Privacy and National Security

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Privacy and National Security
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Internet Privacy

• Internet Privacy consists of privacy over the
  media of the Internet the ability to control
  what information one reveals about oneself over
  the Internet, and to control who can access that
  information. When you are surfing the web you may
  think you are anonymous, but there are various
  ways that information about you or your
  activities can be collected without your
  knowledge or consent.

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Cookies

• A cookie is a piece of information that an
  Internet website sends to your browser when you
  access information at that site. Upon receipt of
  the information your browser saves the
  information on your hard-disk (unless your
  browser doesn't support cookies). Each time you
  use your computer to access that same website,
  the information that was previously received is
  sent back to the website by your browser. Most
  commonly used browsers support the use of
  cookies.

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Cookies

• Cookies have become perhaps the most
  widely-recognized privacy risk. Cookies allow
  website operators to assign a unique permanent
  identifier to a computer which can be used to
  associate the requests made to the website from
  that computer.
• Cookies indicate to a website that you have been
  there before and can be used to record what parts
  of a website you visit. While cookies in
  themselves may not identify you, in the way a
  name or address does, a cookie could potentially
  be linked with other identifying information. For
  example, if you provide extra information about
  yourself to the website by buying something
  on-line or subscribing to a free service, then
  the cookies can be used to build up a profile of
  your buying habits and what you are interested
  in. They can then be used to tailor banner
  advertising to your interests.

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Privacy

• There may already be information about you
  published on the Web
• Governments, schools, businesses and other
  organizations may have already collected personal
  information about you. Information collected by
  governments is sometimes publicly available in
  the form of Public Registers. The Electoral Roll,
  and the Telephone Directory are Public Registers.
  Your school, university or employer may publish
  your name or other information about you. Much
  personal information which is publicly available
  has been collected and combined into databases by
  web based companies which then sell this
  information to businesses or individuals.
  Comprehensive and sometimes inaccurate profiles
  of individuals can be derived by combining
  information from many sources.
• As there is little or no law anywhere in the
  world governing this sort of activity there's not
  much you can do about it, but at least you can be
  aware of it.

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Privacy

• Is There Privacy in the Workplace?
• Employers want to be sure their employees are
  doing a good job, but employees don't want their
  every sneeze or trip to the water cooler logged.
  That's the essential conflict of workplace
  monitoring.
• New technologies make it possible for employers
  to monitor many aspects of their employees' jobs,
  especially on telephones, computer terminals and
  through electronic and voice mail.
  Suchmonitoring is virtually unregulated.
  Therefore, unless company policy specifically
  states otherwise, your employer may listen, watch
  and read most of your workplace communications.

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• Computer Monitoring
• If you have a computer terminal at your job, it
  may be youremployer's window into your
  workspace. There are several types of computer
  monitoring.
• 1. Employers can use computer software that
  enables them to see what is on the screen or
  stored in the employees' computer terminals and
  hard disks.
• 2. People involved in intensive word-processing
  and data entry jobs may be subject to keystroke
  monitoring. This system tells the manager how
  many keystrokes per hour each employee is
  performing. It also may inform employees if they
  are above or below the standard number of
  keystrokes expected. Keystroke monitoring has
  been linked with health problems including
  stressdisabilities and physical problems like
  carpal tunnel syndrome.
• 3. Another computer monitoring technique allows
  employers to keep track of the amount of time an
  employee spends away from the computer or idle
  time at the terminal.

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• Is electronic mail private? What about voice
  mail?
• In most cases, no. If an electronic mail (e-mail)
  system is used at a company, the employer owns it
  and is allowed to review its contents. Messages
  sent within the company as well as those that are
  sent from your terminal to another company or
  from another company to you can be subject to
  monitoring by your employer. The same holds true
  for voice mail systems. Court cases are currently
  pending in which employees' rights to privacy on
  electronic mail systems are being considered.
• When I delete messages from my terminal, are they
  still in the system?
• Yes. Electronic and voice mail systems retain
  messages in memory even after they have been
  deleted. Although it appears they are erased,
  they are often permanently "backed up on
  magnetic tape, along with other important data
  from the computer system.

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Security Tips

• 1) Use anti-virus software.
• A computer virus is a program that can invade
  your computer and damage or destroy information.
  Anti-virus software is designed to protect you
  and your computer against known viruses. But with
  new viruses emerging daily, anti-virus programs
  need to be updated regularly. Check with the web
  site of your anti-virus software company to see
  some sample descriptions of viruses and to get
  regular updates for your software. Stop viruses
  in their tracks!
• 2) Do not open email from unknown sources.
• Delete email from unknown sources. Watch out for
  files attached to e-mails, particularly those
  with an "exe" extensioneven if people you know
  sent them to you. Some files transport and
  distribute viruses and other programs that can
  permanently destroy files and damage computers
  and Web sites. Do not forward e-mail if you are
  not completely sure that any attached files are
  safe.
• 3) Disconnect from the Internet when not in use.
• The Internet is a two-way road. You get
  information and also send information. Turning
  off the Internet makes sure that someone else on
  the Internet cant enter your computer and cause
  harm. Disconnecting your computer from the
  Internet when you are not online lessens the
  chance that someone will be able to access your
  computer.
• 4)Use hard-to-guess passwords and keep them
  private.
• Do not write passwords down on small pieces of
  paper taped to your computer. You would be
  surprised how many people are sloppy about
  keeping their passwords private. Passwords that
  are easy to-guess are a bad choice. In other
  words, if your name is "Dan" do not make your
  password "Dan." Change your passwords regularly
  and dont give your passwords to anyone! Tell
  your family that combinations of letters, numbers
  and symbols are harder to crack than just words.
• 5)Back-up your computer regularly.
• Help your family back up all household computers
  onto external media such as CDs or diskettes.

