Safety and Security on your Computer

Presented by Joy Watson

“You’ve Got Mail” – but who is it really from?Does Tom Hanks just want Meg Ryan’s bank password?

A few facts of connected life…• In general terms – there is no such thing

as privacy – every electronic contact leaves a trace.

• Once an image or comment is posted online, you lose control of it – forever.

• Many people find hacking highly attractive.• Synchronised devices mean your data is

accessible online from anywhere – easier to hack!

• No such thing as “free” software.

Not everyone is who they claim to be onlineMaybe you aren’t either?! Careful.Remember Captain Mainwaring: “Don’t tell ‘em your name, Pike!”

Where do I start?• Does anyone else in your home know your

passwords/PIN numbers/Secret Word(s)?• Do you know anyone else’s? (It’s OK to know

your child’s)• Have you ever encouraged your child, relatives

or partner to “log on as you?”• Fact :- in 145 Primary school visits, at least 40%

of year 5s know mum or dad’s PIN number.• Fact :- 92% of year 10s say they know and have

used Mum/Dad’s username, password or PIN number.

• Do some snooping yourself!• Legitimate surveillance• Logs all internet activity• Tracking someone else,

teaches care with your own privacy

Is your partner seeing someone else?

Are your children accessing inappropriate content?

Even Linux and Mac computers are at increasing risk

Permissions: Giving away control• Never give real name, date of birth, gender,

address, phone number except when you have no choice. NEVER reveal PINs

• Use credit cards not debit cards online (increased fraud protection as well as free borrowing period)

• “Free public wi-fi” networks are not secure like your private home network should be - it may be the guy at the next table

• Avoid illegal music downloads, which may hide a virus

• Learn how to use security settings on social media like Facebook or Twitter ( & use an alias and/or fake birth date)

Why not “upgrade” ?

Back everything up first, especially your own work!

Spring Clean Your PC – it’ll run faster too

6 Essential Protections….• 1 good, all round anti-virus, anti-spyware, anti-

malware package installed and regularly updated.• Windows Update configured to download and apply

updates regularly. Windows Firewall on.• Check browsers and main software = latest versions• Clear your browser cache / delete Internet history• Turn off wi-fi on your Router if your devices connect

physically to it - OR use a WPA2 secured home wireless network. (See your manual)

• Uninstall what you never use (especially free stuff)

Use a free PC optimising program (keep it updated)!

Buy a Microsoft approved driver updater…

Other Stuff You Should Do –Demonstration required (can’t show now)

• Enable ActiveX filtering (Tools menu in Internet Explorer)

• Block Popups (Tools/Options/Content in Firefox)• Disable Tracking and suspect websites

(Options/Privacy and Options/Security in Firefox)• Disable Ads (Pop-Up Blocker, Ad Block Plus etc.)• Disable Flash media (Control Panel, Flashblock

etc.)• Google how to stop Videos Auto-playing in web

pages

Try and find out its NAME, maybe from any error messages you are getting.

Getting rid of Viruses

“Windows Media Codec Pack” allows viewing of many Video formats

• Example: Sometimes free programs are great… but take care.

• Watch for and un-tick add-on programs like Toolbars you DON’T WANT bundled with your download.

In this case the virus is OpenCandy, not serious. We want this free non-Microsoft program but we don’t want the threat.

Full details of the virus now made safe

It can now be deleted from the Virus Vault

Or just uninstall rogue program…!

Investigate suspicious folders not in list of installed programsSearch for its name online and if dodgy, try to delete some of it

Scan whole computer occasionally – Trojans may exist

Find how to remove it (from another PC if need be) from reliable websites (e.g. Norton, BitDefender, AVG, etc.)

• If you still have a virus… It cannot be removed because it’s running!

Try to stop malware process running from Task ManagerIf antivirus program not working, try rebooting in SAFE MODE (F8), and run Norton Power Eraser (free) from disk or Symantec’s website

If still stuck, try System Restore

• Go to Start Button• Right-click “Computer”• Select “Properties”• Click “System Protection”• Then “System Restore”

• (N.B. Check before disaster strikes that protection is turned on for your C: drive, and that space for restore points is 1-10GB, not zero)

Another virus removed, haha, got you back!

Fake Flash Player Update Sorted out!

Don’t worry – PC total failure is rare!

Not to the cloud. Keep data under your own control on a different hard drive.

Back Everything Up – Twice!

This free program allows INCREMENTAL backup – much better & quicker than Windows built-in Backup

Paragon Back Up & Recovery Free 2014 working…

Alternative (also free) backup & recovery tool

Safety and Security on your Computer

Thanks for listening! Any questions ?Joy Watson