Online Safety Resource Guide
Despite the ever-present threat of cyber crime, many people assume it won’t happen to them. But that’s not always the case. With your credit card information, bank account number, passwords and emails all stored somewhere on your computer or on the cloud, you can’t afford to take chances. That’s why we put together this resource guide that is jam-packed with more than 60 individual resources aimed helping you stay safe online, including resources for safe online shopping, identity theft resources and more.
General Online Safety Resources
The phrase “online safety” is an umbrella term that refers to a broad group of practices designed to keep your information and identity safe from other Internet users. If you’re new to online safety or simply want to start from square one, check out the resources in this section.
Why is Internet Safety Important? – From spamming to network hacking, there are many risks associated with using the Internet. Read this article to find out what they are.
The 10 Most Common Internet Crimes – We hear about Internet crimes all the time, but what do they actually involve? This list explains the 10 most common Internet crimes today.
Internet Safety for Adults – Many online safety guides are targeted towards children and teens. However, adults are just as susceptible to cyber attacks as their younger counterparts.
The Guide to Password Safety (And Why You Should Care) – CNET explains the importance of strong passwords and offers a comprehensive guide on how to make sure your passwords don’t get cracked.
Internet Fraud – The Federal Bureau of Investigation gives a quick overview of the most common forms of Internet fraud.
What is a Phishing Attack? – Get a more in-depth explanation of what phishing is and learn how to identify phishing scams.
What is Smishing? – Internet crimes aren’t limited to computers. Smishing, a relatively new type of cyber attack, aims to steal a person’s identify via SMS (text) messages on their mobile device.
A Definition of Malware – BullGuard explains what malware is and the various forms it can take.
Ransomware – Learn what ransomware is and how it was developed in the first place.
Spyware – Yet another type of software that poses a huge risk to Internet users. Learn all about it here.
Online Identify Theft – Webroot explains what online identify theft is, how it works and how it differs from traditional identity theft.
Data Breach – The term “data breach” is thrown around a lot, but what does it actually mean? Read this to find out.
What is a Computer Virus? – Although viruses are a type of malware, they exist in a class of their own. Learn how they work and what they do here.
What Are Bots? – Bots might sound innocuous, but they’re capable of gaining control over your entire computer.
Online Shopping Safety Resources
With the ubiquity of websites such as Amazon Prime and eBay, most of us are familiar with online shopping. However, it comes with risks that few of us take the time to think about. Learn about online shopping risks and how to mitigate them in this section of resources.
Differences and Dangers of Shopping: Real World vs. Online – Use this handy guide to compare the risks of online shopping to those of shopping in physical stores.
The Risks of Shopping and Online Auctions – Learn exactly what’s at stake every time you purchase a product or bid on an item online.
Top 5 Dangers of Online Shopping – Forbes explains the most common pitfalls of shopping in the digital age.
How Do Criminals Abuse the Shopping Experience? – As the old saying goes, “know thy enemy” with this helpful article from BullGuard about the ways that cyber criminals can attack online shoppers.
11 Tips for Safe Online Shopping – These essential tips from PCMag cover everything from SSL encryption to Wi-Fi privatization.
10 Signs that an Online Shopping Site is Secure – Find out how to differentiate secure sites from risky ones with this article from Norton.
How to Shop Online Safely – Turn to this list of tips for ways to reduce your risk of falling victim to online shopping scams, viruses and more.
Online Shopping Dangers to Avoid – The trusted publication Consumer Reports goes over some of the biggest red flags you might come across while shopping online.
How to Protect Your Credit Card Online – Credit card theft is perhaps the biggest risk of online shopping. Learn how to protect it here.
Safe Online Payment Methods – If you’re unsure whether you should use PayPal, your credit card or your debit card to complete online transactions safely, read this article.
Online Identity Theft Protection Resources
Living in the real world already comes with plenty of identify theft threats, and those threats only multiply once you go online. Take a look at these sources to learn about, understand and prevent online identity theft.
2017 Identity Fraud Study – This new study conducted by Javelin Strategy and Research has revealed some shocking statistics. For example, there were a staggering 15.4 million victims of online identity theft in 2016 in the United States alone.
Identity Crimes: Most Common Schemes – Modern cyber criminals are using advanced tactics to steal the identities of innocent people. Find out how they’re doing it here.
Identity Theft – Take the United States government’s word for it, these safety tips are effective.
Online Identity Theft: 8 Ways You Didn’t Know Hackers Could Steal Your Identity – Did you know that thieves can even steal your health insurance online? Time Magazine goes over some of the lesser-known ways that cyber criminals can steal identities.
How Social Media Networks Facilitate Identity Theft and Fraud – Think that shady online stores are the only place where you can get your identity stolen? Think again: your Facebook page might just be one of your biggest risks.
4 Case Studies in Fraud: Social Media and Identity Theft – In case you have any remaining doubt that social media poses a risk to your identity, read through these cases.
Online Identity Theft: Prevention and Protection – Learn how to better protect yourself from online identity theft.
9 Ways for Prevent Identity Theft From Your Online Activities – Follow this set of tips to further protect your identity online.
Seven Warning Signs Your Identity May Have Been Stolen – If you’re not sure if your identity has been stolen enough, compare your experiences to these seven examples.
