{"id":79,"date":"2026-04-23T15:46:11","date_gmt":"2026-04-23T15:46:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.indianatech.edu\/sdl\/?page_id=79"},"modified":"2026-04-23T18:33:37","modified_gmt":"2026-04-23T18:33:37","slug":"online-safety-and-cybersecurity","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.indianatech.edu\/sdl\/online-safety-and-cybersecurity\/","title":{"rendered":"Online Safety and Cybersecurity"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<section class=\"wp-block-group pixels seafoam-pixels has-white-background-color has-background is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading pixels\">Online Safety and Cybersecurity<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p>This module introduces various types of scams and vulnerabilities that you will encounter online, such as phishing emails, insecure passwords, and insecure websites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:2em\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"video-container\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/CwDSG6KTJAg?rel=0\" rel=\"0\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-space-between is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-3d213aab wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-dark-blue-background-color has-background wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.indianatech.edu\/sdl\/staying-connected\/\"><span class=\"fa fa-chevron-left\"><\/span>&nbsp; Previous Lesson<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-dark-blue-background-color has-background wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.indianatech.edu\/sdl\/using-smartphones-effectively\/\">Next Lesson &nbsp;<span class=\"fa fa-chevron-right\"><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-group has-mist-gray-background-color has-background is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Lesson Content<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Recognizing Scams<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Identifying phishing emails<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>What is a phishing email?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>An email from someone you don\u2019t know, who is trying to get something from you\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>These emails can look like they\u2019re from someone you know, but it is a scammer (bad guy) using their account or name<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>They will usually ask for bank information, login information, or even your Social Security number<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Phishing emails will have a sense of urgency, using deadlines or words like \u201curgent\u201d or \u201cact now\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>This is to get users to act without stopping and thinking through their actions<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>They will request sensitive information<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Companies will never ask for anything personal over email. Any request like this is a major red flag<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Suspicious sender addresses<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Sometimes the email will look correct, but upon closer inspection some things could be wrong\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Like amazon.com vs amaz0n.com (the zero instead of the \u201co\u201d)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Or they will have a generic email domain, like Gmail or yahoo, instead of a corporate domain<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Generic greetings<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The email may start with \u201cDear Customer\u201d or \u201cHello Valued Member\u201d, because they don\u2019t know your name or are sending out the email to many people.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Poor Grammar or Spelling<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>This is one of the biggest hints to phishing or scam emails, as real companies will never have typos<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Unexpected Content<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Emails that are sent to many people may not even pertain to you specifically<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Like telling users they need to input their PayPal (an online banking platform) information when they do not have a PayPal account<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Password Security<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Strong passwords are the most important item in online safety. While it can be difficult to remember long or complex passwords, there are applications that can make it easier<br><br>How to create a strong password?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Good passwords are at least eight (8) characters, but the best is twelve (12) or more\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Longer passwords are harder to crack<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Passwords should be complex\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>They need to contain a mix of uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters (like $, !, ?, or &amp;)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Many websites will require some of these specifications<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Avoid predictability!\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Try to stay away from generic words like \u201cpassword\u201d or numbers in an order like \u201c12345\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>A password manager is a tool that remembers your password for you<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Google chrome, a web browser, has a great built in password manager\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>When you log into a website, google may prompt you to save your password for future use<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>This will autocomplete your login information the next time you login to that website<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Avoid saving information on public computers!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>There are other applications that will also store passwords, like the \u201cpasswords\u201d app on Apple iPhone<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Safe Browsing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Another important subject related to online safety is understanding the websites you are using<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Safe websites will start with \u201chttps\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The \u201cs\u201d on the end stands for secure<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>They will also have a little lock symbol in the search bar (where the website address is)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Avoiding Malware is very important<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Do not download anything from the internet if you do not know the website<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Many computers will ask you if you meant to download something, as it could be potentially harmful<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Using antivirus software will help users avoid malware<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Windows has a built-in antivirus software that many users appreciate<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>You can download free antivirus software or buy antivirus software from trusted companies, but many companies (like Windows or Apple) have built in protection, so most of them are not needed<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-group has-white-background-color has-background is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile\" style=\"grid-template-columns:24% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"831\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.indianatech.edu\/sdl\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/91\/martin-topp-831x1024.png\" alt=\"Martin Topp\" class=\"wp-image-89 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.indianatech.edu\/sdl\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/91\/martin-topp-831x1024.png 831w, https:\/\/www.indianatech.edu\/sdl\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/91\/martin-topp-243x300.png 243w, https:\/\/www.indianatech.edu\/sdl\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/91\/martin-topp-768x947.png 768w, https:\/\/www.indianatech.edu\/sdl\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/91\/martin-topp.png 851w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 831px) 100vw, 831px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Martin Topp<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"subtitle\">Digital Literacy Educator<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Martin focuses on making technology feel less confusing and more useful for older adults. He enjoys teaching simple, real-world skills, from staying safe online to using tools that help people stay connected with family, friends, and their community. His goal is to make learning technology feel comfortable, approachable, and genuinely helpful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Looking ahead, Martin hopes to continue working in cybersecurity and public service, building secure systems while staying focused on the people those systems are meant to support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/martin-topp\"><span class=\"fa fa-linkedin-in\"><\/span><span class=\"sr-only\">Martin Topp on LinkedIn<\/span><\/a> &nbsp; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mtsaga.net\/\"><span class=\"fa fa-link-out\"><\/span><span class=\"sr-only\">Martin Topp&#8217;s Website<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Online Safety and Cybersecurity This module introduces various types of scams and vulnerabilities that you will encounter online, such as phishing emails, insecure passwords, and insecure websites. Lesson Content Recognizing Scams Identifying phishing emails What is a phishing email? Phishing emails will have a sense of urgency, using deadlines or words like \u201curgent\u201d or \u201cact [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"full-width-no-margins.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"class_list":["post-79","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Online Safety and Cybersecurity - Senior Digital Literacy<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.indianatech.edu\/sdl\/online-safety-and-cybersecurity\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Online Safety and Cybersecurity - Senior Digital Literacy\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Online Safety and Cybersecurity This module introduces various types of scams and vulnerabilities that you will encounter online, such as phishing emails, insecure passwords, and insecure websites. 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