Awareness

5 Security Flubs Users Make When Browsing the Web

From haphazardly installing Active X controls, to ignoring security warnings, a look at five common ways users get off the security track online and ways to set them straight

By Joan Goodchild, Senior Editor

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Instead, advises Watchinski, ask users to head to downloads.com, a site where users can take advantage of a free service to obtain downloads in a safer manner. Downloads.com scans applications for viruses and often times you can find the application you are looking for there.

Letting curiosity get the best of you
By now just about everyone has seen one of these come-ons. On Facebook, it might be a link that prompts you to 'Check out this video of you.' On e-mail, it might be a message warning you that your bank account has been breached and it contains a malicious link where you are asked to enter your account number for verification. These scams are common, and have been around for years, on the Web. So, why are people still falling prey to them? Curiosity continues to get the best if us, said Watchinski. His advice to users: Resist temptation.

"If you get unsolicited feedback on eBay or a social networking site, it is just not a good place to go." (See also: 9 Dirty Tricks: Social Engineers' Favorite Pick-up Lines)

Let users know anything one might receive that is not expected, whether it is an email message or a message on Facebook, should raise suspicion levels. Even if it appears to be a friend, it may not be. Unsolicited communication needs to be checked out. Advise users to contact the alleged source separately instead of clicking on any links or giving out any sensitive information.

Having a 'just do it' mentality
People are busy. When they come across problems, they just want their PC to work, so they click whatever they need to make it work, said Watchinski.

But users need to think about what they are doing in order to view something online, he said. Advise them to consider whether or not it is really important right now or if it can wait so time can be made to download or view something safely.

"Users must figure out a better way, instead of clicking yes to every security exception that pops up," said Watchinski. "You have to assume some responsibility for the system that you have."