Digital Survival - Firefox

Web-browsing tips

katie — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 16:11:34 +0000

Don't use Internet Explorer. Internet Explorer is the most common web browser, but it has many flaws and vulnerabilities that viruses and spyware take advantage of. Instead, consider Mozilla Firefox which is recognised as being safer and more secure than Internet Explorer. It's free to download and install, and it has a number of add-ons which enhance the security and privacy of your internet browsing. You can find out more about it and download it in the Security in-a-box Hands on Guide (http://security.ngoinabox.org/firefox_main)
Beware of Pop-Up Scams. Viruses, adware and spyware. They will trick you into thinking that you’re downloading or installing things that are good for your computer. Often when you’re surfing the web, ads will pop up on your screen, saying things like, “Your computer may have viruses – click here to protect your computer!” Sometimes these pop-ups look just like messages from Windows or another legitimate program. Don't respond to these prompts.
Use Bookmarking! It's easy to lose track of all the great stuff you see on the web, and bookmarking is one way both to record addresses and to organise them. Every browser has a bookmark menu. If you use internet cafes, you can use a service like Delicious which will provide you with a place on the web to store your bookmarks.
Never ever give up your account information if you have doubts about security. Although it is very helpful and easy to buy things and do your banking online, be sure to check the security of the online stores you wish to use, as well as that of any banks you may have transactions with. They should always use SSL.

Tags:

Firefox

internet

bookmarking

pop-ups

Internet Explorer

Secure Socket Layer (SSL)

Internet café security checklist

katie — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 14:58:52 +0000

Internet cafés can be very useful for people who do not have their own computers or internet connections. You pay to use the computer by the minute or the hour, and you don't have to deal with any day-to-day computer maintenance, as you would with your own machine. However, internet cafés present security risks of their own. There are many users coming in and out every day, which means a greater chance of virus infection and even the possibility of others spying on your activities. Nevertheless, internet cafés can be useful for avoiding internet surveillance but you have to know what steps to take to ensure that you remain anonymous and do not leave any trace of your activities behind when you leave. Your aim should always be to leave the computer in the state you found it – as if you've never even been there.

Make informed choices; make sure the internet café you use is well-known and recommended. Look to see if lots of people are using it, and consider asking for recommendations from friends or locals in the area.
Check if the computers have anti-virus software running. Also note whether users are allowed to plug their own devices into the computers; for example, digital cameras. The more interaction between the computers and other devices, the higher the risk of coming into contact with viruses.
Use Firefox rather than Internet Explorer: at the moment there are fewer viruses made for Firefox because it is newer software than Internet Explorer. Take a look at GetFirefox.com and see what it looks like so that you can recognise it in an internet café. If the computers do not have Firefox installed, consider using it as a portable application.
Check for malware: to start your session securely, you need to check that the computer you are using is not already infected. It's a good idea to run the Avast portable application from your USB drive. Otherwise, use an online malware tool to check the computer for malware. A good tool for this purpose is Housecall which is free and only requires a small download (http://housecall.trendmicro.com/)
Leave No Trace
Protect your personal details: when logging in to your various internet accounts, make sure that you don’t select the option to save your details. When you have finished, click the 'log out' option; if you just close the browser window of Gmail, for example, the next person who tries to access Gmail will be taken straight in to your email account. Make sure that any information you fill in on any internet forms is not saved. To do this, go to: Tools > Internet Options > Content > Autocomplete > Clear Forms and Clear Passwords > Ok.
Delete your internet history. When you've finished your session, clear your cookies (small text files saved on the computer that can identify you and what you did) as well as the internet history which lists the sites you visited. In Internet Explorer, go to: Tools > Internet Options > Delete Cookies and Clear History > Ok. Deleting the files may take a few minutes so make sure you leave time for this at the end of your internet session.
In Firefox versions 3.5 or later there is an option for 'Private Browsing', where none of your history or information will be retained, or there is an option to 'Clear Recent History'. You'll find both of these options under Tools.
Delete any saved documents: if you have saved anything to the computer, make sure that you delete your files, both from the folder you saved them in and from the recycle bin of the computer.

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Software applications

katie — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 12:34:07 +0000

Software applications are designed to help you perform a particular task. Typical examples of this are 'word processors', such as Microsoft Word or OpenOffice Writer, 'email clients' such as Outlook or Thunderbird, and 'photo editors' such as Adobe Photoshop or GIMP. Essentially software can be classed in two categories: either Free and Open Source (FOSS) or Proprietary. The most important difference between the two, for our purposes, is legality. It is illegal to copy proprietary software, while FOSS software can be copied freely and legally.

Some examples of proprietary software:

Adobe Photoshop
Microsoft Office
Internet Explorer
iTunes

Some examples of FOSS software:

Firefox – web-browser that is considered to be very stable and secure.
GIMP – a Graphics Image Manipulation Programme that is an alternative to Photoshop.
OpenOffice – a suite of programmes which includes a text editor, spreadsheets, presentation software and database.
VLC – a media player

Be very wary about installing 'shareware' or 'freeware'. These are small applications that are available via the internet. They have the potential to clutter up your system, and may also change your system without warning. These applications are often referred to as 'Malware' because of the damage they can do.

Things to remember about any software before installing it:

Is it legal?
Is it from a trusted source? Will it harm your system?
Do you really need it, or will it just clutter up your computer?

Tags:

Free and Open Source (FOSS)