Digital Citizenship Lesson

Transcription

1 Digital Citizenship Lesson Categories: School Environment and Student Behavior/ Student Life Outside of School Environment Element: Digital Security Lesson: Malware Grade Level: 6-12 Part I Introduction [Overview of topic] brief description of the element and how it impacts the student. Malware is short for malicious software and is designed to steal information, inflict damage upon your computer, commit fraud, and spread spam. Types of malware are viruses, Trojan horses, and worms. Malware symptoms range from annoying popups to erasing your hard drive or even ruining your computer s processor. Learn how to spot Malware, how to eradicate it, as well as prevent it from getting into your computer. A word of caution: A program like Antivirus 2009 looks like a real warning that you have a virus and to click on the link or install button to fix the problem. In reality, you have just invited a virus into your computer by doing so. Only use programs that you know are legitimate antivirus or Internet security programs. Part II Class/Advisory Activities 1. Video 2. Discussion Questions 3. Activities Brainpop Computer Viruses (4:51 minutes) computerviruses/ Extortion Spyware (2:23 minutes) 1. Name several types of malware and explain what each can do to your computer. 2. What are the main ways malware can get into your computer? 3. How can malware be prevented? As a class or individually in a lab, go over On Guard Online Quizzes: Beware of Spyware The Case of the Cyber Criminal Part III Reflection 1. Writing Prompt(s) 2. Journal Writing How does malware affect the following: 1) your home computer, 2) a school computer, 3) a small or large business using multiple computers Do you know of someone whose computer was infected with malware? What were the symptoms? How long was it infected? How the problem was finally resolved? 1

2 Part IV Extension Activities 1. Class/Advisory School Activities See CyberSmart and On Guard Online resources below for lesson plans and activities. Choose ones that you and your students can relate to or that have made news lately. Lead a discussion on the Top 10 Cyber Security Tips with students. Go over CyberSmart Smart, Safe and Secure Online Worksheet with students. 2. Home Interaction Links Talk to your parents about Internet security on your home computers. Is your security software up to date? What basic rules should be followed to prevent malware from infecting your computer? Safeguarding Your Stuff, My Stuff, Our Stuff a checklist for planning a discussion with your family See page three of.pdf document. Click here for a lesson plan for this section. Part V Resources CyberSmart On Guard Online Microsoft Antivirus Reviews Free online workshops for educators to engage students in a digital world. You ll find lesson plans, activities and posters to help students use the Internet safely. Find lessons by grade level. U.S. Government site that provides accurate and up-to-date information about malware. Quick facts about spyware and how to help prevent spyware from infecting your computer. Quick facts about Identity Theft and what to do if your personal information has been compromised. Learn about safety risks and how to help avoid malware ware.mspx Which Antivirus software programs work best? PC.com Review CNet Review 2

3 Top ten Cyber security tips For Teens, their teachers and families Be a responsible cyber citizen. If you use the Internet, you're a citizen of a global community a cyber citizen. Just like being a citizen of your local community, being a cyber citizen has responsibilities. Use the Internet to share knowledge that makes people's lives better. Keep safe, use good manners and respect the laws. Use anti-virus software. A computer virus is a program that can invade your computer and damage or destroy information. Anti-virus software is designed to protect you and your computer against known viruses. But with new viruses emerging daily, anti-virus programs need to be updated regularly. Check with the web site of your anti-virus software company to see some sample descriptions of viruses and to get regular updates for your software. Stop viruses in their tracks! Do not open from unknown sources. Delete from unknown sources. Watch out for files attached to s, particularly those with an "exe" extension even if people you know sent them to you. Some files transport and distribute viruses and other programs that can permanently destroy files and damage computers and Web sites. Do not forward if you are not completely sure that any attached files are safe. Use hard-to-guess passwords and keep them private. Do not write passwords down on small pieces of paper taped to your computer. You would be surprised how many people are sloppy about keeping their passwords private. Passwords that are easy to-guess are a bad choice. In other words, if your name is "Dan" do not make your password "Dan." Change your passwords regularly and don t give your passwords to anyone! Tell your family that combinations of letters, numbers and symbols are harder to crack than just words. Protect computers with firewalls. Install firewalls for your family-it is not difficult. A firewall helps prevent hackers from breaking into your computer or the computers that belong to your family. Firewalls help prevent thieves from stealing and using private information including your phone number and credit card numbers, which may be stored on a family computer. Do not share access to your computers with strangers. Learn about file sharing risks. Your computer operating system may allow other computers on a network, including the Internet, to access the harddrive of your computer in order to "share files". This ability to share files can be used to infect your computer with a virus or look at the files on your computer if you do not pay close attention. Check your operating system and other program help files to learn how to disable file sharing. Do not share access to your computer with strangers! Disconnect from the Internet when not in use. The Internet is a two-way road. You get information and also send information. Turning off the Internet makes sure that someone else on the Internet can t enter your computer and cause harm. Disconnecting your computer from the Internet when you are not online lessens the chance that someone will be able to access your computer. Back-up your computer regularly. Help your family back up all household computers onto external media such as CD s or diskettes. Regularly download security protection update patches. Security flaws are regularly found in operating systems and application software. Companies that make software release quick fixes called "patches" that you should install to correct the latest software flaw. It is a good idea to check for security updates on the publisher's Web site for all the software you own. Help your family to check computer security on a regular basis. Evaluate computer security at least twice a year. To help remember, do it when you change the clocks for daylight-savings time! Check for all of the items listed previously. Visit for cyberspace security information. The National Cyber Security Alliance is a government/ industry partnership to help keep computers and cyberspace safe The National Cyber Security Alliance and The CyberSmart! School Program. Duplication permitted for school and home use only. CyberSmart! Visit for free curriculum copublished with McGraw-Hill Education that teaches the skills necessary for safe, responsible and effective computer and Internet use.

