/PRNewswire/ -- With wintry weather making an early and frigid debut across the nation, Verizon Wireless, owner and operator of the nation's largest and most reliable 3G network, offers the following tips to help consumers use their wireless phones when it's cold outside:
* Keep your phone fully charged. Cold temperatures can run down the phone's battery charge more quickly. Use a car charger to keep the phone's charge if you get stranded or stuck in traffic on icy or snowy roads. Think about an extra battery as backup.
* Handle your phone with care. The display screen can become brittle when exposed to cold temperatures for long periods of time.
* Keep your phone in a warm place; avoid leaving it in an outside pocket or backpack or in the car overnight. When outside in the cold weather, carry your phone in an inside jacket pocket, keeping it close to your body for warmth.
* Remember you can't dial or access the keyboard on a touch screen with gloves, so consider adding finger flip gloves to your winter holiday wish list.
* Download free winter apps to your phone from Android Market™ such as:
o Winter Weather Outlooks – Allows you access to the National Weather Service Winter Weather Outlooks, so you'll know what kind of winter weather is headed your way.
o How Cold Is It? – A wallpaper that changes color depending on the outside temperature – deep red when it's hot and icy white when it's freezing.
o ShoppeHUB – This app allows you to make secure purchases on cold weather gear, including winter clothing.
o Coffee Recipes – Choose from more than 90 easy coffee recipes that will be sure to keep you warm.
-----
Community News You Can Use
Click to read MORE news:
www.GeorgiaFrontPage.com
Twitter: @gafrontpage & @TheGATable @HookedonHistory
www.ArtsAcrossGeorgia.com
Twitter: @artsacrossga, @softnblue, @RimbomboAAG
www.FayetteFrontPage.com
Twitter: @FayetteFP
Showing posts with label tips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tips. Show all posts
Friday, December 17, 2010
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Consumers Encouraged to Protect Their Privacy Online
/PRNewswire/ -- The Internet offers an exciting world of information and entertainment at the click of a mouse. Consumers are spending hours surfing, shopping, playing games and communicating online, but as with any activity, it is important to put security, privacy and safety first. As U.S. businesses and consumers mark tomorrow, January 28, 2010, as National Data Privacy Day, consumers are encouraged to examine how they currently protect themselves online, and what steps they can take to ensure their privacy is secure when connecting through a mobile device, home broadband or any other Internet connection.
"Technology is such an important part of our lives, and we must use it responsibly by protecting our personal information," said Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum. "Any information you post online can never fully be removed, so guard your information very carefully and never share it with strangers or enter into unfamiliar Web sites."
The Internet Keep Safe Coalition (iKeepSafe), Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum and AT&T offer the following important tips for consumers to protect their privacy online:
What happens online stays online...forever. The Internet helps us enhance our social and civic lives. As you post the picture from spring break, or share your most intimate details or views, remember many Web sites and social networks are public, and information posted online is often permanent and searchable.
Know with whom you are sharing information online. Social media sites, chat rooms and other online forums can be anonymous, and some people may be pretending to be someone they are not. Be as suspicious of a stranger online as you are of strangers in public places.
Review privacy policies, privacy settings and profile preferences. Be cautious of giving out personal information, particularly your Social Security number and names of family members, unless you are familiar with the company and its Web site privacy policy. Many companies, like AT&T, have made it easier to understand their policies.
Keep virus and spyware protection up to date and in place. Computer viruses often look like something they are not - such as a picture, screen saver or even a Web link. Some spyware programs can track everything you do online and send this information to an unauthorized user, leaving you vulnerable to identity theft. Antivirus and spyware protection programs scan and monitor your computer for viruses and spyware and then alert you before damage occurs. AT&T offers its broadband customers the award-winning AT&T Internet Security Suite powered by McAfee®, which offers protection on up to 10 PCs and is included with qualifying plans.
Avoid sending sensitive personal data over public connections. Be aware that many public computers, such as those at the library and unsecured Wi-Fi connections can enable other users nearby to capture the information you are sending or receiving. If you have to use an unsecured or public connection, make sure the site is secure. The AT&T Wi-Fi network supports secure Virtual Private Network (VPN) access. If you have VPN, AT&T recommends that you connect through it for optimum security.
Never respond to e-mails or pop-ups asking for personal data or passwords. Use filtering software to help block unwanted e-mail and to reduce the likelihood of receiving viruses and spyware from unknown senders. Also use pop-up and ad-blocking features that let you control the quantity and type of pop-ups you receive or to block them completely.
Use a strong password for all devices and accounts. Use combinations of letters, numbers, upper and lower case characters, and symbols in your passwords. Change your passwords frequently.
Find Web sites on your own; don't use links in e-mails or on other sites. "Phishing," also known as "brand spoofing" or "carding," is a trick Internet scammers use to "fish" for consumers' financial information and password data using fake company e-mails and Web sites. Many companies, like AT&T, will not send e-mail requests to customers asking for personal account or credit card information. Instead of clicking the link in the e-mail, go to the site directly from your browser or search engine.
Look for signs that a Web site is secure before sending financial or personal data. Secure sites will often show a "lock" icon or there will be an "s" after the "http" ("https:///"). If you don't see these indications, then the site is probably not secure and you should carefully consider whether to send personal or financial data over the site.
Talk to your kids, teens and tweens. Teach children to never share their name, address, phone number, school name or any other personal information about their family while online.