9 Things to Do Immediately After Your Identity is Stolen – Should you ever fall victim to online identify theft, make sure you’re prepared to take action.
Anti-Phishing Resources
Despite the simplicity of phishing attacks, they are still incredibly prevalent and incredibly effective for one simple reason: humans make mistakes. While antivirus software might be able to identify and eliminate malware with 100% accuracy, humans can be tricked into clicking on a suspicious link or opening an infected email attachment. Find out what phishing is and how you can avoid it here.
How Phishing Works – If you want to prevent phishing, it’s a good idea to understand it first.
Phishing by the Numbers: Must-Know Phishing Statistics 2016 – Did you know that 30 percent of phishing emails get opened? Neither did we. Read this article to learn more.
Don’t Fall For This Sophisticated New PayPal Phishing Scam – There are countless types of phishing attacks, but this one is one of the newest and most advanced.
How to Prevent Phishing Scams – In addition to a helpful article, USA Today also provides a video on how to prevent phishing scams from tricking you.
Only You Can Prevent Phishing Attacks – Using a real world example, this article explains why anti-phishing software is never enough.
Top 5 Social Media Phishing Scams to Avoid – Phishing isn’t limited to your email inbox. Read this to find out how you can avoid phishing attacks on social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter.
6 Common Phishing Attacks and How to Protect Against Them – Learn about various types of phishing attacks and what you can do to sidestep them.
Why Does Phishing Work? – Phishing seems like an easily avoidable scam, yet millions of people fall prey to it every year. This is why.
Phishing Examples Archive – By learning from real phishing examples that targeted real people, you can better protect yourself against it.
3 Must-Do Steps to Recover From a Phishing Scam – If you ever do fall for a phishing scam, whether it’s on social media, in your email inbox or from a phony search engine result, know what to do to recover.
Anti-Spyware Resources
Although spyware can be used to steal your identity, it can also be used to illicitly gain almost any kind of information about you that’s stored online. Bank accounts, social security numbers and credit card information can all be stolen by spyware. Learn what it is and how to prevent it in this section.
Spyware – We already know that spyware steals information, but there’s more to the story. Learn the definition of spyware and more here.
How Spyware Works – Read this article to understand how spyware manages to steal your personal information without your being aware of it.
What Types of Spyware Are Out There? – There’s far more than one type of spyware. This article explains the many forms that spyware can take.
Examples of Spyware and What They Are – Find out how “good” spyware differs from “bad” spyware and check out real examples of the specific spyware that hackers use.
How to Prevent Spyware From Infecting Your Computer – From closing pop-up ads the right way to installing software patches, this guide explains how you can protect your computer from spyware infection.
How to Identify Signs of a Spyware Infection – Since spyware is designed to be undetected, it can be hard to spot. Know the warning signs so that you won’t be stuck unwittingly give your information away for weeks or even months.
How to Check a MacBook for Spying Software – Checking a Mac computer for spyware is a little different than checking a PC. Read this article to find out how.
How to Tell if Your Cell Phone is Tracked, Tapped or Monitored by Spy Software – If you’re one of the millions of Americans who uses a smartphone, it’s important to be aware of the signs of spyware infection on your phone as well as your computer.
How to Remove Spyware From a PC or Laptop – If your PC becomes infected with spyware, follow these steps.
How to: Uninstall Spyware and Adware From Mac OS X – If your Mac computer is running a version of OS X and becomes infected with spyware, follow these steps.
How to Remove Cell Phone Spy Software – Whether you have an iPhone, an Android, a Blackberry or any other type of smartphone, these tips can come in handy for removing spyware from your device.
Anti-Ransomware Resources
As its name would suggest, ransomware is dangerous because it has the ability to hold your information, files or even your entire computer for ransom. Its popularity is on the rise, and learning how to protect yourself against it has never been more relevant.
Ransomware – Check out this definition of ransomware to learn what it is and how it’s used.
How Does Ransomware Work? – How can a piece of software possible hold your entire PC for ransom? Find out here.
How Ransomware is Spread – Learn how hackers all over the world are spreading ransomware to the computers of innocent people.
Ransomware by the Numbers: Must-Know Ransomware Statistics 2016 – Curious how many actual cases of ransomware cases have occurred? Read these shocking statistics to find out.
Three High-Profile Ransomware Cases That Prove the Power of Backup – If you’re unconvinced of the devastating effects of ransomware, just take a look at these real world examples.
11 Things You Can Do to Protect Against Ransomware – As Benjamin Franklin once said, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” That certainly holds true for ransomware, so learn how to protect yourself now.
4 Signs You’re a Victim of Ransomware – Usually, the criminals behind ransomware want to make it perfectly obvious that your computer is infected. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be able to demand money. However, there are still times when you might be unsure if your computer has ransomware or not.
ID Ransomware – If you’re attacked by ransomware, identifying the exact software your hackers are using against you is of utmost importance. This simple and easy-to-use site can identify it for you.
What Can You Do if You Become a Ransomware Victim? – Once you’ve been attacked by ransomware, it can feel like you’re in a hopeless situation. However, that’s not necessarily the case. Read this article to find out why.