Online Safety

Welcome

2050-09-27T19:01:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the Online Safety resource! The goal of this site is to provide easy-to-follow instructions and tips that will help you and your family stay safe online. The content is categorized into the following sections:

Overcoming Pornography Addiction: The Healing Power of Jesus Christ

2014-08-22T21:17:00.002-05:00

How to Child-Proof the Web on a Mac

2014-06-25T09:20:00.000-05:00

Tuts+ published an awesome video for Mac users who want to setup a safe computing environment for children.

Naaman Project: Healing for Pornography Addiction

2013-05-08T15:26:00.002-05:00

Author, educator, speaker, and Licensed Professional Counselor, Kevin Hinckley has created an LDS-based pornography addiction program called the Naaman Project. It can be of assistance to any who are seeking healing from porn addiction referred to here as "spiritual leprosy," which afflicted the great Naaman in the Old Testament.

Qustodio: Free Parental Control Software

2012-09-19T09:34:00.002-05:00

MakeUseOf featured a free parental control application for Windows called Qustodio. The program is installed on all Windows machines, and settings are controlled from a central web site, which simplifies administration. The central control panel allows parents to restrict access to web sites based on various categories, and also allows restrictions on web browsing time. If your family uses Windows computers, and you're looking for a quick, easy, free way to implement parental controls on multiple devices, you might want to take a look at Qustodio.

Microsoft already offers Windows Live Family Safety, which is essentially the same thing as Qustodio, and is also free, and integrates nicely with Windows. We have used Windows Live Family Safety on our main family computer (running Windows 7) for a few years now and have had great success.

Resources

2012-06-26T08:57:00.000-05:00

Yoursphere for Parents: Family social networking and Internet safety information. Great tutorials about keeping your family safe online.
LDS Addiction Recovery Program: Support for those who struggle with addiction and family and friends of addicts. Use the meeting locator to find an Addiction Recovery meeting in your area.
Naaman Project: Healing for Pornography Addiction. An LDS-based addiction recovery program by Kevin Hinckley.
Overcoming Pornography: Resources from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Candeo: For anyone struggling with porn addiction and masturbation addiciton, Candeo provides a powerful, anonymous online training program that helps individuals understand the brain science of addiction and how to successfully overcome its powerful grip
GetNetWise: GetNetWise is a public service brought to you by Internet industry corporations and public interest organizations to help ensure that Internet users have safe, constructive, and educational or entertaining online experiences.
Internet Safety Podcast: The Internet Safety Podcast is a non-profit weekly program to educate parents, teachers, and teens about the benefits and risks of technology
Family Resource Center: Tips and important information regarding internet safety for kids and parents provided by Symantec
NetSmartzKids: NetSmartz is an Internet safety resource from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and the Boys & Girls Clubs of America that uses the latest technology to create high-impact educational activities for even the most tech-savvy kids of any age group
Tips for Online Safety: Helpful principles and practices for staying safe online provided by Google and Common Sense Media.
Microsoft Online Safety: Consumer online safety education from Microsoft
BeSafe: Information about BYU-recommended safety resources, guidelines, and external resources you might find useful in your efforts to be safe.
Stay Safe Online: Safety resources from the National Cyber Security Alliance.
OnGuard Online: OnGuard Online provides practical tips from the federal government and the technology industry to help you be on guard against Internet fraud, secure your computer and protect your personal information.

Yoursphere for Parents provides great Internet safety information

2012-06-26T08:54:00.000-05:00

Yoursphere is a social network built for kids with a special focus on family safety. The Yoursphere for Parents site is a great resource for parents who are looking for additional information about family safety on the Internet. They feature a great tutorials section that teaches basic computer security and safety principles, including how to add protections to mobile devices.

Disinfecting a Windows Machine

2012-04-16T08:03:00.001-05:00

I recently received a spam email from a family member with an unfamiliar, suspicious link. This prompted me to reach out to try to help clean up their computer. I recommended changing the email password from a clean, uninfected machine, but after a few attempts at that, the spam email continued. My next conclusion was that there must still be some malware on the machine. Following are some steps that I provided which may be useful to others who are trying to disinfect a Windows computer from a virus, rootkit, or other malware:

