Safe Practices for Life Online -- Hannah, Olivia, and Hillary

Hannah LittleJohn

Olivia Herring

Hillary Woodall

‘Safe Practices for Life Online’

1. What are three online social networking sites that are used to form connections and develop relationships online? Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.  -- Hannah

2. Consider the consequences. Conduct research into the consequences faced by students because of what they posted on their social network accounts.

Students can face serious consequences because of what they post on social media, especially when it relates to school. The school board can take action if students post information that directly regards the school, students, faculty, etc, and many students have been suspended from schools or expelled because of their less than stellar social media behavior. There can also be harsher punishments that can involve jail time and other serious consequences that can tarnish a student’s record forever. Threats made on social media can result in students being charged with harassment, simple assault, and terroristic threats. This can result in jail time, fines, and psychiatric evaluations/interventions.   -- Olivia

3. Define in your own words:

• sexting - sending inappropriate, sexual information over mobile phones (Gordon-Messer, Deborah; 2012; Sexting Among Young Adults; Journal of Adolescent Health)
• cramming -  adding charges to a victim’s bill without them knowing (McGregor, Michael; April 2004; Communication Technology at the Federal Communications Commission: E-government in the Public’s Interest; Government Information Quarterly)
• cookies -  a message from a server that is stored online and given back to the server each time the server page is visited (Sit, Emil; September 2000; Web Cookies: Not Just a Privacy Risk; Communications of the ACM)
• trojan horse - a virus/program that is disguised as a non-threatening application/webpage (Ghosoon, M. W.; 2011; A Comparison of Trojan Virus Behavior in Linux and Windows Operating Systems; World of Computer Science and Information Technology Journal)
• phishing - falsely claiming to be a legitimate company, and sending emails to victims in an attempt to get their private information (Love, Steve; 2013; Beware of Phishing Schemes (Online); Computers in Human Behavior)
• spyware - software that tracks a computer user’s browsing habits, unknown to them. (Shuckla,Sudhindra; August 2005; Web-browsing and Spyware Intrusion; Communications of the ACM)
• rootkit - attacks that hide an attacker’s presence on a computer (Riley, Ryan; April 2013; A Framework for Prototyping and Testing Data-Only Rootkit Attacks; Computers and Security)
• zombie - a computer that has been attacked by a virus (Gozzi Jr. Raymond; Fall 2000; Zombie Computers; ETC.: A Review of General Semantics) -- Olivia

4. Why are these screen names poor choices?

• Trashmouth
• IHaveOnePairPants
• BoogerDude
• Pig

These screen names are poor choices because they are a poor reflection of yourself and allows for cyber bullies to attack and harass you based on the screen name you have chosen.
Though it may be for entertainment or a nickname that was used when you were younger, it has given a unknown person a way into your personal life. -- Hillary

5. Why might someone harass those with these screen names?

• InYoFace
• Badboy2U
• Lookin4Luv
• IMAHottie
• FatMama
• suPaFlirt

A person with these screen names might get harassed because it gives of the wrong perception such as “Fat Mama” may be harassed using jokes surrounding the word “fat” or using it itself. “suPaFlirt” is very negative as if the person is very easy or “out there”. A person with the negative mindset would be very explicit or sexual with that specific person b/c of the screen name. -- Hillary

6. Too much info can be given through screen names. What info is being revealed through the following screen names?

• Tom_Evans34
• Missy-13
• AndyKarateKid
• ViolinGurl
• restlinmatch

In the following screen names, it gives out their personal information such as first and last name and their select hobbies and/or interests.

7. Good and bad choices for screen names. Write whether you think these are good choices or poor choices and why.

• i8sushi2
• Soccerstar
• Puppygirl1234
• KeKe1995
• Bookworm
• 2BorNot2b
• Choco-holic
• CapitlOfens
• AmrcanIdol2
• BellaIsabella
• DarkAngel666
• Karla-Love-1996
• SimpyMe
• gUn4hiRe
• babyfaceLA
• Watup?

