Staying safe online in simple steps

✍ Scribed by Ballew, Joli

• Publisher: Pearson Publications Company
• Year: 2012
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 241
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

A resource to help readers stay safe online, this book shows you the best ways to keep your personal information safe.

✦ Table of Contents

Cover......Page 1
Staying Safe Online......Page 2
Author’s acknowledgements......Page 5
Publisher’s acknowledgements......Page 6
Contents at a glance......Page 7
Use online products and services with confidence......Page 9
Contents......Page 10
Top 10 Staying Safe Online Tips......Page 18
Tip 1: Create strong passwords for websites......Page 19
Tip 2: Install anti-virus software......Page 20
Tip 3: Know common signs of scam emails......Page 22
Tip 4: Explore your web browser’s safety and security options......Page 24
Tip 5: Don’t click ads!......Page 26
Tip 6: Learn what you should never share online......Page 27
Tip 7: Obtain free software safely......Page 28
Tip 8: Consider free software like Windows Live Family Safety......Page 29
Tip 9: Log off or lock your computer......Page 30
Tip 10: Check for and resolve security issues......Page 31
Introduction to internet safety......Page 34
Introduction......Page 35
Protect all personal devices with a password......Page 36
Create strong passwords for websites......Page 38
Protect your list of passwords......Page 39
Install anti-virus software......Page 40
Avoid common email scams......Page 42
Don’t open email attachments (yet)......Page 43
Know how to perform web searches......Page 44
Avoid phishing emails......Page 46
Look for the ‘s’ before making an online purchase......Page 47
Be mindful in public places......Page 48
Fighting against viruses, adware and malware......Page 50
Introduction......Page 51
Identify the threats......Page 52
Know who not to trust......Page 53
Enable a fi rewall......Page 54
Verify with Snopes......Page 55
Learn the signs and symptoms of infection......Page 56
Learn how to be safe on Facebook......Page 57
Obtain security software......Page 58
Install security software......Page 59
Verify settings......Page 60
Explore Windows Defender......Page 61
Run checks for viruses and malware......Page 62
Remove spyware with Windows Defender......Page 63
Remove viruses and malware with the Malicious Software Removal Tool......Page 64
Avoiding threats in email......Page 66
Introduction......Page 67
Keep your email program up to date......Page 68
Know common signs of scam emails......Page 70
Don’t talk to strangers!......Page 72
Explore the validity of the sender’s name......Page 73
Hover before you click that link......Page 74
When in doubt, visit the entity’s offi cial website......Page 75
Triple check before opening an attachment......Page 77
Confi gure a junk email fi lter......Page 78
Block unwanted senders......Page 79
Avoiding spam......Page 80
Introduction......Page 81
Don’t share your primary email address......Page 82
Tell your friends and family not to share your email address......Page 83
Unsubscribe from legitimate mailing lists......Page 84
Unsubscribe from unwanted social networking email......Page 85
Know what to do when you can’t click Unsubscribe......Page 86
Block email from entire domains......Page 87
Block email from foreign countries......Page 88
Obtain a secondary email address......Page 89
Know when to use your secondary email address......Page 90
Avoid unwittingly signing up for unwanted email......Page 91
Opt not to receive email from third parties......Page 92
Opt not to download images in emails......Page 93
Set a stronger spam fi lter......Page 94
Using alternative web browsers......Page 96
Introduction......Page 97
Explore Internet Explorer 9......Page 98
Explore Firefox......Page 99
Explore Chrome......Page 100
Explore Safari......Page 101
Locate browser installation files......Page 102
Download and install a browser......Page 103
Import and access existing favourites and bookmarks......Page 105
Access and configure settings......Page 107
Show toolbars and menus......Page 109
Use thumbnail views......Page 110
Be mindful of the Address bar......Page 111
Avoid installing toolbars and add-ons......Page 112
Explore safety and security options......Page 113
Avoiding phishing, pop-ups, ads and other website threats......Page 116
Introduction......Page 117
Don’t click ads!......Page 118
Enable a pop-up blocker......Page 119
Skip ads that appear on web pages......Page 120
Avoid phishing websites......Page 121
Report an unsafe website......Page 122
Understand cookies......Page 123
Delete browsing history......Page 124
Keep your browsers up to date......Page 125
Consider private browsing options......Page 127
Shopping safely on the web......Page 128
Introduction......Page 129
Find websites you can trust......Page 130
Look for third-party seals of approval......Page 131
Read reviews......Page 132
Create strong passwords......Page 133
