How to Stay Safe on the Bleeping Internet
Amazing Spiderman Edition, Delta Version—April 20, 2013
It's getting to be a very crazy world out there.“Out there,” of course, is referring to the
Internet
, the “Web,” the biggest information networkthe world has ever seen. As with any new, exciting frontier there's so much to explore – and yetso much to be wary of. For within this wonderland of educational enrichment and endlessentertainment lurk unscrupulous souls who wish to separate you from your money, your identity,and even your sanity.To stay safe on the Internet, you must be vigilant and maintain caution at all times. Whereas inthe “real world” we can form strong, trusting relationships based on personal encounters, out in“cyberspace” it is too easy for bad guys to masquerade as something or someone that they arenot. Therefore, when it comes to the Internet, it is better to maintain a healthy dose of cynicism,rather than to be too trusting and become easy prey for all manner of scams and ne'er-do-wells. Itis my hope that by reading this pamphlet, you will come to better understand these dangers andthereby be able to prevent yourself from falling prey to them.The following are steps you should take to protect your computer in order to have a better andsafer computing experience.
1.Install antivirus and security-suite software.
If your computer's
operating system
(the main “program” that runs your computer) is Windowsor Mac, the very first thing you should do is install or activate some sort of protection againstmalicious software. At a minimum this should include
antivirus (and anti-malware) software
anda
firewall
. Antivirus software is software that is alert and scanning your computer all the time,looking for viruses and other
malware
(software programs that do undesirable things to yourcomputer). You say you have no money? It’s OK—there are still some decent
freeware
antivirusprograms out there:Microsoft Security Essentials:http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentialsAvira AntiVir Personal:http://www.avira.com/en/avira-free-antivirusIf you use an e-mail program that is installed on your own computer, like Outlook or OutlookExpress or Windows Mail, then I strongly advise you to purchase a professional (i.e., not free)antivirus software program, because most of the freeware programs will
not
scan your e-mailmessages and attachments for
phishing
(see section 3) and viruses and such. However, o
nline
e-mail sites (such as Yahoo, Gmail and Hotmail)
do
scan your mail and attachmentsautomatically. There are many professional programs out there that include not onlyantivirus/anti-malware protection, but also a firewall, protection from phishing attacks and muchmore. The following are just a few examples:
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Avira Premium Security Suite:http://www.avira.com/en/for-home-avira-premium-security-suiteESET Smart Security:http://www.eset.com/us/home/smart-securityKaspersky Internet Security:http://usa.kaspersky.com/products-services/home-computer-security/internet-securityNorton Internet Security:http://us.norton.com/internet-security/Reviews/advice on popular security products:http://www.pcmag.com/reviews/security-softwareWhatever antivirus software you choose, it’s always best to install your antivirus software rightafter you purchase your new computer,
before
you get a virus! Once you get a nasty virus, it willusually do everything in its power to
prevent
you from installing antivirus software. Darnviruses.But don’t worry if your computer is not “new out of the box”; if it’s still functional, try installingthe antivirus program now.
IF
it’s able to load, it will try its best to remove all bad stuff fromyour computer *before* it installs itself. However, if it fails—if your computer is already tooinfected—you’ll need to take your computer to a technician who will either remove all theviruses and other bad stuff, or “restore” your computer to its original factory state. If they have todo a restore,
you will LOSE all your personal data such as pictures and Microsoft Worddocuments
unless
you ask the technician to backup your data first (usually for an additional fee).Hiring a technician is expensive, so that’s why prevention is key! You will also lose anyprograms that you’ve installed after you bought the computer, and you’ll need to reinstall themagain, so make it a habit to always save your program disks that you buy. For programs that youpay for and download from the Internet, make it a habit to
print out and put in a safe place alllicense keys (sometimes called “unlock codes” or “download keys”) for the downloadedsoftware
.By the way, even the best antivirus programs don't catch everything. If you ever want a secondopinion about a file that looks particularly suspicious, you can double-check it simultaneouslyagainst 40
firewall
is a program that is designed to keep intruders and hackers from “breaking into” yourcomputer and stealing information or using your computer to do harmful things to other peopleand/or companies on the Internet. Some firewalls are hardware devices (e.g., some networkrouters include a firewall), but most consumers don’t have hardware-based firewalls, and it’snever a bad idea to have a software-based one in addition. If you use Microsoft Windows, your
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computer already comes with a software firewall. To make sure it’s on, click the Start button andin the text box at the bottom, type “Windows Firewall.” Click on the item that says “WindowsFirewall” (the one that says “Windows Firewall with Advanced Security” is more than you need)and just make sure to turn it
on
if it is not already turned on.There are also some free third-party firewall programs:http://www.zonealarm.com/security/en-us/zonealarm-pc-security-free-firewall.htmhttp://personalfirewall.comodo.com/Of course, most commercial security-suite software—usually with the words “Internet Security”or “Security Suite” in its title—come with its own firewall, which will be enabled by default;such a firewall will replace Windows Firewall’s functionality (and exceed it) and so WindowsFirewall will be shut off.Imagine a firewall as a barrier between your private computer and the very public Internet. Youdon’t want bad stuff on the Internet to get
into
your computer from the Internet, and you don’twant bad programs (if there are any) getting
out
from your computer to the Internet, where theycould, for example, send your private credit-card information to some thief. The firewall sits inbetween your computer and the Internet and makes sure that only those programs and servicesthat
should
be able to get through the firewall are allowed through.
2.Don’t trust your e-mail.
It’s become a regular occurrence for me now: Every six months or so I get e-mail that’s been sentto me, purportedly
from
me. That’s right—according to these e-mails, I sent
myself
a spammessage about the latest Botox treatment or get-rich scam! Well, of course
I didn’t
send myselfsuch an e-mail; a hacker (a bad person on the Internet) has faked or
spoofed
my e-mail address,pretending to be me. Actually, it’s incredibly
easy
to fake a “from” e-mail address,
so never, evertrust an e-mail just because it says it came from “so and so”—even if the name given is thatof a trusted personal friend, a coworker, or the President of the United States.
More important than the “name” of the person that sent it is the actual e-mail address it was sentfrom;
but you cannot know that information by simply reading the normal part of youremail.
You must look at what’s called your e-mail header
. Most online e-mail websites(Yahoo, Gmail, Hotmail) and offline e-mail programs (Outlook, Windows Mail, Thunderbird)offer a way to look at your email’s header information, so learn how to look at headers in yourparticular e-mail website or program. When there is
any
question as to whether an e-mail istrustworthy, you want to examine the headers to find the actual e-mail address it was sent fromand the e-mail server (the “location”) it originated from. The headers will tell you the truth aboutthe sender, whereas the default “from” name and e-mail address may be out-and-out
lies.
It gets worse: Your friend or colleague may have been hacked, and his or her
address book maybe compromised
. Some nasty programs read a person’s address book (his list of e-mail addresses
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How to Stay Safe on the Bleeping Internet
A comprehensive guide to keeping your computer and its information safe and secure.
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