Safety Tips for Parents

• Don’t support your child to sign up for sites that are 13+ if they are under age (Facebook, YouTube, Instagram etc.). Make sure your child sets their online accounts to private to limit access to people they know well (when they are old enough to sign up).
• Don’t send your photographs to unknown people.
• Don’t agree to meet any online friend without parents’ permission.
• Don’t delete harmful talks (emails, chat logs, call logs, posts, comments etc.) These may help provide vital information about the identity of the person behind these.
• Use content filtering softwares on your PC to protect children from pornography, online gambling, drugs, alcohol and other obscene materials.
• Parents need to monitor which sites are accessed by their children. Inappropriate content must be blocked, which is the best defense against illegal activities.
• Ensure that the home page of your devices is set to a child friendly.
• Parents must teach their children to take their permission before they download anything. This practice can help to keep unwanted software’s away from your device.
• Explore the Internet as a family. Encourage your child to take advantage of all knowledge the Internet has to offer.
• Take a genuine interest in what your kids are doing and stay engaged with them online. Play games with them, learn with them and give specific knowledge regarding cybercrime time to time
• Confirms the privacy settings in child’s online accounts.
• If an account is required, make a separate login account for kids; never let them use your account for online activities. This will enable you to keep a check on wrong activities.
• Teach kids not to interact with strangers online. Real time chats, instant messaging, social networking is a great way of discussing ones interests and build friendships but anonymity of internet can also put children at risk of falling victim to imposters.
• Don’t share your personal information. This means you should not share your last name, home address, or telephone number/mobile number to anyone. While providing personal information, you must ensure who is at receiving end.
• Turn off geo tagging in Child’s smartphone in some private applications like camera devices or photos.
• Children must be taught carefully to delete/avoid any email that ask for money, these are scams to steal your personal information
• Ensure your child that they can freely discuss their apprehensions if anything upsets them online.Encourage your child not to respond or retaliate to bullying. Report and block the bullies.
• Set up ‘safety mode’ on you tube to help filter out the legitimate content.
• Turn on google ‘safe search’ to filter out sexually explicit content from your search results.
• Lots of application is online available to locate child approximate location. You can install it in Child’s mobile phones.
• 21. Put computers in a communal area of the house and don’t allow portable internet devices (laptops, phones, tablets etc.) in the bedroom.

Safety Tips for Women

• Don’t give your personal information on social networking websites, chatrooms, message groups etc
• Do not share your last name, home address, professional details, telephone number/mobile number, date of birth etc.
• Don’t use a common password for all applications.Use strong passwords for all internet application
• Don’t upload high definition images and videos on internet.
• Try to use all security indicators provided by Service providers.
• Consider what you share and post in profiles. Think twice before you put it out on the web. Make sure the information you share is suitable for all eyes.
• Once review your all privacy settings in social network websites:Facebook and twitter, Edit these settings for your safety.
  1. Who can see your stuff?
  2. Who can contact you?
  3. What I do when someone bothering me?
  4. Who can look me up?
  5. Who can send you friend request?
  6. Review all posts and tweets on your timeline?
  7. Timeline and tagging options
  8. Mobile notification
  9. Trusted contacts
  10. Report option
• Don’t open email or other attachments from un-trusted sources.
• Don’t click on lured and fake links.
• If you are victim of any type of cybercrime like:
  1. cyber bullying,
  2. Harassment,
  3. Blackmailing,
  4. Cyber stalking
  Than be brave, share it to your parents/husband or any cyber security expert. In any serious issue you can contact to your local law enforcement agencies like police. Keep it in mind, if you will not raise your voice against this crime than criminal or stalker harassed you more and more.
• Know about your smartphone, lots of applications on women safety are freely available, use it.
• Off the location tab in smart phone if it is not necessary.
• Know when to use the geotagging feature and when not to. Private locations such as residences, schools, or a hotel room are private and it’s never wise to broadcast the address by geotagging. Public places such as events, an amusement park, a camping trip in the mountains, and so forth, might be fine for geotagging and can be a great way to keep tabs on the dates and locations of vacations and fun days.

