By Sonny Oboson | Technology Editor, Africa –

Worldwide, modern internet technology has made our world a global community. Technological advancements in ICT have brought many benefits and positive outcomes for users. Ironically, though, the boons and advantages of the digital age come with their own malady, thereby leading to an urgent need for all who use the Internet to operate wisely and safely, too.

Internet safety, or online safety, is the knowledge of minimizing users’ personal safety and security risks to their private information and property associated with using the Internet, as well as self-protection from cybercrime in general.

As the number of internet users continues to grow globally, internet safety has become a growing major concern for both children and adults alike.

Common concerns regarding internet safety include malicious users (spam, phishing, cyberbullying, cyberstalking, etc.), websites and software (malware, computer viruses, etc.), and various forms of obscene or offensive content. Several crimes can be committed on the Internet, such as stalking, identity theft, and more.

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Information security:

Sensitive information, such as personal information and identity, and passwords, is often associated with personal property (for example, bank accounts) and privacy, and may pose security risks if leaked. Unauthorized access to and use of private information may result in consequences such as identity theft and property theft.

Common causes of information security breaches include:

Phishing

Phishing is a type of scam in which scammers impersonate a trustworthy source to obtain private information, such as passwords and credit card details, through the Internet. Phishing often occurs via email and instant messaging and may include links to websites that prompt users to enter their private information. These fake websites are often designed to look identical to their legitimate counterparts to avoid raising suspicion in users.

Internet scams

Internet scams are schemes that deceive users in various ways to exploit them. Internet scams often aim to cheat the victim of personal property directly rather than of personal information, using false promises, confidence tricks, and more.

Malware

Malware, particularly spyware, is malicious software disguised as legitimate software that collects and transmits private information, such as passwords, without the user’s consent or knowledge. They are often distributed through email, software, and files from unofficial locations. Malware is one of the most prevalent security concerns, as it is often impossible to determine whether a file is infected, regardless of its source.

Personal safety:

The growth of the Internet has given rise to many important services accessible to anyone with a connection. One of these important services is digital communication. While this service allowed us to communicate with others through the Internet, it also allowed communication with malicious users. While malicious users often use the Internet for personal gain, this may not be limited to financial/material gain. Especially concerning parents and children, as these malicious users often target children. Common threats to personal safety include:

Cyberstalking

Cyberstalking is the use of the Internet or other electronic means to stalk or harass an individual, a group of individuals, or an organization. It may include the making of false accusations or statements of fact (as in defamation), monitoring, making threats, identity theft, damage to data or equipment, the solicitation of minors for sex, or gathering information that may be used to harass.

Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying is often an extension of bullying outside the Internet and may take many different forms. For example, a malicious user might release images of the user without the user’s consent. Because cyberbullying often stems from real-life bullying, this is largely a social concern, rather than internet safety. Cyberbullying occurs more frequently than real-life bullying, as the Internet often provides means to carry out bullying while allowing the perpetrator to remain anonymous and hidden, avoiding backlash in the process.

Online predation

Online predation is the act of engaging an underage minor in inappropriate sexual relationships through the Internet. Online predators may attempt to initiate and seduce minors into relationships through the use of chat rooms or internet forums. It is debated whether online predators are actually a threat to internet safety, as many of them take a long time to develop a relationship. As such, targets of online predators may see the relationship as a legitimate attempt at romance.

Photo source: Guerrilla, unsplash.com 

Obscene/offensive content

Various websites on the Internet contain material that some deem offensive, distasteful, or explicit, which may often not be to the user’s liking. Such websites may include internet pornography, shock sites, hate speech, or otherwise inflammatory content. Such content may manifest in many ways, including pop-up ads and deceptive links.

Prevention:

Securing information

Keep shared information to a minimum

Cyberstalking and identity theft often begin when malicious users identify a person using information the person provided. It is important to remember that information posted online may be seen by more people than is originally intended. Social networks make it easy to inadvertently share personal details (address, phone number, birthday, etc.), so, as a precaution, it is best not to enter this information on these websites. It is also common for users to occasionally share small bits of information. With the help of search engines and some research, it is possible to piece this information together to identify the user. As such, avoid sharing personal information and personal history whenever possible. When creating usernames, websites, or email addresses, avoid using anything that reveals any useful information, such as a year of birth. Passwords and PINs should never be shared under any circumstances.

Passwords

Passwords are often created to protect personal information and property. If a password is compromised, it may lead to consequences such as financial theft from online services, such as bank accounts. One common way that passwords may be compromised is through repeated guessing. Weak passwords make this process easier, so passwords must be strong. Creating strong passwords is a way of keeping information secure. A strong password may contain the following

• At least 10 characters

• Both upper- and lower-case letters

• Numbers

• Symbols (if allowed)

• Does not contain dictionary words

It is recommended that one avoid using simple passwords such as: “password,” “123456,” “qwerty,” “abc123,” names, birthdates, etc. In addition to using a strong password, it is important to use different passwords for different accounts. It prevents access to all Internet accounts if someone gets hold of a password. It is also recommended to change your passwords regularly.

PINs

PINs, like passwords, are means of keeping information secure. A PIN may consist of at least 4 digits. Birthdays, birth-years, consecutive numbers, repeating numbers, and banking PINs should not be used as PINs for your internet accounts.

