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How to avoid the Internet threat
Securing your personal information is an important aspect of emergency preparedness. Whether it is protecting your identification or keeping personal documents, how you use the Internet can have a large effect on your preparations.
Previously, we’ve addressed the importance of storing documents for emergency purposes. We’ve even addressed how you can store these documents safely. Read our previous post.
We wanted to address how you can avoid threats on the Internet with things as simple as changing your browser or learning how hackers get your information.
Internet Browsing
There are billions of other people on the Internet and many of them have bad intentions. It’s important to be able to protect your information while you’re shopping at The Ready Store or watching that cute kitten video.
Last year, Accuvant, one of the leading security research firms, conducted a study to determine which browser was the most secure. They looked at three browsers – Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome and Microsoft Internet Explorer.
“Accuvant’s study of browser security is probably the most comprehensive performed to date … Part of that effort led the researchers to examine how each browser performed when an intruder already had access a machine with each browser installed, and how much information they could obtain.“ (Read the LifeHaker article.)
The researchers determined that Google Chrome was the best browser for security purposes. They tested the browsers against malicious code and scripts on web pages. That means that when you visit a website, your personal information is less likely to be stolen when browsing with Chrome than any other browser.
If you’re interested, you can download the newest version of Google Chrome here.
We also found a pretty awesome tool in browserscope.org. You can visit the site and it will automatically detect what browser you are using and then compare it to other browsers and versions.
How to surf the Internet safely
There are certain schemes that hackers will use to try and gain access to your information. Here are a few:
-Click here to learn how The Ready Store is keeping your information safe -
Phishing. Phishing is when a hacker makes a fake website, e-mail or ad to try and get you to input your information. They try and look trustworthy so you’ll feel comfortable giving them your information.
Pop Ups and Ads. Never click on shady pop ups that offer free products or other unsolicited offers. Many times these can lead to a virus or Trojan.
Spyware. If you download a “free” program off the Internet, the hacker can bundle it with a program that spies on your computer behavior. Be careful on what programs you actually download from the Internet.
Vulnerabilities. We mentioned above how some web browsers are more secure than others. Sometimes hackers will attempt to hit the well-known weak spots of your web browser to trick your computer into thinking that a download is safe when it really is not.
Your recommendations
So, you’re obviously an Internet user. What recommendations do you have? Comment below and let the ReadyNation know!
Strong passwords are at the heart of any real online security. Use something like RoboForm to manage them for you. Even if you don’t do that then use a password generating tool and use DIFFERENT passwords for EACH site!!
June 30th, 2012 at 6:33 pmBut what you or Accuvant doesn’t say is that Google immediately sends all your information to those agencies within our government that are collecting it, and then it is sent to corporations from there.
So Google is NOT only not the safest, but it has been collecting information on everyone for years and passing it on, even before it was quasi legal to do so.
Try startpage (startingpage) or gibiru if you really want your information, especially banking, etc kept safer. Though, some banks will only allow those internet corporations who collect your information to be used when doing internet banking, etc.
Plus, how many of you are aware of UN Agenda 21 which is taking away our right to own property, our own businesses, live in rural areas because we will be in the way of UN getting to and using Americans resources? Agenda 21 is a plan to implement controls on how to govern the populous and make decisions for the people of the world through actions taken by the UN”. Their focus is on the global impact of use of land, education and depopulation through control measures including: eliminating personal property rights, private education (including home schooling) and eugenics (forced sterility) in order to have organized global harvesting of the planet under UN control. The UN is planning to take over conservation and management of America’s and the world’s resources for their developmental purposes. By abolishing personal property rights, the demise of rural area living, removal of personal ownership of natural resource; this will take away the power from individuals and place it firmly in the hands of the governments who have agreed to UN control. It is being done here through legislation, rules, regulations, zoning, planning and regional planning; things that impact individuals property rights through the use of International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) programs.
It will end individual property ownership. No one is to be allowed to live in rural areas, nor own any type of natural resource. All people will be moved to “communities” to live; leaving and creating more unpopulated areas for UN uses of US natural resources, etc.
Alabama is the first state to ban UN Agenda 21. It the first state to adopt a tough law protecting private property and due process by prohibiting any government involvement with or participation in a controversial United Nations scheme known as Agenda 21. The Alabama Senate Bill (SB) 477 legislation, known as the “Due Process for Property Rights” Act, was approved unanimously by both the state House and Senate, and then signed into law by Gov. Bentley.
“The State of Alabama and all political subdivisions may not adopt or implement policy recommendations that deliberately or inadvertently infringe or restrict private property rights without due process, as may be required by policy recommendations originating in, or traceable to ‘Agenda 21,’
In Obama’s and the UN’s eyes – The community good is everything (think ant farm). Individual rights, wants, property ownership, needs must be changed to community needs. Everyone will work for the community good; no more individual rights, gardens, farms, koi ponds, horseback riding, etc. No individual business ownership as the UN corporations will handle all of that.
States are fighting Agenda 21. As they become aware of the underlying meaning behind Agenda 21, they are putting in place legislation to prevent this takeover of our rights as Americans by the international UN. States are banning UN Agenda 21 polices. We need to get all the states to ban it.
July 2nd, 2012 at 3:38 pmI do some web development and let me tell you Internet Explorer especially 7, 8, and even 9 are pretty dang problematic.
Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox are WAY better for getting sites to work the way they are supposed to and to do it in a secure manner.
July 2nd, 2012 at 5:10 pmUse a good anti virus, and update it regularly.
July 9th, 2012 at 11:02 am