Use the parental control tools available to make your job easier. Parental controls, such as AT&T's Smart Limits, enable you to establish sensible boundaries around the technology your family uses on a daily basis and to determine how and when your children can use their phone, computer or other connected device.
"I want to thank our state and community leaders who work every day to help keep consumers safe online," said Marshall Criser, III, AT&T Florida President "At AT&T, we are dedicated to promoting online safety awareness and education and providing our customers with the necessary tools to be safe and responsible digital citizens."
Last year, AT&T announced its support with the American School Counselor Association of iKeepSafe's Project PRO, an effort to teach students how to protect their privacy and reputation online. Project PRO enables school counselors, parents and teens to become an active part in managing a student's digital reputation through innovative educational resources such as video clips and training documents. To date, more than 4,200 educators and counselors throughout the country have sought out the curriculum.
"The Internet Keep Safe Coalition is thrilled to work with the Florida Attorney General and AT&T in commemoration of Data Privacy Day, and to join the effort in helping to raise awareness and educate the public on data safeguards," said iKeepSafe President Marsali Hancock. "We applaud Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum's efforts to expand awareness about the need to protect your security, privacy and safety to families nationwide. Let this Day serve as a catalyst for all of us to improve the way we manage our personal privacy online."
To help consumers have a safer online experience, AT&T offers a full library of supportive Internet safety and security tips as well as interactive safety games for children, all available at http://www.att.com/safety.
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Follow us on Twitter: @GAFrontPage
"Technology is such an important part of our lives, and we must use it responsibly by protecting our personal information," said Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum. "Any information you post online can never fully be removed, so guard your information very carefully and never share it with strangers or enter into unfamiliar Web sites."
The Internet Keep Safe Coalition (iKeepSafe), Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum and AT&T offer the following important tips for consumers to protect their privacy online:
What happens online stays online...forever. The Internet helps us enhance our social and civic lives. As you post the picture from spring break, or share your most intimate details or views, remember many Web sites and social networks are public, and information posted online is often permanent and searchable.
Know with whom you are sharing information online. Social media sites, chat rooms and other online forums can be anonymous, and some people may be pretending to be someone they are not. Be as suspicious of a stranger online as you are of strangers in public places.
Review privacy policies, privacy settings and profile preferences. Be cautious of giving out personal information, particularly your Social Security number and names of family members, unless you are familiar with the company and its Web site privacy policy. Many companies, like AT&T, have made it easier to understand their policies.
Keep virus and spyware protection up to date and in place. Computer viruses often look like something they are not - such as a picture, screen saver or even a Web link. Some spyware programs can track everything you do online and send this information to an unauthorized user, leaving you vulnerable to identity theft. Antivirus and spyware protection programs scan and monitor your computer for viruses and spyware and then alert you before damage occurs. AT&T offers its broadband customers the award-winning AT&T Internet Security Suite powered by McAfee®, which offers protection on up to 10 PCs and is included with qualifying plans.
Avoid sending sensitive personal data over public connections. Be aware that many public computers, such as those at the library and unsecured Wi-Fi connections can enable other users nearby to capture the information you are sending or receiving. If you have to use an unsecured or public connection, make sure the site is secure. The AT&T Wi-Fi network supports secure Virtual Private Network (VPN) access. If you have VPN, AT&T recommends that you connect through it for optimum security.
Never respond to e-mails or pop-ups asking for personal data or passwords. Use filtering software to help block unwanted e-mail and to reduce the likelihood of receiving viruses and spyware from unknown senders. Also use pop-up and ad-blocking features that let you control the quantity and type of pop-ups you receive or to block them completely.
Use a strong password for all devices and accounts. Use combinations of letters, numbers, upper and lower case characters, and symbols in your passwords. Change your passwords frequently.
Find Web sites on your own; don't use links in e-mails or on other sites. "Phishing," also known as "brand spoofing" or "carding," is a trick Internet scammers use to "fish" for consumers' financial information and password data using fake company e-mails and Web sites. Many companies, like AT&T, will not send e-mail requests to customers asking for personal account or credit card information. Instead of clicking the link in the e-mail, go to the site directly from your browser or search engine.
Look for signs that a Web site is secure before sending financial or personal data. Secure sites will often show a "lock" icon or there will be an "s" after the "http" ("https:///"). If you don't see these indications, then the site is probably not secure and you should carefully consider whether to send personal or financial data over the site.
Talk to your kids, teens and tweens. Teach children to never share their name, address, phone number, school name or any other personal information about their family while online.
Use the parental control tools available to make your job easier. Parental controls, such as AT&T's Smart Limits, enable you to establish sensible boundaries around the technology your family uses on a daily basis and to determine how and when your children can use their phone, computer or other connected device.
"I want to thank our state and community leaders who work every day to help keep consumers safe online," said Marshall Criser, III, AT&T Florida President "At AT&T, we are dedicated to promoting online safety awareness and education and providing our customers with the necessary tools to be safe and responsible digital citizens."
Last year, AT&T announced its support with the American School Counselor Association of iKeepSafe's Project PRO, an effort to teach students how to protect their privacy and reputation online. Project PRO enables school counselors, parents and teens to become an active part in managing a student's digital reputation through innovative educational resources such as video clips and training documents. To date, more than 4,200 educators and counselors throughout the country have sought out the curriculum.
