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What's Next?
Now that you have the basic information about Cyber Safety. What's next? You can continue to:
EDUCATE yourself
EMPOWER yourself, your children, and your students about being responsible Internet users
ENGAGE in the conversation about safety on the Internet
Throughout this page you will find resources available to keep users up to speed. Because internet dangers are continually changing and growing in number it is vital that we stay up-to-date with the dangers facing us. Follow the resources on this page to educate, empower, and engage!
Up-to-Date Research on Internet Dangers
Please check out these additional websites to educate yourself on the growing Internet dangers.
Tips and Resources To Help Manage Internet Use and Promote Cyber Safety
To report something creepy, contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) at 1-800-843-5678.
Resources to Continue Cyber Education
Tools for Protecting Your Computer
Nine things you can do right now to minimize your chances of becoming a cybercrime victim:
Install and use antivirus programs.
These programs look at the contents of each file, searching for specific patterns that match a profile—called a virus signature—of something known to be harmful. For each file that matches a signature, the antivirus program typically provides several options on how to respond, such as removing the offending patterns or destroying the file.
Keep your system patched.
Patches correct problems or bugs in a software program or an entire operating system. They usually are provided by the software vendor.
Use care when reading email with attachments.
Computer viruses and worms often are transmitted through email attachments that are unleashed into your system when you open them. Malicious email often contains return addresses that are familiar to us, so we may open the attachments without thinking. Make sure that you know the senders of the email, and consider
whether you were expecting a message with an attachment from them, and whether the subject line describes content that you normally would expect to receive.
Install and use a firewall program for software.
On a computer, the firewall acts much like a security guard when it looks at network traffic destined for, or received from, another computer. The firewall determines if that traffic should continue on to its destination or be stopped. The firewall “guard” is important because it keeps the unwanted out and permits only appropriate traffic to enter and leave the computer.
Install and use a hardware firewall.
These complement the firewall programs described earlier in this list of tips.
Make backups of important files and folders.
You should back up your files, not only in the event of an attack on your computer system, but also in the event that it is physically destroyed or stolen. That means that you should keep your backup files in a safe, fireproof place.
Use strong passwords.
Each password you use should be unique and unrelated to any others. It should be complicated, but not so complicated that you can’t memorize it, because you should never write down passwords. Change passwords regularly.
Use care when downloading and installing programs.
As with all products, learn about programs before you purchase them and understand the refund policies. Only buy programs from stores or vendors with which you are familiar and who have an established reputation. Consider how the program will affect your system.
Install and use a file encryption program and access controls.
These allow you to restrict who can access specific files on your system and who is allowed to perform certain functions.
Install and use antivirus programs.
These programs look at the contents of each file, searching for specific patterns that match a profile—called a virus signature—of something known to be harmful. For each file that matches a signature, the antivirus program typically provides several options on how to respond, such as removing the offending patterns or destroying the file.
Patches correct problems or bugs in a software program or an entire operating system. They usually are provided by the software vendor.
Computer viruses and worms often are transmitted through email attachments that are unleashed into your system when you open them. Malicious email often contains return addresses that are familiar to us, so we may open the attachments without thinking. Make sure that you know the senders of the email, and consider
whether you were expecting a message with an attachment from them, and whether the subject line describes content that you normally would expect to receive.
On a computer, the firewall acts much like a security guard when it looks at network traffic destined for, or received from, another computer. The firewall determines if that traffic should continue on to its destination or be stopped. The firewall “guard” is important because it keeps the unwanted out and permits only appropriate traffic to enter and leave the computer.
These complement the firewall programs described earlier in this list of tips.
You should back up your files, not only in the event of an attack on your computer system, but also in the event that it is physically destroyed or stolen. That means that you should keep your backup files in a safe, fireproof place.
Use strong passwords.
Each password you use should be unique and unrelated to any others. It should be complicated, but not so complicated that you can’t memorize it, because you should never write down passwords. Change passwords regularly.
As with all products, learn about programs before you purchase them and understand the refund policies. Only buy programs from stores or vendors with which you are familiar and who have an established reputation. Consider how the program will affect your system.
These allow you to restrict who can access specific files on your system and who is allowed to perform certain functions.
To read more about the above information please check out
This next link is a great video which explains anti-virus software and internet security. It will further help you to understand why you need this type of software on your computer
Resources for Reporting Cyber Issues
www.cybertipline.com- To report sexual misconduct while online.
DON'T FORGET
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To Students, Parents, and Educators:
- It is your responsibility to create strong passwords and remember them, to keep your computer system updated, to maintain firewalls, to set protective privacy settings.
- It is your responsibility to report cyber bullying to your parent, your internet provider, and your local law enforcement agency.
