Week Eight

Online communication tools are essential for keeping up with people effectively and efficiently. Students and parents will forget to return phone calls or loose papers, but they will usually respond quickly when they receive an email or social network message. However, it is very important that we stay proactive in our online security.

In order to prevent malicious software teachers need to understand know the areas of concern for susceptibility. There are many types of computer viruses, Trojan horses, and computer worms. Just as in many areas of life, you are only as secure as your weakest link. Computer viruses are software programs that are designed to spread from one computer to another and interfere with your operations. Viruses can attack your data, email and even your hard disk. They are often spread through email attachments. It is very important that we intentionally check our email for suspicious attachments. Viruses can also spread through downloads on the internet, so checking your sources before downloading is also a good idea.

A Trojan horse looks like a legitimate download or software, yet it is very tricky. Trojan horses cause lots of annoying results. A Trojan horse will change things like your desktop picture or get more serious and delete files. They could also possibly compromise your personal information. Luckily, Trojan horses do not reproduce themselves.

            A computer worm is a sub-class of a virus.  They spread from computer to computer but must have human action in order to travel.  A worm can replicate itself into hundreds of copies.  It can be especially dangerous if it copies itself to everyone in your email address book.  A recent worm, called the Blaster Worm, was designed to enter your system and allow malicious users to control your computer from a remote location

          I believe the most important tool to use when dealing with internet security is your common sense.  If you see an email or download from someone you don’t know or a company you’ve never heard of, do some research first before opening it.  You should always be cautious when you’re online.