—Don’t just visit unknown websites because they offer
something for free or appear on a pop-up advertisement. These websites
pay for their free offers by “harvesting” your personal information and
selling it on mailing lists. Think carefully before entering your email
address in an online form. Read the website Privacy Policy first to find out
if they will keep your information confidential.
2. Fake Your Address—If you’re entering information on a website form that
requires you to enter an email address, and you don’t want to share it, make
a slight change to the email address so it’s wrong. You can also do this in a
chat room or newsgroup. Most of the time, all the website will do is check
that your email address appears to be valid, meaning it contains an @ sign
and an extension like .com at the end.
3. Don’t Be Fooled—Spam email is often addressed to you or written as if the
sender knows you. Don’t fall for this old trick. If you didn’t solicit an email
and don’t know the sender, the email is likely to be spam. If the spammer
claims that a family member or friend asked him or her to contact you,
call that person and ask him or her if this is true before responding to the
email.
4. Don’t Reply to the Sender—When you reply to spam, even if you are just
sending them a request to remove you from their mailing list, you are
letting spammers know that your email address is valid and currently in
use. It’s like waving a white flag that says, “I read unsolicited email. Please
send more!” The best way to “opt out” of a spammer’s mailing list is to
delete the email and pretend you never received it.
5. Don’t Open Attachments—It is especially important not to open
attachments or visit website links that a spam email may contain.
Attachments can download malicious viruses and websites can contain
dangerous financial scams.
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Using Yahoo! Mail SpamGuard
The best way to deal with spam is to block it before it even gets to your Inbox.
If you have a Yahoo! Mail account, you can activate their free spam blocking
software called SpamGuard. You can also use SpamGuard to block specific
email addresses. Follow the steps below to read about how to use SpamGuard.
1. Open your Yahoo! Mail
account.
2. Click on the Help menu,
roll down and click
Help.
3. The Search Help page
will appear. Type spam
into the Search box and
hit Enter.
4. A list of search items will appear. Click What Can I Do To Prevent Spam?
5. A new page will appear. Scroll up and down to read the information.
If you use Microsoft Outlook or Microsoft Mail as your email program,
read about how to manage spam in the Appendix of this manual.
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Top 10 Email Spam Scams
Hundreds of thousands of email users have lost money to bogus offers that
appear in their email. Con artists are very cunning; they know how to make
their claims seem legitimate. These emails are from crooks trying to steal your
money or your identity. Don’t be a victim. Below are ten email scams the Federal Government recommends you avoid. To read more, go to the OnGuard
Online website: www.onguardonline.gov/spam.html.
1. The “Nigerian” Email Scam—Con artists claim to be officials, businesspeople, or surviving spouses of former government officials in Nigeria or
another country whose money is somehow tied up for a limited time. They
offer to transfer lots of money into your bank account or send you checks if
you will pay a fee or “taxes” to help them access their money. They may
also ask for your bank account information in order to conduct a phony
wire transfer.
2. Phishing—Email or pop-up messages that claim to be from a business that
you deal with (i.e. your bank) and ask you to “update” or “validate” your
information such as your pin number. We’ll talk more about phishing later
on in this class.
3. Work-at-Home Scams—Ads that promise steady income for minimal labor.
4. Weight Loss Claims—Emails promising a revolutionary pill, patch, cream,
or other product.
5. Foreign Lotteries—Emails boasting enticing odds in foreign lotteries. You
may even get a message claiming you’ve already won money in a lottery
that you never even entered! Scammers will then ask you to pay “taxes”
or other fees in order to “wire” you the money. Or, they will ask for your
confidential bank information in order to conduct a phony wire transfer.
6. Cure-All Products—Emails claiming that a product is a “miracle cure” or
an “ancient remedy.”
continued on next page
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Top 10 Email Spam Scams continued
7. Check Overpayment Scams—A response to your “for sale” add or online
auction posting, offering to pay with a cashier’s, personal, or corporate
check. At the last minute, the so-called buyer comes up with a reason for
writing the check for more than the purchase price and asks you to wire
back the difference after you deposit the check. However, the “buyer’s”
check to you will be counterfeit.
8. Pay-in-Advance Credit Offers—News that you’ve been “pre-qualified” to
get a low-interest loan or credit card, or repair your bad credit. But to take
advantage of the offer, you have to pay a bogus “processing fee.”
9. Debt Relief—Emails touting a way you can consolidate your bills into one
monthly payment without borrowing; stop credit harassment, foreclosures,
repossessions, tax levies and garnishments; or wipe out your debt entirely.
