Section 4.2 exercises

EXERCISE 1 – Avoiding web scams

  1. Do you remember the different types of online scams?

EXERCISE 2 – Social media

  1. Read the terms of use for the social media you use (e.g. Facebook).
  2. At www.social-searcher.com, you can find Facebook status updates shared by people openly on the Internet. Using the search field, you can look for updates e.g. by any known vice (for example, the search “beer” usually returns lots of results).Familiarize yourself with the privacy settings of the services you use, and make sure that you know what you are sharing and with whom.

EXERCISE 3 – Safe use of passwords

  1. Consider how you use your own passwords. If you recognize any faults in how you use or store your passwords, fix the problem NOW.

EXERCISE 4 – The importance of encryption

  1. Try to access e.g. the Webmail mail system at UH. Is the connection encrypted or not while you log on? What about after you have logged on?
  2. Try logging on to one of the online learning environments at UH. Is the log-on connection encrypted or not? How about after you have logged on and are using the environment?

EXERCISE 5 – Making back-up copies

  1. Consider what important information you have neglected to back up. Make a plan for backing up files and enter the times to make back-up copies into your calendar (daily, weekly or monthly). If you have never made any back-up copies of your files, make them NOW.

Exercises 6 and 7 – Protection against malware

  1. Check whether your operating system has a separate information security software. Check that the information security software of your operating system is up to date and that it updates itself automatically when online.
  2. If you are using the Windows operating system: test whether the information security software of your operating system is operational. Try to save the harmless test virus found through the link below on your computer. Your computer’s antivirus software should prevent you from opening the file: http://www.eicar.org/download/eicar.com.

ANSWERS

EXERCISE 1 – Avoiding web scams

  1. Phishing, social engineering (manipulation), Nigerian letters, lottery scams, hoaxes, fake pop-ups.