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Preventive
Measures
 Online Security
- Avoid using the "Remember
Password" function on any website that contains
personal or financial information. Anyone using your
computer can
access the same information or conduct business in your
name, like in a public internet terminal.
- If you store
personal information (such as passwords or credit card
numbers) on your computer or personal digital
assistant,
use an encryption program to protect it. Keep an electronic
record, like a writable CD, of the sensitive information
and store it in a secure place whenever you are not using
it.
- When disposing your computer, erasing or
reformatting the hard drive does not completely remove
the information
you
do not want others to have. Use special software to "clean" your
hard drive so that your files cannot be retrieved.
- Keep
your antivirus software updated regularly and your operating system and software
secure by installing all security
updates and patches.
- Be wary of "phishing" scams designed
to lure you into submitting personal information online.
These
messages may look like the official correspondence from the company
you do business with, but do not be fooled. Legitimate
companies never request sensitive information via e-mail. As always,
when in doubt, call the company's customer service
centre.
- When you shop online, consider using one
credit card exclusively for that purpose. That way you
can monitor all
online purchases on one statement, and keep another card for physical purchases
and transactions.
- Before ordering anything online,
look for a closed "padlock" icon
on the page and make sure the address begins
with "https://".
This signifies that encryption software is
used by the server to create a secure transaction.
- Although storing your credit
card information on a shopping
or service website may seem convenient, it
greatly puts your credit at risk. Even highly respected online vendors have
had their share of security breaches.
- Unsolicited email
attachments can wreck havoc on your computer. A message
may look like it is from a trusted
source, but it is possible for a deceitful person to pretend to be someone
else. If you are not expecting an attachment,
do not open it or reply to the sender.
- Never walk away from a publicly accessible
computer you are logged in to. Someone else can easily
use
that computer to perform illegal activities in your name. You can even be considered
the primary suspect, and you will have
to prove your innocence.
Log out of all services before any public
computer, like in an internet café.
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Security Tip: