How did you do?
1. What is the minimum protection you need to safely connect to the
Internet and protect your computer from viruses, spyware and other unwanted
software?
You didn't answer this question. The correct answer is:
- I have the basic security for my computer (e.g., a personal firewall,
antivirus software and anti-spyware software), just as I have a lock on my
home and my car.
While using secure trusted sites is a good practice, it does not mean that
your personal computer is secure. A “virus” is a form of software
that is sent to your computer by an unknown source that can infect your files
and corrupt or delete them. “Spyware” is a software program that
can be installed on your computer without your knowledge, for example, by downloading
free online services or by clicking on a suspect pop-up window, and that can
allow someone to monitor your online activities. A personal firewall, up-to-date
antivirus software and anti-spyware software are vital preventative measures
that are required to secure your personal computer and protect your information.
Using safe computing practices will
further help to ensure your information remains secure.
2. I have too many passwords to remember. What should I do?
You didn't answer this question. The correct answer is:
- Use related passwords that I can remember but are not easy to guess (e.g.,
dpayei1b – stands for “don’t put all your eggs in 1 basket”).
Although “A” meets many of the features of “good” passwords,
these are commonly used and, therefore, become easy-to-guess passwords. Passwords
should never be labeled as to what they are, nor should they ever be carried
in your wallet. The password identified in “B” is a safe choice,
not only because it is easy to remember and not easy to guess, but it is a
mixture of letters and numbers. (Note: These exact examples should not be
adopted as your own passwords.)
3. How often should I change my online password?
You didn't answer this question. The correct answer is:
- Every couple of months or if I think someone has seen my password.
Keeping your password completely confidential is the first step to ensuring
that your online services are safe from unauthorized access. Your online password
should be changed regularly. Every couple of months is a reasonable timeframe – it
is not so often that you need to write it down to remember it, but it is frequent
enough to support the other controls you use to keep your password known only
to you. If, however, you think someone may have seen you enter your password,
or in some other way learned it, you should change it immediately and report
it to your financial institution.
4. When finished with a website that required me to sign in, such
as webmail or online banking, what should I do?
You didn't answer this question. The correct answer is:
- I should log off by clicking the sign out button on the page, then close
the browser window.
All sites that provide a secure log on or private service that requires using
a password and I.D. to enter will always provide some type of log off function
to disconnect the secure connection between your computer and their services.
You should always use this button, which is either labeled: log off, log out,
sign out, or something similar, depending on the site. In addition, it is a
good practice to close your browser after this type of session, which will
ensure that the appropriate page history is deleted, including screens that
may contain personal information. It’s important to note that “D” is
not the correct answer, because this would not actually close your session.
5. I’ve received an email from my financial institution stating
they are updating their records. The email asks me to click on a link and
provide personal information such as my sign-in I.D. and password. The email
states that failure to do so, will block access to my online banking accounts.
What should I do?
You didn't answer this question. The correct answer is:
- Report the incident to my financial institution immediately.
This type of email is not genuine. Banks never ask for Internet banking log
on information by phone, email or any means. Do not open such an email. Forward
the message to your bank for investigation and then delete it without replying.
This could be a Phishing attack. Phishing is a type of fraud that is designed
to trick individuals into disclosing confidential and financial information
for the purpose of identity theft. E.g. You receive an unsolicited email, sometimes
directing you to a website, pretending to represent a legitimate company that
asks you to provide sensitive personal information. Option “C” above
is incorrect, because such an email would never be a legitimate one from a
financial institution, and by replying to it you may be opening your computer
up to online theft.
6. What does encryption mean and why is this important?
You didn't answer this question. The correct answer is:
- It’s a technique used to ‘mask’ or scramble data so
it is only recognizable to authorized sources.
Encryption is a term that refers to a method you can use to protect the information
you send over the Internet. Data is converted into a form that cannot be easily
understood. Decryption is the process of converting encrypted data back into
its original form so it can be understood. Many people buy a personal computer
with original software installed and their security setting may not be set
properly. You can do it yourself or ask someone to help you check your security
settings to ensure that encryption is enabled or set to 128-bit, which is a
recommended and common security setting for popular web browsers such as Microsoft
Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator. You will be required to use 128-bit
encryption to access many secure sites such as online banking and online trading.
7. What does “https” stand for in website addresses?
You didn't answer this question. The correct answer is:
- Hypertext Transfer Protocol over Secure Socket Layer
It is not important to remember the actual words for https; it’s the
meaning of https that is key. It indicates that you have established a secure,
encrypted session with the company to which you are communicating using your
Internet browser. Communications over this session cannot be viewed by others.
It is a common method to secure communications and something that you should
always look for before performing confidential transactions online.
8. Why does a lock symbol sometimes appear in a corner of my screen?
You didn't answer this question. The correct answer is:
- It’s confirmation that I’m on a secure site.
The lock is another indicator that you are on a secure site enabled with
https, as described in question #7. For example, look for the lock on your
browser screen when you are shopping or banking online.
For
more information about online safety and security - including the RBC Online
Banking Security Guarantee - visit our Online
Banking Guide to Security & Privacy
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