"The Internet Keep Safe Coalition is thrilled to work with the Florida Attorney General and AT&T in commemoration of Data Privacy Day, and to join the effort in helping to raise awareness and educate the public on data safeguards," said iKeepSafe President Marsali Hancock. "We applaud Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum's efforts to expand awareness about the need to protect your security, privacy and safety to families nationwide. Let this Day serve as a catalyst for all of us to improve the way we manage our personal privacy online."
To help consumers have a safer online experience, AT&T offers a full library of supportive Internet safety and security tips as well as interactive safety games for children, all available at http://www.att.com/safety.
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Follow us on Twitter: @GAFrontPage
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
How to Keep Kids Out of Cyber-Trouble: Top Tips for 6 Problem Areas
/PRNewswire/ -- Every day, it seems, the news carries another cyber-horror story. Last week, five Internet predators in Pennsylvania were arrested for sexually propositioning undercover agents in a chat room, in several cases sending nude webcam videos of themselves to agents they believed were 13- and 14-year-old girls. On the same day, a truck driver in England pleaded guilty to seven counts of rape after admitting forming relationships with two girls on the Internet before sexually assaulting them.
For parents, the first line of defense against Internet dangers is to have frank and ongoing discussions about online stranger-danger, the need to keep personal information private, and the potential consequences of inappropriate online behavior. A revealing photo sent on a cellphone or posted on a social network site, for example, can live on in cyberspace for years with damaging effects on everything from personal relationships to job prospects. And a flirtatious online conversation can literally turn deadly.
Beyond the need for parent-child communication on the subject of cyber-risks, InternetSafety.com
recommends a variety of strategies that parents can use to help keep their children safe. Here are some basic tips for six common activities:
-- Sexting - The increasingly common practice of sending sexually
suggestive text messages, photos or videos through cell phones is a
big worry. It can invite public humiliation, cyberbullying or even
sexual assault. Teenagers are even being charged with child
pornography for sending or posting racy photos. One way to limit
children's sexting opportunities is to retrieve their cellphones at
night and charge them in the parents' room. Phones today are simply
small computers, and they should be regulated in the same way as those
larger machines.
-- Social Networking - Rule #1 is that children should never post
anything they wouldn't be comfortable showing to their parents,
teacher, or youth worker. One way to discourage inappropriate entries
is to join the social networks that your kids are on and 'friend' your
own children so that you can monitor what they're posting.
-- Chatting - Chat rooms are not only nesting places for predators, but
they often indirectly encourage rude and even abusive interactions
between users due to the anonymity and lack of consequences. If your
child is using chat rooms, find out which ones and check them out for
yourself. If you are uncomfortable with specific chat sites, you might
consider using filtering software to block access to those sites or
log all chats for later review.
-- Gaming - Increasingly popular MMOGs (Massive Multiplayer Online Games)
like Final Fantasy and World of Warcraft are massively addictive, with
reports of non-stop sessions as long as 48 or 72 hours. To prevent the
unhealthy practice of spending more time in a virtual world than a
real one, parents should either refuse to buy these games or impose
time limits. (The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no more
than two hours of screen time per day per child 12 and under.) If the
child breaks the rules, simply uninstall the game from the computer or
confiscate the disc.
-- Searching - On most popular search engines including Google, the
safe-search settings aren't completely effective and are easy to turn
off. For that reason, younger children should not have a computer in
their room, and their computer use should be supervised. Filtering
software can also protect both younger and older children from
exposure to websites with adult, violent or other inappropriate
content.
-- File-Sharing - Peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing networks such as
BitTorrent, uTorrent, Bearshare and Limewire allow totally unregulated
access to files that other network members have shared, including
illegal pirated material and child pornography, not to mention opening
computers to security risks. Banning these programs in your home is a
good idea. Check your family computer periodically to be sure that no
one has downloaded any of them, and remove them if they have.
More tips as well as tools to safeguard children against cyber-dangers can be found at www.internetsafety.com .
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
www.artsacrossgeorgia.com
Arts Across Georgia
For parents, the first line of defense against Internet dangers is to have frank and ongoing discussions about online stranger-danger, the need to keep personal information private, and the potential consequences of inappropriate online behavior. A revealing photo sent on a cellphone or posted on a social network site, for example, can live on in cyberspace for years with damaging effects on everything from personal relationships to job prospects. And a flirtatious online conversation can literally turn deadly.
Beyond the need for parent-child communication on the subject of cyber-risks, InternetSafety.com
recommends a variety of strategies that parents can use to help keep their children safe. Here are some basic tips for six common activities:
-- Sexting - The increasingly common practice of sending sexually
suggestive text messages, photos or videos through cell phones is a
big worry. It can invite public humiliation, cyberbullying or even
sexual assault. Teenagers are even being charged with child
pornography for sending or posting racy photos. One way to limit
children's sexting opportunities is to retrieve their cellphones at
night and charge them in the parents' room. Phones today are simply
small computers, and they should be regulated in the same way as those
larger machines.
-- Social Networking - Rule #1 is that children should never post
anything they wouldn't be comfortable showing to their parents,
teacher, or youth worker. One way to discourage inappropriate entries
is to join the social networks that your kids are on and 'friend' your
own children so that you can monitor what they're posting.