I think these are some poor choices of screen names because it gives hint to a person’s actual age, gender and/or name. It also gives information about a person’s hobbies or likes which is very easy for a hacker or predator to strike conversation in order to lure in a person. -- Hillary

8. Create three different screen names that you think will meet all of the following guidelines:

• Unlikely to attract negative attention
• Free of bad language
• Don’t reveal too much personal information
• Don’t reveal a real name, age, or gender

Three screen names are D02Bulls, Lakers700, and L01Fan -- Hillary

9. How likely is it that a password can be cracked?

• Does your password include the name of a family member or pet? (-3)
•             “”                    include the birth date of a family member? (-3)
•             “”                    contain one or more words that could be found in a dictionary? (-3)
•             “”                    contain a random set of numbers? (+2)
•             “”                    have eight or more characters? (+2)
•             “”                    contain both letters and numbers? (+2)
•             “”                    have less than 6 characters? (-1)
•             “”                    contain one or more non-number, non-letter character? (+3)
•             “”                    contain the date of a well-known even? (-1)
•             “”                    contain at least 3 numbers in numerical sequence? (-2)
•             “”                    contain any word spelled backward? (-1)
•             “”                    contain a word repeated more than once? (-1)
•             “”                    contain your telephone number, zip code, or area code? (-2)
•             “”                    include a mixture of uppercase and lowercase letters? (+2)
• Is your password written on a piece of paper that’s within 15 feet of your computer? (-2)
• Have you ever shared your current password with a friend? (-3)

Scores:

Hannah - 8

Olivia - 9

Hillary - 8

10. From the list below select the most-common reason and the least-common reason that students’ online accounts are broken into each year.

• A password-cracking program is used to crack their password. (LEAST - COMMON)
• Others who know personal things about the student guess their password.
• Students write their password down where others are able to see it.
• Students give their password to their friends, who then decide to use it or give it to others who use it. (MOST - COMMON)
• Other students see the password as the student enters it on a keyboard.

-- Olivia Herring

11. Look up on Google - ‘malware analysis: drive-by download’. Watch the video and create a new post with your thoughts and feelings about the subject. (2 paragraphs)

I was very shocked by the information presented in this video. I knew that there were threats on the internet, and that we have to be very wary of what we do online and how we protect our personal information. However, I had no idea that it was so easy for hackers to access your computer. This information is terrifying, because one wrong click can cause your computer to accept a drive-by download which can send your computer to tons of malicious websites.

This video has shown me the importance of security software on my computer. I will no longer let my coverage lapse because I see the dangers that viruses can pose on my computer. I was amazed at how quickly a computer could be attacked, but also discouraged. I am very glad that we have software that can protect us against threats, but I do not feel comfortable with the way the internet has become, and how hackers can compromise my security against my will. -- Olivia

12. Go to www.lookstoogoodtobetrue.com/tests.aspx and choose three of the eight tests to go through. Write your results.

Are you the lucky winner in a sweepstakes or lottery?- Low Risk

Are you safe from financial fraud?- Low Risk

Are you an unwitting accomplice in crime?- Low Risk --Hannah

13. Choose an article to summarize from www.lookstoogoodtobetrue.com/alert.aspx. --

CYBER-RELATED SCAMS TARGETING UNIVERSITIES, EMPLOYEES, AND STUDENTS

Ranging from internet fraud to intrusions, internet crime is targeting universities, their employees, and their students. There are five different categories to put these crimes into. The first is called spear phishing emails. The perpetrator sends an email with a link to the university employees. Once the employee has clicked on the link, they are redirected to a page that tells them there is a problem with the system and they must provide their login information. Once this information is received, the perpetrator is able to funnel paychecks into a separate account. The second one, scammers provide advertisements for college students looking for administrative positions. They claim to be able to pay them through an email or direct deposit, if they are able to print the check and mail it to the scammer. In the third scam, individuals compromise the accounts of students and have their refund checks administered to an account that is not the student’s account. Universities have also reported crimes such as individuals obtaining information from professors to file fraudulent income tax returns, and universities being victims of intrusions. -- Hannah