Entry bubble Tips for Staying Safe Online

By: Stephanie | October 16, 2009 | Category: Home and Family

computer key with virus written on itDo you want to learn how to protect your computer from viruses and other threats, but don't know where to look? October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month, and it might be a good time to take a look at some of the tips and facts offered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT).

Apparently hackers have been busy. According to US-CERT, if you're connecting a new computer to the Internet, nowadays it can take only minutes for a hacker to exploit the security on some networks. See the Tech Tip for how to protect your new computer before connecting it to the Internet.

Some tips to keep your computer secure:

And if the security of your computer has been compromised, see how to recover from a Trojan horse or virus (pdf), report a phishing site, or notify federal law enforcement if you're a victim of Internet fraud.

For more information on common online threats, protecting your privacy and maintaining your security, and reporting Internet fraud and Internet-related crime, visit USA.gov's FAQ and the Federal Citizen Information Center's publications.

| View Comments [1] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: cyber_security   cyber_security_awareness_month   fraud   internet   online   phishing   privacy   safety   scams   spam   stephanie   threat   us cert   virus  

 

Entry bubble Your Online Privacy

By: Joanne | March 17, 2009 | Category: General

South by Southwest Interactive Festival

I’m at the South by Southwest Interactive festival and a few days ago, I went to an interesting session about privacy, specifically online privacy. It’s something that concerns us all when we use social networking sites, or shop online, or even do a simple search on a commercial search engine. I hear it all the time and heard it in the session too: people are especially concerned about their privacy on government websites. The good news is that there are lots of laws and regulations related to privacy and government websites, and I think that in many ways that’s a good thing. We should be free to browse and interact on government websites without the fear that our personal information is gathered and aggregated and used for some unknown purpose.

At the same time there are a lot of really good reasons why government websites may want to gather personal information. If we could do it, we could deliver information and services in a more personal and effective way. I imagine a world where I could visit a government website, sign in with a username and password and then have a dashboard that would tell me useful things relevant to my life. Maybe I would see my property tax bill and be able to click a button to pay it, or renew my driver’s license when it expires, or see an estimate of my future social security benefits.

It sounds pretty easy, doesn’t it? I love the idea of integrating local, state and federal information in one location. I mean, why not? Wouldn’t this be a real convenience? Isn’t it silly and outdated that my property tax bill and driver’s license renewal and social security estimate are all paper that comes to me in the mail?

The hurdles are more than just technology, and there are a few key things that have to happen to get us there. First, government on every level will have to update existing laws and regulations to allow this sharing of information and, to protect its usage, citizens should be able to opt in, so they can chose to participate, or not. Lastly, websites that collect information have to be completely clear and honest about how the information will be used, not used, shared and not shared. What else needs to happen to make the public comfortable with this?

| View Comments [0] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: identity   internet   joanne   online   privacy  

 

Entry bubble Privacy Protection

By: Nicole | July 25, 2008 | Category: General

Shred Personal DocumentsYou know it’s important. Everyone is talking about it. But you’re not sure exactly what you're supposed to do. No worries. We’ve developed a new Privacy Resources page just for you.

The idea of protecting your privacy can be a new and strange concept for many people. While there have always been restrictions on how companies can use and share your personal information, today individuals must be more active in protecting themselves. The first step is learning about your privacy rights and responsibilities.

Our new privacy page brings together government and non-government resources to provide a comprehensive look at privacy issues. There are several major areas of concern, including financial privacy, medical privacy, and online privacy.

While technology has made everything from shopping to booking a flight easier, it has also become a dangerous tool for con artists and criminals. Identity theft is a very real problem, but you can take steps to minimize your risk.

In addition to these concerns, parents must think carefully about how to protect their children’s privacy. Talking to children and family members about how to protect personal information might sound like a chore, but it’s absolutely necessary.

So, check out our new page, and let us know what you think.

| View Comments [4] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: identity_theft   nicole   privacy   privacy_rights   protect  

 

Entry bubble Online Privacy: Is it actually possible?

By: Sommer | November 16, 2007 | Category: General

About two weeks ago, I attended a Federal Trade Commission Town Hall meeting about online privacy issues. This meeting really sparked the consumer advocate in me and I immediately wanted to step into action and single handedly change the world to protect the consumer interest!

After sitting through the meeting, however, I began wondering if there's even potential for online privacy. Or, are we so far past the possibility that there’s no going back. With spyware, cookies, tracking cookies, online ads and privacy policies on almost every site you visit; data losses every time we turn around, and a multitude of log-in IDs and passwords to remember every day, having privacy online seems completely impossible to me.

At the meeting, I learned about some new tools and research that might help make the marketplace a little more transparent though we’ve got a LONG way to go:

  • OnGuard Online provides practical tips from the federal government and the technology industry to teach you about Internet fraud, to secure your computer, and protect your personal information.
  • PrivacyFinder.org: This site, developed by Carnegie Mellon University, allows you to search the web just like any other search engine but it lets you choose an information sharing level you’re comfortable with.  It then uses your preference and compares it to data from the search results' valid P3P privacy policies to help you make a more informed decision about whether you want to do business with that particular company or organization.
  • News.com’s recent article shows how each major search engine uses personal search data complete with a chart that tells you which ones retain, delete, or anonymize your search records, and more.
  • Network Advertising Initiative created a tool to help consumers opt out of online advertising.  It’s definitely not a perfect tool, but, hey it’s a start!
  • World Privacy Forum serves as an information resource for all things privacy.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on some issues related to online privacy. If you’re willing, I welcome you to leave a comment. I’m very curious about the opinions others have on this topic.

  1. What are your expectations for online privacy from companies and search engines?
  2. What’s the appropriate use of your information online: Examples: offer notice before sharing your info vs. offering choice by allowing you to opt in or out of third party information sharing
  3. When it comes to online privacy, what do you care about most? Examples: privacy of financial data, personalized advertising as a result of tracking you on the web, information sharing among third party companies

| View Comments [5] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: cookies   internet   online   policies   privacy   sommer   spam