2. Introduction
The Community Technology Program is a free training
program covering
– How to connect you to new FREE high speed internet
service
– Basic Computer fundamentals and skills
– How to keep your family, your identity and your
computer safe on-line
– How to use the internet to discover opportunities
– How to use the Internet for fun and enjoyment
The program is made possible by a combination of federal
stimulus funding, matching private contributions
and support from private service providers.
3. Internet Safety
In this SERIES we cover…
• Session 1 – Keeping Your Computer Safe
• Session 2 – Keeping Your Family Safe
• Session 3 – Protecting Your Identity
4. Keeping Your Computer Safe
Today we will talk about…
• Using anti-virus software.
• Not opening email from strangers.
• Using a firewall.
• Creating and securing your passwords.
• Only downloading from a trusted source.
Learning Objective: To teach a novice how to safely use
the internet and anti-virus software.
10. Download from trusted sources
You can download almost anything
(often for free) from the Internet :
computer programs
movies
music
screen savers
ring tones
Look for the https://
11. Helpful Resources
The following websites are great resources for ways
to keep your computer safe:
– http://www.getnetwise.com
– http://www.getsafeonline.org
12. Discussion Questions
Learning objective:
To teach a novice how to safely use the internet and
anti-virus software.
Today we discussed:
Anti-virus software, safely navigating the internet and
downloading files.
Do you have any questions about the material
covered?
13. Congratulations! You have just completed the
session on Keeping Your Computer Safe.
Session 1 - Conclusion
Editor's Notes
For over ten years One Economy has established itself as a leader in bringing affordable broadband internet service into the homes of more than 375,000 low income users, has employed more than 4,000 youth to train community members to use technology effectively and has created public-purpose media visited by over 17 million people providing healthcare, employment, educational and other important information to low-income users.
Activity: Ask the audience to name something very important to them and one thing they currently do to protect it. Then make the analogy to a computer.
Select from the list of Ice Breakers, the one that would be best suited for your residents and your ability to deliver.
Junk mail, or spam, is email that tries to sell you fake products, offers schemes to make lots of money, promises to get you out of debt, etc. Think of it in the same way that you think of traditional junk mail, flyers and advertisements sent to you at random by strangers.
These e-mails subjects are catchy and sound like good opportunities but opening them may inadvertently put viruses on your computer, sell you bad products, or put you at risk to lose your money.
In the same way you wouldn’t give out important information about banking or a social security number over the phone, you shouldn’t do it over the internet either. Don’t ever give your user name or password to anyone especially if the request is via email.
Email messages that do not show your email address in the “to” or “cc” lines are often spam.
Anti-virus software protects your computer from cyber viruses that spreads to your computer through, email, instant messages, and file-sharing programs.
Viruses can delete files, cause your computer’s programs to work incorrectly, and put unwanted text, video and audio messages on your computer.
A good anti-virus program will, find and delete any virus that’s on your computer and repair damaged files.
If an infected file cannot be deleted your virus-protection program will tell you what steps to take next.
Norton Security Scan/GooglePack is a collection of free software that includes virus protection. If you’re willing to pay for more features, try Norton 360.
You might also try Windows Live OneCare, get a free 90-day trial to see if you like it.
Activity: Pull up the anti-virus software on your computer and show/talk about the report.
What do passwords do? Passwords protect your personal information online.
A strong password is a password that is difficult for someone else to figure out with a mixture of numbers, letters and special characters.
Use a combination of capital (UPPER CASE) and lower case letters, symbols, and numbers.
Passwords have to be case-sensitive, which means upper case and lower case letters matter when you’re typing your password.
Make sure your passwords are at least eight characters. The longer they are, the harder they are to guess.
Be sure to choose a set of numbers and letters, instead of a complete word.
Don’t choose a password that is too easy to guess: such as your address, kids name or birthday.
Don’t keep your important passwords written on a paper posted on your computer.
Be especially careful on accounts that contain sensitive date such as online banking or PayPal.
Lets watch a video on creating a strong password. (Go to http://www.getsafeonline.org/nqcontent.cfm?a_id=1483 and click on the strong password video).
An internet firewall filters the information coming from the Internet to your computer and protects it from: viruses, spam and other dangerous programs.
It also protects your personal information and files from being stolen or hacked by an internet criminal.
Microsoft Window includes a fire wall. Lets watch a demo on how to install a firewall. (Go to http://www.thebeehive.org/internet-safety/keep-your-computer-safe/install-firewall/demo-how-install-firewall)
Never download a file sent by someone you don’t know. Only download from trusted sources and sites.
Keep anti-virus, spam blocking and firewall software up-to-date. Software threats are constantly changing, so you need the latest versions of protection to catch them.
Many files are copyrighted, such as music, film, and software, in particular.
As such, it is illegal to download them for free or from an unauthorized site.
Use an anti-virus program to do this.
Https:// stands for Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure and indicates the website you’re visiting is safe to use.
Make sure to write these down so that you will have them when you leave today’s session.
(Take a breather and regroup make sure you are on target with the objective)
Now that we have reached the end of the session, do you have any questions about the material covered?
(If your audience does not have question or appears to be shy prompt the following questions):
Do you remember the URL prefix that lets you know a website is secure?
What are some of the tips for creating a safe and secure password?
Can you name a brand of anti-virus software that is recommended?
