Making the right choices when doing things on the web can make a huge difference to your safety online.
We are becoming increasingly dependent on the internet for many facets of our daily life. Protecting yourself by securing your devices, software and connections is important, and making the right choices when doing things on the web can make a huge difference to your safety online.
Making the right choices when doing things on the web can make a huge difference to your safety online.
Exploiting email and web browsing applications is the most common way hackers and malware try to gain access to devices and your information.
Protect yourself before you start browsing the web by ensuring your operating system, web browser, security software, browser plugins (like Java or Adobe products) and other applications are up-to-date. Learn more about software updates.
Making the right choices when doing things on the web can make a huge difference to your safety online.
You can adjust the settings in your web browser to work in a more secure way.
Let your web browser protect you #
Some functionality might be limited when using the most secure settings, but they provide the best protection from malicious content.
Most web browsers will warn you when they detect you visiting a malicious website or possibly being exposed to malicious content. Pay attention to these warnings – they can help protect you from malware, phishing and identity theft.
Learn more about the security settings on your browser #
Settings and security models are different for each browser. Visit the following vendor websites to learn more about the security settings in your browser:
Note if your device has different profiles for different users, the browser security settings may need to be changed for each user.
Remember if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Use the following advice when browsing the web to significantly reduce your risk of falling victim to cybercrime:
- Use strong unique passwords online. Learn how to create strong passwords and passphrases.
- Only download files and applications from websites that you trust, such as official app stores or legitimate organisations such as your bank.
- Pause and think carefully before clicking on links in emails, messages or on social networking sites. Don’t click on links in messages if you don’t know the sender or if the message is unexpected.
- If you think a link looks suspicious or you can’t tell where it leads to, before you click hover over that link to see the actual web address (usually shown at the bottom of the browser window). If you do not recognise or trust the address, try searching for relevant key terms in a web browser. This helps you find the article, video, or webpage without directly clicking on the suspicious link.
- Shortened URLs are often used in social media, you can expand them to check if they are safe. There are a number of services that create short links – such as goo.gl, bit.ly, tinyurl.com, ow.ly and youtu.be. To check if these links are safe you can use an ‘expand link’ facility to get the original URL. Look for a short URL expander that is recommended by your anti-virus software provider or a reputable software company.
- Be wary of offers that seem too good to be true. Leave websites that ask for your personal or banking details in return for money – these are scams. Remember if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
- Don’t agree to friend requests from people you don’t know on social media networks – people are not always who they say they are. Learn more about protecting yourself when using social media.
Making the right choices when doing things on the web can make a huge difference to your safety online.
A few simple safeguards can protect you when shopping online.
When making purchases online:
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Check if the site is reputable and has a refund policy.
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Check that you are using a secure connection. The URL of the payment page will use ‘https’ instead of ‘http’, and a padlock icon will be displayed by your browser.
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If the website looks suspicious or you have doubts, do not proceed. Learn more about making purchases online safely.
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Know that threats such as malware, phishing, identity theft and other types of fraud and scams are a risk online. Learn more about these threats and sign up for regular alerts from the ACSC’s Alert Service.
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Be aware that malware can be delivered through malicious advertising (known as malvertising). Using an adblocker can stop malware from being delivered through your browser. Some browsers include an AdBlock feature in their settings under ‘Extensions’. For further help, search for adblocker in the online help or support centre for your web browser.
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Avoid using public computers or Wi-Fi hotspots to access or provide personal information. Don’t use online banking or make payments with credit cards using public computers or Wi-Fi. Learn how to use public Wi-Fi and online banking safely.
Making the right choices when doing things on the web can make a huge difference to your safety online.
Websites use cookies in order to gather information about their visitors. Cookies are small text files – bits of information – left on your computer by websites you have visited which let them ‘remember’ things about you.
Cookies are small text files, or bits of information left on your computer by websites you have visited, which let them ‘remember’ things about you.
Websites use cookies in order to gather information about their visitors. Cookies may also be used to store your preferences and settings for particular websites, which means your experience can be customised based on your past behaviour.
From a security perspective, cookies are unlikely to be used maliciously against you as they are just text read by your browser. They don’t contain any code that could be executed. However, websites are able to gather a lot of information about you and your website activity.
