The purpose of this discussion is to learn more about managing data files on the Internet. We will discuss how the Internet works, how browsers work, and how to access the Internet. We will look at examples of how to find and view information on the Internet. We will also upload and download data files from the Internet and discuss how email works. We will show how to find and download data files (images) from the Internet and attach them to your genealogy software.
This session will begin with a review of the first two sessions on How to Manage Data. We will review Libraries, Folders, and Files that are displayed in the Windows Explorer program. We will review how to utilize Windows Explorer to manage our data. We will review, cut, copy, paste, move, delete, rename, save, and backup during the discussion.
The main lesson from Session I was to learn how Data Files are stored on the Hard Drive. We learned the Operating System uses Windows Explorer to manage Data Files. Windows
Explorer uses Libraries, Folders, and Files to help organize Data Files. Windows Explorer enables the user to store and find Data Files, and also Copy, Move, Delete, Send, Retrieve, and Change Data Files.
Picasa will automatically organize photos from your computer by date. You can edit the file name and add additional information. This helps when trying to find photos of a specific event.
Picasa provides tools to make photo editing easy and fast. It is very user friendly and intuitive. It does not require reading a manual to use the editing. It does not make permanent changes to your pictures, so you can always revert back to the original. Picasa makes sending photos easy whether by email, export to CD/DVD or uploading to the Internet.
For more detailed information and help click the Picasa Download and Installation Troubleshooting Link below: https://support.google.com/picasa/answer/15436?hl=en For more detailed information and help click the Picasa Download and Installation Troubleshooting Link below: https://support.google.com/picasa/answer/15436?hl=en
The internet is different things to each person that uses it. There are so many things you can do on the internet. You can do online banking, shopping, reading, research, communication, and store information including photos, videos, movies, music,
documents, and data backups. So, each person would describe the internet by the way they interact with it.
Access to the internet is provided by an Internet Service Provider (ISP). Whether you have cable, DSL, satellite, or dial-up, an ISP provides the gateway from your computer to the network. When you enter a URL on your browser, the ISP sends a request to the correct server (computer) on the internet that receives the
request and responds by sending a response to your browser. The browser then formats the response so you can read it. Each time you make a request, a roundtrip conversation to the server and back to your computer occurs.
For more information about the internet, paste the following URL in your browser:
http://www.20thingsilearned.com/en-US/home
There are many types of threats on the Internet. A web threat is any threat that uses the World Wide Web to facilitate cybercrime.
They benefit cybercriminals by stealing information for subsequent sale or use.
One of the deterrents to cybercrime is the use of strong passwords. The use of strong passwords discourages
cybercriminals and reduces your risk of damage by threats on the internet.
The other deterrent is to adopt a safer mindset. Learn to treat the internet like a huge shopping mall. (I actually think of it as an outdoor bazaar.) You need to operate cautiously by guarding your identity, and only provide your personal information to people and institutions that you know and trust.
There are several activities you can perform that will help protect you from ‘threats’. The first is to make sure you install an
antivirus software application on your computer. Make sure to turn on automatic update and run it frequently. With automatic update, the software will be kept up to prevent the latest threats.
You might also want to install and run malware software. This will help remove software that tracks your activity and slows down your computer. I like Malwarebytes.com.
Some other ways to protect yourself from threats are to make sure your firewall is active to prevent easy access to your computer from the outside and restart your computer weekly. This will automatically install new updates if you have automatic update turned on.
Finally, back up your data to some external device. You can back up to an external hard drive, another computer, or to the internet. At least back up your valuable data to a DVD or CD.
Spam is another term for junk mail or unwanted email. Phishing scams and malware are often included in spam.
Don’t reply to spam. Opening or replying to spam tells the cybercriminal they have a valid email address. Instead, send spam to the Junk Mail Folder. I recommend turning off the preview pane so that emails are not automatically read. Be sure to check your Junk Mail Folder occasionally as valid email might inadvertently been sent there.
Be alert when reading email to identify and avoid phishing scams. Be careful when opening and reading emails that pretend to be from a bank or other trusted source. Be wary when the email has a sense of urgency suggesting you need to act immediately. By clicking on a link in the email you may be inviting a threat into your computer.
Don’t open any email attachment that you were not expecting. The email attachments are where the cybercriminals put the software that is a threat to your computer.
This is an example of a phishing spam that I received recently.
I do have an American Express Card so I read the email. It did not have an attachment but wanted me to click on the highlighted hyperlink.
Several things were ‘red flags’ and I moved the file to the Junk Folder. The email was addressed to my russ@ehamiltons.com email account. I never use that account for financial
correspondence. I looked at the date of the last transaction and that did not make any sense as I had not used my card for a while. I looked at the URL of the sender and saw they
misspelled American in the return email address. I did not see any of the usual security icons that would be present in a valid email. Finally, I knew that American Express would never send me an email urgently encouraging me to click on a link.
