Internet Danger Month

Never share your full name, home address, date of birth, social security or your phone number. To learn more, register for “Beware: Internet Danger!” at West Boynton Branch on Wed, May 18, 3:30 pm.

Strong passwords include a combination of upper and lower case letters, numbers and symbols. They should be at least 12 characters in length; the longer the password, the better. Avoid using common words, phrases and personal information like a family member’s name or phone number. Use 2-factor (or even 3-factor) authentication to add extra layers of security with your logins and a password manager to safely keep track of your many passwords. To learn more, register for “Staying Safe Online: Passwords & Password Managers” at the Main Library on Tue, May 10, 4:00 pm and “Password Protection & Password Managers” on Thu, May 26, 2:00 pm.

Only allow people you know in real life to interact with you online. People you meet online may not be who they claim to be and they may not even be real. Keep in mind that photos can easily be altered to look real. Be as careful in your online social life as you are in person. To learn more, register for “Internet Safety for Parents, Guardians & Communities” on Wed, May 11, 6:00 pm and “Being a Good Digital Citizen: Online Safety for Children” at the Wellington Branch on Tue, May 17, 2:15 pm.

A malicious email may look like it is coming from a financial institution, a government agency or a reputable business. These emails typically ask you to act quickly to confirm your order or warn that your account was compromised. Do not click on the URL in the email; instead, visit the official company site. Avoid clicking on pop-up ads claiming y ou have won a prize or money. To learn more, register for “Staying Safe Online” at the West Boynton Branch on Thu, May 05, 2:00 pm and at the West Boca Branch on Wed, May 11, 2:00 pm.

Many times we want to share life’s milestones like getting a driver’s license or finally getting to go on vacation. This information could be used by identity thieves and burglars. Personal and inappropriate photos can attract online predators and can affect future educational and employment opportunities. Even if deleted, the content may stay online forever. To learn more, register for “Social Media Safety” at Greenacres Branch on Thu, May 12, 4:00 pm. To help children learn about online safety, the Wellington Branch is hosting “NetSmartz: Into the Cloud” on Tue, May 24, 2:15 pm.

One of the best ways to shop safely is to make sure the site is running on HTTPS which means the site has a security certificate that safeguards your personal information by encrypting your data.

Web browsers, social media sites and mobile operating systems have settings to help protect you, but it is your responsibility to adjust the settings. If the settings are turned off, your browsing information may be shared with marketers or intercepted by hackers. To learn more, register for “Staying Safe Online: Internet Privacy & Security” at the Main Library on Tue, May 03, 4:00 pm and “Internet Privacy” at the Glades Road Branch on Mon, May 09, 2:00 pm.

There are websites that can lure you in and then with one click your computer is infected with malware. To learn more, register for “Web Browser Privacy & Security” on Tue, May 17 at 2:00 pm and “Internet Searching & Browsing” on Wed, May 25, 2:00 pm.

Make sure your home Wi-Fi system has a hard-tocrack password. When using public Wi-Fi, consider using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) which creates a safer secure connection from anywhere. Avoid managing sensitive information like financial, medical or other personal information if you are using public Wi-Fi without a VPN.

Ransomware is used by cybercriminals to lock your computer so you can’t access your files. Backing up your files regularly can allow you to restore your information. To learn more, register for “What You Need to Know about Ransomware” on Thu, May 19, 3:00 pm and “Cybersecurity” at the Lantana Road Branch on Fri, May 27, 10:00 am.