 |
Montvale Public Library
PC Safety Tips
|
DISCLAIMER: Please note that this tutorial
is general
in nature. The Montvale Library cannot troubleshoot your machine or
customize your
security settings for you. There are a number of good resources to help
you do
this; the links in the Resources section of the tutorial are a good
starting
point.
IDENTITY THEFT occurs when someone uses your personally
identifying information, like
your name, Social Security number, or credit card number, without your
permission, to commit fraud or other crimes. The FTC estimates that as
many as 9 million Americans get their identities stolen every year.
How do thieves steal your identity?
- Dumpster diving: looking through
the trash for bills/other papers with your personal address on it.
- Skimming: stealing credit card
numbers while processing your card.
- Phishing: see below.
- Stealing your wallet or purse.
- Social networking and job hunting
websites on the World Wide Web
Signs of identity theft
- You receive statements for accounts you didn't open.
- You get bills you can't explain.
- Failure to receive bills/other mail.
- Receiving credit cards you didn't apply for.
- Getting calls/letters from debt collectors for merchandise you
didn't purchase.
Quiz: Identity Theft Faceoff!
Resources:
PHISHING
is when scam-artists send e-mail, text, or pop-up messages that
appear to come from your bank, a government agency, an online seller or
any other organizatin with which you do business. The message will lead
you to a phony website, set up by scammers to steal your account
details.
What's
Phishing?
THE IRS
BANKS
PAYPAL
EBAY
Phishing Warning signs:
- Does not address the person by name.
- If they are a company you do business with, does not reference a
partial account number (usually the last four digits of your account).
- Uses scare tactics: warns that you are a victim of fraud or
threatens dire consequences unless you update your account/give out
personal information/etc.
- Has grammatical/spelling errors.
- Asks you to enter personal information such as bank account
number, password, credit card number, PIN, mother's maiden name or
Social Security number.
What to do if you suspect you are
being Phished:
- Never send personal information such as bank account number, bank
account number via e-mail.
- Do not reply to the message or open any attachments or files sent
with the message.
- Do not click on any of the links contained in the message, as
they can redirect you to malicious websites or install spyware/malware
on your system.
- Forward phishing e-mails to spam@uce.gov or
reportphishing@antiphishing.org.
- Call the company in question directly on the phone to ask if the
e-mail in question is legit. Do not use the contact information
provided by the e-mail.
Phishing Quiz:
Resources:
SPAM is electronic junk mail or junk
newsgroup posting, which is generally unsolicited e-mail advertising
for some sort of product. This can take the form of work-at-home
advertising, weight loss claims, free gifts that aren't free, financial
schemes, cure-all products and businesspeople from Nigeria wanting to
transfer money into your bank account.
Top Ten Scam Spams:
- The Nigerian e-mail scam
- Phishing
- Work-at-home
- Weight Loss claims
- Foreign Lotteries
- Cure-all Products
- Check Overpayment
- Pay-in-Advance Credit Offers
- Debt Relief
- Investment Schemes
My Personal Policy: unless the
e-mail is from a person or institution I know or do business with, I
delete it.
How to fight spam
- Know who you are dealing with.
- Don't be rushing into doing anything; always take your time.
- Read the small print.
- Don't pay for a "free" gift.
- Be suspicious of strangers.
- Just say no.
Spam Quiz:
Resources:
ONLINE SECURITY THREATS AND HOW TO
DEAL WITH THEM
- Malware, short for
malicious
software, is a term that includes viruses and spyware. It's purpose is
to steal personal information, send spam, commit fraud and wreak havoc
with your machine.
- A virus is software
that travels from computer to computer whose purpose is to dames files
or disrupt your system.
- Spyware is software
installed on your computer without your consent to monitor or control
your computer use.
The Love Bug
virus was sent as an attachment to an e-mail message with the text
"ILOVEYOU" in the subject line and an attachment
"LOVE-LETTER-FOR-YOU.TX.vbs." Upon opening the attachment, the virus
sent a copy of itself to everyone in the user's e-mail address list,
posing as the user. It also made a number of malicious changes to the
user's system.
SIGNS THAT YOUR
PC MIGHT BE INFECTED:
- Slow downs, malfunctions or displays repeated error messages.
- Won't shut down or restart.
- Displays pop-up ads and advertisements.
- Sends e-mails you didn't write.
- Redirects you to websites you didn't navigate to.
- You get a pop-up box informing you that your system is infected,
and telling you to click here to correct.
- Installs programs by itself.
Warning: If you suspect your PC may be
infected, cease all online activities involving user names, passwords
and sensitive information (shopping, banking, etc.).
SpyWare Quiz:
Resources:
SAFE SURFING
Tips:
- Be wary of opening e-mail attachments.
- Never click on an e-mail link.
- Don't' click on pop-up ads.
- Be careful of what you download online; only execute programs you
know.
- Set your Windows Updates to Automatic.
- Purchase anti-virus/anti-malware software that
updates automatically.
- Use a firewall.
Anti-virus software protects
your computer from viruses that can destroy your data, slow your
computer's performance, cause a crash, or even allow spammers to send
e-mail through your account. Anti-virus software needs to be purchased;
it does not come with your computer. Sometimes a trial version will be
installed, but it will expire after a certain time period. Anti-virus
software updates automatically, so your computer has the latest
protection.
Firewall: A firewall keeps
hackers from using your computer to send out your personal information
without your permission. While anti-virus software scan incoming e-mail
and files, a firewall is like a guard, watching for outside attempts to
access your system and blocking communications to and from sources you
don't permit. The newer versions of Windows come with a firewall
installed.
Windows Updates: set to
automatic.
CHECKING YOUR SECURITY SETTINGS
THIS IS BAD!
(C) Montvale Public Library
Last modified May 26, 2009.
