Staying Safe Online In Simple Steps

Top 10 staying safe online tips

1. Create strong passwords for websites

2. Install anti-virus software

3. Know common signs of scam emails

4. Explore your web browser's safety and security options

5. Don't click ads!

6. Learn what you should never share online

7. Obtain free software safely

8. Consider free software like Windows Live Family Safety

9. Log off or lock your computer

10. Check for and resolve security issues

1. Introduction to internet safety



Protect all personal devices with a password


Create strong passwords for websites


Protect your list of passwords


Install anti-virus software


Avoid common email scams


Don't open email attachments (yet)


Know how to perform web searches


Avoid phishing emails


Look for the 's' before making an online purchase


Be mindful in public places



2. Fighting against viruses, adware, and malware



Identify the threats


Know who not to trust


Enable a firewall


Learn the signs and symptoms of infection


Verify with Snopes


Learn how to be safe on Facebook


Obtain security software


Install security software


Verify settings


Explore Windows Defender


Run checks for viruses and malware


Remove spyware with Windows Defender


Remove viruses and malware with the Malicious Software Removal Tool



3. Avoiding threats in email



Keep your email program up to date


Know common signs of scam emails


Don't talk to strangers!


Explore the validity of the sender's name


Hover before you click that link


When in doubt, visit the entity's official website


Triple check before opening an attachment


Configure a junk email filter


Block unwanted senders



4. Avoiding spam



Don't share your primary email address


Tell your friends and family not to share your email address


Unsubscribe from legitimate mailing lists


Unsubscribe from unwanted social network email


Know what to do when you can't click Unsubscribe


Block email from entire domains


Block email from foreign countries


Obtain a secondary email address


Know when to use your secondary email address


Avoid unwittingly signing up for unwanted email


Opt not to receive email from third parties


Opt not to download images in emails


Set a stronger spam filter



5. Using alternative web browsers



Explore Internet Explorer 9


Explore Firefox


Explore Chrome


Explore Safari


Locate browser installation files


Download and install a browser


Import and access existing favourites and bookmarks


Access and configure settings


Show toolbars and menus


Use thumbnail views


Be mindful of the Address bar


Avoid installing toolbars and add-ons


Explore safety and security options



6. Avoiding phishing, pop-ups, ads and other website threats



Don't click ads!


Enable a pop-up blocker


Skip ads that appear on web pages


Avoid phishing websites


Report an unsafe website


Understand cookies


Delete browsing history


Keep your browsers up to date


Consider private browsing options



7. Shopping safely on the web



Find websites you can trust


Look for third-party seals of approval


Read reviews


Create strong passwords


Look for the VeriSign logo


Make purchases from your home computer


Choose the right credit card


Consider PayPal


Verify the shipping address


Keep receipts and return slips and check credit card statements


Be safe on eBay


Use iTunes



8. Using social networking sites safely



Know which social networks to use


Protect your password


Learn what you should never share online


Know what you're sharing by default


Limit who can view your profile


Edit profile information


Edit personal information


Understand messaging options


Unsubscribe from and stop following undesirable people


Learn how to ask someone to remove content


Report abusive content


Be careful what you click


Be careful with Facebook games


Learn how to protect your social networking account



9. Sharing your personal information on the web



Register only if it's mandatory


Create screen names carefully


Know how to post anonymously


Share photos safely


Learn how to blog safely


Be careful what you share on dating websites


Be careful what you post on YouTube


Explore ways to expunge information from the web


'Google' yourself


Use Google's encrypted search feature


Make sure your computer is protected


Educate family members


Look for your house on Google maps



10. Exploring free software



Don't install anything, yet!


Understand the ruse behind the 'free scan'


Obtain free software safely


Explore the Microsoft Fix It Solution Center


Explore Ad-Aware


Explore OpenOffice


Use Amazon's Kindle Cloud Reader


Choose and use a messaging program


Find more free software you can trust


Be careful with free trials


Uninstall unwanted software



11. Keeping children and grandchildren safe



Understand the basic protection strategies


Create standard computer user accounts


Password protect all computer accounts


Configure the Content Advisor in Internet Explorer


Locate parental control add-ons in Firefox


Uninstall or limit access to other installed web browsers


Explore Google's SafeSearch


Explore parental controls in Windows 7


Consider free software like Windows Live Family Safety


Educate yourself about the sites children visit


Modify the list of blocked websites



12. Dealing with cyberbullying, cybercrime, and cyberstalking



Understand the threats


Know what to do first when problems begin


Record online attacks


Keep a folder of personal attacks


Print what you can


Report a cyberbully


Report cyber crime


Report cyberstalking


Change your email address, user names, and passwords


Change or suspend social networking accounts



13. Securing your computer and network



Log off or lock your computer


Check for and resolve security issues


Find and fix problems


Change administrator accounts to standard accounts


Keep your operating system up to date


Check for optional updates


Keep programs up to date


Keep your web browser up to date


Verify your Wi-Fi network is password-protected



Top 10 Staying Safe Online Problems Solved

1. My computer is acting strangely, but it's not a virus!

2. I created an account for my grandchild but he keeps logging on to mine!

3. My child is being bullied online. How do I report it?

4. How can I best protect my computer from viruses and other malware?

5. I want to report an unsafe website.

6. I've been shopping for presents and need to delete my browsing history.

7. How can I be sure that I can trust a website with my credit card information?

8. I think my computer has a virus. What can I do?

9. When I visit websites, I have to close a lot of pop-up ads.

10. My child installed software I didn't approve of. How can I prevent this in future?