-- Chatting - Chat rooms are not only nesting places for predators, but
they often indirectly encourage rude and even abusive interactions
between users due to the anonymity and lack of consequences. If your
child is using chat rooms, find out which ones and check them out for
yourself. If you are uncomfortable with specific chat sites, you might
consider using filtering software to block access to those sites or
log all chats for later review.
-- Gaming - Increasingly popular MMOGs (Massive Multiplayer Online Games)
like Final Fantasy and World of Warcraft are massively addictive, with
reports of non-stop sessions as long as 48 or 72 hours. To prevent the
unhealthy practice of spending more time in a virtual world than a
real one, parents should either refuse to buy these games or impose
time limits. (The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends no more
than two hours of screen time per day per child 12 and under.) If the
child breaks the rules, simply uninstall the game from the computer or
confiscate the disc.
-- Searching - On most popular search engines including Google, the
safe-search settings aren't completely effective and are easy to turn
off. For that reason, younger children should not have a computer in
their room, and their computer use should be supervised. Filtering
software can also protect both younger and older children from
exposure to websites with adult, violent or other inappropriate
content.
-- File-Sharing - Peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing networks such as
BitTorrent, uTorrent, Bearshare and Limewire allow totally unregulated
access to files that other network members have shared, including
illegal pirated material and child pornography, not to mention opening
computers to security risks. Banning these programs in your home is a
good idea. Check your family computer periodically to be sure that no
one has downloaded any of them, and remove them if they have.
More tips as well as tools to safeguard children against cyber-dangers can be found at www.internetsafety.com .
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
www.artsacrossgeorgia.com
Arts Across Georgia
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
New Computer for the Kids? 10 Tips to Keep Them Safe Online
/PRNewswire/ -- If the gifts under your holiday tree this year are going to include a new computer for the kids, now is the time to think about how you're going to shield them from the unsavory side of the Internet. For all the merits of cyberspace as a source of information, entertainment and community, there are also dangers ranging from well over 400 million pages of pornography to Internet predators posing as friends or confidantes. Children are likely to venture into the underbelly of the beast -- whether unwittingly or deliberately -- and they need protection.
InternetSafety.com, a leading developer of products that control online usage for consumers and businesses, offers these tips to ensure a safe and wholesome Internet experience for tweens and younger teens who may use the computer unsupervised:
1. Keep the computer out of the child's bedroom -- If it's in the family room or another common space where the screen is visible to passersby, it's easier for parents, other family members or caregivers to monitor a child's online activities.
2. Teach online safety -- Be sure that children know about online stranger danger, what to do if they come across a website or have an online conversation that makes them uncomfortable, and so on.
3. Provide a clear list of 'don'ts' -- Explain, for example, that children should never give out personal information such as their last name, address, city, phone number, siblings' names, school name or parents' workplaces.
4. Block inappropriate websites -- You can automatically prevent access to sites that have been "blacklisted" because of objectionable content by using parental control software like InternetSafety.com's Safe Eyes(R) (http://www.safeeyes.com/). Advanced programs let you select which website categories will be filtered (adult, alcohol, dating/personals, drugs, gambling, hate sites, pornography, profanity, sex, violence, weapons, etc.). You should also be able to block specific websites and/or keywords of your choice.
5. Explore the Web together -- Spending time online with your children, whether visiting websites or Facebook or playing an online game, can help you steer them in the right direction and enable you to better understand their digital world.
6. Limit time spent online -- Excessive Web usage interferes with other activities and increases the risk of getting into trouble, particularly in the late-night hours when Internet predators prowl chat rooms and social networking sites. Some filtering software can help enforce any time limits you impose by cutting off Internet access after a specified interval, as well as allowing access only during certain hours and/or days of the week.
7. Monitor 'live' communications such as chat and IM -- Online sex offenders usually meet victims in chat rooms; cyberbullying often happens during IM sessions; and both can happen either place. Some parental control software can block IM programs, save the full text of IM conversations, and alert parents if children post forbidden information.
8. Restrict email use to designated addresses -- There is no reason for younger children to correspond with anyone other than family members, close friends and perhaps teachers. Some sex offenders communicate by email after meeting a child online. Again, some filtering programs will let you specify acceptable email addresses and block the rest.
9. Beware of 'back door' dangers -- Sometimes an objectionable YouTube video will be sent by email or embedded on someone's social networking page, or a peer-to-peer file sharing program like BitTorrent may have inappropriate photos or other objectionable material. This is another reason to monitor your children's computer use.
10. Encourage trouble reports -- Children should feel comfortable coming to you if they encounter something or someone online that makes them feel uneasy or threatened. Be sure to applaud their honesty so that they will keep you informed of future problems.
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
Community News You Can Use
Fayetteville, Peachtree City, Tyrone
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
InternetSafety.com, a leading developer of products that control online usage for consumers and businesses, offers these tips to ensure a safe and wholesome Internet experience for tweens and younger teens who may use the computer unsupervised:
1. Keep the computer out of the child's bedroom -- If it's in the family room or another common space where the screen is visible to passersby, it's easier for parents, other family members or caregivers to monitor a child's online activities.
2. Teach online safety -- Be sure that children know about online stranger danger, what to do if they come across a website or have an online conversation that makes them uncomfortable, and so on.
3. Provide a clear list of 'don'ts' -- Explain, for example, that children should never give out personal information such as their last name, address, city, phone number, siblings' names, school name or parents' workplaces.
