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Ten Things Think About When I Surf the 'Net

This article was edited and reviewed by FindLaw Attorney Writers | Last reviewed March 26, 2008

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Originally Published in LegalWorks '99 (SF) Course Materials
By Glasser LegalWorks
Copyright © 1999 Glasser LegalWorks. All Rights Reserved.

The Internet is a great resource, and overall, Web browsing on the Internet is a pretty safe activity. Yet, hazards are to be found here and there. It pays to know what to watch for and how to protect yourself.

I. First Thoughts

1. Caveat Browser
  • Are these guys who they claim to be?
  • Are they legitimate?
  • Are they competent?
  • Is their information reliable?
2. Would it be embarrassing if it became known publicly that I visited this Web site?

II. What Are My Risks?

3. When I fill out a form at a Web site, could what I give them be used in a way that I don't like?
  • Name, address, email address
  • Credit card number
  • Likes, dislikes, opinions.

III. On the Outside Looking In

4. What interesting things might someone find if they could peek at my hard drive or network from the Internet?
  • Confidential or privileged documents
  • Passwords
  • Network security weaknesses.
5. What could someone secretly copy to my computer that I wouldn't want?
  • Viruses
  • "Stealth" browser scripts
6. Where might I unintentionally store information about me and my browsing activities?
  • Cookies
  • Copies of Web pages visited that are cached to the hard drive.
  • Downloaded files
  • On-line forms
  • Browser-generated email

IV. What Protections Do I Have In Place?

7. Does my ISP or network manager take sufficient measures to keep outsiders from peeking in at me?
  • Firewalls
  • Proxies
  • Gateways
  • Intrusion detection
8. Do I have the most current security patches to protect me from hostile Web sites?
  • For my browser?
  • For my computer's operating system?
  • Which of my browser security options are enabled?
9. How vulnerable am I to viruses?
  • Does my computer automatically scan for viruses?
  • Does my virus scanner have the most current list of known viruses?
10. Is it safe for me to transmit my confidential information to someone else's Web server?
  • Am I transmitting it encrypted? Are they storing it encrypted ?
  • Am I confident that the Web site I am sending this to is well-managed and adequately protected?
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