How To Use IMs and Chat Safely
US-CERT has updated their article on how to use Instant Messaging and Chat Rooms Safely. They advise, in part:
- Evaluate your security settings - Check the default settings in your software and adjust them if they are toopermissive. Make sure to disable automatic downloads. Some chat software offers the ability to limit interactions to only certainusers, and you may want to take advantage of these restrictions.
- Be conscious of what information you reveal - Be wary ofrevealing personal information unless you know who you are reallytalking to. You should also be careful about discussing anything youor your employer might consider sensitive business information overpublic IM or chat services (even if you are talking to someone youknow in a one-to-one conversation).
- Try to verify the identity of the person you are talking to,if it matters - In some forums and situations, the identity of the"person" you are talking to may not matter. However, if you need tohave a degree of trust in that person, either because you are sharingcertain types of information or being asked to take some action likefollowing a link or running a program, make sure the "person" you aretalking to is actually that person.
- Don't believe everything you read - The information or advice you receive in a chat room or by IM may be false or, worse,malicious. Try to verify the information or instructions from outsidesources before taking any action.
- Keep software up to date - This includes the chatsoftware, your browser, your operating system, your mail client, and,especially, your anti-virus software (see UnderstandingPatches and UnderstandingAnti-Virus Software for more information).
[Cyber Security Tip ST04-011 Using Instant Messaging and Chat Rooms Safely]
Posted in
IRC News
by #!/usr/bin/geek at 2007-06-09 03:25 ET (GMT-5)
Tags: chat safety virus malware
