LESSON 1-2 Rules of Netiquette

 Online security, safety, and ethics

 Internet threats
 Protecting reputation online
 Copyrights

Online Security and Safety

The Internet, truly, is a powerful tool. It can be used to promote your business, gain new friends, and stay
in touch with the old ones. It is also a source of entertainment through games, online communities, and everything
in between. But like most things in this world, there is always the “other side of the coin”.

How safe are you?

Type of Information Risks
- A hacker may already know plenty of stuff about you even if you only give out your first name.
1. First name Likewise, you cannot walk in a room and start introducing yourself to everyone. You do not know
whom you can come across with.
- If sharing your first name is a small risky, having both first and last is more risky. You will be
2. Middle name
vulnerable to being searched for using search engines, which includes image search matching a
and Last name
name with a face is a modus to several cybercrimes like identity theft.
3. Current and - Most people who steal identities study their subject. They can use this information for verification
previous school purposes.
4. Cellphone - Phone number should never be posted over the internet. The internet is a public place. You would
number not want stranger to text, call you or worst pretend that they are someone else.
- Giving internet your exact home address is very dangerous; it would be much easier for criminals to
5. Home address
find you.
6. Home phone - Scams usually use this information to deceive you, one of which is when a stranger pretends to know
number your parents or pretends to be you.
- Letting people know your birthday us probably a must if you want to get as many as gifts as possible.
7. Birthday
But having it in your profile makes you vulnerable to identity theft.

The internet is defined as the information superhighway. This means that anyone can access, can place
information and can grab information. The threat of cybercrime is very real. While you may not experience the
threat now, whatever information we share today could affect our future.

Tips to Stay Safe Online

1. Be mindful of what you share online and 7. Never post anything about future vacation.
what site you share it to. 8. Add and accept friend request you know in
2. Do not just accept terms and conditions. real life.
3. Check out the privacy policy page of a 9. Avoid visiting untrusted websites.
website to learn how the website handles 10. Install and update antivirus software on
the information you share. your computer.
4. By keeping your profile private, search 11. Do not reply or click links from suspicious
engines will not be able to scan your profile. emails.
5. Do not share your password to anyone. 12. If you have Wi-Fi at home, make it private
6. Avoid logging in to public network/Wi-Fi. Do network by adding password.
not talk to strangers whether online or face- 13. Buy the software, do not use the pirate one.
to-face.
Internet Threats

Here are some of the threats you should be aware of when using the internet.

1. Malware – stands for “Malicious software”.

a. Virus - a malicious program designed to replicate itself and transfer from one computer
to another either through the internet and the local networks or data storage like flash
drive and CDs.
b. Worm – a malicious program that transfers from one computer to another by any times
of means. Often, it uses a computer network to spread itself. For example the ILOVEYOU
worm (Love Bug Worm) created by a Filipino.
c. Trojan – a malicious program that disguised as a useful program but one downloaded or
installed, it leaves you PC unprotected and allows hacker to get information.
*Rogue security software – tricks the user in posing that it is security software. It asks
user to pay to improve his/her security but in reality they are not protected at all.
d. Spyware – a program that runs in the background without you knowing it (thus called
“spy”). It has ability to monitored what you are doing and typing through keylogging.
*Keyloggers – use to record the keystrokes done by the users. This is done to steal their
password or any other sensitive information.
e. Adware – a program designed to send advertisement mostly as pop-ups.
2. Spam – unwanted email mostly from bots or advertisers. It can be used to send malware.
3. Phishing – Its goal is to acquire sensitive personal information like passwords and credit card
details. This is done by sending you an email that will direct the user to visit a website and be
asked to update his/her username, password, credit card or any personal information.
*Pharming – a more complicated way of phishing where it exploits the DNS (Domain Name
Service) system.

Activity 2: Privacy Policies 1 whole

1. Visit a social networking site and look for the site’s privacy policy. Write in 10 sentences a
summary on how the website handles both private and public information. (The link or “privacy
policies” is typically found at the bottom of the page and sometime labelled as “Privacy”.)

2. Research on one momentous event in the Philippine history wherein ICT played a huge role in
making it a success.