Social, Smart, Secure. Tips for Staying Safe Online

Social networking. It's a big part of your life. These days, social computing accounts for 22 percent of time spent online. And you aren't just catching up with old friends or sharing hilarious cat videos.

Nope. You're using social networks for serious stuff like gaining insights from data, sharing ideas to drive innovation and connecting colleagues around the globe. Social computing has made our lives a whole lot easier, but there are a few risks you need to be aware of. First is cyber attacks. There are a variety of ways that cyber criminals can lure you into a scam. One way is to contact you with the promise of a large sum of money if you simply provide your bank account number. Nope, you don't want to do that.

Sigh. Oh, dear. Okay. On to the next threat. Phishing is just what it sounds like, fishing for information.

The bait often comes in the form of a link to a fake Web page. Wait! If you do that, you'll get phished.

Now the culprits have your log-in information and can access your account, post damaging content and even launch more phishing schemes against your friends.  All right, then. On to our final threat, malware. It doesn't sound good, does it? That's why it's always dressed up as something you actually want. No, it's not what you think. When you click on a pop-up ad that's malware in disguise, software downloads to your computer that can cause all sorts of trouble. Trojan horses, spyware and viruses are all types of malware. They basically turn your computer into a zombie, spreading its infection to your e-mail contacts and other computers on your network.

Here are four easy steps to help you avoid these traps. One, think before you click. Verify the identity of sites, links and individuals before connecting with them online. Two, don't ever share private or personal information with someone you don't know. Three, keep your antivirus software, browsers and privacy settings up to date. Four, use different log-ins and passwords for each of your accounts and keep them to yourself. The most important thing online is to exercise good judgment about the information you share and who you share it with.