Safe Internet Browsing

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Safe Internet Browsing

• Cyber Security Awareness Month
• October 2006

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Safe Internet Browsing

• What are we going to talk about?
• Zombies
• Rats
• Spyware
• Safe Ecommerce
• Resources

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Zombies

• What is a zombie?
• Zombie A computer that has been implanted with a
  daemon that puts it under the control of a
  malicious hacker without the knowledge of the
  computer owner.
• Zombie computers are combined to create botnets
• Botnets can include as many as 100,000 individual
  zombie computers

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Zombies

• Is your computer a Zombie?
• You may never know!
• Zombie symptoms
• Slow Slow Slow
• Re-directed web sites
• The FBI knocking on your door
• Weird ports open

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Weird Ports Weird Science

• Start
• Run
• CMD
• Netstat -a

• SamSpade.org
• DNSSTUFF.org

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Zombies cont

• Your computer must be online and on the Internet
  in order for it to be used as a Zombie
• How do I get infected?
• Inadvertently from malicious websites
• Joke email photos, games, attachments
• Instant messaging
• File sharing music, video, games

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RAT

• Remote Access Trojans (RATs) are malicious
  software programs that enable criminals to
  control your computer through your Internet
  connection

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Zombies and RATs, cont

• How does your computer become a Zombie or RAT?
• Code is downloaded from a source
• Email
• Instant messaging
• Web browsing
• File sharing
• Doing nothing at all?!?!

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Zombies and RATs cont

• What can Zombies and RATs do?
• Attack other computers
• Expose you to scams
• Find your files and view, copy, alter, or delete
  them
• Steal your credit account numbers, bank account
  number, identity
• Key loggers - Record your typing and send that
  info to another computer

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Spyware

• What is it?
• Collection of technologies that help external
  parties in gathering information about a person
  or organization without their knowledge
• Types
• Adware
• Hijackers
• Keyloggers
• Plug-ins
• Phishers

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Spyware cont

• How do you get infected?
• Infected freeware
• Peer to peer file sharing (to share music and
  videos)
• Instant messaging
• Surfing the web
• Symptoms of infection Visible
• Redirected searches
• Pop up ads
• Erratic email behavior
• Slow internet connection speeds
• New and strange sites on your favorites or
  bookmarks

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Spyware, Symptoms cont

• Symptoms Hidden
• Gathering of personal information
• Credit card info
• Passwords
• Financial information
• Browsing habits
• Read and disclose the contents of files on your
  hard drive

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Spyware, Symptoms cont

• Im infected! What do I do?
• Use utilities to clean up malicious software
• Lavasoft Adaware
• Spybot Search and Destroy
• SpoofStick
• Manual removal
• Step by step instructions
• www.2-spyware.com

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Spyware, What to do cont

• Prevention
• There is no silver bullet to stop or prevent
  spyware
• Overall awareness
• Understand the warning signs and symptoms
• Routine maintenance
• Run spyware removal tools
• Keep system updated

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Spyware, Prevention cont

• Use a firewall
• Some anti-virus programs now provide spyware
  protection
• DO NOT put personal information on public
  computers such as labs or library machines

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Spyware cont

• Whats GU doing about this?
• Layered defense
• Campus firewall prevents spyware infected
  machines from transmitting information to 3rd
  parties
• Spam filter appliance stops some spyware from
  being distributed via email
• Enterprise antivirus software investigates
  email at a higher level than the appliance

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Spyware, Whats GU doing cont

• Desktop antivirus client prevents spyware
  infections to a degree (not foolproof because
  users tend to OK the installation of the spyware)
• Desktop firewall prevents infected machines
  from transmitting and receiving data on
  non-standard ports
• User awareness understand the symptoms of
  spyware infections and how spyware gets installed
  in the first place

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Safe Ecommerce

• Keep your transactions secure
• Look for the bank or on-line store privacy and
  security practices, or contact the company
  directly
• Look for the lock and HTTPS
• This indicates that the website is encrypted
• Passwords or PINs should be used
• General security
• Keep your virus protection up to date
• Use a debit card with a separate account for
  online transaction

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Safe Ecommerce
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Infection Symptoms

• How to tell if your infected
• Your computer runs more slowly than normal
• Your computer stops responding or locks up often
• Your computer crashes and restarts every few
  minutes
• Your computer restarts on its own and then fails
  to run normally

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Infection Symptoms cont

• Applications on your computer dont work
  correctly
• Disks or disk drives are inaccessible
• You cant print correctly
• You see unusual error messages
• You see distorted menus and dialog boxes

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Internet Browsing Guidelines

• Guidelines Web users should know
• If there is sensitive data on your computer,
  dont browse the Web
• Store personal info on an encrypted drive or
  folder
• Install security patches and updates
• Ensure that browsers are up to date
• Disable plug-ins and configure security settings
  not to run Java applets, JavaScript and VBScript,
  ActiveX controls, etc. without prompting you
  first
• Consider using more then 1 Web browser

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Safe Internet Browsing Resources

• Resources
• Check for open ports Netstat a
• Free Open Port Scan Gonzaga
• http//toxocara.gonzaga.edu
• To see if a website is legitimate go to
  www.SamSpade.org or www.DNSstuff.com
• Free PC SAFETY Scan Microsoft
• http//safety.live.com/site/en-US/default.htm?s_ci
  dsah

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Contact Information

• Help Desk
• Extension 5550
• Jim Jones IT Asset Manager
• jonesj_at_its.gonzaga.edu
• Extension 5926
• Http//cybersecurity.gonzaga.edu