Avoid Internet nuisances and crime

From time to time email messages carry viruses or links to fraudulent web sites. It is important to learn how to deal with these messages in order to prevent the computer or personal information from being compromised or misused.

Typically such messages are sent by strangers. However, sometimes this type of email appears to be from a trusted acquaintance, even though that person did not really send it. It is possible to include a fake sender email address in emails.

Unwanted (unsolicited) mail tends to fall into one of several categories:

  • Spam (junk) email with offers for unwanted services and products.

  • Scam emails asking for help in exchange for money.

  • Phishing email, that appears to be from a bank or other online service, asking for personal and financial details or passwords.

Below are some tips for keeping safe online:

  • Never reply to unsolicited mail or click on the links in the mail. Doing so usually results in more junk email.

  • Never click on links in emails that lead to web sites asking for passwords or similar information. It is possible for the text of the link to show one address, but clicking on the link actually connects to a different (possibly dangerous) address. Instead of clicking a potentially misleading link, type the link address directly into a web browser.

  • When visiting a web site that asks for financial information, ensure that it is secure. Konqueror and Firefox are two browsers commonly used in Kubuntu. Both have two areas that indicate if the current page is secure. On secure web pages, the address bar will have a yellow background and a lock symbol to the right of the address. The second area is the status bar located at the bottom right of the browser window. If the page is secure, a lock icon will appear in this area. Clicking on either of the lock symbols will produce a dialog that explains the type of licensing and security for the page.

  • Only download and run software from trusted sources. By default, software can only be downloaded directly from Ubuntu.