Web Browsing Safely
The World Wide Web has become a primary source of news, entertainment, communication, and shopping for people all over the world. Unfortunately, the anonymity of the Internet creates an ideal environment for criminals.
Everyone connected to the Internet is a potential target. Use of anti-virus, anti-spyware, and firewall software is critical in protecting your computer online; however, simply protecting your computer is not enough. Attacks aren't always obvious or highly technical. Many online criminals use social engineering techniques to help them commit crimes. (Social engineering is the process of manipulating and deceiving a specific person or organization in an attempt to persuade them to install malicious software or reveal private information directly.)
Our Web Browsing Safely brochure provides information about common online threats and lists basic preventative measures.
Web Browsers
Cyber criminals often target vulnerabilities in web browsers. Because Internet Explorer is the web browser used by most people, it has become a primary target. Using a different browser can reduce your risk while on the web. The table below lists alternative browsers:
| Browser | Operating System | License |
|---|---|---|
| Firefox | Mac, Windows, Linux | Free (open source) |
| Netscape | Mac, Windows, Linux | Free |
| Opera | Mac, Windows, Linux | Free |
| Safari | Mac OS X | Free |
Browser Security
How can you tell how secure your web browser may be? Scanit's Browser Security Test checks your browser security settings and provides a report explaining the vulnerabilities, the potential impacts, and how to correct them.
Update Regularly
It is important to keep your browser up-to-date on security patches. This can typically be done from within the browser, or directly from the vendor’s website. Check for updates on at least monthly.
Note: If you use Internet Explorer with Oracle Applications, you must use Internet Explorer version 6.x. Newer versions of Internet Explorer are not certified for compatibility with Oracle at this time.
Anti-Phishing Tools
Internet Explorer 7.x and higher, Safari 3.2 and higher, and Mozilla Firefox 3.x and higher all provide some protection against phishing.
The Netcraft Toolbar is a browser plug-in available for Internet Explorer and Firefox. The toolbar helps stop phishing attempts by blocking known phishing sites and providing hosting information about the sites you visit.
Finjan SecureBrowsing is a browser plug-in available for both Internet Explorer and Firefox. This tool works by analyzing the actual code of websites you visit and generating a safety rating.
The McAfee Site Advisor is a browser plug-in available for Internet Explorer and Firefox. The Site Advisor warns you of websites known to have malicious downloads or links by checking them against a database at McAfee.
Note: You should not install this version of McAfee Site Advisor on any RIT-owned computer currently running McAfee ePO. More information can be found here.
Limited Account Privileges
Limiting account privileges provides simple but effective protection when working online. Limited accounts allow you to do most daily activities but do not allow you to install software (only accounts with administrative privileges can install software on the computer).
Many attacks take advantage of administrative privileges to install malware on your computer. If you're using a limited account, attackers and malicious websites will not be able to install malware.
Learn more about patching and using limited accounts at the links below:
