Internet safety is every ones responsibility. It’s all about being able to have fun online – to be able to chat with your friends, to post a video that you’ve made or a song that you’ve written, to be free to find out more about information you’re interested in and check out the latest trends – without being bullied, annoyed or scammed, or having your ideas stolen including identity theft.
Internet safety is a lot more than just about ensuring that your computer has the latest anti-virus and firewall software installed. It’s about being smart about how you handle yourself online and savvy about how you deal with other people (especially strangers who you meet online), and not falling prey to an online scam artist who takes advantage of your ignorance
Most of us are ‘connected’ via our laptops, mobile phones, tablets or personal computer. The potential for the internet to be a valuable and a fun resource for entertainment, making friends, keeping in touch and learning is huge. But if you use the internet without safety awareness, you could be at risk of illegal activity or abuse – be it bullying, fraud or something more serious. Unlike seeing someone face to face, on the net, people aren’t the same as they are first seen.
The way you learn about safety when you leave the house, the same way it is important to learn how to stay safe online. These are skills that will stay with you for life time.
Do follow these guidelines/steps before using the internet.
Internet is a way to stay connected with friends and family. For many Students, it’s also a way to stay current on news, research information, shop online and download books, online applications etc.. Internet has also become a popular method for banking, paying bills and completing and submitting applications and forms.
Using web browser to do things online is easy, but there can be some hidden dangers to you and your computer. These risks can include exposure of sensitive personal information and infection by malware, which includes viruses, spyware, and adware. Safe browsing means being aware of these online threats and taking the necessary precautions to avoid them.
It only takes a little bit of effort, a few tools, and some basic information to be safe as you browse the internet. Follow these guidelines to protect your personal information and your computer online.
We all know it’s not healthy to spend hours and hours in front of a computer screen. But another problem with social networking is the pressure you can feel to make sure you have lots of ‘friends’. But here are some things to remember:
Although you might know someone who likes to boast about how many ‘friends’ they’ve got on their social networking site, remember that real friendships aren’t made by computers.
Make sure you’re old enough to join.
Maybe use a made up name or nickname on your profile.
Do not make friends you don’t already know personally.
Maybe use an email address that does not include your name.
Use the strongest privacy setting when you set up your profile. This means that only your friends will be able to view your information.
Pictures and videos can be shared very carefully when uploading-even if you only share it with friends, it can easily be spread much further.
Be very careful about sharing content online – especially if it isn’t yours to share. Illegal downloads definitely should be avoided.
We no longer rely on our phones for just calling friends or family. With modern smartphones we can do a wide range of tasks; everything from browsing the Internet and paying your bills to checking your bank statement and accessing work emails. Because smartphones are so advanced many of the security issues we’re exposed to through our computers now exist on our smartphones.
Never open, accept, or download a file in IM from someone you don’t know.
If the file comes from someone you dont know, don’t open it unless you know what the file is.
Contact the sender by e-mail, phone, or some other method to confirm that what they sent was not a virus.
Visit Microsoft Update to scan your windows computer and install any high-priority updates that are offered to your PC.
If you have Automatic Updates enabled, the updates are delivered to you when they are released, but you have to make sure you install them.
Similarly, the concern software patches from Linux OS also need to be updated
Use up-to-date version of your Instant Messenger software for a better protection of your computer against viruses and spyware.
If you’re using MSN Messenger, upgrade to Windows Live Messenger, which will block attachments that might contain malware and allow you to scan attachments for viruses.
Similarly for other Instant Messengers should be upgraded.
Like e-mail viruses, instant message viruses are malicious programs that are designed to travel through IM.
Spim is a short form of spam over instant messaging, it uses IM platforms to send spam messages over IM. Like e-mail spam messages, a spim message also contains advertisements. It generally contains web links, by clicking to on those links malicious code enters into your PC.
Antivirus software can help to detect and remove IM viruses from your computer, only if you keep the antivirus software up-to-date.
If you’ve purchased a subscription from an antivirus software company, your antivirus software may update itself when you’re connected to the Internet.
Antispyware software can help to protect your computer from spyware and remove any spyware you may already have.
If you don’t have antispyware software, you can download Windows Defender.
