Staying Safe Online Strong Password Tips The first and easiest step you can take toward staying safe online is adopting good password practices. don’t re-use passwords use phrases instead of words use numbers and symbols; encode when possible (a @, e 3) change passwords when necessary don’t share passwords with other people if you want to write them down, be careful Don’t Click On pop ups: ads and messages that pop up on your screen while you try to view other content sneaky ads: advertisements pretending to be news articles link bait: links with enticing or foreboding titles Look Out for these E-mail Scams friendly stranger with a great product (too good to be true) scare tactics (alarming subject matter, requests for your info) friend in need (lost wallet/passport/backpack) Nigerian prince (get rich quick by investing a few thousand now)
Only click on content you have deliberately visited. Don’t click on pop ups. Ignore the link bait. Sniff out sneaky ads. Suspect everything. Malware Definitions virus : a piece of code that is capable of copying itself and typically has a detrimental effect, such as corrupting the system or destroying data adware : software that automatically displays or downloads advertising material (often unwanted) when a user is online spyware : software that enables a user to obtain covert information about another's computer activities by transmitting data from their hard drive scareware : malicious computer programs designed to trick a user into buying and downloading unnecessary and potentially dangerous software, such as fake antivirus protection
Antivirus Software (choose only one) AVG Free http://free.avg.com 1. Click on the green rectangle that says AVG AntiVirus FREE 2015 Free Download. 2. On the next page, click the same green rectangle. 3. Finally, on the third page you come to, click the green rectangle that says Download Now. 4. The program will mostly install itself from here. Follow the onscreen prompts. avast! http://www.avast.com 1. Click on the blue GO TO DOWNLOAD button. 2. On the bottom of the screen, click on the blue rectangle that says FREE DOWNLOAD. 3. Click the green rectangle that says Download Now. 4. The program will mostly install itself from here. Follow the onscreen instructions. Make sure to install updates when prompted! (it’s an automated process, but you need to approve it) Firefox (not an antivirus program--a more secure web browser) Visit mozilla.org to download Firefox for free.
IN SHORT: Careful clicking. Don’t pay for anything you don’t specifically want. Run your software updates. Be suspicious.
Resources US-CERT (United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team) https://www.us-cert.gov/ Snopes http://www.snopes.com Google