Everyday you hear about it... Identity theft, computer viruses, and someone else getting hacked and losing everything.  You don't have to look far to see the risks for yourself. Just opening your email inbox every morning should remind you of the dangers out there.

The following was prepared as part of a symposium presentation to CSI Nebraska.  It tries to address the basics of internet safety for individuals and small businesses.  For large companies that have considerable traffic over their internet connections, sophisticated IT solutions should also be put in place.
 
Web Site Content:

• Never include personal details about yourself or any employees on your website.
• Don't use your home telephone number on your Web site. Get a second number or cell phone that you only use for the business.
• Don't ask for personal information from your web site unless you really need it and the process is secure.

Email from your Web Site:

• Use an anonymous address, such as "info @ mydomain.com" to provide contact from your site - this protects your real addresses from being added to spam lists. 
• Don't use simple "mailto:" e-mail links in the HTML coding on your Web site. Instead, use a script-driven contact form on your Web site or disguise your "mailto" links with JavaScript.

Browsing:

• Have an interent usage policy for your employees.
• Block websites that are inappropriate or reduce productivity, such as Facebook or Myspace.

Hosting:

• Never host your website or email on a server that also contains your companies documents or financials records.
• Small businesses should consider hosting offsite to minimize costs and risks.

Domain Name Registration:

• Use private registration for your domain name instead of open public registration that allows anyone to see your name, address, email, phone number, etc.