The Internet is not a safe place. There are viruses, hackers, and a multitude of identity theft scams; yet everyday we use the Internet as a primary means of communication.
Top 10 tips to protect yourself online
- Never share your passwords.
If someone does not have a password to gain access to a resource, they probably were not supposed to have it in the first place. - Be careful of what you publish online.
If you publish information on a social network, note that marketers and others may collect your address, phone number, e-mail address and other information that you provide. When you visit a website where you are asked to register or provide your personal information, be sure to read privacy disclaimers and opt-out of any information sharing agreements. - Protect information stored on external media.
The portability of data in the digital age is both convenient and risky. Data can easily be moved on portable storage devices (e.g. USB drives or portable hard drives); however, these media types are often not protected appropriately. If you must use a USB, store it in a safe place, delete all data before disposing, use only one USB at a time to avoid misplacing the drive and if you must store sensitive data, use a secure USB. - Be wary of unsolicited emails.
Phishing scams attempt to lure Internet users to a “rogue” Web site. Often, this involves unsolicited emails asking you to click on a link, go to a web page, and provide your personal information. As a rule of thumb, you should assume that any unsolicited email attempting to gain personal information, or especially trying to convince you to click on a web link to update this information, is from an untrustworthy source. Do not respond to email messages or instant messages (no matter how legitimate they appear) that direct you to visit a web site that you have no relationship with. When in doubt about the legitimacy of an email, contact the organization or individual directly by telephone to verify the legitimacy of these types of messages. Do not respond to their email. - Use Instant Messaging and Peer-to-Peer file sharing mindfully.
Be aware that technologies such as Instant Messaging and Peer-to-Peer file sharing offer new venues to introduce viruses and worms into your system. If you use these services, you may be exposing your system to additional security risks. Trust your instincts. If you receive a strange message from a friend, it may not be from them. It may be that their system has been compromised. - Avoid installing free software.
Many screen savers and games can be downloaded from the Internet. Some of this free software includes additional viruses, spyware, etc. that may be installed without you knowing it. - Lock your computer when you walk away.
For Windows users, be sure to use the “Ctrl-Alt-Del” function to prevent someone from using your computer when you step away from your desk. - Protect information stored on your computer.
Store data on your network drive and not on your computer’s hard drive (e.g. C:drive). - Check to make sure that your computer has virus-scanning software installed.
Carleton University has a campus-wide license agreement with Symantec, which provides anti-virus protection for administrative desktop computers, computers in public labs, computers owned by students living in residence, Exchange e-mail servers, as well as home use protection for faculty and staff. - Keep up with software, operating system and security updates.
When you get a notification to install the latest upgrade, do it. Upgrades often contain patches that address security breaches and additional enhancements to security/functionality.
For more security tips, visit carleton.ca/its/security.