Raise Your

Safety Bar

Today

W

e don’t want you to have to read
through this whole book before you
begin using online safety practices. You can
take some simple steps today that will help
you avoid online risks, and then you can build
on that knowledge and acquire a deeper under-
standing of online risk as you go through the
rest of the chapters in this book.

People fail to account for many risks not
because they’re dumb but because rules con-
tinue to change. Forty years ago, nobody
locked their mailbox or shredded their mail
because we didn’t have to. Today, people rou-
tinely take such precautions.

The need to stay safe online is likewise a newer
phenomenon, and you can start today to adapt
your behavior to improve the safety of you and
your loved ones.

Avoid Online Chain Letters

An online chain letter may be amusing, or it
may carry hidden risks. Many chain letters urge
you to take some action online that makes you

3

In this chapter...

➟Avoid Online Chain Letters ....39

➟Don’t Play Russian Roulette

with Links............................41

➟Create Safer E-Mail Aliases....44

➟Use Passwords Wisely..........46

➟Recognizing Weak

Passwords ..........................47

➟Create Stronger Passwords ....48

➟Beware of Simple

Password Hints ....................50

➟Figure Out Who’s

Exposing You ......................51

➟Be Careful What You

Share Online ......................52

➟Avoid Risky Default Settings ....54

➟Spot Bad Sites a Mile

Away ................................56

➟Understand the Risks in

Contests and Sweepstakes ....58

➟

Chapter