If you have concerns about how this might impact on your privacy, you could consider regularly clearing the cookies from your computer or device. Some browsers let you block them altogether. But note that this could affect your experience of some websites.
Visit your browser vendor’s website for more information on privacy and how to manage cookies.
Making the right choices when doing things on the web can make a huge difference to your safety online.
A network is a group of two or more devices that communicate with each other via a connection. Consider how your devices are connected.
What is a network? #
A network is a group of two or more devices that communicate with each other via a connection.
These devices could be desktop computers, laptops, mobile phones, tablets, or other digital appliances connected (wired or wirelessly) to other devices within a network.
Consider how your devices are connected. Connections can vary and could include:
- Physical (wired) cables such as Ethernet, USB-C and HDMI.
- Wireless signals such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Cellular data such as LTE/4G/5G.
Internal and external networks
An internal network has a defined set of users. Like your home or business, only certain family members, trusted friends or colleagues access inside your home with a spare key or information related to your business using a work ID. The spare key and work ID are similar to passphrases and multi-factor authentication, they act as the front door to unwanted access.
As part of your home or business network you could have many connected devices or accessories including; routers, keyboards, mice, printers, external storage devices, smart-home devices or wearable devices. Often you know and trust these devices.
An external network is open to all users and is usually managed by someone else (not you as the home user or business owner). Similar to using public transport, visiting your favourite coffee shop or the supermarket you do so at your own risk, you do not necessarily know and therefore trust everyone in that public space.
Why do people connect to a network?
To access the worldwide web (the internet).
While this may be the main reason which lets you connect with friends, families, and customers, the internet also allows you to use services to share files between devices (i.e. using the cloud to store and share photos), buy and sell goods, enjoy entertainment, and so much more. The more things you do on the internet, the greater your digital presence. The greater your digital presence, the more likely you are to fall victim to a cyber incident. This is like holding a masquerade party and leaving the doors open to let invited guests in for a masquerade party. If left open, how do you stop uninvited guests from entering your home? What if multiple doors to your home are left open? How can you be sure that all doors really are closed? How can you tell if someone at your party is invited or not?
Why do people disconnect from a network?
If you are experiencing a cyber incident such as ransomware (a variant of malicious software), disconnecting a device from the internet and other devices disrupts communication which can assist in limiting the distribution and harm of malicious software.
What to consider when connecting to a network after a cyber security incident
- Be sure that you have removed the malware.
Use an antivirus program or contact a professional for assistance to remove any malware from your device. For severe cases, you may have to perform a factory reset. - Turn on two-factor authentication.
- Manage user accounts.
- Implement strong passphrases.
- Connect one device at a time when reconnecting to a network.
This is a cautionary, additional layer of defence, limiting any potential harm by malicious software that may have been missed in the removal process. Use this guidance on how to connect to a network. - Update your device.
- Monitor activity on your devices once you’ve reconnected.
Monitor your devices for any unusual activity or performance issues, which may indicate there is still malware on the device. You could use Task Manager on Windows or Activity Monitor on macOS to look for resource-intensive programs.
How to connect or disconnect a device
You can connect or disconnect from a network by:
- Inserting or removing the physical (wired) cables or accessories.
- Enabling or disabling connectivity through the settings on your device.
Connecting and disconnecting from a network with a physical cable #
One of the easiest and most reliable ways to connect or disconnect a device from a network is to unplug the physical cables from your device. Three common connection types are Ethernet, HDMI and USB-C.
Note: For Apple products, in addition to the above, connection types may include Mini DisplayPort, Thunderbolt or Thunderbolt 3. For more information visit support.apple.com.
In the below example an Ethernet cable is used to demonstrate how to connect and disconnect a physical cable.
- The Ethernet port, where the cable connects to, is likely to be; at the back of your desktop computer; on the side or back of your laptop; or the back of your router. If you cannot find an Ethernet port or cable check if it is connected to an accessory such as a docking station or USB Hub. If you still cannot find a cable on your desktop or laptop, your device may be using a wireless connection.
- To disconnect, press down on the locking tab located on the bottom of cable and pull the plug towards you. Repeat this step until you have disconnected all devices. To connect, press down on the locking tab located on the bottom of the cable and push into the Ethernet port.
Be aware, you could be connected in more than one way
Connecting or disconnecting physical cables is a good first step in either sharing (if you are connecting to a network) or isolating (if you are disconnecting from a network) devices within an internal network. Although, it is not the only way.
