Staying Secure Online

You wouldn’t leave your front door or windows open, so why leave your computer, laptop, phone or tablet for anyone to access? You might not think it, but your digital devices hold a lot of information about you, your friends, your hobbies, your habits and even your bank accounts! You need to keep this information secure, it’s valuable to you and CRIMINALS. Jargon Buster:

Hacking

 Is to gain unauthorized access to data in a system or computer

Phishing

 Is the attempt to acquire sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, and credit card details, often for malicious reasons, by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication

Viruses

 Is a program or piece of code that is loaded onto your computer without your knowledge and runs against your wishes to cause harm to your device or data.

Ratting

 “Remote Access Trojans” software that yo might download by accident, that might allow criminals to take control of your computer or Spy on you.

Spyware

 Gathers user information through the user’s Internet connection without his or her knowledge. Typically it is bundled with other free software.

Trojan

 Is any malicious computer program which misrepresents itself to appear useful. You may accidentally download a Trojan.

Click Jacking / Baiting

 Links that are made to look interesting that when clicked will try and download viruses, spyware or Trojans to your computer. You might see links like ‘click for £100’ or ‘OMG what happened next’ or ‘Free Voucher’

Worm

 A self-replicating virus which can spread across multiple computers and damage networks, some can even shut computers down

Malware

 Malicious software used to damage computer systems without the owner’s consent. This can include viruses and wormsspyware and trojans

Ransonware

 A growing class of malware with two types; one encrypts files on your computer or network and the other locks a user’s screen. Some also act like a worm.

How to protect yourself and your devices

There is an assortment of Anti-Virus / Anti-malware available, which will help protect your devices from malicious threats. Some of the more well-known examples including McAffee Anti-Virus, Norton Anti-Virus etc.Require a purchased license. Below are a list of some free alternatives: AVG Anti-Virus Sophos Home  Anti-Virus *Use of the above software is entirely at your own risk.

Web Filtering and Parental Controls

Web filtering and parental controls can allow you to check the origin and content of a Web page against a set of rules provided by a company or person who has installed the Web filter. You can block or allow different content depending on your preferences, usually categorised by ‘type’ such as ‘Adult Content’ and ‘Social Media’. Most major Internet Service Providers  bundle some form of parental controls free of charge with your home broadband connection. Click on your ISP to see what content filters and advice they offer: If your broadband provider is not listed; try searching on google for “your ISP and parental controls” Please use the links above as guidance only, look at what other service providers offer they might suit your requirements more. One of the best free content filters is K9 Web Protect – its completely free! Remember no web filter is 100% it is important to educate your child to use the internet safely, and to report any concerns, if you are unsure contact us.