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Security Tips

• 6)Regularly download security protection update
  patches.
• Security flaws are regularly found in operating
  systems and application software. Companies that
  make software release quick fixes called
  "patches" that you should install to correct the
  latest software flaw. It is a good idea to check
  for security updates on the publisher's Web site
  for all the software you own.
• 7)Help your family to check computer security on
  a regular basis.
• Evaluate computer security at least twice a
  year. To help remember, do it when you change the
  clocks for daylight-savings time! Check for all
  of the items listed previously.
• 8)Do not share access to your computers with
  strangers. Learn about file sharing risks.
• Your computer operating system may allow other
  computers on a network, including the Internet,
  to access the hard-drive of your computer in
  order to "share files". This ability to share
  files can be used to infect your computer with a
  virus or look at the files on your computer if
  you do not pay close attention. Check your
  operating system and other program help files to
  learn how to disable file sharing. Do not share
  access to your computer with strangers!
• 9)Protect computers with firewalls.
• Install firewalls for your family-it is not
  difficult. A firewall helps prevent hackers from
  breaking into your computer or the computers that
  belong to your family. Firewalls help prevent
  thieves from stealing and using private
  information including your phone number and
  credit card numbers, which may be stored on a
  family computer.

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Privacy and Security Videos

• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vVoefeFAwEfM
  Privacy
• http//www.youtube.com/watch?vO6-2ObBeDtE -
  Security

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Security

• How to protect your information online

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Phishing

• Typically through email or instant message
• Many different methods
• False links
• Web addresses
• Phones

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Phishing Protection

• Delete any unusual email or messages
• Avoid any strange links
• Dont email personal or finance information
• Forward any email you suspect might be spam to
  spam_at_uce.gov

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Spyware

• Often attached to downloadable software or
  applications
• Installed without users knowledge
• Sometimes used in advertising

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Anti-Spyware

• Created in response to a growing number of
  spyware related problems
• Block and remove spyware
• False anti-spyware

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Ways to Prevent Spyware

• Make sure you have legitimate spyware protection
• Avoid suspicious download requests
• Dont click on links within pop-ups

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Wireless

• Convenient for internet on the go
• Unprotected networks could lead to piggybacking
  or leaking of your information
• Overlap of networks may occur if not secure

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Wireless Protection

• Always make sure your network is secure
• Turn off wireless network when it isnt in use
• Avoid sending personal information or logging in
  to password protected sites

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File Sharing

• Connects many computers to larger network
• Allows users to connect directly to your computer
• Can be used to distribute viruses, spyware or spam

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Secure File Sharing

• Always have a firewall on and anti-spyware
  programs up to date
• Be aware of what you are downloading
• Close connection after use

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USA PATRIOT Act and Librarians

• USA PATRIOT Act
• Affect on Librarians
• Information the FBI can retrieve from your
  Library records
• Connecticut Librarians
• Affects on College Students

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The USA PATRIOT Act

• October 26, 2001 About 6 weeks after 9/11, the
  USA PATRIOT Act was enacted.
• Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing
  Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and
  Obstruct Terrorism
• The Acts purpose was to "deter and punish
  terrorist acts in the United States and around
  the world, to enhance law enforcement
  investigatory tools, and for other purposes."

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George Bush Signing the USA PATRIOT Act in 2001
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(No Transcript)
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Section Affecting Librarians

• Title II Advanced Surveillance Procedures
• Section 215 Access to records and other items
  under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.
• National Security Letters (NSL)

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The FBI can retrieve any information about you
that the library has. This may include, but is
not limited to Books other materials youve
checked out Searches youve done on the library
computers, including places youve visited on the
Internet Books other materials youve
borrowed through interlibrary loan When where
youve signed up to use library computers, study
rooms, etc. Notes taken by librarians when
helping you with a question
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http//www.aclu.org/images/nationalsecurityletters
/asset_upload_file924_25995.pdf
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College Students vs. the PATRIOT Act
Brown University ACLU Patriot Act/Students Rights
Resolution
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References
http//www.endevil.com/images/George_Bush.jpg
http//www.libsci.sc.edu/BOB/class/clis748/Stude
ntwebguides/fall02/USAPatriotActConroy.html http
//www.aclu.org/natsec/gen/25702prs20060530.html h
ttp//www.librarian.net/technicality.html http//
brown.edu/Students/ACLU/patriot-act-res.html http
//www.zmag.org/cartoons/toons/1482.jpg http//ww
w.ala.org/ala/oif/ifissues/usapatriotact.htm http
//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/12/Pat
riotactsigning.jpg
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Works Cited

• Totty, Michael. (2007, January 9). How to Protect
  Your Private Information. The New York Times, p.
  R1
• http//cybercoyote.org/security/intro.shtml,
  retrieved April 15, 2007
• http//onguardonline.gov/index.html, retrieved
  April 16, 2007
• http//www.consumerwebwatch.org/privacy.cfm,
  retrieved April 16,2007