So, in this instance, several factors helped me determine this was a phishing email. I decided to notify American Express of the email.
Using the URL for American Express in my browser bookmarks, I went to the American Express web site. There I found at the bottom of the page a link to report spam and phishing threats. I clicked on Security Center and found the email address for reporting suspicious email.
I created a new email to spoof@americanexpress.comand clicked on Insert an Outlook Item. I selected the phishing email and attached it to the new email. After adding a few comments, I sent it to American Express.
American Express and other companies use information from users to deter phishing emails and also to notify users of email spam that is being distributed on the internet. By reporting this incident I am helping in a small way to make the internet safer.
The first and most important security feature is to keep your browser updated. This will insure the latest safety and security features are installed. Use bookmarks in your browser to avoid phishing scams. When you find a legitimate site, click to add it to your bookmarks. Then select the bookmark for that site from your bookmarks when you want to access it again.
Downloads are the easiest way for malware, spyware, and adware to access your computer. So, take precautions when downloading content to your computer. The two best defenses against infected downloads are your computer’s security programs and your own judgement. Treat all downloads as suspicious until you determine they are safe. Be very cautious of freeware (free software).
When prompted, it is best to save a download to your hard drive instead of running it. This gives security programs time to check downloads before you open them. Be aware that many programs place a ‘cookie’ on your computer for easier future use.
For more information on browser security, paste this link in our browser: http://www.gcflearnfree.org/internetsafety/5.2
Make sure the website is secure when conducting financial transactions on the Internet. The URL should always begin with https and the information you send is encrypted so it cannot be read by cybercriminals. The site may also display a security symbol.
Secure sites have an SSL certificate. The SSL certificate acts like a virtual passport or driver’s license. It means, ‘I am who I say I am’ and it enables encryption.
Many phishing scams are made to look like official notices from your bank, credit card company, or other financial institution. Never respond to emails, pop-ups, text messages, or phone calls from a financial institution asking for personal information –
including the IRS.
Always contact the institution to verify if there is a problem or question. Be sure to use a valid phone number of URL to contact the institution.
Most social networking sites require you to set up a profile to join. You should use your full name only on a site where you can limit sharing to people you know. For chat rooms and message boards, use only your first name or a pseudonym (fictitious name) because you are interacting with strangers.
I post pictures online for friends and family but only share the pictures with a small group of about 15 people. I use a different email address for posting pictures and get responses to the postings in that email account. . I do have my picture on my Facebook page so other people will know it is me they are friending.
You should be careful about what personal information you share in your profile. Try to never make your birthday or address
publicly available. Avoid including other contact information other than your email address for social networking connections. When interacting on the Internet, take your time and maintain control. Be sure you are contacting the correct people and sharing only the necessary information. Any time you feel
uncomfortable, you can end the communication without any need to explain.
A Service Set Identifier (SSID) is your Wireless Network Name. Any device that you want to connect to the network must know the SSID for that network. After installing your wireless devices, disable the SSID broadcasting so your SSID is not displayed.
Use a strong password on your wireless network to prevent unwanted access. Your wireless network should have WPA (Wi- Fi Protected Access) or WPA2. WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) is an older security protocol.
Care should be taken when accessing the Internet through Wi-Fi Hotspots in coffee shops, hotels, airports, libraries, and other public spots. While convenient, they are not a secure as your home network. Make sure it is a legitimate network by asking for the name of the free Wi-Fi. When accessing the Internet through Wi-Fi Hotspots, be sure your firewall is turned on and antivirus is up to date.
Be sure to disable File and Printer Sharing when using Wi-Fi Hotspots to prevent others from accessing your files.
Many internet sites are now asking for a phone number for verification purposes. This works particularly well if you have a smart phone. It is used to identify who you are.
When you attempt to access the internet site, you will be asked for your username and password. You enter those and then are prompted to enter an additional code that is sent to your smart phone or your email address. Once you receive that code on your phone or computer, you enter it into the required field and you are allowed to open your account.
This makes access to the account safer as access is only available with the username, password, and the computer- generated code. This makes it more difficult for hackers to access accounts using only a username and password.
This is often referred to a two-step authentication and is
becoming more prevalent on many financial sites and also sites where you maintain your profile. You must enter the code before you can update your profile.
This is an example of a verification code sent to my email
address by a financial institution. This code is provided via email (or message to a smart phone) after entering the username and password for the site.
After entering my username and password, the site sends me an email with a unique code. I enter the unique code in the web site and I have access to my accounts. This prevents anyone from accessing my financial account at that institution even if they know my username and password. They would also need to hijack my email or have access to my phone.
