Do you know how to protect yourself online? You can find out in just two minutes!
So, the holiday leftovers are still lingering in the fridge, and you are trying to motivate yourself as you look through your oh-so-long list of new emails. Don’t let the post-holiday blues lure you into a digital rabbit hole! Take this quick quiz to brush up on your IT safety skills and emerge from the winter blues as a cybersecurity superhero.
More information:
After reading this article, you may want to check out more quizzes from the FTC.
Cybersecurity Quizzes
Quizzes on various Cybersecurity topics from the US Federal Trade Commission
You can also check out last year’s Best Practices Quiz
Please remember that the InfoLine is free to distribute to your friends and family.
Test your Best Practices knowledge with these questions. Reference information is available for each question, and the answers are listed at the bottom of the page.
1. If the URL in an email looks safe, it is.
[Reference Material]
2. I just need to tell my IT support that there is a problem. They don’t need details.
[Reference Material]
3. Modern computers don’t need to be rebooted regularly.
[Reference Material]
4. If the sender is someone I know, I can trust the email.
[Reference Material]
5. My SSN was probably hacked, and there’s nothing I can do about it.
[Reference Material]
6. The login page for the site looks the same as it always does, so I can just log in.
[Reference Material]
7. Chrome is the best browser to use.
[Reference Material]
8. My computer is running fine on Windows 10, so I can continue running it as long as I want to.
[Reference Material]
9. I should use a Password Manager.
[Reference Material]
Scroll down for answers…
ANSWERS (no peeking!)
1. False! The URL you see and the URL that gets activated when you click can be two different URLs.
More information: https://hdf.net/look-both-ways-before-clicking/
2. False! We need details. Please refer to this article *each time you need help*, to make sure you provide all the details we need to help you. The less details you provide, the longer it takes for us to help you resolve the problem.
More information: https://hdf.net/help-us-help-you/
3. False! Rebooting your PC or Mac at least once a week will prevent many of your problems. After taking a screenshot of any error message, you should try rebooting your computer before contacting us for help.
More information: https://hdf.net/reboot-regularly/
4. Wrong! If your correspondent’s computer has been hacked, it could be sending you malware from their legitimate email account.
More information: https://hdf.net/do-not-enable-content/
5. False! You can (and *should*) freeze your credit accounts at all three US credit bureaus.
More information: https://hdf.net/protect-your-financial-accounts/
6. False! Hackers can generate duplicate login pages that look identical to the real ones. You must always review the URL at the top of the browser to make sure it’s legitimate. https: //office-ms.com is not the same as https:// office.com This type of “almost the same” URL could lead you to a fake site designed to scam you.
More information: https://hdf.net/malicious-links/
7. True and False. Chrome works well because, since it has the majority of all browser usage, all websites are designed with it in mind. However, Google/Alphabet makes no qualms about tracking your web searches, gmail email messages and Google drive data, if you are using a consumer account. If you want to keep your data private, you should use another browser, such as Duck Duck Go.
More information: https://hdf.net/browse-the-web-privately/
8. False! Windows 10 will stop receiving support (without a payment plan to Microsoft) on October 14, 2025. You must replace or upgrade your computer to remain supported. And yes, Apple does the same thing periodically with its devices.
More information: https://hdf.net/windows-10-eol/
9. True… provided you use a safe one. I’ve been using 1Password for a couple of years and it has been working wonderfully for me.
More information: https://hdf.net/password-manager/ & https://hdf.net/lastpass-breach/
1. False! Your IT company will not pop up a message on your screen with our telephone number. Always contact us directly if you have a problem. If you don’t have our contact information, then please contact your supervisor. But *never* call a number that pops up in a message on your screen.
More Information: https://hdf.net/tech-support-scams/
2. False! All computers need to be rebooted regularly. We recommend doing so once or twice a week.
More information: https://hdf.net/keep-windows-10-up-to-date/
3. False! You are responsible for your computer, and that includes not installing programs that have not been approved by your IT folks.
More information: https://hdf.net/dont-use-unapproved-apps/
4. False! Even legitimate websites can be fooled into publishing ads with malicious links.
More information: https://hdf.net/malvertising/
5. False! This is especially a problem if you re-use passwords, since one of those old accounts could be breached and your re-used password could be exploited on your still-used accounts.
More information: https://hdf.net/delete-abandoned-accounts/
6. True & False. It depends on which Password Manager you use. If you select a good password manager, then the answer is definitely “True”.
More information: https://hdf.net/password-manager/ & https://hdf.net/lastpass-breach/
7. False. You have *less* to worry about if you have Antivirus installed and have a tech support team, but ultimately, *you* are responsible for the safety and security of your computer. It is also *your* data and identity that is at risk, and even if your tech support team is able to clean up your computer, it can’t delete your data from the dark web.
More information: https://hdf.net/dont-click-that-link/
8. False. Multiple questions in a single email can cause problems to the recipient, and then to you when they respond to just one question.
More information: https://hdf.net/keep-emails-to-a-single-topic/
9. False. Google tailors your results based on your previous searches.
More information: https://hdf.net/duckduckgo/
If you have questions about this, please let us know and we will be happy to assist you.
Take care,
