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The internet is a wonderful tool. It is no longer a toy only for the researchers and the wealthy. It has become a vital part of daily living. Even if we don’t have a home computer, if we just use a land-based phone, a cell phone, or a debit or credit card at a retail store, we are using computers and electronic networks. When we bring a cell phone, laptop- or desktop-computer into the household we are accepting the responsibility to use it both responsibly and safely.

Banks, shopping websites, government websites and any website that collects and uses private information of their customers or clients can only protect what is theirs and what is under their control. The same is true for the home computer user. When we visit a website with scads of active spyware and viruses installed and active on our home computer, we are begging for identity theft and cybercrime. Banks, for example, can secure their website with the latest security technology so that their customers can perform safe transactions. But, they can’t protect against spyware (such as the Gozi Trojan) that convinces the home computer’s operating system it is a vital part and does its mischief before the encryption process begins on secured webpages. This means that even though you made sure you were at a secured paged (with https: in the address bar or the closed lock icon in your browser) and the banking website has the latest security procedures for you to follow, your information was still compromised because of the unknown active spyware on your home computer.

I certainly am not saying that all responsibility for safety with electronic networks lies with the internet user. Each website, retail store, government agency, business and library must accept responsibility to make the interaction between their business and the internet user as safe as possible for all participants. The basic internet safety principles don’t change.

Just as each home computer should have the latest security updates downloaded and installed for each operating system and program installed, businesses should also have the most recent versions and security updates installed on their servers and terminals for all installed software and operating systems. Businesses also need to pay attention to vendor and employee permissions on their servers just as home computer users should have an administration user that is only used when new hardware or software is installed and updated or when permissions for the different users need to be changed. Everyday online surfing should be done through a user logon instead of the administrator logon with the home computer.
There is no reason any computer connected to the internet should be without a firewall, anti-virus and anti-spyware software. There are online services such as PC Pitstop.com that can supplement free versions if the internet user can’t afford the software. All each person can do is secure the computers each family member uses. When we protect ourselves, we are helping to protect our neighborhood and the larger community.