Interests & Ideas - Technology

Protecting your personal information is more important than ever, and that's why security is built into every Facebook product and design. Our security systems run in the background millions of times per second to catch threats and remove them before they ever reach you. Using Facebook also means you're getting strong encryption to protect your communications.

You can also choose from lots of easy-to-use security tools on Facebook to help you add an extra layer of security to your account.

Follow these tips to reduce the risk of having your social media account hacked:

• Don’t get ‘click happy’. Verify links before clicking, including the “Like” button!
• Watch out for baiting. Don’t be lured by offers that sound too good to be true.
• Be on alert to individuals who seem to know more about you than they should.
• Change your passwords frequently. Don’t reuse the same password across multiple social media sites.
• As you have a multitude of online passwords to remember. Use a password vault application to store them all for you. Most next-generation anti-virus applications (that users should have on their devices) provide a password vault/manager. Take a look here at a list of Password Managers, their features and facilities.

Read this pdf document from Age Concern to enhance your online security knowledge and stay safe while surfing the web and negotiating your email account.

The Nationsl Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) website is aimed at business awareness of cyber security but all of the principles apply to individuals as well.

The (US) National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) builds strong public/private partnerships to create and implement broad-reaching education and awareness efforts to empower users at home, work and school with the information they need to keep themselves, their organizations, their systems and their sensitive information safe and secure online and encourage a culture of cybersecurity. To educate and empower our global digital society to use the internet safely and securely.

Just recently there has been a scam going around the Internet where the emailer claims to have proof that you have been on porn sites and unless you pay up they will spill the beans to friends and family. They claim to have proof from your own webcam of your wrongful activities and they want you to know how gullable you are that they think you are sophisticted enough to be able to pay up the ransom requested in BitCoin!

Action Fraud is an online Police website for help and assistance tackle onlne fraud. The provide the following advice it you are targeted:

Do not be rushed or pressured into making a decision. Police advise that you do not pay criminals. Paying the ransom signals that you are vulnerable and you may be targeted again.

Change your password immediately and reset it on other accounts where you have used the same password. Always use strong passwords, different ones for each account.

Wherever possible, enabloe Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) which requires not only a username and password but also something that only you have on you - such as a physical token or the answer to a personal question.

Do not reply to the email back to the fraudsters.

Always keep the anti-virus and operating software up-to-date on all of your computer devices. Regulary update them all!

Disable your webcam if you do not use it on your device or at least cover it when not in use.

If you have received one of these scam emails and paid the fine, report it to your local Police Force. If you have not paid, report it as a phishing attempt to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or via the website.

Are you interested in following a fully online Masters Degree in Cyber Security? It doesn't matter where you are in the world to follow one of these degree courses. Best Colleges provide information here of degree courses from faculties in America that provide comprehensive Cyber Security Master Degree courses.

The resource section is handy as it provides further links to other organisation concerned with the global threat of Cyber Security. There is a whealth of knowledge through the resources links whether this is global internet security news, research, expert analysis, cybersecurity industry research, connecting local, national, and global cybersecurity professionals and employers. Taking membership of any of the multitude of reputable Cyber Security Institutes will also provide access to local and global networking opportunities, on-demand web conferences, and a monthly industry journals.