Posts Tagged ‘online safety’

We’ve been talking a lot lately about Facebook, particularly as Facebook aims to improve its security and privacy measures. A new article from Switched has laid out 5 common Facebook social engineering scams and how to avoid them. It’s a great primer on how to avoid being duped by any scan.

Aside from never clicking on suspicious or shortened links from friends (unless you expand them first), the article outlines these 5 common scams and how to avoid them:

1. 419 Scams - your friends’ accounts may be hijacked if you receive any message from them claiming to be desperate for cash. Always talk to your friend by some non-web-based means to confirm if they really are in need first!
2. Hidden Fee Apps – You should never have to submit your cell phone number or other personal information in order to unlock features or receive quiz results from any application
3. Fake Login Pages - they may look real, but if you get an email asking you to log into Facebook, make sure you’re actually at Facebook, not following some link (particularly if the link leads to anywhere other than Facebook.com).
4. Malware Links - If you receive messages from friends with links, beware. There is a chance that account has been hijacked and you’re being sent to malicious sites that could then steal any personal info on your computer.
5. Facebook Apps that are Malware – Yes, even the applications themselves can be dangerous! Some may even mimic valid applications, sending you realistic messages such as a notification that someone has left a message on your wall. Like with #3, their goal is to get you to a fake login page. So, look for anything weird in these emails (odd icons, poor grammar, invalid links).

There are many websites featuring this list. For more comprehensive details about these scams and how to avoid them, you can check out PC World. Another variant of the same theme can be found at CSO Online, which also includes tips to avoid Twitter scams.

If you do find yourself a victim of a scam on Facebook, it’s best to alert Facebook administrators with all of the details of the scam.

A few months ago we mentioned that McAfee had launched a new web series called H*Commerce: The Business of Hacking You. That web series has now put out all of its 6 episodes, each one involving real people doing normal online activities that result in them being targeted by cyber criminals. The series calls on a number of experts in the field to describe cyber crime, how it happens, and what the outcomes are.

The six topics covered in the series include: the history of HCommerce, email scams & 419 scams that involve money transfers, how the ease of the Internet helps HCommerce, people trying to help stop this scamming and social engineering, the reality of HCommerce and how much is lost by it, information on botnets, protecting your computer and your computer habits, moving forward after being a victim. Watch all six episodes here!

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TechRadar.com put together a list of the “10 easiest ways to boost your online security“, a list that mostly focuses on minimizing your risk of infection online. With the rise, and continued threat, of Conficker, a list like this will help you augment your security defenses.

1. Augment your anti-virus tool
2. Switch to plain text mail
3. Don’t click mail links
4. Vet your email
5. Switch web browser
6. Check web sites before you visit (with Web of Trust)
7. Manage your passwords
8. Screen all downloads
9. Know P2P basics
10. Create a virtual sandbox

Some of this is a little technical, so read on here for full details.

The list is, however, missing one major thing, so I’m going to put that at item zero – UPDATE your software. This includes your operating system as well as the software that runs on it – most of this you can automate, but don’t keep dismissing those reminders to update and restart. At least 11% of PCs are currently unpatched with the latest Microsoft update, making them even more vulnerable to threats such as Conficker.

I’m sure this is something we’re going to be hearing more about in the next few years: online identity security (for lack of a better description). This refers to someone pretending to be you online – whether it is someone setting up fake Facebook accounts in your name or hitting up Twitter pretending to be you. It happens all the time – sure, more to celebrities than to us “regular” folks (check out how many Britney Spears’ there are on Twitter), but that’s bound to change.

Though these posers are not taking money out of your pocket, they are damaging your reputation, which can be just as costly. Not only are they saying things which could be untrue, they could also use your profile to distribute worms or other malware. Who wants that associated with their name?

In order to ensure you can keep yourself safe online, there are a few things you can do:

1. Claim your name – sign up for each social network as it comes out, even if you don’t plan on using it.
2. Monitor for your name – search Google or set up an RSS feed for mentions of your name. You may spot if someone is pretending to be you.
3. Don’t be hasty - if someone has your name, make sure it’s an imposter and not a coincidence
4. Act wisely - if you spot an imposter, contact customer service to take down the fraudulent profile. Never contact the imposter, that will egg them on.
5. Restrict access – make it harder for people to find your info. Set your Facebook profile to private and don’t allow apps full access to your profile.
6. Type URLs - if you want to sign up for a new service, learn about it first, and then type that URL into your browser. Don’t follow links from emails, as that could be a phishing scam.
7. Be wary of new profiles - be wary of newly-set-up profiles of people trying to “friend” you. Many profiles are being created in order to distribute worms. Wait until you’re sure the profile belongs to who you think it does.
8. Don’t forget about ID Theft - keep your private information secure too! Don’t give people an easy way to commit identity theft or credit card fraud. This is a whole other topic, but worth re-mentioning here.

Via pcmag, RWW

TRUSTe has published the results of a survey indicating that the majority of people consider online privacy a primary concern.