Look for the VeriSign logo......Page 134
Make purchases from your home computer......Page 135
Choose the right credit card......Page 136
Consider PayPal......Page 137
Verify the shipping address......Page 138
Keep receipts and return slips, and check credit card statements......Page 139
Be safe on eBay......Page 140
Use iTunes......Page 141
Using social networking sites safely......Page 142
Introduction......Page 143
Know which social networks to use......Page 144
Protect your password......Page 146
Learn what you should never share online......Page 147
Know what you’re sharing by default......Page 148
Limit who can view your profi le......Page 149
Edit profi le information......Page 150
Edit personal information......Page 151
Understand messaging options......Page 152
Unsubscribe from and stop following undesirable people......Page 153
Learn how to ask someone to remove content......Page 155
Report abusive content......Page 156
Be careful what you click......Page 158
Be careful with Facebook games......Page 159
Learn how to protect your social networking account......Page 160
Sharing your personal information on the web......Page 162
Introduction......Page 163
Register only if it’s mandatory......Page 164
Create screen names carefully......Page 165
Know how to post anonymously......Page 166
Share photos safely......Page 167
Learn how to blog safely......Page 168
Be careful what you share on dating websites......Page 169
Be careful what you post on YouTube......Page 170
Explore ways to expunge information from the web......Page 171
Use Google’s encrypted search feature......Page 173
Make sure your computer is protected......Page 174
Educate family members......Page 175
Look for your house on Google Maps......Page 176
Exploring free software......Page 178
Introduction......Page 179
Don’t install anything, yet!......Page 180
Understand the ruse behind the ‘free scan’......Page 181
Obtain free software safely......Page 182
Explore the Microsoft Fix It Solution Center......Page 183
Explore Ad-Aware......Page 184
Explore OpenOffi ce......Page 185
Use Amazon’s Kindle Cloud Reader......Page 186
Choose and use a messaging program......Page 187
Find more free software you can trust......Page 188
Be careful with free trials......Page 189
Uninstall unwanted software......Page 190
Keeping children and grandchildren safe......Page 192
Introduction......Page 193
Understand the basic protection strategies......Page 194
Create standard computer user accounts......Page 195
Password protect all computer accounts......Page 196
Confi gure the Content Advisor in Internet Explorer......Page 197
Locate Parental Control add-ons in Firefox......Page 198
Uninstall or limit access to other installed web browsers......Page 199
Explore Google’s SafeSearch......Page 200
Explore parental controls in Windows 7......Page 201
Consider free software like Windows Live Family Safety......Page 203
Educate yourself about the sites children visit......Page 204
Modify the list of blocked websites......Page 205
Dealing with cyberbullying, cybercrime and cyberstalking......Page 206
Introduction......Page 207
Understand the threats......Page 208
Know what to do fi rst when problems begin......Page 209
Record online attacks......Page 210
Keep a folder of personal attacks......Page 211
Print what you can......Page 212
Report a cyberbully......Page 213
Report cyber crime......Page 214
Report cyberstalking......Page 215
Change your email address, user names and passwords......Page 216
Change or suspend social networking accounts......Page 217
Securing your computer and network......Page 218
Introduction......Page 219
Log off or lock your computer......Page 220
Check for and resolve security issues......Page 221
Find and fi x problems......Page 223
Change administrator accounts to standard accounts......Page 224
Keep your operating system up to date......Page 225
Check for optional updates......Page 226
Keep programs up to date......Page 227
Keep your web browser up to date......Page 228
Verify your Wi-Fi network is password protected......Page 229
Top 10 staying safe online Problems solved......Page 230
Problem 1: My computer is acting strangely, but it’s not a virus!......Page 231
Problem 2: I created an account for my grandchild but he keeps logging on to mine!......Page 232
Problem 3: My child is being bullied online. How do I report it?......Page 233
Problem 4: How can I best protect my computer from viruses and other malware?......Page 234
Problem 5: I want to report an unsafe website......Page 236
Problem 6: I’ve been shopping for presents and need to delete my browsing history......Page 237
Problem 7: How can I be sure that I can trust a website with my credit card information?......Page 238
Problem 8: I think my computer has a virus. What can I do?......Page 239
Problem 9: When I visit websites, I have to close a lot of pop-up ads......Page 240
Problem 10: My child installed software I didn’t approve of. How can I prevent this in future?......Page 241