These offers often involve bankruptcy proceedings, but they rarely say so.
While bankruptcy is one way to deal with serious financial problems, it’s
generally considered to be a last resort.
10. Investment Schemes—Emails advertising “investments” that promise high
rates of return with little or no risk. One version seeks investors to help
form an “offshore” bank. Others are vague about the nature of the
investment, but stress the amazing rate of return. Promoters boast of their
high-level financial “connections,” the fact that they are privy to inside
information, or offer to personally guarantee the investment.
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Built-in Privacy & Security Information
Internet Explorer has some built-in privacy and security information so you
can learn about how to keep your computer safe. If you are using Windows
XP, follow the instructions below to find this valuable information. If you are
using Windows Vista, see the Appendix of this manual.
1. In Internet Explorer, click on the View
menu, roll down and choose Privacy
Report.
2. The Privacy Report dialog box will appear.
Click on Learn More About Privacy
3. Click on the Contents tab and
choose Sending Information
Over the Internet Safely.
4. Click on a topic to read about it
in the right window. Try it!
Visit these two websites to learn more about online safety and security.
www.staysafe.org
www.onguardonline.gov
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All About Cookies
Have you ever re-visited a website and wondered how it knew your name?
That’s done with cookies. Cookies are miniature software applications that
collect and store little bits of information about you—the computer user.
Cookies are transferred to your computer when you access a website such as
Yahoo! The cookie then stores information such as your name, what you like
to search for, and products and topics that interest you. When you go back to
Yahoo! again, the information in the cookie is sent back to Yahoo! so they can
personalize their response to you. Plus, every website you visit may have
access to the cookie information on your computer.
The original purpose of cookies was to allow the sites you visit most often to
personalize their pages for you. This is a benefit that still works well and gives
us good reason to be glad we have cookies. For example, Yahoo! can customize
your home page just for you with your city’s weather, local news, and more.
Some discussion sites can tell you which messages are new since your last
visit.
Cookies don’t take up much space and can help websites serve you better.
Unfortunately, cookies are constantly being placed on your computer by every
site you visit without your knowledge. And, they contain personal information
about you that you may not want to share. The good news is that you can
choose to disable cookies on your computer.
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Cookies: Find Out More
1. Check out these sites to learn more about cookies.
Information on Cookies from How Stuff Works
www.howstuffworks.com/cookie.htm
Cookie Pal Software and Online Tutorial
www.kburra.com
Information on Cookies from Webstreet Studios
www.webstreetstudios.com/school/cookies.htm
How to Disable Cookies by Website 101
www.website101.com/cookies_tutorial.html
2. See if you can find your own sites.
Cookie: Small text files that are deposited on your computer which report
back to a website regarding your browsing habits.
HTML: Hypertext Markup Language, a uniform format for how information
is written on the Internet.
Privacy Statement: A website’s policy regarding what they will and won’t
do with your personal information.
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Virus Protection
A virus is a computer program that can destroy data or create problems in
your computer. Viruses can be created by accident, or intentionally created for
malicious or fraudulent purposes. Malicious viruses can also steal or “harvest”
information from your computer and personal email.
There are several good virus protection programs on the market and they are
well worth the investment to help protect your computer, your email, and
your safety. Check out these anti-virus software sites on the Internet.
McAfee Online
www.mcafee.com
Norton Antivirus
www.symantec.com
CERT Organizational Security
www.cert.org/nav/index_green.html
Online Tutorial
www.cknow.com/vtutor
Virus Myths and Hoaxes
www.vmyths.com
Keep these safety tips in mind:
• Viruses can be unintentionally transmitted from a diskette or CD to your
computer. Only anti-virus software can protect against this.
• Make sure your anti-virus software checks incoming email for viruses
and be sure this feature is turned on.
• Update your anti-virus software regularly. There are always new
viruses appearing on the Internet and each one needs its own fix.
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All About Firewalls
If you have a fast DSL or cable modem connection to the Internet at home, you
may have some of the same security issues that a small company has. Because
your connection is “always on,” your computer is open to the Internet at all
times. Fortunately, you can use a firewall to protect your computer from
offensive websites and computer hackers.
