Children must be aware of need for Net security
BY LARRY MAGID
Special to the Mercury News
December 3, 2000I don't know about your family, but even though my kids are in their teens, I still have to remind them to lock the front door when they come home in the afternoon. The same is true when they use their PCs. Kids -- like adults -- can easily do things that make your home computers vulnerable to intruders. In general, the issue of hackers and viruses applies to anyone whose family members access the Internet, but it's especially important if you have a cable modem, DSL line or other ``always on'' connection to the Internet. And, even though we hear a lot more about attacks on Windows machines, Mac users are also vulnerable.We've had our share of viruses and hack attacks at our house. I don't blame my kids -- I have made some mistakes that have increased our risks -- but kids do have a tendency to download a lot of files and experiment with software that could increase your vulnerability.
Kids need to be aware that files they download from the Internet or receive via e-mail can possibly contain a virus that can harm your computer system. Young children (I'll leave it up to you to decide what is or isn't ``young'') shouldn't be allowed to download files without their parents' permission. As kids get near and into their teens, they're not likely to ask you every time they want to download a file, but you should go over some ground rules. For one thing, they should download only from reputable sites. Web sites like download.com, hotfiles.com and shareware.com generally make some effort to virus-check programs in their libraries. It's no ironclad guarantee, but it's a good start.
Kids should be warned to never open any file that comes to them via e-mail, even if it's from someone they know and trust. Earlier this year, millions of computers were infected by the ``I Love You'' virus, which sent itself out to users' Outlook and Outlook Express database so people would received the virus, in many cases, got it from someone they knew. Be especially careful about any ``executable'' file that ends in ``exe'' or ``vbs'' as well as Word files (``doc'') that can contain destructive macros. Besides the risk of viruses, there is also the possibility that someone may be sending a file that has otherwise inappropriate material, so just tell your kids to check with you before they open a file.
Downloading music files is becoming a major pastime, and it's hard to find any teenagers who don't admit to downloading songs from Napster and other file sharing services. Although there's always some risk associated with downloading files, MP3 files have not been associated with viruses or other security risks according to Symantec's Stephen Gorrell, program manager for the Norton Internet Security product.
It is important, however, to realize that Napster is not only a client program for downloading music, it's also a server which is capable of allowing other people to access files from your computer. The program allows you to designate directories that contain music files that you wish to share with others. Any music file in that directory is available to any other Napster user.
A Napster spokesperson assured me that fellow Napster users are only able to access MP3 files -- not other types of documents -- but, as a precaution, I recommend that you instruct your kids not to share any folders on their PC. If you decide you're willing to allow them to share files, be sure that they specify folders that only contain music files they wish to share.
In addition to the security issue, there is also the question of whether or not you or your kids are violating any laws by allowing others to access copyrighted songs that may reside on your computer, but I'll leave that for another day.
Even if everyone in the house is being careful, there is always the possibility that a virus could sneak in, which is why it's important to have up-to-date anti-virus software running on any machines in your house. Programs like Norton Anti-Virus (www.norton.com) and McAfee VirusScan do a reasonably good job at preventing and fixing virus related problems but they only work if they're installed, running and up-to-date. When it comes to machines used by kids and teens, I recommend that parents install the software and configure it so that it runs automatically. It's also a good idea to configure the software to do regular automatic scans at night to be sure an infection hasn't set in and be sure to use the update feature at least once a week to be sure the software is aware of any new threats.
Finally, there is the issue of hack attacks. I don't want to contribute to anyone's paranoia, but the reality is that if you're online, you are vulnerable to both privacy invasion and to someone destroying files on your PC. This is especially true if you have an always-on connection. I used to think that the threat was overblown until I visited Gibson Research's Shield's Up page at www.grc.com which -- with your permission -- can probe your PC to see if there are any security leaks. When I first ran the test, I discovered that the machines on my home network were wide open. Fortunately there are things you can do to close the loop. You can, for example, turn off file and print sharing from any PC connected to the Internet. You can (and should) also run a personal firewall program on your PC. There are a number of commercial programs including Norton Internet Security ($53.95 from www.symantecstore.com) and McAfee Firewall ($29 from http://estore.nai.com), but I'm very happy with ZoneAlarm (www.zonealarm.com), a personal firewall program that's free for personal and non-profit use.
