Staying safe online is hard. Read on for links and resources that you can use to help protect yourself or others online and avoid scams.
In 2014 at least a basic understanding of internet security and scams is vital to make sure that you, your relatives, or your employees, safely use a computer and financial information.
The following is a brief guide to some of the basics of web security and staying safe online.
If you know a person over 65, or someone that users your computer or a computer in your household or business, you should consider speaking to them about web security – especially if they are using the computer for financial purposes.
According to statistics over 3 million over 65s believe they have have been the victim of fraud, with over a third admitting they are unfamiliar with common scams.
Internet Security
There a multitude of risks when using the internet, from phishing emails to hijacked web pages that can install viruses.
Internet Security Software
As well as antivirus – make sure your users have internet security software installed.
Good anti-virus software often comes bundled with internet security tools.
One good provider is G-Data, who have double protected virus software that uses both Kaspersky and Avast, as well as Internet Security tools which block any bad resources/URLs before users are affected.
Browser Security
You can also make sure your users are using a good browser such as Google Chrome which ‘sandboxes’ the browser, making sure the rest of your system is safe.
There are also various browser extensions that can increase security by checking links and blocking bad URLs.
DNS
A good DNS provider such as Open DNS filters URLs, blocking bad phishing sites that have been reported.
Avoiding Scams
The following is an excellent resource from Santander, which covers some of the most common financial scams and how you can avoid them.
Click to view the full-size infographic below:
Source: Santander, October 2014
This webpage from Santander’s credit card help guides is also very useful, which has information on common threats, telephone scams, phishing, text messages, mule accounts, cheque fraud, investment fraud and more.
Useful Resources
This article is of course far from a definitive guide to web security.
The following resources aim to cover some of the basics of staying safe online:
Get Safe Online
GetSafeOnline.org has free expert advice on staying safe online. The website offers practical advice on keeping your computer, tablet and mobile safe from fraud.
Visit:Â https://www.getsafeonline.org/
We hope you have found our article useful.
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Main image created using a photo by EP Technology @ Flickr.
