Best practices for use of technology

1. Stay off suspicious web pages

2. Verify the link before you click on it: This is a REALY COOL web page... You should be able to see the link before you click it and make sure it is reasonable to go to.

   1. What are some things to look for in a link?

      1. Anatomy of a URL

      2. Chages in the URL domain: re-connections.org vs reconnections.org even though they look similar they are not the same.

      3. Misspelled words: re-connections.org vs re-conections.org again looks similar but not

      4. Changes in look-a-like replacements: alright.org vs a1right.org again it may look the same but they are not.

   2. Be aware that links are found not just on web pages but in emails, text, documents, QR-codes

3. When working with sensitive information (banking, health, purchases) use HTTPS

Safe Browsing

Good Passwords

1. Use strong passwords

   1. Use rules of the site you are working with

   2. If possible, use at least one of each: lowercase, uppercase, numbers, special symbols.

   3. If possible use minimum 12 characters but more is better.

   4. consider a phrase that you can remember but would be hard to guess

      1. An example: 1l1k3IceCream@night!

2. Do not reuse passwords on multiple systems

3. Do not store your passwords on insecure systems (EXCEL, Word, Notepad...)

4. Use a good password vault: Some possible examples

Use of a VPN

Use good anti-virus protection software

A VPN (Virtual Private Network) helps protect you from network monitors. If you are using your device and it is connected to an open network such as a coffee house or motel, it is possible for someone to see all the information you send over the network (ID's, Passwords, ...). If you are using HTTPS this is limited but the use of a VPN will secure all network traffic.

There are several good anti-virus programs. These will continue to monitor activity and when a malicious file is loaded on the device the program will be flagged and quarantined and the user will be notified.

Consider the use of a web filter

These will block sites that have suspicious content.

Regularly monitor your accounts

• Keep an eye on your accounts. If you see an unexpected/unknown transaction, reach out to the account host (bank, credit union,....) and verify what it is. The sooner an issue is found and identified the easier it is to resolve.

• Check to see if your information has been leaked. Most institutions will reach out to you if they have a leak. You can also check at this site for known leaks: Have I been pwned.