DES: Safe expressions, tactics and practices

The internet has so much to offer for everyone, it’s an amazing tool for saving money, for keeping in touch with family and friends, for finding others who share your interests or making research.

The good thing on the internet is that most of the time we are provided with the opportunity of making our own choices. If you see click on this to win 250,00 dollars and you do, only to endup being conned, it is you to blame.

If you know at least a little bit about how the internet works, you can learn how to see danger coming most of the time, the signs are much or less the same with the ones in real-life situations.  There is no greater protection against bad stuff happening, than knowing how it can happen.

Commonly used terms

1. 1. Malware: software that is intended to damage or disable computers and computer systems.
   2. Spyware: software that enables a user to obtain covert information about another’s computer activities by transmitting data covertly from their hard drive.
   3. Adware: software that automatically displays or downloads advertising material (often unwanted) when a user is online.

Best practices for Digital Safety

Few things in life will ever be completely risk-free, but if you have the right knowledge, there is no more need to stress about an online purchase than you would about climbing into your car to drive down to the supermarket.(circusstreet.com/blog/digitalsecurity1)

“Online surveillance is exploding, and people are increasingly facing threats or being detained because of their online activities.” DW Akademie . In its early stages, the internet was used to promote freedom of speech and other human rights. However, currently, many people use it to satisfy their selfish interests, gains and to oppress and suppress others.

Therefore, it is really very important to be mindful of what information you post online and the people especially public figures you include in your posts. However, the good news is that there are rules and regulations that help safeguard every person using the internet.

“Individual security is a core purpose of cybersecurity and a secure Internet is central to human rights protection in the digital context, International human rights law and international humanitarian law apply online and well as offline. Cybersecurity must protect technological innovation and the exercise of human rights.” (Freedom Online Coalition,)

1. Create strong passwords: Choose Strong Passwords. Passwords are one of the biggest weak spots in the whole Internet security structure. Passwords protect many things. Making them harder to guess by using upper case letters mixed with lower case and numbers and symbols. Avoid using passwords associated with your name or name of the loved ones, pets, home area and birthdays. The password should be atleast 8 characters long.
2. Microsoft and other companies will -Never- call you to tell you there is a virus or fixes on your computer without you calling them first for assistance. This type of phone cyber scam is becoming more prevalent. Therefore avoid such allegations that it is a call or email from google or Microsoft.
3. Do not click on pop-ups saying ‘Your Computer May Be at Risk’ and asking you to click a link to fix it. These are scams that install malware.
4. Emails are susceptible to scams as well some known as Phishing which is the fraudulent practice of sending emails purporting to be from reputable companies in order to induce individuals to reveal personal information, such as passwords and credit card numbers.
5. Keep Personal Information Professional and Limited. Potential employers or customers don’t need to know your personal relationship status or your home address. They do need to know about your expertise and professional background, and how to get in touch with you. You wouldn’t hand purely personal information out to strangers individually—don’t hand it out to millions of people online.
6. Keep Your Privacy Settings On. Marketers love to know all about you, and so do hackers. Both can learn a lot from your browsing and social media usage. But you can take charge of your information. As noted by Lifehacker, both web browsers and mobile operating systems have settings available to protect your privacy online. Major websites like Facebook also have privacy-enhancing settings available. These settings are sometimes (deliberately) hard to find because companies want your personal information for its marketing value. Make sure you have enabled these privacy safeguards, and keep them enabled.
7. Practice Safe Browsing. You wouldn’t choose to walk through a dangerous neighborhood—don’t visit dangerous neighborhoods online. Cybercriminals use lurid content as bait. They know people are sometimes tempted by dubious content and may let their guard down when searching for it. The Internet’s demimonde is filled with hard-to-see pitfalls, where one careless click could expose personal data or infect your device with malware. By resisting the urge, you don’t even give the hackers a chance.
8. Make Sure Your Internet Connection is Secure. Use a Secure VPN Connection. When you go online in a public place, for example by using a public Wi-Fi connection, PCMag notes you have no direct control over its security. Corporate cybersecurity experts worry about “endpoints”—the places where a private network connects to the outside world. Your vulnerable endpoint is your local Internet connection. Make sure your device is secure, and when in doubt, wait for a better time (i.e., until you’re able to connect to a secure Wi-Fi network) before providing information such as your bank account number.To further improve your Internet browsing safety, use secure VPN connection (virtual private network). VPN enables you to have a secure connection between your device and an Internet server that no one can monitor or access the data that you’re exchanging.
9. Be Careful What You Download. A top goal of cybercriminals is to trick you into downloading malware—programs or apps that carry malware or try to steal information. This malware can be disguised as an app: anything from a popular game to something that checks traffic or the weather. As PCWorld advises, don’t download apps that look suspicious or come from a site you don’t trust but there’s currently no way around them. And the problem with passwords is that people tend to choose easy ones to remember
10. Make Online Purchases From Secure Sites. Any time you make a purchase online, you need to provide credit card or bank account information—just what cybercriminals are most eager to get their hands on. Only supply this information to sites that provide secure, encrypted connections. As Boston University notes, you can identify secure sites by looking for an address that starts with https: (the S stands for secure) rather than simply http: They may also be marked by a padlock icon next to the address bar.
11. Be Careful What You Post The Internet does not have a delete key, as that young candidate in New Hampshire found out. Any comment or image you post online may stay online forever because removing the original (say, from Twitter) does not remove any copies that other people made. There is no way for you to “take back” a remark you wish you hadn’t made, or get rid of that embarrassing selfie you took at a party. Don’t put anything online that you wouldn’t want your mom or a prospective employer to see.
12. Be Careful Who You Meet Online People you meet online are not always who they claim to be. Indeed, they may not even be real. As InfoWorld reports, fake social media profiles are a popular way for hackers to cozy up to unwary Web users and pick their cyber pockets. Be as cautious and sensible in your online social life as you are in your in-person social life.
13. Keep Your Antivirus Program Up To Date Internet security software cannot protect against every threat, but it will detect and remove most malware—though you should make sure it’s to date. Be sure to stay current with your operating system’s updates and updates to applications you use. They provide a vital layer of security.