Safety Tips for Email Users

• Keep strong password (combination of alphabets, numbers and special characters).
• Do not keep your computer& mobile unattended to avoid misuse.
• Review all settings once; don’t run your mailbox on default settings.
• Set a secondary mail and mobile number in your mailbox for recover your E-mail account in case of hacking and forget password.
• Also attach your mobile number for two way notification and additional security. It prevents your mail account from unauthorized access.
• In case of account hack,immediately contact to service provider.
• Reset your password of mail account on regular basis.
• Know the feature of message/mail header to report any sender. Every mail service provider gives this facility to every user.
• Use CC/BCC option to enhance privacy of information you share to multiple people.
• Avoid exposure of E-Mail account details such as user name and password to unknown /unauthorized persons while using E-Mail.
• Avoid unauthorized disclosure of email contents to protect privacy of Information.
• Avoid clicking of web-links provided in email messages to prevent secretly installation of a malware (e.g., virus, Trojan, etc.) on your computer.
• Keep Operating System and antivirus software updated with latest security updates / patches in the computer system used for email to prevent the exploitation of the weakness in the system.
• Be suspicious and careful while opening unexpected emails and attachments.
• Do not respond suspicious/banking-related (Phishing)/ winning lottery / fund transfer emails to avoid becoming a victim of financial frauds.
• Don’t delete any suspicious mail/chat of criminals, it become big evidence when you will report the crime.
• Enable spam filter to reduce amount of spam/junk emails.
• For Additional security for business mail accounts you can also use USB stick/key with google accounts only.

Safety Tips for Credit/Debit Cards Users

• Sign your card on the signature panel as soon as you receive it.
• Subscribe E-Mail and Mobile number for credit/debit card transactions.
• Don’t use default pin of cards .First of all change your default pin which is provided to you by banks. When selecting a PIN, avoid picking a number that is easy for others to guess. For example, telephone number, dates of birth, or any simple combination of these
• Don’t lend your credit/debit cards to anyone. You are responsible for their use. Don’t let your credit cards be used by others, even family and friends.
• Don’t write your personal identification number (PIN), especially on the back of your card. Memorize it.
• Don’t give your any personal information related to debit/credit card on phone, message or mail. Bank never asks for this information on mail, phone or message.
• When shopping, be sure that you get your card back after every purchase. Always make sure that sales vouchers are for the correct purchase amount before you sign them.
• Remove CVV (card verification value) number from your Debit/credit card. Memorize it. Card Verification Value [CVV] number which is the last three digits number printed on the backside of the card. In case of online payment, it works as verification entity.
• Ensure that card is swiped at the POS (point of Sell) terminal in your presence.
• Access your bank statement at frequent intervals to identify any unauthorized entries.
• Protect your cards as if they were cash; never let them out of your possession or control.
• In case of Lost or stolen of card, report to bank as soon as possible. You can adopt these following ways:
  1. Contact to Toll free number or other contact (written on backside of card, also available on bank website)
  2. If you are using Net banking or mobile banking than some banks give facility of blocking in net banking/ mobile banking applications.
  3. Some of banks also give the SMS facility to block/hotlist your cards; you can send a SMS from registered mobile to block your card.

Safety Tips for Social Networking websites Users

• Once review your all privacy settings in social network websites, Edit your these settings for your safety.
  1. Who can see your stuff?
  2. Who can contact you?
  3. What I do if someone bothering me?
  4. Who can look me up?
  5. Who can send you friend request?
  6. Review all posts and tweets on your timeline?
  7. Timeline and tagging options
  8. Password
  9. Mobile/Browser notification
  10. Trusted contacts
  11. Search engine presence
  12. Report option
• Be Respectful on Social networking site, it is not a playground; it is a public place.
• Protect your reputation on social networks. What you post online stays online. Think twice before posting status/pictures you wouldn’t want your parents, friends and employer to see.
• Keep personal information personal; be cautious about how much personal information you provide on social networking sites. Your Home address, mobile number and friends information should also private.
• Use caution when you click links. Links on posts, chats, messages which are looking malicious and fake then avoid them.
• Beware from strangers and fake identities. Don’t accept their friend request if they are unknown to you.
• Don’t believe on rumors; don’t believe everything you read online.
• Beware from third-party applications like games, predictions etc.
• Don’t write anything on political, spiritual and person level status.
• Be careful when you access your social networking accounts at public computers. Don’t give username and password to previously opened page. Check the URL first and then give login credentials.
• To find official pages celebrity, politician and brands, Check Blue check mark on their pages. Sometime, criminals make a fake page or id of renowned people and get connected with unaware people through chat and messages.
• Be honest if you’re uncomfortable, if a friend posts something about you that makes you uncomfortable or you think it is inappropriate on social networking site, let them know. Likewise, stay open-minded if a friend approaches you because something you’ve posted makes him or her uncomfortable. People have different tolerances levels on their personal identity.
• Don’t violate your company or employer social networking policies.
• Forget the popularity contest for e.g. most friends, most likes, most share etc. it is not a game, it is your own identity, safe it.