4 Smart, Safe, and Secure Online One day, Yukio gets a message online. Assuming it s from a friend, he opens it. Without much thought, Yukio clicks on the hyperlink. It takes him to a Web site showing photos that startle him. Embarrassed, Yukio tries to exit the site. However, new windows keep popping up. Finally, he quits his browser program and deletes the message. He wonders if he did something wrong. Would it have helped if Yukio had checked who sent the message? Explain. Subject: Date: To: From: Sept. 17 It s party time! YF3344@anymail.net jerrymoore@thecommons.com Dear Yukio, Want to party with us? Click here! Yukio also wonders how the sender found him. What do you think? Chat With jerrymoore How should Yukio handle messages from unknown senders in the future? It s party time! W Dear Yukio, ant to party with us? Click here! Smart, Safe, and Secure Online CyberSmart! Education. All rights reserved. Activity Sheet 1 of 3

5 We ve Got Spam for You! Thinking the message must be from a schoolmate, Yukio was excited to get a party invitation. In his haste, he ended up at an X-rated Web site. Had he checked who sent the message, he might have realized that it was from someone he did not recognize. Or he might not have. That s because the sender was trying to trick him into opening the message. It was from a company trying to sell things by sending out thousands of messages at a time. Commercial messages that you didn t ask for are called spam. Many spam offers sound too good to be true ( Make $10,000 a day from home! ), and usually they are! Others may contain messages, pictures, or links to Web sites that are offensive. These companies (called spammers) don t know if you re an adult or a kid everyone gets the same messages. They collect addresses and screen names from many sources, including chat rooms, message boards, and social network profiles. Sometimes they just guess, and often they re correct. Don t Read, Don t Reply When you read spam, the spammer knows your address is live. So if you don t know the sender, don t even open or click on the message even if it includes your name. Simply delete the or close the IM. If you do read the message, never reply even to say Take me off your list. This only encourages the spammer to send more messages. Beware of Attachments and Free Downloads! Spam may seem like no big deal, but it can create very real trouble for you and your family. These messages may have malware attached. Malware is malicious software, created to damage your personal files or your computer, or steal your private identity information. There are many types of malware, of which viruses are one type. Sometimes the malware is hidden in a picture (also called an image). So don t download images or other attachments unless you know the sender and what is in the attachments. Everyone likes the free animations, screen savers, and games you can find online. But think twice before downloading free software. It may be hiding malware. Unless the free software is from a site you and your family trust, don t download it. Smart, Safe, and Secure Online CyberSmart! Education. All rights reserved. Activity Sheet 2 of 3

6 Break the Chain! You know those messages that ask you to forward them to all your friends? They may contain jokes, sad but heart-warming stories, or warnings about dangers that are not true. Such messages are called Internet chain letters. The message comes from a friend, but its content has been passed all over the Internet possibly for years. Chain letters can hide malware that your friend didn t realize was there. So don t download a file attached to chain letters, and don t forward the message! Spam Gone Phishing Some spammers want to steal your private identity information. Such messages appear to come from places you know and trust, such as a bank or online store. The message may ask you to update your account information by clicking on a link. The link takes you to a phony Web site that looks exactly like the real thing. This trick is called phishing. Don t fall for it. Take Action! Create a cyber security cartoon or comic strip to hang at home. It can be serious or funny as long as it makes the point about staying safe and secure online. Sketch and write your ideas below. Help your family fight spam and malware. Always back up your computers update your operating system use and update antivirus and other security software be sure you know what new software does before you install it report spam or phishing to your ISP (Internet Service Provider) Smart, Safe, and Secure Online CyberSmart! Education. All rights reserved. Activity Sheet 3 of 3