Go to Add/Remove programs and uninstall any "extraneous debris," or any software that you simply don't need. Additional software only increases the attack vector for hackers seeking to leverage known vulnerabilities in software.
Download the Windows Defender Offline tool and create a bootable CD or USB drive from a clean, uninfected computer. You will boot to this tool on the infected machine, which will run before Windows ever loads. What happens is that the malware is so sophisticated that it is able to hide itself from the antivirus scanners using what are called rootkits. The Windows Defender Offline tool should overcome that by booting first and rooting out the problem.
Consider running an additional offline scan using the Kaspersky Rescue Disk. Remember to create a bootable USB or CD from an uninfected computer. Follow the instructions to run an offline scan (meaning that you boot to the rescue disk before Windows loads).
If the above two steps are able to uncover any malware and clean it, then boot the machine as you would normally, and launch the Secunia Personal Software Inspector (online). This requires Java, which I normally recommend uninstalling unless you specifically need it for something, since many of the exploits in recent weeks have leveraged an un-patched flaw in the Java run-time environment. This will scan your computer for any vulnerable or outdated software. Apply the updates as recommended, and ensure that Windows Update is configured to automatically download and install any new updates from Microsoft. You should even launch Windows Update to make sure that there aren't any pending security patches.
If steps 2 and 3 fail to find any malware, consider backing up all of your important files to an external USB drive, then reformatting the computer with your system restore disk (Windows install disk). Sometimes, rather than spend hours and days trying to weed out malware, it is better to start with a clean slate. When you re-install Windows, make sure to load Microsoft Security Essentials before doing anything else.
Going forward, make sure to not click on any unfamiliar links in email or open any email attachments, unless it is something you are expecting--even then, open with extreme caution. Be careful about what software you install--is it something you really need, or are you just installing it for fun? Make sure to run files you download through VirusTotal, which scans the file using a large database of antivirus programs.

Mac Antivirus Alternatives

2011-06-29T10:45:00.000-05:00

Here's an interesting discussion which features a summary of some good antivirus programs for Mac OS X from Mac.AppStorm. The alternatives mentioned include:

ClamXAV: Free
VirusBarrier X6: $119 (ouch!)
Sophos Anti-Virus: Free. I use this and it has been great.
Norton Anti-Virus for Mac: $49

Be safe!

Addiction: You Will Be Freed

2011-05-08T21:20:00.002-05:00

How to Block Inappropriate Material on YouTube

2010-10-28T16:41:00.000-05:00

Here's a useful tip to cut down on exposure to inappropriate material on YouTube. First, sign in to YouTube using your Google account. Scroll down to the very bottom of the page and look for an option that says "Safety mode: Off/On" and click on the word "Off." Then click "Save and lock Safety Mode on this browser." You'll see a message confirming the change:

If a user attempts to turn off Safety Mode, YouTube will prompt for the password of the user who locked Safety Mode on your web browser. If the user is not signed in, he/she will have to sign in before disabling Safety Mode. Here are some things that YouTube's Safety Mode provides:

Hides inappropriate videos
Doesn’t return results for adult search terms
Hides comments by default
Inappropriate words in the comments are hidden using asterisks

YouTube Safety Mode utilizes "community flagging and other content signals to determine and filter out inappropriate content." It isn't 100% perfect, but YouTube Safety Mode is another helpful guardrail to help you protect your family. (Source: Guiding Tech)

UPDATE (2/25/13): Here is the actual YouTube support article that details how to enable Safety Mode in YouTube and keep it on, even after you log out. If you have more than one web browser (for example, you have Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, or Safari) you must enable the Safety Mode lock for each of those web browsers, since the setting is browser-specific.

7 Things to Stop Doing on Facebook

2010-10-18T18:21:00.000-05:00

Consumer Reports has just posted a great article about staying safe on Facebook. I think the advice in this article applies to all social networks and in all areas of our online lives.

How to Lock SafeSearch in Google to Block Adult Content

2010-10-14T17:04:00.000-05:00

Here's a helpful article that will show you how to change your Google settings to lock the "SafeSearch" setting which prevents inappropriate or adult content from coming up in Google search results. It is by no means a surefire way to prevent access to indecent material, but it is an extra step that will help prevent accidental exposure while searching online.

FamilyShield by OpenDNS

2010-06-24T15:41:00.001-05:00

OpenDNS is a free, alternative DNS (Domain Name System) service that allows you to filter malicious or inappropriate content, as well as potentially speed up access to web sites. OpenDNS has recently released FamilyShield, an easy-to-use solution that you can either setup on one computer or on your home router (recommended). The setup instructions contain all the info you need to get started. This is an excellent way to add easy and free content filtering that will block adult sites, proxy and anonymizer sites (for web-savvy kids), phishing sites, and some virus-spreading malware sites. Get started! Or, for the tech-savvy, set your DNS servers to 208.67.222.123 and 208.67.220.123.

Stats on Internet Pornography

2010-06-09T16:32:00.000-05:00

Here are some statistics relating to Internet pornography presented in an interesting visual format. The source (www.onlineschools.org) cites no official sources, so take the data for what it's worth.

Fight The New Drug

2010-01-26T00:35:00.001-06:00

Fight The New Drug is a non-profit organization that is committed to educating the public and combating the spread of pornography addiction that is rampant in today's society. The web site contains helpful links and useful information for individuals who would like to work to fight against pornography.

