TOP 10 tips for staying safer online
The moment you connect your PC to the Internet you become a potential target for cybercriminals. Just as an unprotected home is an easy target for burglars, an unprotected computer is an open invitation for cybercriminals looking to steal your confidential information and ultimately, your money.
Make sure you are protected! Follow these simple guidelines and stay safe online.
- Install Internet security software and keep it updated.
- Keep Windows and other applications up-to-date.
- Backup your data regularly to a CD, DVD, or external USB drive.
- Don't respond to email messages if you don't know the sender.
- Don't click on email attachments if they are from an untrustworthy source.
- Don't click on links in email or Instant messages. Type the address directly into your web browser.
- Never give out personal information in response to an email, even if the email looks official.
- Only shop, bank or socialise on secure sites. Make sure the URL starts with 'https://' and check for a padlock in the lower right corner of your browser.
- Use a different password for each website or service you use. Make them secure using a combination of letters and numbers and keep them completely private.
- Make sure you share your child's online experience and install parental control software to block inappropriate content.
5 TIPS for safe social networking
With the recent boom in the popularity of social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter, more and more users are posting personal information about their lives online. This may seem harmless, yet with the security of such sites being brought into question, you may be sharing more than you realise.
Follow our top 5 security tips for a safer social networking experience.
Check Your Security Settings
Whether you are using Facebook, Myspace or another social network, it is important to check your data protection settings. Think about which data can be seen by your friends list, and which data is publicly available. Experience has shown that people are quick to add large numbers of users to their friends lists, potentially giving access to your photos and other posts to complete strangers.
Watch What You Post
You should consider which functions of social networking sites leave you vulnerable. Services, for example, which automatically publish your current location should be treated with caution. Why? The combination of your current whereabouts makes you traceable in real life. Posted about an upcoming holiday? Prying eyes can now find out where you live, and when you won't be at home.
Unmasking False Friends
As a rule, the operators of social networking sites don't verify that the owner of a particular user account is who they purport to be. This makes it hard to tell whether a user really is that old classmate, or just someone posing as him. Always be wary when someone on Facebook sends you a friend request.
Protecting Your Own Identity
There are already cases of identity theft in which criminals have created profiles for users and used them to blackmail their victims. ID theft can also be carried out using phishing methods to collect passwords for existing user accounts. Kaspersky Internet Security and Kaspersky PURE's proactive phishing security combats this to keep you safe.
Preventing Malware Attacks
Pests like the Koobface worm use social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace to distribute themselves. In such cases, users receive a fake invitation from a friend to view a photo album or video. Clicking on the link, however, will infect your PC with malware. Protection against this type of pest is offered by Kaspersky Internet Security and Kaspersky PURE.
5 THINGS every parent and child should know about computer security
Parenting in the Internet era is no easy task, yet there are measures that you can introduce to ensure you children remain safe when using the Internet.
Anyone attending school these days is familiar with Facebook, Youtube, Skype and Wikipedia. Many parents, however, are not fully informed of their children's Internet activities or of the dangers lurking. Read our top five tips for a safe experience online.
- Use security software: Virus scanners and firewalls are a must, and complete packages like Kaspersky Internet Security contain additional security functions for all-round protection as well as advanced Parental Controls.
- Keep your software current: Security gaps in programmes, either in Windows itself or in Internet browsers, provide popular gateways for hackers. It is important, therefore, to ensure that these programmes are supplied with the latest updates.
- Do not open files from strangers: Received a really funny video or a way to pass the upcoming exams with no effort? If you receive a file with such a tempting description, especially from a stranger, you should steer clear of it.
- Make backup copies of important files: It's not necessary to lose your important files to learn this lesson. Ensure that you have at least one backup copy of all your important files.
- Don't believe everything you read on the Internet: While the Internet is a wonderful place for enquiring minds, it is also a playground for imposters and liars. Remember, not everything published on the Internet is true!
