Protecting Yourself

It's an ongoing battle that can't be ignored. If you use a computer and you use the internet then you need protection.

Computer Viruses (Warning signs, Prevention guidelines)
Safe Passwords
Don't Get Caught in the Phish Trap
Using a Public PC
Secure Transactions
Smart and Safe Shopping
Privacy
Top Ten Privacy Tips
Backup Your Data
Security Tips - Seven ways to surf safer.
Bidder Beware - Online Auctions

COMPUTER VIRUSES

Viruses, worms and Trojan horses are human-made software programs created specifically to wreak havoc on personal computers and networks.

Viruses can be destructive and may lie dormant until a certain date.

If you download and run software from the Internet, or receive e-mail attachments, there's a good chance of contracting one of these digital bugs.

Warning Signs of Virus Infection

Your computer starts running sluggishly.
It shuts down unexpectedly or crashes frequently.
It experiences memory problems or runs out of disc space.
Unusual files or directories appear on your system.
Strange messages appear on your screen.

Virus Prevention Guidelines

Run anti-virus software on your computer. This software will scan your hard drive plus check incoming email and websites etc for viruses before they infect your computer.
Always configure your anti-virus software to update automatically so that you are always protected against the latest viruses.
DO NOT OPEN an e-mail attachment unless you know who sent it.
If you receive a suspicious message, delete it immediately from your Inbox and then again in Deleted Mail folder.

SAFE PASSWORDS

choose your passwords carefully and safeguard them.
Don't use passwords that consist of personal information, such as your address, phone number or date of birth.
Avoid using common words found in a dictionary.
Devise passwords of at least six characters and consisting of upper and lower case letters, numbers, and symbols, for example: 2le@rN.
Use a different password for each service you register with.
Store your passwords in a safe place e.g. a password manager program that stores all your passwords...you then just need to remember one password. SplashId is a good program for this and has the advantage of synching with your hand held device such as a Palm Organiser. This way you can carry all your passwords with you in a secure way.
Never disclose your password.
For sensitive accounts, such as financial services, change your passwords frequently.

PHISHING

What would you do if you received e-mail from your bank asking you to go to its website and update your account information? The message looks authentic, it's even got the bank's logo.

In all likelihood, this seemingly innocent request is really from a cyberthief looking to steal your personal financial information .

This unscrupulous practice, known as phishing, is a high-tech way to lure you into revealing your bank accounts, passwords, credit card numbers, PIN codes and other sensitive data. Armed with this private information, your identity, and then your money, can be stolen.

How it Works

Phishers target consumers by sending them e-mails from well know banks .

Even though the email resembles a message from this organisation the link that you click on doesn't go there. Instead it links to a phony site . They then start asking you for all sorts of information. This is a scam, dont go there. Banks will never ask for personal information this way.

If you think that a message from your bank is legitimate, login to your bank website. In your account area there should be a notification confirming that the message you received is legitimate.

USING A PUBLIC PC

Using a public computer to check your e-mail, bank accounts and travel arrangements may be more convenient than lugging around a laptop when your on the road. But it's also more dangerous. PCs are conveniently located at Internet cafes, airports, libraries, hotel business centers and other public places. These machines may be targeted in an attempt to hijack your sensitive information. To reduce the risk, consider these safety tips:

Scope out the snoops. Look around to see if anyone is watching you. This is particularly important if you are accessing a password-protected account. Someone could be observing and recording your private information.
Be wary of accessing your private data. Doing online banking, stock trades and other financial transactions is not a good idea. Neither is entering your credit card number to shop online. It's possible that a hi-tech thief may have installed keylogger software on the computer. It secretly records your key strokes, then e-mails it to him. Armed with that information, he can access your accounts--bad news.
Log out. If you've accessed a website that requires a login (for instance, your e-mail account), make sure to log out by clicking the appropriate link (usually locate at the top right of the page).
Close the web browser. For extra protection, close all browser windows and any other programs that may be running.
Don't leave the computer unattended. If you have to leave temporarily, log out and close the program you are using.
Don't let the computer save your login information. Some programs offer to save your user name and password. Click "No" if a pop-up box offers this option.
You can delete the record of the sites you visited and any cookies that may be stored on the computer.
Consider fellow surfers. Avoid opening suspicious e-mail attachments or downloading software. Don't do anything that may potentially infect the computer and cause problems for the next user.

SECURE TRANSACTIONS

Transmitting you secure information on the network

Because data traveling over the network passes through many computers along the way, the opportunity exists for someone to intercept your confidential information. Encryption software scrambles the data with a secret code so that no one can make sense of it while it's being transmitted. When the data reaches its destination, the same software unscrambles the information.