Online Banking Tips

• Don’t follow links, Type your E-banking URL.
• Don’t give your online banking password to anyone .Keep your password, Pin and card number confidential.
• Change your password and pin regularly. Use strong passwords; it may be combination of character, numbers and special symbols.
• Don’t access your online banking account on public computers/cyber cafés.
• Use virtual keypad for entering confidential information. It avoids your Key logs on malicious keyloggers or Trojan softwares.
• Look for a lock icon in the URL field of browser, Confirms SSL (secure socket layer) encryption.look for “https:” URL whereby the “s” stands for “secure” rather than a “http:”.
• Don’t share your confidential information like PIN, 3D secure code, one time password, CVV number and card number to anyone.
• Don’t write this information on your Credit and debit cards.
• Don’t download online banking applications from App stores, Go to official website of Bank for it.
• Keep checking your account regularly. Take statements of transactions on regular basis.
• Always use licensed antivirus software.
• Disconnect the internet when not in use.
• If your subscribed mobile number with your bank account is not working than change it immediately or subscribe another mobile number with your accounts.
• If your log-in IDs or passwords appear automatically on the sign-in page of a secure website, you should disable the “Auto Complete” function to increase the security of your information.
• Do not save confidential information such as your debit/credit card numbers, CVV numbers or PIN’s on your mobile phone.
• If you have to share your mobile with anyone else or send it for repair/maintenance
  1. Clear the browsing history
  2. Clear cache and temporary files stored in the memory as they may contain your account numbers and other sensitive information
  3. Block your mobile banking applications by contacting your bank. You can unblock them when you get the mobile back.
• Always check the last log-in to your Internet Banking account.

Safety Tips for Cyber Cafe Users

• Don’t leave your identity card for photo copy at cyber cafe owner’s desk.
• Don’t give your username and password to cyber cafe owner or anyone else in Cyber Café to check your e-mail. Username and passwords always be entered by their owners.
• Don’t surf directly, you always should check about the browser security to avoid risks of exposing personal information such as disabling the option “Remember my ID on this computer”. Disable the entire features that stores passwords.
• Don’t surf the web through already opened web browsers; open a new web browser to surf the web.
• Make sure that it has up to date Antivirus Software. These may help to stop some of the key loggers, Trojans and other malware. Force Cyber Cafe Owner to allocate you a computer loaded with updated antivirus software.
• Don’t give your private information like Date of birth, academic details, phone number, PAN number, bank details, Debit/credit cards, PIN, CVV number, address etc. at the time of filling online examination form, online tenders, E-commerce activities etc. To cyber café owner.
• Don’t access your online banking applications at Cyber café.
• A key logger is basically a spyware it records your key logs so that your username and password are made available to Cyber cafe owner or any Attacker. Some of Cyber Cafes may use Hardware key loggers so that you check that there is an intermediate device between your keyboard and CPU.
• You can use virtual keyboard/onscreen keyboard when entering personal information. It is an additional safety to prevent you from key loggers.
• If you store or download any personal information on Desktop in cyber cafe make sure you delete all the documents after you have completed your work. Also delete it from Recycle bin.
• Don’t leave the computer unattended with sensitive information on the screen.
• Don’t enter sensitive information into a public computer.
• Don’t attach your mobile phone with cyber café computers. These computers are biggest carrier of viruses for your personal devices. Scan your other removable devices used at cyber café before plugging it in your own computer system.
• Finally, always make sure to logout properly when you leave Cyber cafe.

NOTE: If you are not so much user friendly with Internet technologies than chose offline mode facilities, if it is mandatory than beware for your personal information (your ATM card details, address, academic details, phone number etc.)

Safety Tips for Home PC Users

• Don’t use pirated operating system on your personal computer. Purchase a genuine operating system for your PC. Cracked and pirated operating system is a biggest career of malicious programs.
• Don’t run your personal computer without reputable and updated antivirus. Purchase reputable antivirus software for your PC. Regular update your antivirus program.
• Don’t download freeware from third party applications, go to original website of these softwares and download it form here.
• Don’t turn off your firewall application. It gives you notification in case of any suspicious activity at your PC.
• Don’t install any third party software, plugin with browser.
• Don’t use easy guessable passwords, choose strong passwords: Use combination of special characters, numbers, lowercase and uppercase letters.
• Don’t write passwords on desk and other nearby places.
• Don’t use Removable drives directly on your PC. Scan it first, and then use it.
• Don’t use pirated websites like www.songs.pk to download music files from internet.
• For more security, you can use BIOS password.
• Don’t click on suspicious or phishing links. Don’t click Agree, OK, or I accept in banner ads, in unexpected pop-up windows with warnings or offers to remove spyware or viruses, or on websites that may not seem legitimate. Use Ctrl+F4 to close current program, instead click on OK.
• If it is a common PC to all family members than you can create member login for every member.
• Always keep your computer up to date with all software update.
• When you are not using your computer turn it off.
• Backup your computer regularly. If you have configured your pc with any cloud facility like i-cloud, Google drive, drop box etc. than it is not necessary.
• Don’t save your important files on desktop and operating system drive, try to save it in different drive. It is better in case of system crash.
• Clear the cache and other temporary files of browser regularly.
• Try to keep updated with new computer technologies.