A home firewall acts very much like a home security alarm system. Someone
who may want to get into your home will look elsewhere because the alarm
system is a deterrent. Firewalls are a deterrent to would-be hackers and can
shield your computer from offensive websites. Personal firewalls are inexpensive (sometimes even free) software that are easy to install and maintain. Many
firewall products now offer anti-virus software as part of the package. To find
out about firewall software, explore these websites:
Microsoft Windows Firewall
www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/networking/security/winfirewall.mspx
Norton 360 Firewall and Virus Protection
www.symantec.com/norton/products/overview.jsp?pcid=os&pvid=n3602
McAfee Personal Firewall
www.mcafee.com/us/security_wordbook/firewall.html
DSL: Digital Subscriber Line, a high-speed Internet connection that allows
you to use your existing phone line without tying up your telephone
connection.
Hacker: Someone who breaks into computers illegally with malicious or
fraudulent intent.
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Using Wireless Internet (Wi-Fi)
Many home computers are now run on wireless connections in which the
computer doesn’t have to be plugged directly into the Internet. This is called Wi
-Fi. Wi-Fi technology is also used in cell phones and handheld PDAs (personal
digital assistants) like Blackberries.
You may also use Wi-Fi in public places such as coffee shops, libraries, and
schools. These are also called Wi-Fi hotspots. While Wi-Fi is a nice convenience,
it also presents some dangers. Fraudsters can attempt to tap into your computer
via the Wi-Fi connection and steal information like account numbers and
passwords—which can result in identity theft. Below are some tips to stay safe.
1. First of all, be aware that anything that appears on your computer screen
while you’re using a wireless connection can potentially be seen by others
nearby. Some fraudsters deliberately hang out in coffee shops or drive
around trying to find a computer or open network to tap into.
2. If you have a wireless network set up at home, configure your router to use
encryption. Follow the instructions that came with your router to do this.
3. Lock your home network by creating a password to access it. This prevents
neighbors and fraudsters from using your wireless connection from nearby.
4. Consider buying wireless network security software such as Kismet or
Airsnort.
5. To learn more about securing your home network, go to:
http://www.auditmypc.com/freescan/readingroom/wirelesssecurity.asp.
Wi-Fi: Wireless Internet technology used in computers, phones, and PDAs.
PDA: A handheld Personal Data Assistant device such as a Blackberry.
Hotspot: A coffee shop, library, school, or other area that offers free Wi-Fi.
Router: A device that facilitates Internet connection sharing at a home or office.
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Using Wireless Internet (Wi-Fi) continued
6. Avoid entering credit card or account numbers on a Blackberry or other
PDA. Wait to do sensitive transactions on a secure computer.
7. When you use a computer in public, beware of shoulder surfers who watch
your computer screen in order to copy account numbers and passwords. If
you suspect a shoulder surfer, report them and leave. Also consider buying
an inexpensive shade for your computer screen at a computer or electronics
store. This makes it difficult for others to read your computer screen.
8. If you use a laptop at a Wi-Fi hotspot, make sure you have updated
anti-virus, anti-spyware, and firewall software. Also avoid conducting
sensitive transactions—like online banking—over Wi-Fi networks.
To learn more about Wi-Fi safety, go to the website below:
http://mobileoffice.about.com/cs/findinghotspots/bb/byusehotspot.htm
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Practicing Telephone Safety
Most of us can’t live without a telephone or cell phone. In fact, phones have
been around for so long that we forget they can be a potential safety risk.
Below are some tips for telephone safety.
1. Don’t list your address in the phone book.
2. Only publish your first initial and last name in the phone book. Or, ask the
phone company to make your phone number unlisted.
3. When not at home, have an answering machine to answer your calls. Your
message should say, “We can’t come to the phone right now,” not that you
aren’t at home.
4. Don’t give out personal information when called about surveys, contests,
subscriptions drives, purchases, or deliveries unless you are certain of the
source of the call. These could be calls phishing for personal identifying
information.
5. Never give your name, address, or phone number to someone you don’t
know—especially to someone you’ve only met online.
6. Never give any information to “wrong number” callers.
7. Always give the impression that you are not home alone. If a caller asks for
someone who is not there, say they can’t come to the phone right now and
take a message.
8. If you realize a caller is obscene or harassing, hang up immediately. Don’t
listen, try to be polite, or show any type of emotional response. Report these
incidents to the telephone company or police.
9. Don’t return calls to numbers you don’t know—especially long-distance
calls or numbers beginning with area code (809). They may be bogus calls
designed to keep you on the line in order to charge you as much as $25 per
minute for the call.