All online financial transactions should be secure. Check the address of the web page in the address bar of your browser; it should begin with https. The letter "s" indicates that the page is secure.

Firewalls give an extra layer of protection against hackers. If your computer doesn't have a firewall, you should install one immediately. Windows XP and Vista operating systems have them built in.

Online Shopping

When dealing with online merchants, the following points may give you clues as to their legitimacy:

Is this the website of an established retailer?
Does the site have a street address, not just a post office box?
Is there a way to call customer service?
Is a return and refund policy posted?

The risks involved in online shopping are probably no higher than other ways you might use your credit card.

SMART SAFE SHOPPING

Online shopping can save you time and money but it's a jungle out there so here are a few tips to enhance your shopping.

Make sure you are using a secure Internet connection when you come to the payment(checkout) part of your purchase. You can tell if your connection is secure when you see that the web address begins with "https".
Never send your credit card number by e-mail.
Shop with businesses you already know and trust. If you want to make a purchase from a store you haven't heard of before, do some research. Make sure the site lists a physical address, not just a post office box.
Search for this company with Google and see if there are any negative comments.
Compare Prices - Shopping bots compare prices for products across dozens of websites. You'd be amazed at the range of prices. Try: www.getprice.com.au
Be skeptical. Deals that seem too good to be true probably are. If you have suspicions, call the merchant and ask some questions. No phone number listed on the site? Then take your business somewhere else.

PROTECTING YOUR PRIVACY

Here are some tips to protect your privacy on the internet

E-Mail

Get a separate email for business and personal. Most businesses claim that it is their right and responsibility to monitor e-mail because it represents the company, uses company equipment and travels over the company network.
Use encryption software.
Unless you encrypt your messages--essentially scrambling the data--your e-mail is no more private than a postcard. An easy-to-use encryption program you can download for free is PGP.
Ignore spam, just delete it. If you reply to spam, asking to be removed from the list, it just confirms that your address is valid. You will soon be spammed and spammed again.
Remove old e-mail from your computer.
When you delete messages, they are still on your system. To permanently remove them, open the Deleted Mail folder and delete them from there or alternatively your e-mail programs may have the option set to automatically empty deleted mail.

Web Surfing

Turn on the cookie alert to let you know when cookies are being saved to your PC. A cookie is a small file sent by a web server to your web browser to record your activities on a particular website. Cookies can be quite useful and websites that you login to use them to monitor your logged in status (e.g. your banking website)
You can remove them periodically if you want:-
Internet Explorer 7.0, go to the Tools/Internet Options/General/Browsing history, click Delete, then click Delete cookies.
With Firefox 2.0, go to Tools/Options/Privacy/Show Cookies. When the new window opens, click Remove All Cookies.
Use Anonymizers. To prevent your activities from being tracked as you browse websites, use online tools that disguise who you are and where you come from. One reliable service we recommend is the Cloak.
Review sites' privacy policies. Before you provide any information to a site, read its privacy policy. Every website collecting information should post one. Look for a link on the home page. The policy should state what information is collected, how it's used, how it's protected, who has access to it, and if it's sold or shared with third parties. If no policy is available, think twice about providing personal information.

Your Computer

Be sure your computer has a firewall. Windows XP, Vista and Mac OS have them built in.
Clean up your history files, location bar list and cache.
Clear Temporary Files: As you surf the Web, your browser both records the addresses of where you've been and stores downloaded files in a cache. If you want to keep this information from prying eyes, periodically clear the temporary Internet files, delete the history files and the drop-down list under the address or location bar. While this may seem an extreme step, if you share a computer, or use a public computer, consider doing this. Here's how:
Internet Explorer 7.0, go to Tools / Internet Options / General / Browsing history, click on Delete.
With Firefox 2.0, go to Tools / Options / Advanced / Network tab / Cache / Clear Now. Next, click on the Privacy tab.

BACKUPS

Backing up your computer is critical. Various disasters can cause you to lose the information stored on your computer. Mechanical failure, Viruses, Theft, Fire and Flood, Power surges and Malicious intent can all cause you to lose some or all of your data on your hard drive.

If you diligently backup your system and store the backups off-site, you're in good shape. But most of us never do--until it's too late.

What to Backup

Firstly you don't need to back up your applications such as Microsoft Office, Windows and other software that you use. You should have copies of these on CDs or DVDs. If you have obtained your software by downloading online you can burn these to a CD or DVD or download it again if disaster hits.
What you DO need to backup is all your own data files such as word documents, spreadsheets, images, video, music, email etc etc. Basically everything you would store in the MyDocuments area if using Windows

How to Backup Files

You can backup files in two ways.