The survey, of more than 1000 respondents, indicates that 90% of Americans consider online privacy a “really” or “somewhat” important issue. 6% of respondents have had their identity stolen in the last year and 11% have experienced credit card theft in the same time period. 35% feel that information they shared online has led to an invasion or violation of their privacy. That said, an increase in concern hasn’t equally increased the precautions consumers take to protect their personal information. 39% of consumers admit they do not consistently take steps to protect their information.

The survey also looked at online advertising, showing that consumers are becoming more accustomed to behavioral targeting. Only 51% of consumers are uncomfortable with behavioral advertising, down from 57% last year, with users saying they prefer targeted ads from brands they know than intrusive, irrelevant ads.

Despite a softening towards targeted advertising, consumers are wary at advertisers using their browsing history to target them. 48% of consumers now delete their browser cookies at least once a week, up 6% from last year.

Hat tip to Dave ; via New York Times ; Image: Clipart

This week, British Columbia had its first ever Anti-Bullying Day. All across BC, people wore pink to stand up to bullying – both online and offline. 1 in 4 youth in British Columbia have been victims of cyberbullying and 1 in 5 and bullied others! 80% say people bully others online because it’s earlier to do. Read more here.

We’ve talked in the past about social networking, privacy and cyberbullying, with Facebook being sited often as a platform used by cyberbullies.

Today I stumbled across a video about how to configure your privacy settings on Facebook – a video teachers may wish to share with their students, or parents with their kids:

For resources on bullying for parents and teachers, check out the list available on the BC Ministry of Education.

Via SafeKids

A task force that was charged to assess technologies for protecting children from unwanted online contact has put together a report. The report indicates that no single approach is a guarantee or foolproof system to protect kids. Therefore, they encourage that parents and teachers continue with vital oversight of Internet usage.

The Internet Safety Technical Task Force (ISTTF) out of Harvard’s Berkman Center for Internet & Society was created in February 2008 by the Attorneys General Multi-State Working Group on Social Networking and MySpace. After a year of study, the final report was presented to the 52 Attorneys General in December of 2008. The task force was made up of a group of 29 Internet businesses, non-profits, academics and tech companies.

The report found that the risks minors face online are not significantly different than those they face offline – though they are complex and multifaceted. Part of this conclusion was drawn from a lack of data about sexual predators using social networking sites. As they age, the report found that minors were contributing to some of the problems they face online.

Interesting conclusions from the study:

• Bullying and harassment – mostly by peers – are the most frequent threats both online and offline
• Unwanted exposure to pornography does occur online, but mostly to those seeking it out
• Social networking sites are not the most common space for solicitation and unwanted exposure to problematic content – though they are used by peer-to-peer cyberbullies
• Minors most at-risk online are those who engage in risky behaviors and have difficulties in other areas of their lives – psychological makeup and family dynamics predict risk better than use of certain technologies
• Almost all technologies present privacy and security issues
• Social networking sites have been aggressively pursuing technologies that promote safety for minors – innovation is promising

The report concludes that there are promising developments in technologies to protect kids online but that such technologies are not enough:

“Technology can play a helpful role, but there is no one technological solution or specific combination of technological solutions to the problem of online safety for minors. Instead, a combination of technologies, in concert with parental oversight, education, social services, law enforcement, and sound policies by social network sites and service providers may assist in addressing specific problems that minors face online.”

The task force set out a series of suggestions for the Internet community, the Attorneys General, to parents and more. They point out that more resources should be allocated to all the many-faceted stakeholders working to protect minors online.

See the report presented and debated in this video and download the final report here.

Via MSNBC

The Broadband Data Improvement Act (S.1492) was recently signed into Federal law. The legislation that would improve the collection of data on broadband availability and fund greater access to high-speed Internet access. As part of the new legislation, schools receiving the e-Rate discounts on telecommunications services will soon be required to teach students about online safety.

The e-Rate program provides discounts for schools of 20-90% for telecommunication services including Internet access. The proposed Broadband Data Improvement Act, introduced by Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Daniel Inouye, has a provision that would require the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to establish a nationwide campaign to “increase public awareness and provide education regarding strategies to promote the safe use of the Internet by children.”

Originally, a separate bill entitled ‘Protecting Children in the 21st Century Act’, was proposed to congress. The Senate Commerce Committee merged the language of this bill into the Broadband Data Improvement Act, which has now become law. The new law recognizes that education must go hand-in-hand with technology to protect children from online predators.

The Online Safety and Technology Working Group was established, under the legislation, to evaluate online safety education efforts, parental control technologies, and much more. In addition, a section of the Act requires that schools create an Internet safety policy that educates minors “about appropriate online behavior, including interacting with other individuals on social networking websites and in chat rooms and cyberbullying awareness and response.”

I think it is great that steps are being taken to increase the awareness of online safety issues for children.

Via eschoolnews, eweek, consumer affairs, cnet ; Image: Microsoft Office Clipart / iStockphoto.com