Keeping your machine safe!

How does ransomware get on your computer?

by Justin Richter 

You can get ransomware if you click on malicious internet links, download malicious files, open infected email attachments or from a USB stick.

Precautions against ransomware attacks

Awareness is the best way to avoid any ransomware attacks,

1. Keep Windows Operating Systems up-to-date. – run windows updates!
2. Always back-up your important data in an external hard-drive or cloud storage such as OneDrive or Drobox
3. Enable system protection or File History (restore points)
4. Thoroughly check your emails before opening any attachments! Why did I receive this, who is it from?
5. Where possible, disable the loading of macros in your Office programs.
6. Disable your Remote Desktop feature whenever possible.
7. Use two-factor authentication for your Gmail and windows accounts.
8. Avoid browsing websites that are often the breeding grounds for malware such as illegal download sites, porn sites and gambling sites.
9. Use, and regularly update F-secure!
10. Have a pop-up blocker installed in your browser

Common ways a PC or laptop get infected (virus/Malware/Spyware)

 -  User accepting installation prompts without reading

an Internet advert or window pops-up that says your computer is infected with a virus and needs to scan or that software is required for you to install in order to download something. You accept the prompt.

-  When you’re installing ‘free software’ that you obtained from the internet and it has check-boxes already checked to install additional applications bundled with your download. You accept the prompt.

- Visiting / Downloading software/movies/music/pictures from unreliable or illegal sources

Many modern viruses can be hard-coded into the website data which is downloaded into your temporary internet files automatically just by loading the webpage.

- Opening email attachments without knowing who they are from and why you have been sent them.  Double check the sender’s email address and confirm that the mail is relevant.

- Plugging infected USB sticks and external hard drives into your laptop without scanning them first.

Malware - Malware is the blanket term for all malicious software designed to disrupt, damage or steal from a computer system (viruses, spyware and ransomware).

Spyware - software that enables a user to obtain covert access to information and functions.

Ransomware - a type of malicious software designed to block access to a computer system until a sum of money is paid. 

Free, multimedia Internet safety presentations

We live in a digital age and our children are exposed to so much. NetSmartz offers free, multimedia Internet safety presentations tailored for specific audiences – parents and communities, tweens, teens, and younger children. Visit their site - there's some great material posted there.

Internet Security and Safety

At a recent staff PD session we discussed Internet security and safety. The below videos give some insight to the dangers we face should we not take the necessary electronic precautions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qk2RPOBpZvc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1F8sHjCBx0

Stay safe on public Wi-Fi 

1) Only join trusted networks and then be sensible about what you do while away and online

2) Make sure your Firewall is on

3) Turn off file sharing 

4) Avoid using specific websites on public Wi-Fi  ( Banking and personal (Facebook, Twitter, webmail) sites are most at risk since these are the type of websites hackers want access to )

5) Turn off Wi-Fi when you are not using it.

Some other things to remember

• Have a proper password - at least 8 Characters long; includes numbers, capitals and symbols e.g. eX@mpl3! How safe is your password? https://howsecureismypassword.net/
• Keep your operating software and programmes up to date. These updates patch vulnerabilities within the operating system and guard your machine against exploits. 
• Make sure your machine is adequately protected against viruses. We use FSecure at the school and can highly recommend it.

Be aware of...

Saving Credentials: You should perhaps only use auto-complete and save your credentials on your own device i.e. don’t do this on any machine that is not your own  

Pros 

• Remembering login credentials for you is convenient 
• Absolutely safe to do for non-critical sites e.g. No banking sites 

Cons 

• Credit card numbers, email addresses, passwords and usernames can become vulnerable to attacks 
• You're likely to forget your passwords if you never have to type them in If you leave your laptop unattended and unlocked, then anyone can retrieve your saved passwords 
• Fake websites can fool your browser into providing stored login and form data

Ad blocking to prevent click-bait
Install Ad Block Plus plugin for your browsers – Ad block Plus blocks those annoying and maliciously deceptive advertisements found on many of the most popular websites today making browsing faster and safer.

- Adblockplus is available on Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer and Safari.

Common ways a PC or laptop get infected (virus/Malware/Spyware)

• Accepting installation prompts without reading (An Internet advert or window pops-up that says your computer is infected with a virus and needs to scan or that software is required for you to install in order to download something. Or you agree to ‘free software’ that has check-boxes already checked to install additional applications bundled with your download. DON'T accept such prompts. )
• Visiting / Downloading software/movies/music/pictures from unreliable or illegal sources (Many modern viruses can be hard-coded into the website data which is downloaded into your temporary internet files automatically just by loading the webpage.) 
• Opening email attachments without knowing who they are from and why you have been sent them. Always double check the sender’s email address and confirm that the mail is relevant. 
• Plugging infected USB sticks and external hard drives into your laptop without scanning them first.

Referencing and Plagiarism

We have been conducting lessons in the Resource Centre on Referencing and how to avoid plagiarism with some Grade 10 classes who are about to embark on a research project for one of their subjects. We have also been introducing them to tools that they can use to reference correctly.

Just mention the words referencing and plagiarism, and you can see your class zoning out immediately. How does one make this topic engaging and relevant to a group of teenagers? I am not sure one ever can. The bottom line however is that students have to know how to reference correctly and they have to understand the relevance and importance of avoiding plagiarism otherwise suffer the consequences. A mere rap on the knuckles sadly does not cut it these days, as students are more likely going to face expulsion and thereafter may even find it difficult to obtain acceptance into other tertiary institutions with that cloud hanging over them.

Many tertiary institutions in South Africa require their students to submit work on-line using software programs that check their work for plagiarism prior to submission. An example of such software is Turnitin. The software indicates the extent to which the work is plagiarised. Should this plagiarism percentage exceed a certain level (as predetermined by the institution), the student has to re-work the assignment and re-submit it again to be checked once again by the software. It can take up to 72 hours before feedback is provided to the student! This means that students have to ensure that they do not miss hand-in deadlines while attempting to re-submit work within the acceptable plagiarism norms. Forward planning and being proactive are key. Quite a rude awakening for many first year students!

One therefore cannot over-emphasise the importance of correct referencing and the severe consequences of plagiarism that are brought to bear on students in tertiary institutions. Schools are often criticised by Universities for sending out matriculants who are not sufficiently skilled in citing sources and using correct referencing techniques. Schools have a responsibility to ensure that their students are well trained in this practice. It should be second-nature to them by the time they leave school.

The Harvard Reference system is the one that is used by UCT, although some faculties may adopt other Referencing systems. We therefore teach our students to use this same referencing system.

The good news is that help is at hand, in the form of Referencing options in Microsoft Word. Here an author has the ability to add citations within their text and generate bibliographies automatically at the end of their assignment. They simply enter the correct information into the reference section such as the author, title, publisher, date of publication etc. and all the formatting and the generation of the bibliography is done for you.

Producing assignments within acceptable plagiarism norms, and with all the correct citations, references and bibliographies should be a 'walk in the park'!