"Fight the New Drug, The Global Campaign Against Pornography, is the result of many years spent developing ideas and researching the effects of pornography. Taking a fresh approach to the issue, free of religious affiliation or moral denouncement, we're a non-profit organization dedicated to helping the young generation educate itself with the facts on pornography. We hope you will join us in this fight."

Safer Web Browsing with Firefox & NoScript

2009-10-06T10:21:00.002-05:00

When the World Wide Web was in its early days, web pages were static. A user would request a page, and the web server would return a document with text, and maybe a picture or two. By contrast, web pages today employ much more complex code (scripting), providing dynamic and interactive content. While scripting makes web pages more useful, it also introduces the potential for security risks, as anyone can run code on your computer through your web browser. The majority of malware infections occur through web pages loading malicious code through scripts in a web browser.

NoScript is a browser add-on for the Firefox web browser that blocks scripting on web sites until you explicitly allow it on a per-site basis. The nice thing about NoScript is that it will prevent scripts from running by default as you go from page to page on the Internet (such as when you are doing research).

If you encounter a web site that does not quite display properly or doesn't work as expected, you simply click the NoScript logo in the lower right of Firefox and allow the web site you're trying to view. Restricting scripting on web pages greatly enhances the security of your web browsing and reduces the probability of infection.

Free Antivirus/Antimalware Software

2009-10-05T13:30:00.002-05:00

It is recommended that you run only one antivirus program on your Windows machine at one time. The exception is Windows Defender, which is an antispyware application from Microsoft that is built into Windows Vista and Windows 7, and which runs alongside your antivirus application and detects spyware threats. All of these programs are free, and this list is by no means exhaustive. Please add comments relating to your experience with these programs as well as other recommendations.

Windows

Microsoft Security Essentials: Free antivirus program from Microsoft, tightly integrated into Windows, and has excellent detection capabilities
Windows Defender: Free antispyware application from Microsoft. Recommended if you use Windows XP or lower, already included in Windows Vista & Windows 7
AVG Free: A robust, free antivirus package from Grisoft, one of the first popular free antimalware programs. AVG Free has come under fire lately for letting some malware fall through the cracks
Avast! Home Edition: Free antivirus software that is lightweight and has good detection capabilities, although some have complained about the awkward user interface

Mac

Sophos Anti-Virus for Mac Home Edition: Free antivirus software for Mac OS X.

Scan for Program Vulnerabilities on Your Computer

2009-10-05T13:21:00.001-05:00

Many times, malicious hackers can gain entry to a computer because they exploit known vulnerabilities in programs that are installed on a wide user base. Take the Adobe Reader program, for instance. It is installed on many computers all over the world, and as such, it has become a target that is used to take control of a computer and install malicious software. Many times, the user will become infected simply by visiting a web page or opening a specially-crafted e-mail attachment designed to exploit the vulnerable software. Often times, the user has no idea that his/her machine has been infected.

Secunia's Online Software Inspector (OSI) will scan the programs on your computer for any known security vulnerabilities. OSI will notify you of the current versions that may be affected and will provide you a link for updating the software. It is a good idea to scan the software on your machine regularly to make sure you have the latest, patched versions of all programs.

Free Online Antivirus Scanning

2009-10-05T13:07:00.000-05:00

If you suspect that your computer may be infected with a virus or other type of malware, it can be helpful to run a malware scan from one of the following web sites that offers free online scans. Usually, if your computer is infected with malware, especially a rootkit, it is recommended that you back up your data and reformat your system, starting over with a clean reinstall of the operating system.

HouseCall: A free online virus and malware scan from Trend Micro USA
Panda ActiveScan: From Panda Security
Kaspersky: A free online malware scanner from Kaspersky Lab
Symantec Security Check: A free online scan from Norton, although beware the advertisements pushing you to buy their products

The Brain Science of Pornography Addiction

2009-09-26T17:02:00.001-05:00

Regardless of one's moral or religious beliefs, the prolific saturation of pornography on the Internet and in the media cannot go unnoticed. It's no surprise that the availability of pornography is increasing, especially with an explosion of Internet-connected mobile devices and portable media players. Despite the economic hardships that many industries have suffered in recent years, the revenues of the pornography industry continue to grow. It is estimated that by 2013, the revenue from pornography on mobile devices alone will reach $4.9 billion. In the United States, the pornography industry annual revenues are estimated at approximately $13 billion, and over $97 billion worldwide, according to a 2006 statistic (obviously outdated), with the U.S. being one of the top producing countries.

