Question
How can I protect myself while online?Answer
Verify data is encrypted
When sending confidential
information over the Internet such as usernames, passwords, or credit card numbers
only send it securely. To verify this look for a small lock (
) in the bottom right corner of your browser window or next to the address bar (as shown below). If visible, this lock should also be in the locked position and not unlocked.
) in the bottom right corner of your browser window or next to the address bar (as shown below). If visible, this lock should also be in the locked position and not unlocked.
Internet Explorer 7 secure address bar
While the lock is in the lock position, data is
encrypted, which helps anyone from understanding the data if
it's intercepted.
When no lock is visible or in the unlocked position all information is
plaintext and if intercepted could be read. If a
webpage is not secure, such as an online forum, use a password you wouldn't use
with protected sites such as your online banking website.
E-mail is not encrypted
Websites should not
transmit confidential data over e-mail,
such as passwords, credit card information, etc. E-mail is not encrypted and if intercepted by a third-party could be read.
Be aware of phishing scams
Familiarized yourself with phishing scams and techniques,
which are used to trick you into divulging your account information. Online banking sites, Paypal,
EBay, Amazon, and other popular sites that require logins are popular
targets.
Use a safe password
Websites
that store confidential data, such as an online bank site need to use
strong passwords.
Also, it is highly recommended that you use a different password for each
website that requires a login. If you need help remembering your passwords
consider using a password manager.
Use caution when accepting or agreeing to prompts
When prompted to install any program or
add-on make sure to read and understand the agreement before clicking on the Ok button. If you do not understand
the agreement or feel it is not necessary to install the program cancel or close the window.
Additionally, when installing any program watch for any
check box that asks if it's ok to install
a third-party
program, toolbar, etc. These are never required and often cause more issues than
good. Leave these boxes unchecked.
Be cautious where you're logging in from
Business
Your place of work can install key loggers or use other methods of monitoring
the computer while online. Someone who has access to this information could
read these logs and gather usernames and passwords. Also, do not store any passwords in your browser
if your computer is shared with other coworkers.
Wireless network
When
on a wireless network realize that all information being sent to and
from your computer can be intercepted and read by someone nearby.
Prevent this from happening by only logging into a secure network
using
WEP or WPA. If this is
a home wireless network, make sure it is secure.
Friends house
Be concerned
when logging into an account from a friends computer. A computer
or network you are not familiar with could intentionally or
unintentionally log usernames and passwords. Finally, when logging into
any site on a friends computer never save the
password information
on their browser.
Be aware of those around you
While at work, school, library, or anywhere that has people
around who could look at the monitor be cautious of anyone
shoulder surfing. Someone could watch
you type in your password, which would give them access to your account.
If you need everything displayed on the screen to remain
private, consider a privacy filter
for the display.
Update Internet browser plugins
Often many attackers find security vulnerabilities through
browser plugins such as Adobe Flash. Make sure all installed
Internet plug-ins
are up-to-date.
Secure saved passwords
Make sure to store passwords and login information in a
secure area. Never write login information on a sticky note or in a text file
that is not encrypted.
To save your passwords we recommend using a password manager,
which stores all login information and securely encrypts and password protects
that information.
When saving password information in a browser, it may be visible by anyone
who has access to your Internet browser. For example, without a master password
setup in Firefox anyone can see all stored passwords.
Use a third-party service to confirm the safety and security of a page
We recommend the free Web of Trust (WOT)
tool to verify the safety of all websites on the Internet.