10. If necessary, change your phone number or have it unlisted.
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Safer Financial Transactions
Many people are worried about using their credit cards to buy things online. A
little common sense can go a long way towards making your transactions safer.
Internet transactions are similar to financial transactions over the phone or even
in person. There are always precautions to take. Here are some tips to make
online financial transactions more reliable.
1. Fraud can occur online as well as in daily life. If an offer seems too good
to be true, it probably is and should be avoided.
2. Credit rights and other consumer protection laws apply to Internet
transactions. To find out about current laws go to the Better Business
Bureau online:
www.bbbonline.org/UnderstandingPrivacy/library/laws.asp
3. Make sure you are purchasing from a reputable business. Most of the stores
you normally do business with have a website. Be sure to identify the store
as a known entity before you purchase anything from their website.
4. When shopping online, use a separate credit card with a certain limit (which
you set yourself) used only for Internet purchases. Avoid using a debit card
for online purchases because it allows fraudsters to take money right out of
your checking account. Check the following website for more information:
www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/online/payments.htm
5. When you are entering a site that will require a financial transaction, the
Security Alert below may appear. DO NOT put a check mark in this box.
Always watch for this message to be sure you are entering a secure site.
6. You can tell if you are on a “secure” website by looking at the Internet
address of the site. If it starts with https: instead of http: then the site uses
data encryption to protect your personal information.
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Eight Tips for Safe Shopping Online
Use these tips to help you remember how to keep your online shopping safe
and secure.
1. Know the Company—Just as in mall shopping, it is a good idea to know the
reputation of the company with which you are dealing.
2. Protect Your Privacy—Read the website Privacy Statement and know what
information you are giving them.
3. Check for Extra Information—Find out about delivery dates, shipping and
handling fees, warranties, and return policies. See if there is someone to
contact if you are dissatisfied. Most contacts are made through email.
4. Safeguard Your Password—Don’t share your password with other people,
even your Internet service provider.
5. Record Transaction Details—Print out or write down the transaction
information, order number, amount of purchase, shipping date, tracking
numbers, and any other important information.
6. Check for Encryption—Make sure the online merchant is using a secure
website for your credit card information. See page 16 for a picture of the
window that shows encryption by a website.
7. Be Wary of Rewards—Be wary of sites that offer some sort of prize or
award in exchange for personal information.
8. Use Common Sense—Think about the information you are providing and
investigate the products you are purchasing.
Find more information about safety online at the Federal Consumer
Information Center website:
www.pueblo.gsa.gov
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All About Privacy Policies and
Seals of Approval
Reliable websites will have a publicly posted Privacy Statement somewhere
on their site. It is a good idea to look for and read these statements before you
do business online with a particular site. Sometimes Privacy Policies simply
state that your privacy is not protected. That is why it is important to read
them for each site with whom you do business.
1. Type www.1800flowers.com into the Internet Explorer Address Box and
hit Enter. Then click on Terms of Use at the very bottom of the page. Can
you find their Privacy Policy? What does this site do with the information
they collect about you? What do you have to do to protect yourself?
2. Look up your favorite store online and check out their Privacy Policy
and Terms of Use Agreement. If you have questions about these
documents, can you contact the company? Is this information prominently
posted?
3. Type www.truste.org into your Address Box. Look through their website
to find out about seals of approval and what to look for in a secure site.
Check out File a Privacy Complaint.
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The Growing Crime of Phishing
There are many ways that unscrupulous people try to scam Internet users.
Phishing has become a common lure for unsuspecting victims. Phishing is a
term used to describe schemes that “fish” for personal information from
Internet users by pretending to be reputable companies looking for updates on
things like social security numbers and bank account numbers.
Most phishing scams appear as emails and seem very official and amazingly
realistic. They may appear to come from your bank or a credit card company
such as VISA. They usually ask you to update or verify information. Know that
reputable companies never ask for confidential information via email
because it isn’t a secure method of communication. And while these may look
official, they are almost always fake. Don’t answer any email that asks for your
personal information and follow the tips below to avoid being the victim of a
phishing scam.
1. If you receive an email asking for personal information, contact the
company by phone to check it out. Use a reputable phone number,
not the number supplied in the email.
2. Go to your credit card or banking service via the Internet address you
normally use. Then compare it to the address from which the email
originated. If they are at all different, then the email may be a scam.
3. Keep your Windows and Internet browser (Internet Explorer or Netscape)
up-to-date as these scams often target unattended email sites.
4. Keep close track of your bank and credit card statements to make sure no
one else has accessed them.