4. Block inappropriate websites -- You can automatically prevent access to sites that have been "blacklisted" because of objectionable content by using parental control software like InternetSafety.com's Safe Eyes(R) (http://www.safeeyes.com/). Advanced programs let you select which website categories will be filtered (adult, alcohol, dating/personals, drugs, gambling, hate sites, pornography, profanity, sex, violence, weapons, etc.). You should also be able to block specific websites and/or keywords of your choice.
5. Explore the Web together -- Spending time online with your children, whether visiting websites or Facebook or playing an online game, can help you steer them in the right direction and enable you to better understand their digital world.
6. Limit time spent online -- Excessive Web usage interferes with other activities and increases the risk of getting into trouble, particularly in the late-night hours when Internet predators prowl chat rooms and social networking sites. Some filtering software can help enforce any time limits you impose by cutting off Internet access after a specified interval, as well as allowing access only during certain hours and/or days of the week.
7. Monitor 'live' communications such as chat and IM -- Online sex offenders usually meet victims in chat rooms; cyberbullying often happens during IM sessions; and both can happen either place. Some parental control software can block IM programs, save the full text of IM conversations, and alert parents if children post forbidden information.
8. Restrict email use to designated addresses -- There is no reason for younger children to correspond with anyone other than family members, close friends and perhaps teachers. Some sex offenders communicate by email after meeting a child online. Again, some filtering programs will let you specify acceptable email addresses and block the rest.
9. Beware of 'back door' dangers -- Sometimes an objectionable YouTube video will be sent by email or embedded on someone's social networking page, or a peer-to-peer file sharing program like BitTorrent may have inappropriate photos or other objectionable material. This is another reason to monitor your children's computer use.
10. Encourage trouble reports -- Children should feel comfortable coming to you if they encounter something or someone online that makes them feel uneasy or threatened. Be sure to applaud their honesty so that they will keep you informed of future problems.
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
Community News You Can Use
Fayetteville, Peachtree City, Tyrone
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Teaching Consumers On-Line Safety Easiest When They Take the Bait
(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG) and Carnegie Mellon University’s Supporting Trust Decisions Project have established a phishing page redirect initiative that protects global online consumers who have been tricked into clicking links in scam emails by delivering them to Web pages that instruct them on the dangers of phishing – and how to avoid them. The program was announced today at the APWG conference in Atlanta.
The AWPG/Carnegie Mellon Phishing Education Landing Page program builds on the philosophy of using the “teachable moment” to warn users immediately after they’ve fallen for a phishing lure and then give them on-line safety instruction precisely at a time when they are receptive to it. Phishing sites are designed to resemble Web sites of legitimate businesses, such as banks and online retailers, to trick people into revealing credit card numbers, bank accounts or login names and passwords. Actionable messaging will help consumers to avoid falling victim to these scams a second time.
“We are excited about the opportunity to educate consumers as they are falling victim to a phishing site,” said Dr. Laura Mather, Managing Director of Operational Policy for the APWG and CEO of Silver Tail Systems. “We see this initiative as having real impact in helping people understand when they have received a phishing communication so that they can protect themselves going forward.”
This education-at-time-of-action is accomplished by leveraging the URLs of the phishing sites themselves after anti-phishing investigators have identified the sites and shut them down. Instead of leaving the URL file blank, returning a ‘PAGE NOT FOUND’ message to consumers following phishing links, they will be served a page of instruction on how to avoid phishing and reduce the risk of falling victim to electronic crime. (Redirect scripts placed at the sanitized phishing URL will automatically forward the advisory content.)
“Our research has shown that most Internet users don’t know very much about online scams and don’t realize that there are some simple things they can do to protect themselves,” said Dr. Lorrie Cranor, an associate professor of computer science and engineering & public policy at Carnegie Mellon and director of the Supporting Trust Decisions Project.
Ponnurangam Kumaraguru, a computer science Ph.D. student who is leading the effort to design and evaluate anti-phishing training materials at Carnegie Mellon added, “Nobody wants to spend their time taking on-line safety courses. But we’ve demonstrated that users are receptive to on-line safety instruction immediately after they fall for a phishing attack and they tend to remember this instruction."
The phishing education landing page developed by APWG and Carnegie Mellon teaches would-be victims not to give out personal information upon email request and to use a skeptical eye in judging online communications.
The implementation of the program depends on the participation of both takedown service providers and the ISPs and other companies whose servers have been co-opted to host phishing sites. The APWG is already successfully recruiting companies that perform phishing site takedowns, victimized brandholders and trade associations to encourage ISPs and other organizations that remove phish sites to use the APWG’s education landing page program.
The program is based on a similar program initiated by Bank of America in 2007. The APWG/Carnegie Mellon program builds on Bank of America’s ideas by creating a page that can be used for phishing site against any brand. Bank of America has already implemented the APWG/Carnegie Mellon program.
“Bank of America is committed to providing its customers with industry leading security tools and advice to protect them and enhance their overall customer experience. Educating our customers about the risks of identity theft and fraud is critical,” says David Shroyer, SVP for eCommerce Online Security at Bank of America.
"We know from experience that an educated customer is the best defense against fraud, and with this program we are educating our customers at the point of incidence, and letting customers know that we are working to protect them,” Mr. Shroyer said.
