This is the second of our Back to the Basics series and we thought we could cover Internet surfing. Please feel free to share or email this to anyone you know who may find this useful.
Internet Browsers
Many people I meet do not understand that there are several Internet Browsers available to them: Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Opera are the most popular ones available. A web browser is software that has been developed so that you can surf the web.
Safari, as it is developed by Apple, is installed automatically on all Apple devices. Internet Explorer is developed by Microsoft and so is installed on all Windows devices. The others you need to install yourself, which is why many people have no knowledge of them. At Technology Tamed Limited we always install Google Chrome as an alternative web browser on both Windows and Mac new computers.
There are pros and cons for all of them, but it is widely accepted that Google Chrome is faster to use than Internet Explorer and more secure. There is personal preference with these though. Personally I am a Mozilla Firefox girl.
Web Search Engines
A search engine is the site you go to and enter text to search for a website. So, for example, most of you reading this probably go to www.google.co.uk and enter BBC if you want to find the BBC website. You can go to the Google search engine within Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Firefox, Safari, etc, etc. So, Google, provide both an Internet Browser and a Search Engine. This, I know, causes confusion for many.
The vast majority of people use Google, but it is only one of many web search engines. There is also Bing, Yahoo, Ask, AOL, Wow, WebCrawler, MyWebSearch, DuckDuckgo, DogPile and many more. It is widely accepted that Google is the market leader in this field. Google has an estimated 1,100,000,000 monthly visitors. Bing and Yahoo just around 300,000,000 each. That is why you are most likely to have heard of Google and not the others.
What is Trusteer Rapport?
Most of the banks ask you to install Trusteer Rapport if you do online banking. It specialises in protecting your username, passwords and other login information. A good quality Internet Security program will also do this. Many people do not have good quality Internet Security software which is one of the reasons the banks offer Trusteer Rapport. Some people complain that Trusteer Rapport slows down Internet browsing. Most people don’t notice this though.
How can I check a Web Site before I purchase?
Check that the website has a SSL certificate –i.e. the site page begins with https (not http). This means an encrypted connection is being used. So, only you and the site can view the information being submitted to the site.
Be aware, however, that some criminals purchase low level validation certificates for their websites.
Is it Safe to Bank Online?
With online banking you need to be careful, cautious and follow all the recommended safeguards. For example:
- Keep your password safe and secure (not on a post-it note beside your computer)
- Ensure your Internet Security software is up-to-date
- Ensure you are using a good quality Internet Security software program (this is not the time to go for the cheap, free option that does not secure you for online banking)
- Be aware of what you are doing – and if you are unhappy with anything cease your banking. So if the page looks very different, you get a pop up you are not familiar with, check it out
- Do not give someone else access to your online bank account details
- Do not access your bank online if you think you have a virus or other malware on your computer
- No-one can guarantee that online banking is 100% safe. But then no-one can guarantee that traditional banking is 100% safe (if it was there would not be a fraud department that telephones you when you do unusual purchases, or signs at ATM machines warning you to not let anyone have access to your PIN code).
As with all banking, there is a calculated risk and, as with all banking, you can reduce the risk by taking sensible security procedures.
What is The Cloud?
The Cloud is computer terminology for computers that store data and provide services via the Internet. So, for example, Dropbox provides cloud storage. This means that they own or rent computer servers in “server farms” that enable you to access and store information on. So instead of storing your photographs on your computer they are stored on a company’s computers. These computers run 24/7. This means you can access your photographs from any computer that has Internet access, and other devices such as phones and tablets.
Many IT companies provide cloud services.
Is it Safe to Store My Data in the Cloud?
It is relatively easy to set up a computer that can be accessed in this way. A friend of mine has a computer at home that he makes available to friends so that we can all play an online game and view his holiday photographs. I say this so that you can understand that the security of these ‘cloud servers’ can vary dramatically, as can the back-up procedures.
If your data is being stored by a one-man business, then you need to be sure that they have good quality security and backup. And make sure they stay in business (we know of one small business who lost all their data when they discovered that the company they had been backing up to was no longer in business).
Conversely, if the data is being stored by the larger companies – such as Dropbox and Amazon, then professional hackers and denial of service professionals may think it a challenge to target these companies.
Most people only store family photographs and personal, but not sensitive, documents in the cloud. So security is often not a big issue and the convenience of being able to access photos and files anywhere is brilliant.
The cloud is also brilliant for businesses, but you do need to ensure that the company that stores your files has good security and backup. Also, ensure you are conforming to the requirements of the Data Protection Act.
If you would like any advice about the basics of the Internet, telephone me on 01787 881475. If you enjoyed this article you may also find Back to the Basics: What Updates Do I need to Run of interest.
Rebecca Mansbridge
Director
Technology Tamed Limited
March 2015