What is it that makes consumers of pornography so addicted, and why does the porn industry continue to profit? Mark B. Kastleman, author of "The Drug of the New Millennium," says, "We need pleasure. We are pleasure-oriented beings." Exercise, music, certain foods, and other healthy activities can cause the release of neurotransmitters in the brain and give us pleasure. Just as a drug addict gets a surge of pleasure from taking illegal drugs, exposure to pornography produces an extreme chemical release of neurotransmitters in the brain. Some of these neurochemicals include dopamine (released with the same intensity as with cocaine use), norepinephrine (which causes the brain to remember the details of the exposure), oxytocin (which creates a powerful bonding with the viewer to the images), and seratonin (which creates a calming, peaceful feeling). In the same way that illegal drugs trick the brain into releasing its own endogenous chemicals, pornography fakes the brain into releasing a powerful cocktail of addicting, pleasurable neurotransmitters. Essentially, the addiction to pornography is not that different from actual chemical addiction. There is no ingesting or injecting of an actual substance, but viewing pornography can produce the same chemical release of neurotransmitters in the brain just as pharmaceutical or illegal drugs do. Jeffrey Satinover, M.S., M.D., Psychiatrist and Professor at Princeton University says, "modern science allows us to understand that the underlying nature of an addiction to pornography is chemically nearly identical to a heroin addiction: Only the delivery system is different, and the sequence of steps." Specialists who treat people with pornography addiction often say that it is harder to overcome a pornography addiction than a drug addiction because it involves many other complex emotions and situations, and because sexual attraction is built into our DNA.

What's more alarming are the psychological and behavioral impacts of pornography. Research indicates that consumption of pornography leads to adverse affects including increased marital distress, decreased marital intimacy and sexual satisfaction, infidelity, increased appetite for more graphic types of pornography and sexual activity associated with abusive, illegal or unsafe practices. Children who are exposed to pornography are at risk for developing sexual compulsions and addictive behavior, and face an increased risk of exposure to incorrect information about human sexuality long before a minor is able to contextualize this information in ways an adult brain could.

After repeated exposure to sexually explicit images, the brain habituates, or "gets bored," and the same images no longer cause the neurochemical release, according to Kastleman. Consequently, an individual will typically go to a more novel or disturbed level in order to get the same neurochemical release again. Kastleman mentions an interview with an FBI agent who handles child porn cases. The agent confirmed that in almost all of the cases that he sees, men usually start out by viewing "harmless" pornography, and after repeated use, the only thing that will give them the same level of pleasure is acting out against real people, or to view content that is more extreme, forbidden, or illegal. Kastleman cites research that links pornography use to child abuse, rape, incest, and sexual abuse.

Regardless of whether or not you think pornography is acceptable, today's technology allows us to see what happens chemically inside the brain during exposure, and to understand the reason behind the addictive nature of pornography. Anything that is as addictive has the potential to enslave individuals, affect their most critical relationships, and lead them to commit dangerous or illegal acts.

K9 Web Protection

2009-09-22T10:22:00.008-05:00

If you're concerned about your family being accidentally exposed to inappropriate content online, K9 Web Protection is a free, and easy software filter that can help. K9 Web Protection is available for both Windows and Mac platforms and offers content filtering for over 55 different categories of online content which are updated regularly.

If you find that K9 Web Protection blocks a site that you would like to access, you can enter the administrative password to allow access to the site.

K9 Web Protection is lightweight, doesn't bog down your Internet connection, and serve as an extra layer of protection from malicious or indecent content. Remember, the idea of technologies such as this is to prevent accidental exposure. The best defense lies in teaching correct principles and safe habits.

Filter Web Content Using OpenDNS

2009-09-22T09:32:00.008-05:00

If you're looking for an easy way to filter web content on all of your computers at home (Mac and Windows), OpenDNS is a great place to start. OpenDNS is a free service that provides DNS lookups, which is the magic that translates your request for a web page, such as www.google.com, into the actual numeric address online. Open DNS provides options for filtering content as shown here
(click for larger image):

First off, we're going to tell your computer(s) to use the OpenDNS servers to perform DNS lookups. Follow the instructions on the OpenDNS web site to get started. In order to use OpenDNS's content filtering feature, you must create an account, and add your network location (so OpenDNS knows where you're coming from). The easiest way to do this is to download the free OpenDNS update client (available for both Mac OS X and Windows) that will automatically update your network location. I recommend installing the OpenDNS update client on a computer on your home network that is used the most. That way, it will frequently update OpenDNS with your current network location and provide content filtering.

Make sure that you configure all of your other computers to use OpenDNS, or better yet, set it once at the router location so that all computers that connect to your Internet connection automatically use OpenDNS. Once you create an OpenDNS account, login and click on the Dashboard, and then click the Settings tab to select what sites to block. There is a great video tutorial on the OpenDNS web site that walks you through the entire setup process.

The nice thing is that once you've setup OpenDNS on your network, all of the computers that connect through your Internet connection and are using OpenDNS will have content filtering enabled by default without the need to install any software.