HOW TO KNOW IF AN ONLINE WEBSITE IS SECURE

Before you put confidential information on line - whether you are on your home or at your computer at work, or on a public computer - make sure you are on a secure page.

So always, before you register on a website, put personal information such as your name, mailing address, phone numbers, birth dates, credit card or checking account information when shopping - anything personal and confidential, always be sure that the information page you are on is totally secure.

How? Watch for these to be sure you are on a secure Website:

• https (vs http) is what you should see in the address bar before giving out confidential information-So always look at the top of your screen where the Web site address is displayed, you should see https://. The "s" that is displayed after "http" indicates that Web site is secure. You might not see the "s" until you actually move to the page asking for confidential info OR
• Look for a closed padlock displayed at the bottom of your screen. If that lock is open, you should assume it is not a secure site OR
• Look for an unbroken key

Should you have many different passwords to get into your accounts?

NO – the more passwords you have the more likely you are to forget them. Consider having 2 or at the most 3 different passwords, but be sure they are strong (combination of numbers and letters work best). Consider

• 1 password for getting into each of your email accounts
• 1 password for getting into your financial accounts
• 1 password for getting into all other accounts you register with

TIPS:

• Keep your primary email addresses, user names and passwords on an index card with your other important papers.
• Don't share your passwords on the Internet, over email, on the phone or in the mail with something sent to you-only when you generate the contact. Internet Service Providers (ISP) and reputable companies will never generate calls, emails or correspondence asking for your password or other confidential information. If it doesn't feel right - don't respond!!!!
• Passwords are always case sensitive
• Never use your email password for anything but your email account
• Create another password (minimum 8-20 characters) a word & phrase with 3 or 4 numbers (be sure the numbers & letters are not consecutive, that you use for all other Internet accounts. If you need to change it, reverse the order (i.e. 4378david or david4378 or DAVID4378 or 4378 DAVID)

What is "phishing" and how to avoid it

Phishing is an increasingly common type of spam that can lead to theft of your personal details such as credit card numbers or online banking passwords.

Phishing attacks work by the scam artist sending "spoofed" emails that appear to come from a legitimate website that you have online dealings with such as a bank, credit card company or ISP - any site which requires users to have a personal identity or account. The email may ask you to reply with your account details in order to "update security" or for some other reason.

The phishing email may also direct you to a spoofed website or pop-up window which looks exactly like the real site, but has been set up for the sole purpose of stealing personal information. Unsuspecting people are then often fooled into handing over credit card numbers, passwords or other details.

• Never respond to emails that request personal financial informationBanks or e-commerce companies generally personalize emails, while phishers do not. Phishers often include false but sensational messages ("urgent - your account details may have been stolen") in order to get an immediate reaction. Reputable companies don't ask their customers for passwords or account details in an email. Even if you think the email may be legitimate, don't respond - contact the company by phone or by visiting their website.
• Visit bank or other financial, retail or medical websites by typing the URL (web address) into the address bar yourself. Phishers often use links within emails to direct their victims to a spoofed site, usually to a similar address such as mybankonline.com instead of mybank.com. When clicked on, the URL shown in the address bar may look genuine, but there are several ways it can be faked, taking you to the spoofed site. If you suspect an email from your bank or online company is false, do not follow any links embedded within it.
• Keep a regular check on your accounts - Regularly log into your accounts & and check your statements. If you see any suspicious transactions report them to your bank or credit card provider.

Be sure the website you are visiting is secure - Always, before you submit any personal or fiancial information, always check to ensure the site uses encryption to protect your personal data:

1. Check the web address in the address bar. If the website you’re visiting is on a secure server it should start with "https://" ("s" for security) rather than the usual "http://"
2. Look for a lock icon on the browser's status bar. Check the level of encryption, expressed in bits, by hovering over the icon with your cursor. Note that the fact that the website is using encryption doesn't necessarily mean that the website is legitimate; it only tells you data is being sent in encrypted form.

What is a Firewall??

A firewall is a system designed to prevent unauthorized access to or from a private network. Firewalls can be implemented in both hardware and software, or a combination of both.
Firewalls are frequently used to prevent unauthorized Internet users from accessing private networks connected to the Internet, especially intranets.
All messages entering or leaving the intranet pass through the firewall, which examines each message and blocks those that do not meet the specified security criteria.
Many anti-virus programs contain firewalls which you can turn on or off when you want to download authorized new programs
Your Internet provider has numerous firewalls and other security precautions to protect them and all of us when we are using their Internet services