The APWG/Carnegie Mellon scheme will augment the usual procedure for communicating to the hosting organization about phishing sites. Instead of asking that the site be disabled and file content associated with the phishing URL removed, the takedown provider or victimized brandholder would request that the URL be preserved and a redirect script send the duped user to a webpage hosted by the APWG.
The education landing page will automatically determine whether the user is using a PC or laptop or handheld device and vend the device-appropriate page. Users of PDAs and Web-enabled cell phones will receive a page exclusively of text. People using PCs and laptops will receive an enhanced page of text, graphics and a number of links to online resources.
The APWG/Carnegie Mellon scheme will augment the usual procedure for communicating to the hosting organization about phishing sites. Instead of asking that the site be disabled and file content associated with the phishing URL removed, the takedown provider or victimized brandholder would request that the URL be preserved and a redirect script send the duped user to a webpage hosted by the APWG.
The APWG page will automatically determine whether the user is using a PC or laptop or handheld device and vend the device-appropriate page. Users of PDAs and Web-enabled cell phones will receive a page exclusively of text. People using PCs and laptops will receive an enhanced page of text, graphics and a number of links to online resources.
“This initiative gives takedown teams, ISPs, registrars, and registries the opportunity to take one more step in protecting consumers against identity theft and the other crimes perpetrated by Phishers,” said Dr. Mather.
As a next step, the APWG will organize the translation of the pages into various languages to serve the larger international community of consumers, brandholders and ISPs who are confronting the threats of electronic crime and engaging questions of efficacious consumer education.
Links:
Redirect education page: http://education.apwg.org/r/en/
Text only redirect education page: http://education.apwg.org/r/index.html
About the redirect education page initiative: http://education.apwg.org/r/about.html
About the APWG: The APWG is an industry, founded as the Anti-Phishing Working Group in 2003, is an industry, law enforcement and government coalition focused on eliminating the identity theft and fraud that result from the growing problem of phishing, email spoofing, and crimeware. Membership is open to qualified financial institutions, online retailers, ISPs, the law enforcement community and solutions providers. There are more than 1,800 companies and government agencies worldwide participating in the APWG and more than 3,200 members. The APWG's Web site (www.antiphishing.org) offers the public and industry information about phishing and email fraud, including identification and promotion of pragmatic technical solutions that provide immediate protection. APWG's corporate sponsors include: 8e6 Technologies, AT&T (T), Able NV, Afilias Ltd., AhnLab, BillMeLater, BBN Technologies, BlueStreak, BrandMail, BrandProtect, Bsecure Technologies, Cisco (CSCO), Clear Search, Cloudmark, Cydelity, Cyveillance, DigiCert, DigitalEnvoy, DigitalResolve, Digital River, Earthlink (ELNK), eBay/PayPal (EBAY), Entrust (ENTU), Experian, eEye, Fortinet, FraudWatch International, FrontPorch, F-Secure, Goodmail Systems, Grisoft, GeoTrust, GlobalSign, GoDaddy, Goodmail Systems, GuardID Systems, HomeAway, IronPort, HitachiJoHo, ING Bank, Iconix, Internet Identity, Internet Security Systems, IOvation, IS3, IT Matrix, Kaspersky Labs, Lenos Software, LightSpeed Systems, MailFrontier, MailShell, MarkMonitor, McAfee (MFE), MasterCard, MessageLevel, Microsoft (MSFT), MicroWorld, Mirapoint, MySpace (NWS), MyPW, MX Logic, NameProtect, National Australia Bank (ASX: NAB) Netcraft, NetStar, Network Solutions, Panda Software, Phoenix Technologies Inc. (PTEC), Phorm, SalesForce, Radialpoint, RSA Security (EMC), SecureBrain, Secure Computing (SCUR), S21sec, Sigaba, SoftForum, SOPHOS, SquareTrade, SurfControl, Symantec (SYMC), TDS Telecom, Telefonica (TEF), Trend Micro (TMIC), Tricerion, TriCipher, TrustedID, Tumbleweed Communications (TMWD), SurfControl (SRF.L), Vasco (VDSI), VeriSign (VRSN), Visa, Websense Inc. (WBSN) and Yahoo! (YHOO)
About the Carnegie Mellon Supporting Trust Decisions Project. The Supporting Trust Decisions Project (http://cups.cs.cmu.edu/trust) is a research project affiliated with Carnegie Mellon University’s CyLab and the CMU Usable Privacy and Security Laboratory. The project has developed a number of approaches to end-user security education as well as automated tools for detecting phishing attacks. These user education tools and phishing filters are being commercialized by Wombat Security Technologies, Inc. This project is sponsored by the US National Science Foundation, Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia Portugal under a grant from the Information and Communications Technology Institute at Carnegie Mellon, and by the Army Research Office.
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
News to Use in Fayetteville, Atlanta, Macon, Peachtree City and all of Georgia
The AWPG/Carnegie Mellon Phishing Education Landing Page program builds on the philosophy of using the “teachable moment” to warn users immediately after they’ve fallen for a phishing lure and then give them on-line safety instruction precisely at a time when they are receptive to it. Phishing sites are designed to resemble Web sites of legitimate businesses, such as banks and online retailers, to trick people into revealing credit card numbers, bank accounts or login names and passwords. Actionable messaging will help consumers to avoid falling victim to these scams a second time.
“We are excited about the opportunity to educate consumers as they are falling victim to a phishing site,” said Dr. Laura Mather, Managing Director of Operational Policy for the APWG and CEO of Silver Tail Systems. “We see this initiative as having real impact in helping people understand when they have received a phishing communication so that they can protect themselves going forward.”
