Cyber Safety

Cyber safety refers to the safe and responsible use of

Internet to ensure safety and security of personal information
and not posing threat to anyone else’s information.
Identity Theft
Identity theft is a type of fraud that involves using someone
else’s identity to steal money or gain benefits.
Online identity theft refers to an act of stealing someone’s
personal information such as name, login details etc. and
then posing as that person online
The type of information compiled through web usage
patterns are :
1. IP Address :
• IP Address is a unique address of your device when you
connect to Internet.
• From IP Address, a website can determine your rough
geographical location.
2. Cookies and Tracking Scripts
• Cookies are small text files created by web sites on your computer
storing small piece of information related to your online habits.
Cookies can be :
• First Party Cookies : These are the cookies that store your own
login id, passwords, auto fill information etc. for some websites that
you frequently visits.
• Third Party Cookies : These are the cookies that websites store to
know about your search history and web browsing history so as to
place advertisements as per your interests.
3. HTTP Referrer
If you click a link to an outside website on a webpage, then
the linked website will get opened and internally information
about you such as your IP Address, location, Your web
browser, machine tye etc will also be provided to the linked
website. This is known as HTTP Referrer.
4. Super Cookies
• Super cookies are also cookies but these are persistent
cookies i.e., they come back even after you delete them.
• Super cookies store cookie data in multiple places.
5. User Agent
• Your browser also sends a user agent every time you
connect to a website.
• This tells websites your browser and operating system,
providing another piece of data that can be store and
used to target ads.
Anonymous browser :
• It allow users to view websites without revealing any
personal information the user like their IP Address,
machine type, location etc.
• Anonymous browser lets users access websites
anonymously.
• The most well-known as anonymous browser is ‘The Tor
Browser’. Tor stands for ‘The Onion Router’.
Private browsing : A type of browsing wherein browser opens
in incognito mode or through proxy or VPN and does not
store cookies about your online activity, is called Private
Browsing.
 Incognito Browsing : It opens up a version of the browser
that will not track your activity. It’s particularly useful if you
are entering sensitive information data like bank details
into the browser.
Proxy :
 It works by acting as a middleman between your
computer and the website you want to access.
 The tracking website will get the IP Address and
information that belongs to the proxy site, not your device.
VPN (Virtual Private Network)
 VPN is a method used to add security and privacy to
private and public networks, like Wifi hotspots and the
Internet.
 VPNs are most often used by corporations to protect
sensitive data.
 You can set up a VN at home to protect yourself from
hackers trying to access your sensitive information.
Confidentiality : Confidentiality of information ensures that
only authorized users get access to sensitive and protected
data.
Best Practices used to ensure confidentiality are as follows :
1. Use firewall wherever possible :
• Firewall is a program that monitors all communications
and traps all illicit packets.
• So only authentic users can use your system.
2. Control browser setting block tracking :
• We can turn our browsing settings to exclude cookies,
especially third party cookies.

3. Browse privately wherever possible.

4. Be careful while posting on Internet.
5. Ensure safe sites while entering crucial information
• Type the URL of the website in the address bar.
• Ensure that the address contains https://.
6. Carefully handle emails
7. Do not give sensitive information on wireless networks.
8. Avoid using public computers.
CYBERCRIME : Any criminal offense that is facilitated by, or
involves the use of, electronic communications or
information systems, including any electronic device,
computer, or the Internet is referred to as Cybercrime.

Cyber Troll : Derogatory messages or comments posted

online targeting people are called cyber trolls.
Cyber Bullying : Harassing, Demeaning, embarrassing,
defaming or intimidating someone using modern
technologies like Internet, cell phones, Instant messengers,
social networks, etc, is called Cyber Bullying.
Common Social networking sites
1. Facebook
2. Twitter
3. LinkedIn
4. Instagram
Digital Footprint : Digital footprints are the records and traces
individuals’ activities as they sue the Internet. Digital footprints are
permanently stored.

Privacy Settings : It is always a good idea to set up privacy settings

yourself by using Account Settings. Through Privacy settings, you can
control :
• Who all can see what you have posted.
• Who all can send requests to you
• What all information about you is visible to others, even to your
contacts etc.
Social Media Usage Rules
1. Be authentic
2. Use a Disclaimer
3. Don’t pick Fights online
4. Don’t use fake name or pseudonyms
5. Protect your identity
6. Does your information/Post pass the publicity test ?
7. Respect your audience
8. Respect others sentiments.
9. Monitor Comments