-
How to avoid being Hacked or being a source of spam or other Malware sent to others
We each must take responsibility for our own computer, tablet, or iPad security
Use websites you trust
- •Your bank is usually uses secure connections
- •Sites such as Amazon use secure connections
- •Social network sites are really public. Use unique passwords for these sites
- •Avoid sites reached through ads
- •Use something like WOT to screen sites https://www.mywot.com
Don’t Respond to Unsolicited Phone Calls
- •CRA never contacts you by phone
- •Calls offering to fix your computer are always fraud – usually setting up ransom ware
- •Never pay anyone with iTunes gift cards
- •Calls from friends or relatives saying they are stuck in a distant airport and need immediate help are always suspect. Check with the person independently first.
Keep software up to date
- •Microsoft, Android and Apple regular update software when possible risks are detected
- •Windows XP is no longer being supported and should be updated or replaced
- •Old equipment and operating systems can be hacked.
- •PROBUS Orangeville site has had 5,261 attempts to login in the last 6 months.
- Use Additional Malware Protection
- •Norton anti-virus https://ca.norton.com
- •Kaspersky http://usa.kaspersky.com/downloads/?bid=hptopmenufreetrials
- •Mcafee promos.mcafee.com
Use a Secure Browser
- •Google Chrome – free, both Mac and PC https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/95346?co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop&hl=en
- •Firefox – free, both Mac and PC https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/new/
- •Safari – originally Mac only, now PC http://www.apple.com/ca/safari/
- •Opera – also free – most popular browser outside North America – provides ad blocker http://www.opera.com
- •NOT Internet Explorer – outdated and very buggy – no longer supported – use Microsoft Edge
- •NOT Netscape 9.0 (recommends switch to Firefox)
Activate Firewalls
- •On Windows 10
- •Select the Start button, then select Windows System > Control Panel.
- •Select System and Security > Windows Firewall > Turn Windows Firewall on or off > pick the networks you want to change settings for > OK.
- •On MacOS
- •Select Systems Preferences
- •Select Security and Privacy > Turn Firewall on or off
- •Select Security and Privacy > Turn Firewall on or off
Protect your device
- •Use a password to open or turn on your device
- •Consider two step identification
- •Use biometric identification if available
- •With some sites you must answer security
- questions or confirm on another device
Back up regularly
- •On your computer
- •On an external drive
- •On a cloud service
- •Restorable thumb or flash drive
Password Security
- •Always use passwords
- •Don’t use a password on more than one site
- •Use 8 or more character passwords with a capital, number, and symbol
- •On a Mac use iCloud Keychain
- •On Windows use Windows Defender
- •Use a password manager such as 1Password ($3 a month) to keep track of passwords in an encrypted file
- •Also Available – Last Pass https://www.lastpass.com , Dashlane 4, https://www.dashlane.com
To Deal with Spam, use Spam Catchers on Your Mail Program
• Spam Sieve on Macintosh –
https://c-command.com/spamsieve/
• Spam Fighter on Windows Systems –
http://www.spamfighter.com/us/landingpage.asp
Other steps to take
- •Consider encrypting your critical files or using a Firewall to encrypt all files
- •Tape over your front facing camera or use a software device such as Oversight (Mac) or ispyconnect (PC) or use clip over it
“Everyone is their own god” – (Guardian Of Data) – unknown or anonymous, I forget which