The next few steps of this guide, will explain how to connect and disconnect your device using settings for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and accessories (e.g. external storage devices or printers).
If you are connected via a physical cable and have removed it, you may still need to disconnect your device from Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or other accessories.
Connecting and disconnecting from a network on Windows 10 #
Wired connection (using settings)
If you are unable to unplug the physical cable or there is no cable, you can disconnect from the desktop. Check the bottom right corner, for the network icon to see if you are connected to a network.
- Click on the Start menu by clicking the Windows logo key in the bottom left corner of the desktop.
- Click on the Settings Cog icon.
- From the Windows Settings window, click on Network & internet.
- From the Network and internet menu on the left, click on Status.
- Under Change your network settings, click on Change adapter options.
- Click on the network you want to disconnect from, then click on Disable this network device. Repeat this step until you have disconnected from all networks.
Note: If you are logged in with a user account, you may be prompted to enter your credentials.
- To connect, click on the network you want to connect to, then click Enable the network device.
Wireless connection (Wi-Fi)
Check the bottom right corner, for the network icon to see if you are connected to a Wi-Fi network. Note: Some devices have a physical switch. If you do, turn off your Wi-Fi using the switch. If you are unsure if this includes your device, seek guidance from the manufacturer of the device.
- Click on the Wi-Fi icon, in the bottom right corner.
- To disconnect, see if the Wi-Fi button on the bottom of the Network and Internet Settings menu is highlighted. If highlighted, you are connected to a Wi-Fi signal. To disconnect, click on this Wi-Fi button.
- From the Turn Wi-Fi back on drop down menu, click on Manually. If the Wi-Fi button is greyed-out, you are disconnected.
To connect, click on Wi-Fi at the bottom of the Network and Internet Settings menu. Your device will automatically attempt to connect to the most recently used Wi-Fi network.
If your device is unable to connect automatically, select the Wi-Fi network you wish to connect to.
If asked to “Enter the network security key”, put in the Wi-Fi password.
Wireless connection (Bluetooth)
- Navigate to the Start menu by clicking the Windows logo key in the bottom left corner of the desktop.
- Click on the Settings Cog icon.
- Click on Devices.
- Click on Bluetooth & other devices in the menu on the left.
- Slide the Bluetooth toggle to Off. To connect slide the toggle to On.
External storage device
- Click on the Start menu by clicking the Windows logo key in the bottom left corner of the desktop.
- Click on the Settings Cog icon.
- From the Windows Settings window, click on Devices.
- Click on the device you want to disconnect, e.g. printers or scanners or USB. In this instance, we will be removing a USB device.
- Click on Remove device, then select Yes, to disconnect the external storage device.
Connecting and disconnecting from a network on macOS #
Wired connection (using settings)
- Click on Finder in the Dock.
- Click on Applications.
- Click on System Preferences.
- Click on Network.
- To disconnect, select the active Ethernet adapter you are connected to. To connect, select the inactive Ethernet adapter you want to connect to.
- Click on the Settings Cog icon on the bottom left. Note: you may have to click on the lock in the bottom left corner and enter your credentials to make changes.
- To disconnect from the adapter, click on Make Service Inactive. To connect to the adapter, click Make Service Active.
Wireless connection (Wi-Fi)
- Navigate to the Apple menu by clicking on the Apple icon in the top left corner.
- Click on System Preferences.
- From the System Preferences window, click on the Network icon.
- From the Network Window select the Wi-Fi network you want to disconnect from.
- To disconnect from a connected Wi-Fi signal, Click on Turn Wi-Fi Off. To reconnect to a Wi-Fi signal, click on Turn Wi-Fi On.
Wireless connection (Bluetooth)
- Navigate to the Apple menu by clicking on the Apple icon in the top left corner.
- Click on System Preferences.
- From the System Preferences window, click on Bluetooth.
- To disconnect a Bluetooth connected device, click on Turn Bluetooth Off from the Bluetooth window. To connect to a Bluetooth device, click on Turn Bluetooth On from the Bluetooth window.
External storage device
- Click on Finder in the Dock.
- Under the Locations list on the left, click on the device you want to disconnect.
- Select the eject icon, then disconnect the external storage device.