1. Backup with Removable Media

Windows comes with a backup application included. It's usually located in Accessories/System tools. Other backup programs are available so look around if you want extra features.

You can store 4.7 gigabytes of data on a DVD which may be all you need if you're not storing lots of images and music.

An external hard drive of 300 gigabytes or more can be purchased for a couple of hundred dollars and will simply plug into your USB port.

Windows backup can do a full backup or an incremental backup where only altered files are backed up.

If you store everything under MyDocuments(and sub folders) then backing up is a simple matter of pointing the backup program to MyDocuments and telling it to backup everything in there.

Store your backups in a secure place (preferably off site)

2. Online Storage

You can also backup your files by uploading them to a remote server. Once you have done your first backup then only files that change are uploaded to the server so it doesn't slow your internet link down.

There are a number of services around but one well regarded service is Mozy. You can have unlimited backup space for around $5/month. Or if you have less than 2 Gb to store it's free! Go to mozy.com and check it out.

One advantage of storing your files online is that you can access them from any computer by logging onto the Online Storage website.

SECURITY TIPS - SAFER SURFING

The openness of the Internet has dramatically transformed global communications, making it possible for people around the world to easily exchange information.

To avoid becoming a victim of misguided pranksters or cybercrime, here are some recommendations

Use anti-virus software. Viruses spread rapidly and can damage or destroy your computer.
Be wary of e-mail attachments. A virus can hide in an attachment. Opening it will unleash the virus. Don't open an attachment from anyone you don't know.
Install a firewall on your computer. A firewall blocks unauthorized access to your computer. Windows XP, Vista and Mac OS X have built-in firewalls, so make sure they're activated
Protect your passwords. Many online services, such as banking, brokerage and e-mail require the use of passwords. A secure password is the first line of defense. Use a different password for each account, don't divulge them and change them periodically.
Update security patches for your operating system and web browser. You've probably read about security "holes" that turn up periodically. Once they're discovered, you can download fixes. For Windows users, an easy way to update your system is by clicking on the Windows Update option under the Start menu or by pointing your web browser to this link: http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/.
Backup your data. Make copies of your files in case they become corrupted, your system fails or your computer is damaged or stolen. Get in the habit of doing this regularly, at least once a week.
Log offline when you're done for the day. You are most vulnerable when connected to the Net. If there isn't a good reason to remain online, disconnect from the network.

Follow these tips and you will enhance your personal security and the health of your PC.

ONLINE AUCTIONS

eBay, the dominant auction site in the world, has become the darling of bargain hunters and collectors. But dozens of other sites also offer auctions. For savvy shoppers, these electronic flea markets reward you with outstanding values. But you may also find yourself a victim of fraud. Unlike buying products in the real world, online auctions pose some unique risks. To get the best prices and prevent ripoffs, read on.

How Auction Sites Work

All reputable sites should offer clearly written instructions, FAQs(frequently asked questions) and provide an enquiry form to submit questions.
Buyers and Sellers must register with the site. You must provide your name, address, phone number and e-mail address.
There is usually a fee for sellers to list merchandise and then a fee for sold items.
Buyers pay sellers directly and may also pay shipping costs. Most auctions are time-based, meaning that the highest bid at the end of the auction period gets the product.

Tips for getting the Best Buy

If you plan to bid on a new item, check the going price at online stores or through comparison shopping sites. Once the bid gets near the retail value(including shipping) then you may as well buy from a retailer. See what similar items are selling for.
Set a limit to avoid bidding wars. Determine how much you are willing to pay and don't exceed that. Unless you are bidding on something extremely rare, you will certainly find it listed again.
Use a bidding service. If you regularly use eBay, a service such as eSnipethat automatically places your bid in the last few seconds of the auction. The chief advantage is that your interest in the item is concealed, so it reduces bidding wars, holding the price down. Winning bidders pay eSnipe a small fee, which is more than outweighed by what you can save.
Before you bid on an item, check shipping costs. It could add considerably to the final price, turning your bargain into a bad deal.
Read the auction site's policy carefully. Make sure you understand how the auction works before you bid.
Know the seller. Get the seller's vital information, including name, address and phone number. Ask about shipping and how long delivery takes. Is insurance is available and is there a return policy. Check the auction site to see if there is any negative feedback about the seller.
Contact the seller about the merchandise. E-mail or call the seller directly if you have any questions about the item. Don't bid unless you are satisfied with the answers.
Pay with plastic. Using a credit card affords you the same protection you have when making purchases in the real world. Never send cash and avoid sending checks or money orders, especially to post office boxes. If you must pay this way, only send payment to the address listed by the seller on his or her auction page.
Keep a record. Print a copy of your transaction for your records.