5. Always protect your social security number. Never send it via email and be
extremely cautious about entering it on a website.
You can report phishing email by forwarding it to the authorities at
[email protected]. You can also learn more at the Federal Trade Commission
site: www.ftc.gov/idtheft.
23
OASIS Connections
Safety First
Social Dangers Online
The Internet can be a wonderful new way to establish social connections.
However, there are some dangers that you need to be aware of. Follow these
tips when communicating via e-mail, chat rooms, and discussion groups.
1. Choose Carefully—Titles don’t always describe a chat room or discussion
group accurately. Enter a chat room and just listen for a while before you
decide to join to be sure the discussion is appropriate.
2. Use a Nickname—Don’t use your real name. Create and use a
non-identifiable, non-gender specific screen name that is not provocative.
3. Remain Anonymous—Never give your real name, home address, phone
number, or any other personal information like account numbers to
someone you meet online.
4. Be Polite—Know that anything you type in a chat room can be seen by
everyone who is using the chat room. Never send mean or inappropriate
messages, or participate in arguments.
5. Stay Safe—Never arrange to meet someone in person that you have only
met online.
6. Don’t Use AutoComplete—When you enter a User ID and Password,
Internet Explorer may ask if you want to use AutoComplete to remember
your User ID the next time you need to log in. This may be convenient but
it makes your User ID available to other people who use that computer.
If the AutoComplete box above appears, click in the box next to
Don’t offer to remember any more passwords and click the No button.
Turn the page to learn more about AutoComplete.
24
OASIS Connections
Safety First
AutoComplete–Convenient, Not Safe
If you wish to turn off the AutoComplete command and you are using
Windows XP, follow the steps below. If you are using Windows Vista, see the
Appendix of this manual.
1. Click the Start button, roll up and click
on Control Panel.
2. Double-click on the Internet Options
icon in the right pane.
3. The Internet Options dialog box
will appear. Click on the Content tab.
4. The Content tab will appear. Click the
AutoComplete Settings button.
5. The AutoComplete Setting dialog box
will appear. Click in the box next to
Forms to remove the check mark.
6. Click in the box next to User
Names and Passwords on Forms
to remove the check mark.
7. Click the Ask Me Before Saving
Passwords button to add a check.
8. Click OK at the bottom.
25
OASIS Connections
Safety First
Dos and Don’ts of Online Communication
Use these guidelines when you are in chat rooms or instant messaging
with someone. Some of them can also apply to other forms of online
communication such as email.
Do’s
Be patient.
Spend a few minutes just watching.
Say Hi! when you enter a room.
Use email etiquette and common courtesy.
Pick an appropriate chat room.
Follow the chat room rules.
Find out who the host or monitor is in case you need them.
Read the FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions).
Don’ts
Never give out personal or financial information.
Don’t agree to meet anyone in person.
Don’t send anyone pictures of yourself, or your family or friends.
Don’t respond to mean or uncomfortable messages.
Don’t use all capital letters. This is considered SHOUTING!
Never give out your password or email address.
Be very careful about opening files attached to email messages.
26
OASIS Connections
Safety First
Security for the Whole Family
Using the Internet can help you connect with friends and family
members of all ages. It’s also an opportunity to share ideas and time with
grandchildren, children you tutor, or other young people. You can surf the
Internet, exchange emails, research specific topics, and even go shopping
online together.
This also creates an opportunity for you to help educate the young people
in your life about online safety and security. You just might learn some
new tricks yourself from the younger generation.
AT&T has an initiative called Internet Safety Connections. You can log on to
their website and play a game designed to teach youngsters about Internet
safety. It might be fun to see how you score on the game as well. Just type the
following address into the Internet Explorer Address Box and hit Enter:
www.att.com/gen/general?pid=1391
27
OASIS Connections
Safety First
Practice Time: Good Security Habits
Do the exercises below to get some practice with keeping your information
secure and private.
1. Enter a chat room and use a nickname for a password. Listen to the
“chatter” and then write a couple of sentences on what you thought about
the chat room and whether or not you liked it.
2. Read the Privacy Policy on three different websites. Are they easy to find?
Are they alike? If not, how do they differ? Here are some sites to look at or
you may look at sites of your own choosing.
www.oasisnet.org
www.refundsweepers.com
www.childrenspartnership.org
www.amazon.com
3. Find three websites related to Internet safety and security. Write down the
address of each site. Did you learn anything from these sites? Share them
with others in class and be sure to add them to your favorites.