Social network websites

People may see profiles on social networking websites that you may not know about. These websites often have privacy settings that you can alter so you can control who sees your profile and what information they are allowed to see. Do not accept friend requests from people you don’t know.

Security software

Using antivirus software, the user can automatically detect, prevent, and remove computer viruses and other types of malware. Very often, the user alone can’t identify infected files or software until it is too late, especially if the infection is well disguised as legitimate. Because of this, the user must keep antivirus software running on the computer whenever accessing the Internet to filter and block infected files.

Photo source: Michael Geiger, unsplash.com 

Firewalls

A firewall is a program that controls incoming and outgoing internet traffic. Most operating systems come with firewalls. To keep your computer and information safe, keep the firewall on at all times when accessing the Internet to prevent unauthorized access. Users can also control which specific programs are allowed through the firewall, as well as which are not.

Keeping up to date

Many computer software, such as operating systems, are not without flaws. Computer viruses often exploit these flaws to gain unauthorized access to a user’s computer. When these security vulnerabilities are discovered, they are often patched with security updates to eliminate the vulnerability. Operating systems, antivirus software, and other programs should be kept up to date with the latest security updates to prevent viruses and other malicious software from exploiting vulnerabilities that those updates have fixed.

Avoid scams

Be cautious of the Internet. Avoid misleading ads, strangers with offers, strange emails, and questionable websites. Do research to verify the validity of these offers. If someone you know is sending you messages that don’t seem like themselves, their account may have been taken over by somebody trying to get information from you. The best way to avoid scams is to be fully informed of the deal. Do some research for the following information:

• How exactly does the offer work?

• How trustworthy is the person/company making the offer?

• What was the experience for other users regarding the same offer?

• Is the offer too good to be true?

• Does the offer require payment in advance?

• Are there hidden costs unknown to the user?

Avoid illegal activity

Downloading torrents and engaging in illegal file sharing are common distribution methods for malware and may inadvertently bring malicious software to your system.

Parental controls

A good way to reduce the possibility of reaching offensive/obscene content is to set up parental controls. Parental controls allow users and parents to apply content filters to their computers when using the Internet. Content filters limit access to age-appropriate content and to any specified content type that the user may dislike.

Most parents agree that parental controls are important to limit children’s access to unwanted content on the Internet. Studies show they are underutilized or often not implemented at all. There are two main forms of parental control: hardware and software-based systems. Hardware parental controls are installed between household devices and the internet service provider (ISP), such as a router with built-in filtering. This parental control system can filter content on all devices on a network. Software-based parental controls can provide a more in-depth solution specific to each device on which they are installed. These controls usually run undetected and in the background. Software controls can provide logs and keystroke data and range from broad to specific blocking mechanisms, including limiting what children see online, the amount of time they have Internet access each day, and even specifying times.

Photo source: Growtika, unsplash.com

Public computer

Public computers, as opposed to personal computers, may be physically accessed by anyone within reach of the computer. Because of this, it is inadvisable to perform any processes involving sensitive information, such as online banking, with it. A common way unauthorized access can occur is when users on public computers do not fully log out and clear their usage data (such as cookies), allowing the next user to access the account. It is also possible that the public computer is infected with malware, unknown to the user. When using public computer terminals, remember to:

• Avoid saving private information such as usernames and passwords

• Don’t leave the computer unattended while logged in

• Clear your browsing data when you are about to leave

• Watch out for people looking over your shoulder

Third-party programs

Antivirus and anti-malware programs

Antivirus and anti-malware programs help prevent infections and detect and remove them from your computer. A variety of programs are available for purchase, such as Norton AntiVirus, McAfee VirusScan, and BitDefender Antivirus. There are also many programs available for free download, such as Microsoft Security Essentials, AVG Antivirus, and Avast! Antivirus, Comodo Antivirus, and Malwarebytes’ Anti-Malware.

Ad and pop-up blockers

Misleading ads and pop-ups can contribute to the accidental downloading of malicious software onto your computer. Most web browsers have internal pop-up blockers. These programs/web browser plug-ins remove the ads.

Password managers

These programs help organize passwords for your Internet accounts, so you won’t have trouble remembering them. Password Managers encrypt your passwords and, in some cases, automatically fill in your username and password on websites.

Should all these guidelines be followed, all can maximize the many benefits of the modern digital age and avoid falling prey to fraudulent activities perpetrated by online schemers.

Before being updated and republished, this article was first published in print in the 4th Edition (ISSN 2381-439X) under a different title. 

Mr. Sonny Oboson is the man behind the brand MRWEBBS ONLINE, a dynamic IT professional. Having a degree in Business Management from the University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria, and certifications as a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer from the National Institute for Information Technology, NIIT, Nigeria. He has an advanced Diploma in Systems/Network Engineering and an international certification, MCITP. He is the CEO of Sonnywebs International, with a head office in Nigeria and a collaboration office in New York. He is one of the early contributors who supported Heartmenders Magazine during its earliest days. Contact him @ mrwebbs2@gmail.com, www.sonnywebs.com, or heartmendersmagazine@yahoo.com.