Allerton Grange High School

Allerton Grange

Internet Safety advice

On the site below there are two videos to view regarding Internet safety......
https://sites.leedslearning.net/schools/allertongrange/cr/esafeforstu/default.aspx
1. Golden rules-Plain high
2. Do you know
 
Another good website which is full of really useful advice and information about Internet safety is http://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/.  Come in to find the latest information on the sites you like to visit, mobiles and new technology. Find out what’s good, what’s not and what you can do about it. If you look after young people there’s an area for you too – with resources you can use in the classroom, at home or just to get with it. Most importantly, there’s also a place which anyone can use to report if they feel uncomfortable or worried about someone they are chatting to online. All the information here is brought to you by the team at the Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre.  

Keep your software up-to-date

These days most computers come with a decent level of protection off the shelf. Yet since threats change daily, it's imperative you keep it up-to-date or else it's useless. To do that just click on "Start", go to Control Panel and click the "System and Security" icon, then go to the Windows Updates section where you can toggle automatic updates on or off. The same goes for dedicated antivirus software); keep it up-to-date, and do a full system scan once a week.  Users of Apple Macs (and Linux) have slightly less to worry about in terms of viruses, as there still aren't so many floating about for them. Nonetheless, Mac users are still recommended to grab antivirus software too.

Free antivirus software           http://free.avg.com/gb-en/homepage (AVG)

                                            http://www.avira.com/en/avira-free-antivirus (AVIRA)

Free firewall software              http://download.cnet.com/Agnitum-Outpost-Firewall-Free/3000-10435_4-10913746.html (Agnitium Outpost)

Free anti spyware software     http://download.cnet.com/Spybot-Search-Destroy/3000-8022_4-10122137.html (Spybot)

Protect your identity online

With more and more of us using the web to bank online and do other sensitive things, coming up with solid passwords is more important than ever. It may seem obvious, but don't use the same log-in for lots of sites; if one falls into the wrong hands, your whole online life is up for grabs. Remembering lots of different ones is tricky, so try picking one and just add a few letters to it related specifically to each site you're logging into. Also, ensure you frequently change your passwords. Use a free password generator to get a completely random, but secure password.

Switch it off!

Switching your computer off when you aren't using it doesn't just save energy, it stops others accessing it while you're away. At the very least, disconnect your broadband when you don't need the web.While your PC's on, and after you've been browsing, is a prime time for malware attacks, so this is a good preventative measure.

  • Don't open unknown email attachments.

The majority of web crime still happens via email, so be on guard when checking yours. Don't open any attachments you're not expecting, or click any random links you find in the text (see the Phishing Scams Article).

If you're unsure of a site's veracity, whack the link into Google and see what comes up; it may be listed as a bad 'un.

  • Only download software from trusted websites.

If you're looking for a piece of software, find out which company makes it first and then go to its site to get it, rather than a third party site found via Google. For smaller free/shareware programs, try using big sites like Cnet's Download.com rather than just getting them from anywhere that shows up.

For advanced downloaders (ok, nerds), when using torrents, avoid .exe files wherever possible, and if you must tempt fate, make sure they're thoroughly scanned first.

Jargon Buster

Malware: There are two more commercial types of malware you can find on your computer. Often legitimate developers will design programs which incorporate useful functions, but unbeknown to you either provide them with information about you or try to sell you things. They fall into two main categories:

Adware. Pop-ups that try to sell you things

Adware is malware that sneaks onto your machine and opens up pop-up windows that sell you things - often, but not exclusively, gambling sites. It's easy to assume these are related to the site you were visiting, yet often they aren't - its adware. If you've closed your browser but pop-up windows still appear on your desktop, chances are you've been infected.

Spyware. It tracks what you do: Spyware is a more dangerous, less noticeable type of malware which covertly grabs information from your PC and sends it back to its leader out in the cyber-ether. To tackle this download an anti spyware software.

Get some help with your own ICT skills

http://www.bbc.co.uk/learning/subjects/information_technology.shtml  - BBC Resources http://www.homeandlearn.co.uk/ - Home and Learn Courses

http://www.icslearn.co.uk/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=online%20training%20-p&utm_content=ics%20learn&utm_campaign=generics%20- %20core%20terms&atlassearch=paid – ICS Online courses

Last update 16th April 2012