Safety Tips for Smartphone Users

• Don’t avoid Manufacturer manuals, Read the manufacturer manuals carefully and follow the guidelines to setup your smartphone.
• Record the IMEI (International mobile equipment identity) for tracking the mobile number in case of lost and theft. Generally it is printed on the bill, printed on the phone just below of the battery. You can also know your IMEI number by pressing *#06# on your phone.
• Don’t keep your phone unattended, because your Mail, social networking applications are running regularly on it.
• Don’t run your smartphone without any pin, password and pattern. Choose a non-guessable Pin, Password and pattern for your phone.
• Don’t download application from untrusted stores. In case of android phone, I-phone and windows phone, Google play store, app store, and window store respectively. In case of banking apps you should go to official bank site and download application from here.
• Don’t share your banking information in messages, WhatsApp etc. if it necessary than delete it immediately after sending it.
• Ensure that your phone locks itself automatically.
• Install security softwares on your phone. There are lots of paid and free apps are available which can secure you from malware, support for remote wipe, GPS location of your phone in case of mobile theft etc.
• Customize your applications for geotagging permissions carefully. Disable it in photos and contacts moblie applications.
• Backup your data regularly. Today it is very easy, you just auto configure your mobile with cloud services like iCloud, google drive etc.
• Keep your operating system and apps updated.
• Turn off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth when it is not in use.

Safety Tips for Public Wi-Fi Users

• Don’t connect automatically with public Wi-Fi Spot. Disable this setting from your devices.
• Don’t connect with spoofed (similar name) Wi-Fi. First confirm the network name.
• Don’t access everything on Public Wi-Fi. Keep in mind one thing that it is not your home broadband service.
• Don’t share and access sensitive & personal information at public Wi-Fi. Avoid online Banking, Mail access, downloading and other important applications at public Wi-Fi. Use it for surfing only.
• Don’t run your devices on default settings. Off geotagging options and enable other available security features in devices.
• Don’t access public Wi-Fi which runs without any security. Confirms security level of Public Wi-Fi, WPA-2 encryption is most secure connection than WPA-1 and WEP.
  Some other secure Wi-Fi provides you access after authentication, for e.g. .they use your mobile number, PNR number, username for authentication.
• Don’t keep your Wi-Fi connection and Bluetooth connection ON every time. Turn off your Wi-Fi connection when you are not using it.
• Don’t misuse any Wi-Fi connection. It is a cyber-crime under Section 66 and section 66F of Indian IT act.
• Run Antivirus Software on your devices.
• You can use virtual private network (VPN) or private browsing features for safe surfing.

Safety Tips for Home Wi-Fi & Broadband connections

• Don’t run your Home Wi-Fi connections on default settings. Reset it.
• Don’t choose by default & easy key/password for your Home Wi-Fi. Avoid 12345, admin, 12345678, your name, similar as SSID (Service set identifier / Broadcast network name).
• Don’t broadcast your SSID to everyone. It is important when it is public Wi-Fi where new roam users come to access it. In case of home Wi-Fi it is unnecessary.
• Don’t run your home Wi-Fi without key or password (open mode), also avoid WEP encryption. Choose strong WPA-2 encryption for connection. WEP can be cracked easily through packet sniffing.
• Don’t publish your network information on desk, PC and nearby your broadband device.
• Don’t keep it ON 24*7.Turn off your wireless network when you know you won’t use it.
• Don’t allow everyone on your network. Limit access to your network. You can use MAC address of devices for it.
• Don’t misuse any Wi-Fi connection. It is a cyber-crime under Section 66 and section 66F of Indian IT act.
• Also change preset password of router. Generally it is “admin”. Also change it.
• Know your Router device. Access it and configure it for your virtual security.
• You can use parental control to limit open access of network. You can block the website at router.