Computer Security What Is This Class?

COMPUTER SECURITY WHAT IS THIS CLASS?

• This introduction to computer security is geared towards computer owners and user who would like to know more about protecting themselves and their data on their computers.

• We will cover topics including: - Malware, Viruses, and other threats. - Preventative action against threats - Updates & Patching - Browser Protection - Passwords WHY DO WE NEED COMPUTER SECURITY?

• The internet can be a dangerous place if basic precautions aren’t taken to protect our computers. • Security is needed to protect our personal data, the use and stability of our computers, and our own identities. • By identifying threats and taking precautions, we can prevent ourselves from being victims of computer attacks.

WHAT ARE SOME THREATS TO OUR COMPUTERS? THREATS

• Virus – A program that is run on your computer and replicates itself, creating other programs/files and affecting your entire system until the computer is unable to function.

• Trojan Horse – A type of virus that does not replicate, but carries out actions on the computer such as theft of data or harm to the system. A trojan horse has to be downloaded and run by the user to do harm to the computer.

…MORE THREATS

• Spyware – Software that gathers information about a person from their computer and sends it to the attacker, which can then be used for malicious purposes. Spyware is usually obtained by using public computers with the software already on it or by attaching itself to legitimate downloads from websites and infiltrating the computer through that download.

• Malware – Any software used to attack a computer, including viruses, worms, trojan horses, and spyware.

SIGNS OF MALWARE INFECTION

• File Deletion • File corruption • Visual Abnormalities • Pop-ups • Erratic behavior • Crashes Methods of Prevention FIREWALLS

• A firewall is a software or hardware that checks the safety of information from the internet or the network you are connected to before it reaches your computer. • Firewalls can help prevent the spread of malware to your computer before it has a chance to reach it. • Windows computers come with installed firewalls – the Windows Firewall. Always make sure the firewall in enabled in Windows.

To access your computer’s firewall settings in Windows, navigate to the Control Panel and choose the “System and Security” section. Here, you can verify that the firewall is active and decide if you’d like to allow any programs through it. ANTIVIRUS AND ANTI-MALWARE PROGRAMS

• There are many programs that can be used to prevent your computer from getting infected.

• There are many free antivirus programs to use, just make sure to download them from the proper website to avoid scams and malware. We will go over a few of these programs and where to download them on the next slide. FREE ANTIVIRUS PROGRAMS

Avast http://www.avast.com

AVG http://free.avg.com

Avira http://www.avira.com

UPDATES AND PATCHES

• New threats and viruses are created every day, therefore new “antidotes” for these viruses are created as well. An antivirus program can only protect a computer against what it is aware of. To keep your computer protected, it is important to always have your antivirus up to date. This can be done by opening the antivirus program and choosing “update” from the list of options. An example of this is on the next slide.

HOW TO MAKE SURE YOU ALWAYS RECEIVE CURRENT UPDATES AND SECURITY PATCHES

• In addition to getting updates from your antivirus software regularly, make sure that Windows Updates are set to “Update Automatically”. This can be done by going to the Control Panel and selecting System and Security and choosing Turn Automatic Updating on or off” and making sure it is set to on. • If your computer is set to automatically install updates and security patches, Windows will notify you in the Action Center, which will show a notification on the bottom of the screen that updates were installed and if the computer needs to be restarted for them to finish the installation. BROWSER SECURITY

• The internet is your main source of security threats. • Web browsers, such is Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox and Safari are the main browsers used on computers. • It’s important to check the security settings in your browser, including add-ons, extensions, and toolbars for potential malware. • Browser add-ons such as plug-ins, toolbars, and video players often contain malware. Use caution when downloading them and make sure they come from a reputable source. • To check for toolbars and add-ons in Internet Explorer, click on “Tools” then select “Manage Add-ons” and it will open a page where you can add or remove installed toolbars and extensions. CHECKING YOUR BROWSERS SECURITY SUGGESTIONS FOR BROWSER SAFETY

• If you are on a public computer or a computer that can be easily accessed by another person, be careful about saving passwords in your browser. Usually when you log into a website, your browser will ask you if you want it to remember the password. If it is a website that contains any secure information, such as your bank account or e-mail, don’t save the password. SUGGESTIONS FOR BROWSER SAFETY

• Two things to look for when logging into a website are: - the lock in the address bar, which verifies that the website is secure, and - the beginning of the web address starting with “https” instead of just “http”.

• In Internet Explorer, a useful tool to verify that a website is secure is the “SmartScreen Filter”, which can be accessed by going to “Tools” and clicking on “SmartScreen Filter” to check the validity of a website and to report unsafe websites. BROWSER SAFETY TIPS

• Stay away from program and file downloads from unknown sources. Only download programs or files from their companies official website or sites that have been verified as safe to download from.

• You can check if a website is valid by using websites such as www.scanurl.net and safeweb.norton.com to enter the URL of the website you are accessing to get statistics and safety information on the website before downloading anything or entering any personal information.

• Always protect your wireless connection with a password.

• If your antivirus warns you that a program you are downloading is unsafe, listen to it. PASSWORDS

Tips for creating a strong password:

• Password should be at least 8 characters long. • Password should not contain your name, birthday, or relatives information • Make sure to use a combination of letters, numbers and characters.

Remember to change your password occasionally and be careful saving passwords into browsers – only save them on your own personal computer. MOST COMMON PASSWORDS TO AVOID

• Password • Birthday • Pet’s name • Child/Spouses name • 12345678 • Abc123 • Admin • default

EMAIL SAFETY

• Don’t open e-mails or links inside of e-mails from somebody you don’t know. • Don’t send sensitive information over e-mail, such as your password, social security number or bank information. • Never open attachments in e-mails unless you are fully aware of the sender and what the attachment is - that is the most common way viruses get onto your computer. • Use a spam filter. Most e-mail programs such as Outlook and Windows Mail contain a spam filter for weeding out the junk mail. This can make it easy to determine what is dangerous e-mail or not. • Change your e-mail password every 60 days. • Remember to log out of your e-mail when you check it on a public computer. WHAT TO DO IF YOU DO GET INFECTED

If you get a virus on your computer, it is important to take the steps necessary to get rid of it immediately. If you continue using the computer with a virus, it gives the virus time to spread and can cause permanent damage. Here are some steps to take if your computer is infected.

• Run a full virus scan with your antivirus program. If you do not have antivirus software, download a program from a reputable website and run a full scan. • If the virus is preventing your computer from working properly, try restarting it in safe mode. This is done by restarting your computer and when it shows the welcome screen, press F8 on your keyboard. Choose the option to boot into safe mode. • After running the virus scan, follow the instructions to get rid of the virus. • If the virus is preventing your computer from booting up or working properly, it is important to get it to a professional for removal. Continued use of an infected computer can lead to system crashes, hard drive damage, and a broken computer. THINGS TO REMEMBER

• Always use antivirus software and have an active firewall on your computer. • Keep antivirus software and Windows updated. • Have the proper browser settings to avoid pop-ups and unwanted downloads. • Be careful entering sensitive information on public computers and always remember to log out of your e-mail when using a public computer. • Have a complex, difficult to guess password. Remember to change it every now and then. • Be careful opening e-mails and attachments from unrecognized senders. • If you do get a virus, take the proper steps to remove it.