7 SAFEGUARDING YOUR STUFF, MY STUFF, OUR STUFF Crime File: High School Hacker An 18-year-old high school senior enters the school building after school hours. He uses passwords stolen from teachers to hack into the school network, changing his grades and changing the grades of some of his friends as well. He installs malware, or malicious code, that allows him to re-enter the network from any computer outside school. Instead of attending his high school graduation, he sits consulting with his lawyer, charged with crimes that, added up, could possibly result in a 38-year prison sentence. What s the Problem? What actions did the young man take that were wrong, broke school rules, and may have been illegal? Who was affected by these actions? What if you were a student at that school how might his actions affect you? Notes: Crime File: Malicious IMs A 19-year-old hacker creates malware that spreads itself through instant messages. The messages, which look like they are from a buddy, invite the victim to look at a photo on a social networking profile. In reality, the link leads to a phony Web site that installs the malicious code on the victim s computer. As a result, all the information stored on the computer, including credit card numbers, can be viewed and copied by the hacker. What s the Problem? What could be the consequences for the victims of this young hacker s actions? Notes: Crime File: Roaming Robots An American employee of a company that sells kitchenware turns his company s computers into a network of virtual robots that earn him extra money while he sleeps. He uses his botnet to infect personal computers all over Europe with malware that displays pop-up ads on command. A second company, an advertising company in the Netherlands, pays him for each software installation. His trial results in a sentence of three and a half years in prison. What s the Problem? How did this person s actions affect his employer? How could they affect the people who owned the computers he infected? Notes: Safeguarding Your Stuff, My Stuff, Our Stuff CyberSmart! Education. All rights reserved. Student Sheet 1 of 3

8 SAFEGUARDING YOUR STUFF, MY STUFF, OUR STUFF Think About It Every day, different parts of the Internet are routinely scanned. There are many reasons people do these scans: Some do it to understand the Internet better, some to invent ways to make it work more efficiently for their business, and others to look for computers to attack. The attacks can come from lone teenage hackers, organized crime rings, or political organizations. Some do it for the bragging rights, while others do it to promote a cause, attack others homeland networks, make money, or steal money from others. The Internet is a two-way street: Information passes into computers and out of computers. So when you connect to the Internet, the computer you use may be open to damage or trickery from anywhere in the world from viruses, worms, Trojans, phishing, and pharming attacks. And because the technology is constantly changing, new threats are constantly being invented. That s why using the Internet means accepting responsibility to help protect your home computers, school computers, public computers, and even your country s computers from attacks. Find Solutions How can you defend your personal computers and the stuff on them against viruses, hackers, identity thieves, and botnet schemes? The best way is to stay informed about the latest security methods and use them regularly. Use critical thinking to evaluate online situations such as unsolicited s and IMs, file sharing, free downloads, and all the other temptations on the Web. Start at the place where your computer meets the network. All Internet connections require a modem. If your computer is connected directly to the modem, you need firewall software to keep the bad guys out. If you have more than one computer in your home or you use a wireless network, it is likely that you also have a router. Routers keep bad guys from scanning your computer. But there are still plenty of other ways for them to get to what they want from you. For example, phishing attacks try to trick you into connecting to a phony Web site and willingly giving out your private identity information. Take Action Have you and your parents had the talk? No, not that one, the one about cyber security. In this case, it s likely that you know more than your parents. So plan to talk to your family frankly about preventing cyber crimes on your personal computers and the public computers they use in the community. In class, do a role play to practice getting your talk just right. At home, answer your family s questions at their level of interest and knowledge. Together, create a list of actions to take to make the computers you routinely use and your information more secure. Don t wait until something bad happens to your computer (slowdowns, crashes, corrupted files, stolen identity information). Make a cyber security plan and stick to it! Safeguarding Your Stuff, My Stuff, Our Stuff CyberSmart! Education. All rights reserved. Student Sheet 2 of 3

9 SAFEGUARDING YOUR STUFF, MY STUFF, OUR STUFF Use the following checklist when planning your discussion with your family. Personal Computers Install antivirus software and update it regularly. Beware of files attached to s. They may be viruses. Don t open them unless you know what s in the file. Make sure you have a firewall on your computer or a router. If you have a wireless network, secure it with a password. Be very careful about the settings you choose when using file-sharing software. If you re not, you could accidentally give others access to private identity information. Disconnect from the Internet when you leave your computer. Back up your files onto external devices, CDs, or Internet servers. Download security and operating system upgrades regularly. Set up different accounts for each family member so that each person will have access only to the things he or she needs. Follow secure password management tips, including changing passwords often. Public Computers Make sure the browser, messaging software, and other programs are not set to remember login names and passwords. Never leave a public computer while you are signed in to one of your accounts. Beware of over-the-shoulder snoops who watch you key in your passwords. When finished, always click log out. Don t just close the browser window. When you are finished, clear the browser history, cookies, and any temporary files created as a result of your browsing. Don t do online banking or use a credit card. Check with owners of the public computers to find out what security precautions they have taken. If they don t have good answers, don t use the computer to log into personal accounts. Safeguarding Your Stuff, My Stuff, Our Stuff CyberSmart! Education. All rights reserved. Student Sheet 3 of 3