28
OASIS Connections
Safety First
Practice Time: Good Security
Habits continued
4. Can you figure out how to manage cookies on your computer? If not, try
finding more information on the Internet. Here are some hints:
• Type the words “disable cookies” into a search engine such as Yahoo!
• Go to the website www.kburra.com.
• Look under the Tools menu in Internet Explorer.
5. Pop-up advertisements do not usually pose a safety or security threat, but
they are annoying and can slow down your browsing. Can you find any
software called Pop-Up Killers? See if you can install one of these programs
on your machine. Do these sites work? Here are some hints:
• Type www.popupkiller.info into the Address Box of Internet Explorer
and hit Enter.
• Look at this site with reviews on many products:
www.reviewcentre.com.
• Try the site called www.download.com.
29
OASIS Connections
Safety First
Class Survey—What Did You Think?
Your input is important to us. Please fill out a brief online survey to tell us
about your Connections experience. This will help us improve our courses.
1. Go to www.oasisnet.org and
the OASIS website will appear.
2. At the top of the page, click the down-arrow
next to Quick Links and click Connections
Surveys.
3. Click in the box and type your two-letter State.
Click the Next button.
4. A list of current classes will appear as shown below. If you entered the
wrong state, click the Go Back button and re-enter your two-letter State.
5. Find your Location, Class, Dates and Time.
6. Click on your class to select it. If you don’t see your class, click the
My Class is Not Listed button and review the updated class list.
If you still don’t see your class, click the My Class is Not Listed button
again, fill in your Class and Instructor Name and click the Next button.
7. A survey will appear with your Class Name at the top. You will not be
asked to put your name on the survey.
30
OASIS Connections
Class Survey—What Did You Think?
Safety First
continued
8. Click in all the boxes
that apply. A checkmark will appear in
those boxes. Here
are some examples.
9. Click on the
appropriate circles
to fill them in. Here
are some examples.
10. Type your
suggestions
here.
11. Be sure
to click
Finish
Survey
when you
are done.
31
Appendix
Safety First
Managing Spam in Microsoft Outlook
Microsoft Outlook is the email program built into Windows XP. Outlook has a
built in junk email filter designed to catch spam and automatically move it to
the Junk Email Folder on the left side of the screen. The junk email filter is
automatically set to a “Low” setting. If you want increased spam management,
follow the steps below to raise the filter level to “High.” However, be sure to
open your Junk Email Folder once in a while to be sure the filter hasn’t
accidentally moved legitimate emails to that folder.
1. Open Microsoft
Outlook. Click on the
Tools menu, roll down
and click on Options.
2. The Options dialog box
will appear. Click on the
Junk Email button.
3. The Junk Email
Options dialog box will
appear on the Options
tab as shown here.
4. Click in the
circle next to High and
click OK to close the
Junk Email dialog box.
5. Click OK again to close
the Options dialog box.
32
Appendix
Safety First
Built-in Privacy & Security Information: Vista
Internet Explorer has some built-in privacy and security information so you
can learn about how to keep your computer safe. If you are using Windows
Vista, follow the instructions below to find this valuable information.
1. In Internet Explorer, click on the
Help menu, roll down and click
on Contents and Index.
2. The Windows Help window appears. Type security and privacy
in the Help box and hit Enter.
3. A list of topics will appear below.
Click on Security and Privacy
Features in Internet Explorer.
4. A list of the various privacy and
security features that Internet
Explorer offers will appear.
5. Click on a feature to read about
it. Try it!
Visit these two websites to learn more about online safety and security:
www.staysafe.org
onguardonline.gov
33
Appendix
Safety First
AutoComplete–Convenient, Not Safe: Vista
If you wish to turn off the AutoComplete command and you are using
Windows Vista, follow the steps below.
1. From the Start button, click on Control Panel.
2. The Control Panel dialog box will appear. Type autocomplete into the
Search box and hit Enter.
3. Click Turn AutoComplete in Internet Explorer On or Off.
34
Appendix
Safety First
AutoComplete: Vista continued
4. The Internet Properties
box will appear with the
Content tab showing.
5. Under AutoComplete,
click the Settings button.
5. The AutoComplete
Settings dialog box will
appear. Click in the box
next to Forms
6. Click next to User Names
and Passwords on Forms
7. Click OK in the
AutoComplete Settings box.
8. Click OK in the Internet
Properties dialog box.
35

SafetyFirst11May 04082011.pub

Transcription

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