Internet Safety for Kids

Few weeks ago my daughter (10 y.o) came to me and asked if she could have her own email address. The first concern I had in mind was not about the cost but more about Internet safety.

At the moment, there are plenty free web based email accounts on the Internet, such as Yahoo, Gmail, Hotmail, etc. Nevertheless, we also know that there are a lot of bad guys out there, so how could we protect our children but in the same time allowing them to learn and take advantages from the Internet?

My question was answered when I read about Family Safety from Windows Live OneCare. This free software allows us to manage and monitor our children's :

a. Email and messenger contact list (only applicable for Hotmail or Windows Live)

b. Blocked and approved Internet sites, including list of sites that has been visited

In order to do point b. first we have to download and install the Family Safety software to each computers that will be used by our children. Those computers must have Windows XP with Service Pack 2 or later, Internet Explorer 6 or later or Firefox 1.5 or later.

 

 

After downloading this software, every time they want to connect to the Internet, they will be asked for their Hotmail or Windows Life username and a password. The Internet security setting on that computer then will be adjusted according to the user (as a parent we will be able to adjust a different security setting for each children) and when ever our children want to add a contact or a web site address, a permission letter will be sent by email to us to approve or reject the request on line.

Please note that we can only monitor the browsing activities  if the Family Safety software is installed on that computer. Also make sure that the children don't know their parent password.

If you like to know more and download this free service, you can visit their site here .

Beware of Phishing Emails

Watch Out for "Phishing" Emails attempting to capture your Personal Information

Dear Colleagues,

Please be advised that there were reports of authentic-looking messages being circulated that instruct recipients to provide sensitive information (e.g. Credit Card information, Name, Identify card number, birth date) via e-mail and/or thru an Internet webpage. These fraudulent e-mails are known as Phishing Scams and their objective is to induce unsuspecting recipients to provide their personal information, which could be used to compromise their bank accounts, credit cards.

Recommendation
To avoid getting phished, please do the following :

1. Never respond to email messages that request personal or financial information and never click on a link in such an email.

2. Reputable organisations do not send unsolicited email messages asking their customers to update or verify their personal and security details. If in doubt about the legitimacy of the email, or if think that you have been a victim of a phishing scam, contact the organisation in question immediately, using the normal method e.g. via Banking Hotline.

3. Report the incident to your friends/local IT (if you're in the office), hence actions can be taken to alert other users of the security risk.

Below is sample of phishing email.