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- Basic
Computer Sense Internet Safety
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If
you are like millions of people all over the world, you
have a computer and you go on the Internet with it.
There are still some people who do not even have their
systems connected to a phone line, DSL, cable or any
other means to connect to the Internet, but most do. It
really doesnt matter how you are connected as long as
it is done safely.
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Your life can take on many advantages by being
connected, as you can do many tasks and as long as you
do it securely, you will never have to worry about your
security in the first place. There are a few very
important things you need to remember when using your
computer online. You should use these on any computer
that you use at home or anywhere else.
Never give out any of your personal information like
your name, home address, school name (or address),
telephone number in any bulletin boards, forums, or chat
rooms.
Never send a picture of you to anyone you chat with,
but do not know.
Never respond to anyone who made you feel scared or
uncomfortable. Stop all future communication with them.
Never meet a person or have them come to your house
unless you know who they are for sure in advance.
Never download or open any files that you are not sure
what they are. It is always better to delete them before
ever opening them.
Never disable any of the security features your
computer may have.
Report any suspicious people to the authorities that
you feel uncomfortable dealing with.
Always keep your passwords secret from everyone. There
never is a good time to share this information with
anyone.
Always delete any mail that is received with an
attachment before opening it. You never know what the
attachment might be. Only open attachments from people
you know, when you know they are coming.
Always remember that everything you write on the
Internet is not private and this includes your email. Be
very smart and think twice about what you type, where
you put it, and who has access to it.
Always check a web pages privacy policy before giving
any of your personal information to be sure it would not
be shared with others.
Always make sure you have a secure connection to the
web page before you relay any credit card or banking
information.
Make sure your system is equipped with a firewall.
If you are on a network, use a router for additional
protection.
Install an anti virus program on your system and be
sure to update it on a regular basis. Set it up to do
automatic updates if possible. Have this program do full
scans of your system on a regular basis. If you can have
them done automatically, you should set it up this way.
Install an anti spyware application on your computer.
Have this program update and scan as the anti virus one
does.
Install parental monitoring software if you have young
kids or teenagers in the house to keep your children
safe while online.
If you have children using your system always be aware
of what they are doing on it
Install a spam blocker on your email account to stop
unwanted problems from occurring from spam.
Install a pop up blocker on your Internet browser to
stop them from bothering you.
Most
of these are basic computer sense, but you would be
surprised how many people do not even do the simplest
precautions. These are the people who will run into
problems or security threats that could have easily been
prevented by following a few common rules. It is always
better to be safe, than sorry!
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