This education-at-time-of-action is accomplished by leveraging the URLs of the phishing sites themselves after anti-phishing investigators have identified the sites and shut them down. Instead of leaving the URL file blank, returning a ‘PAGE NOT FOUND’ message to consumers following phishing links, they will be served a page of instruction on how to avoid phishing and reduce the risk of falling victim to electronic crime. (Redirect scripts placed at the sanitized phishing URL will automatically forward the advisory content.)
“Our research has shown that most Internet users don’t know very much about online scams and don’t realize that there are some simple things they can do to protect themselves,” said Dr. Lorrie Cranor, an associate professor of computer science and engineering & public policy at Carnegie Mellon and director of the Supporting Trust Decisions Project.
Ponnurangam Kumaraguru, a computer science Ph.D. student who is leading the effort to design and evaluate anti-phishing training materials at Carnegie Mellon added, “Nobody wants to spend their time taking on-line safety courses. But we’ve demonstrated that users are receptive to on-line safety instruction immediately after they fall for a phishing attack and they tend to remember this instruction."
The phishing education landing page developed by APWG and Carnegie Mellon teaches would-be victims not to give out personal information upon email request and to use a skeptical eye in judging online communications.
The implementation of the program depends on the participation of both takedown service providers and the ISPs and other companies whose servers have been co-opted to host phishing sites. The APWG is already successfully recruiting companies that perform phishing site takedowns, victimized brandholders and trade associations to encourage ISPs and other organizations that remove phish sites to use the APWG’s education landing page program.
The program is based on a similar program initiated by Bank of America in 2007. The APWG/Carnegie Mellon program builds on Bank of America’s ideas by creating a page that can be used for phishing site against any brand. Bank of America has already implemented the APWG/Carnegie Mellon program.
“Bank of America is committed to providing its customers with industry leading security tools and advice to protect them and enhance their overall customer experience. Educating our customers about the risks of identity theft and fraud is critical,” says David Shroyer, SVP for eCommerce Online Security at Bank of America.
"We know from experience that an educated customer is the best defense against fraud, and with this program we are educating our customers at the point of incidence, and letting customers know that we are working to protect them,” Mr. Shroyer said.
The APWG/Carnegie Mellon scheme will augment the usual procedure for communicating to the hosting organization about phishing sites. Instead of asking that the site be disabled and file content associated with the phishing URL removed, the takedown provider or victimized brandholder would request that the URL be preserved and a redirect script send the duped user to a webpage hosted by the APWG.
The education landing page will automatically determine whether the user is using a PC or laptop or handheld device and vend the device-appropriate page. Users of PDAs and Web-enabled cell phones will receive a page exclusively of text. People using PCs and laptops will receive an enhanced page of text, graphics and a number of links to online resources.
The APWG/Carnegie Mellon scheme will augment the usual procedure for communicating to the hosting organization about phishing sites. Instead of asking that the site be disabled and file content associated with the phishing URL removed, the takedown provider or victimized brandholder would request that the URL be preserved and a redirect script send the duped user to a webpage hosted by the APWG.
The APWG page will automatically determine whether the user is using a PC or laptop or handheld device and vend the device-appropriate page. Users of PDAs and Web-enabled cell phones will receive a page exclusively of text. People using PCs and laptops will receive an enhanced page of text, graphics and a number of links to online resources.
“This initiative gives takedown teams, ISPs, registrars, and registries the opportunity to take one more step in protecting consumers against identity theft and the other crimes perpetrated by Phishers,” said Dr. Mather.
As a next step, the APWG will organize the translation of the pages into various languages to serve the larger international community of consumers, brandholders and ISPs who are confronting the threats of electronic crime and engaging questions of efficacious consumer education.
