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?