This page is a brief summary for everyone in Informatics. We all know of internet scams, but there are things that you can look out for, and actively do, to prevent being caught out.

What should I look out for?

  • Ransomware - what to do if you see ransomware.
  • Phishing attempts - phishing.org gives comprehensive information on phishing techniques and how to avoid them.
  • Malware/Spyware - the BBC bite-size pages give a very good summary.
  • Is the website secure?

How can I reduce risks?

  • Use strong passwords
    • Most services require you to create a strong password - DICE certainly does! However, do not use the same password for every service.
    • Use a password manager. To learn more see Password managers.
  • Anti-virus
    • Make sure you have anti-virus software installed and that you run it regularly.
  • Best practice
  • A lot of sites talk about Internet Safety for kids, but the fundamentals still apply to adults!
  • Stopping Internet Pop-ups
  • University on-line Security Essentials Training Course
  • Encryption
  • Email security (NCSC.gov.uk)
  • Website security
  • Firewalls
    • Informatics firewall
      • The firewall is managed by the Computing Team and provides a level of security for machines within Informatics.
    • self-managed machines and firewalls
      • If you manage your own machine, you can ask for firewall holes to be opened on your machine. You should consider limiting the number of holes as much as possible and also restricting them, for example, to within EdLAN only.
  • Check the email that you receive regularly about your account activity.

    If you think that there is any chance that you have been caught out by a scam or your account has been compromised in any way, contact Support immediately.

    Other related topics

    • Last reviewed: 
    19/09/2023