The verification codes are normally good for only a short time. After that time expires, they are no longer valid and a new computer-generated code will need to generated. The
verification code will only be sent to the email address or smart phone number on file in the account profile for the individual. This is an example of two-step security authorization and may be the future of security at many institutions. I know that Microsoft and Vanguard Securities as well as many banks offer two-step authentication.
Creating strong passwords is one of the best ways to safeguard personal information on your computer and the internet. The passwords should never include personal information and should be as long as possible. Be sure to use numbers, symbols,
uppercase and lowercase letters when creating a password. This makes the password much more difficult to crack. The best way to remember the passwords is to create a phrase for each password.
You should also use different passwords for each site. I vary the password depending on what kind of site I am accessing. For financial sites I make the password very long and complex.
There are several methods for creating passwords. I like using phrases but have found that using a Password Manager is the easiest way to store and remember my passwords. The Password Manager has a master password. I make that very long and difficult – but I only have to remember that one
password. Once I open the password safe, I have access to all the usernames and passwords for all the sites on the internet and software applications on my computer.
A password manager provides a tool to help manage all your passwords safely. It can help you to keep track of all the sites you visit on the Internet. It can also help remember passwords for your computer applications as well. It keeps the username, password, and URL for each Internet site. You can maintain notes on each site such as when you added the site or when you changed your password. I also use it to keep track of which bills I pay automatically with my credit card. When my credit card renews, I know which sites to update the expiration date.
The password manager makes it much easier to create unique passwords – especially for sites that you do not visit often. It has a simple search feature, so it is easy to find the password and username for each site.
The password manager does require a master password. This is the password that unlocks all the other passwords. You want the master password to be very difficult to crack, so make is a fairly difficult password. Remember, it is the only password you will need to remember for all the sites you visit.
Backing up your important data is critical. All of your data is gone if your computer crashes, is lost, or flooded. While there may be discussion about what and how to backup, there should be no question about backing up data.
The first question is who should back up the data. The real question is whether it should be manual or automated. I prefer automated backups because it will happen whether I remember or not.
You should plan on backing up all of the data in your Users folder. This will contain all your documents, pictures, videos, and music. I prefer to back up daily but no less than weekly. Daily backups mean I can only lose one days work.
Backups can be made to a local hard drive or to the internet. There are various backup services on the internet or you could backup up to a cloud service. The important thing is to have two copies of your data in two different places.
Backup are critical because so many things can happen to data. It can be accidentally deleted, a hard drive can crash, or it can be damaged or lost due to outside influences. When your data is stored off-site, you can always recover all your valuable data.
More and more of our personal information in now online. We have numerous places where we access or store information or both. Our interaction with these sites is determined by our username and password. This works well while we can maintain and remember all that information.
But what happens to our digital lives when we can no longer manage them. We need to think about what we would like to happen to the sites and who we would like to own them. Think of this like a will for our digital assets. To whom should we bestow these sites and what are our wishes.
A place to begin is to create a listing of all the sites, what they are for, including the username and password for each site. This all needs to be carefully stored and safeguarded.
I think a personal Password Safe is the perfect place to store all of the keys to our digital lives. It also provides a place to
describe the site contents and what we might like to happen to the contents. This is not an all-inclusive solution to the problem of our digital lives – but it is a good place to start.
For more information, paste this link in your browser:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/25/your-money/forgotten-in- estate-planning-online-passwords.html?_r=0
The URL for the Foothills Genealogical Society is
www.foothills.genealogy.organd can be accessed by pasting this URL in your browser. I bookmarked this site for easier access.
The navigation for the web site is very simple. There is a menu along the left side of the web site Home Page. Click on any menu item to go to that page. Clicking on Members Only will take you to the Login where you can enter your Username and Password. Once entered, you have access to membership information, past newsletters, other society newsletters, What’s New and more.
The Web Site contains information about all the current and upcoming events. The information is posted to the web site as soon as it is received, so the web site contains the latest information. The web site also contains information about the four counties for which we have done extensive research and indexing, cemetery records, current projects, and much more.
Listed below are some examples of the content of the web site:
There are newsletters from other societies in PDF format. These are added to the site as soon as they are received. The membership list provides a listing of all active members with contact information. The Member Downloads page found in the Members Only section contains copies of round table discussions, workshop and class handouts, and past copies of Foothills Inquirer. The latest What’s New is also available in the Members Only section.
Coming Events of interest to our members are posted on the web site. Many of these are also posted on the Home Page. Other
EasyNetSites of Genealogical and Historical societies are also listed on the web site. You can visit these sites by clicking on the Home Page listed on the page.
Many interesting stories written by our members are posted in the Ancestor’s Life and Times. There are fascinating stories about their ancestors. We encourage people to contribute to this section of the web site.