Links:
Redirect education page: http://education.apwg.org/r/en/
Text only redirect education page: http://education.apwg.org/r/index.html
About the redirect education page initiative: http://education.apwg.org/r/about.html
About the APWG: The APWG is an industry, founded as the Anti-Phishing Working Group in 2003, is an industry, law enforcement and government coalition focused on eliminating the identity theft and fraud that result from the growing problem of phishing, email spoofing, and crimeware. Membership is open to qualified financial institutions, online retailers, ISPs, the law enforcement community and solutions providers. There are more than 1,800 companies and government agencies worldwide participating in the APWG and more than 3,200 members. The APWG's Web site (www.antiphishing.org) offers the public and industry information about phishing and email fraud, including identification and promotion of pragmatic technical solutions that provide immediate protection. APWG's corporate sponsors include: 8e6 Technologies, AT&T (T), Able NV, Afilias Ltd., AhnLab, BillMeLater, BBN Technologies, BlueStreak, BrandMail, BrandProtect, Bsecure Technologies, Cisco (CSCO), Clear Search, Cloudmark, Cydelity, Cyveillance, DigiCert, DigitalEnvoy, DigitalResolve, Digital River, Earthlink (ELNK), eBay/PayPal (EBAY), Entrust (ENTU), Experian, eEye, Fortinet, FraudWatch International, FrontPorch, F-Secure, Goodmail Systems, Grisoft, GeoTrust, GlobalSign, GoDaddy, Goodmail Systems, GuardID Systems, HomeAway, IronPort, HitachiJoHo, ING Bank, Iconix, Internet Identity, Internet Security Systems, IOvation, IS3, IT Matrix, Kaspersky Labs, Lenos Software, LightSpeed Systems, MailFrontier, MailShell, MarkMonitor, McAfee (MFE), MasterCard, MessageLevel, Microsoft (MSFT), MicroWorld, Mirapoint, MySpace (NWS), MyPW, MX Logic, NameProtect, National Australia Bank (ASX: NAB) Netcraft, NetStar, Network Solutions, Panda Software, Phoenix Technologies Inc. (PTEC), Phorm, SalesForce, Radialpoint, RSA Security (EMC), SecureBrain, Secure Computing (SCUR), S21sec, Sigaba, SoftForum, SOPHOS, SquareTrade, SurfControl, Symantec (SYMC), TDS Telecom, Telefonica (TEF), Trend Micro (TMIC), Tricerion, TriCipher, TrustedID, Tumbleweed Communications (TMWD), SurfControl (SRF.L), Vasco (VDSI), VeriSign (VRSN), Visa, Websense Inc. (WBSN) and Yahoo! (YHOO)
About the Carnegie Mellon Supporting Trust Decisions Project. The Supporting Trust Decisions Project (http://cups.cs.cmu.edu/trust) is a research project affiliated with Carnegie Mellon University’s CyLab and the CMU Usable Privacy and Security Laboratory. The project has developed a number of approaches to end-user security education as well as automated tools for detecting phishing attacks. These user education tools and phishing filters are being commercialized by Wombat Security Technologies, Inc. This project is sponsored by the US National Science Foundation, Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia Portugal under a grant from the Information and Communications Technology Institute at Carnegie Mellon, and by the Army Research Office.
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
News to Use in Fayetteville, Atlanta, Macon, Peachtree City and all of Georgia
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Top 10 Ways To Stay Safe Online
(NAPSI)-You don't have to be a computer genius to protect yourself online and you don't have to spend a lot of money. By following a few commonsense tips, you can make the most out of your Internet experience while protecting yourself and your family from online threats.
1) Protect your computer. The best thing you can do to keep the bad guys out of your computer is to use three inexpensive technologies: anti-virus software, anti-spyware software and a firewall. Some security companies provide all three in one easy-to-use package.
2) Protect your identity. On the Internet, your personal data (Social Security number, birth date, etc.) is extremely valuable and can be used against you. Keep it protected.
3) Protect your children. Children face unique risks on the Internet and require unique rules and safeguards. Monitor your kids' online activities closely. There are many tools available to help you protect them from online threats.
4) Stay up to date. Those security tools won't do any good unless you keep them up to date. You should be able to set them to update automatically. The same goes for your computer itself. It should be set to automatically install security updates.
5) E-mail safely. E-mail is a favorite tool of online crooks. Even legitimate-looking messages can be scams. Learn how to filter for "spam" and spot the signs of scam e-mails.
6) Protect your accounts. Choosing hard-to-guess passwords and changing them regularly can help prevent criminals from getting at your money or personal information.
7) Make copies. Regularly backing up your music, photos and other important files can save you if your computer crashes or is stolen.
8) Know your options. If something does go wrong, there are resources available to help get you back on your feet.
9) Keep informed. Subscribe to the National Cyber Alert System from the U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team at www.uscert.gov. Through the alert system, you can receive timely information about current cyber security problems to protect home and office computers.
10) Get your school involved. Suggest or sponsor an event at your local school or university designed to increase student and staff cyber security education and awareness. Download EDUCAUSE's cyber resource kit online at www.educause.edu.
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
www.artsacrossgeorgia.com
Arts Across Georgia
1) Protect your computer. The best thing you can do to keep the bad guys out of your computer is to use three inexpensive technologies: anti-virus software, anti-spyware software and a firewall. Some security companies provide all three in one easy-to-use package.
2) Protect your identity. On the Internet, your personal data (Social Security number, birth date, etc.) is extremely valuable and can be used against you. Keep it protected.
3) Protect your children. Children face unique risks on the Internet and require unique rules and safeguards. Monitor your kids' online activities closely. There are many tools available to help you protect them from online threats.
4) Stay up to date. Those security tools won't do any good unless you keep them up to date. You should be able to set them to update automatically. The same goes for your computer itself. It should be set to automatically install security updates.
5) E-mail safely. E-mail is a favorite tool of online crooks. Even legitimate-looking messages can be scams. Learn how to filter for "spam" and spot the signs of scam e-mails.
6) Protect your accounts. Choosing hard-to-guess passwords and changing them regularly can help prevent criminals from getting at your money or personal information.
7) Make copies. Regularly backing up your music, photos and other important files can save you if your computer crashes or is stolen.
8) Know your options. If something does go wrong, there are resources available to help get you back on your feet.
9) Keep informed. Subscribe to the National Cyber Alert System from the U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team at www.uscert.gov. Through the alert system, you can receive timely information about current cyber security problems to protect home and office computers.
10) Get your school involved. Suggest or sponsor an event at your local school or university designed to increase student and staff cyber security education and awareness. Download EDUCAUSE's cyber resource kit online at www.educause.edu.
-----
www.fayettefrontpage.com
Fayette Front Page
www.georgiafrontpage.com
Georgia Front Page
www.artsacrossgeorgia.com
Arts Across Georgia
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
