The Myths of Security

Chapter 17. Helping Others Stay Safe on the Internet

My nontechnical acquaintances often ask me how to stay safe on the Internet. If you’re reading this, you probably have developed a pretty good intuitive sense of what you should or shouldn’t do. But what about your friends and family, who aren’t as well informed and technical as you?

Here’s some advice you can give them:

• When your computer wants to install updates for the operating system, for your web browser, or for anything else that you use to connect to random sites on the Internet, do it as soon as possible! This is important because bad guys can use software flaws to take over your computer without you knowing it, using flaws in the software you run.

• Don’t use software you download from a file sharing application (e.g., Limewire, Kazaa, Bearshare, or any other program that allows you to download music or programs off the Internet). Often, such software has malware.

• Don’t click on ads unless you are already very familiar with the company or product. “Fun” looking ads, or ads that seem too good to be true (e.g., win a free iPod), are almost always scams, and very occasionally will automatically download bad stuff to your computer.

• Try to avoid giving out your personal information unless you’re sure the vendor is legitimate. A good free tool to help you figure out which sites are legitimate is SiteAdvisor (www.siteadvisor.com). It shows you red, yellow, and green for each site as you browse.

• Don’t open email attachments from people ...