Posted on 04 Aug, 2011 -
Dirty Mops, Dirty Tactics and Dirty Tricks on the Internet
How to stay safe in the three places where you spend most of your time
Get rid of the MRSA lurking in your home - and the cyberspace scam artists lurking in your broadband
What you can legally use as a weapon in self-defense
Dear Reader,
Be warned: what you’re about to read may unsettle you slightly. It may also cause you to ignore emails from good friends, wash your hands constantly and carry weird objects when you go out at night.
The good news is that it could also prevent you from being a victim of internet crime, being attacked on the street or getting the MRSA bug or E-Coli.
Because this week - after a chat with a doctor about how viruses are carried around on our clothes and even in our cars - I have decided to do some investigating into the subject of safety in the three ‘places’ where we spend most of our time these days: In our homes and workplaces. Out on the street. And on our computers…
First up, how to be safer at home
Most people think of infectious diseases such as MRSA, E. coli or norovirus as things you will catch either in hospital or when seeing other people. What public health experts are now trying to stress, however, is how much danger of infection also lurks in our own homes.
Advances in vaccination and antibiotic treatment, they say, have made people complacent about hygiene.
As Professor Sally Bloomfield of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine explains, for example, if you go into hospital for surgery, the way you’re most likely to get infected is by germs you’ve brought in on yourself from home.
So what can you do?
Most importantly, wash your hands and encourage others to do the same. A 2007 survey by the Hygiene Council found that many people don’t wash their hands after using the toilet, before they prepare food or after coughing and sneezing. And men are apparently the worst offenders.
Hygiene experts recommend that everyone wash their hands before and after preparing food. After any trip to the toilet. After handling dirty objects or dirty laundry. And also after touching pets, their litter trays or water and food bowls.
MRSA is resistant to many kinds of antibiotics but you can wash it off your hands and clothes with soap and water. Norovirus can also be avoided by washing your hands thoroughly with soap and hot water after preparing food and before eating, and especially after using the toilet.
Pay especial attention to these germ hot spots
The home should also be kept very clean and you should focus in particular on germ hotspots such as cleaning cloths, sponges and chopping boards.
Use either soap and hot water to rinse the germs away or a disinfectant to kill the germs.
Also make sure you dry surfaces after cleaning as dampness helps any remaining germs to survive and multiply. Within eight hours, one bacterium on a damp cloth can multiply to six million.
Germs stick to cloths and are difficult to remove by rinsing, so all cleaning materials should be disinfected and then dried after use.
Wash brushes in a dishwasher regularly or clean with detergent and warm water after each use.
Mops and buckets should be cleaned, disinfected and dried after each use.
To prevent the spread of germs, all underwear, towels and household linen should be washed at 60C (140F) or at 40C (104F) with a bleach-based laundry product.
Before I move onto a very different kind of virus, two other tips I thought worth mentioning on the subject of safety in the home were these:
For adults the top four list of common accidents starts with accidents involving steps or stairs, followed by rugs and carpets, collisions caused by children, then floor surfaces.
Near the top of the list for children, especially those under 6, comes poisoning. Make sure medicines, cosmetics and household cleaning products are out of their reach or locked away.
Top expert tips for internet security
If you’re anything like me then internet security gets filed somewhere far too low down on your mental ‘Probably Ought To Do’ list and rarely makes it anywhere near an actual ‘To Do’ list. But you and I also know that we’re playing with fire…
Experts say that every computer MUST have anti-virus and anti-spyware software, and a firewall at the minimum.
It is also crucial that this all updates automatically to remain active and deal with the newest threats. New computers often come with security software pre-installed but it normally stops after a short while unless you pay a subscription.
How to avoid being a victim of scam artists and malware
Internet criminals can hyjack your home computer and get it to do their work for them. They scan the internet to find computers that aren’t protected by security software, and then install bad software - known as “malware” - through those “open doors.” If this happens, your computer becomes part of a ‘BotNet’.
Apart from keeping your software up-to-date, you can also avoid this by being wary of emails with attachments, links or images that may have been sent by scammers. If you click on or open them, they can install hidden software. Be wary about opening any attachments or downloading files from emails you receive. Don’t open an email attachment even if it comes from a friend’s address if you’re not 100% sure they’ve sent it themselves. It could be that their computer has been hijacked.
Also look out for bogus emails pretending to be from your bank. Don’t reply to an email, text, or pop-up message that asks for personal or financial information, and don’t click on links in the message. If you want to go to a bank or business’s website, type the web address into your browser yourself.
Don’t respond if you get a message - by email, text, pop-up or phone - that asks you to call a phone number to update your account or give your personal information to access a refund. If you need to talk to an organization with which you do business, call the number on your financial statement, or use a telephone directory.
Many scam artists also use the trick of disguising their ‘malware’ as anti-spyware software. You may get something pop up that says it has scanned your computer and found viruses or malware that you can get rid of if you buy their software. But watch out, it could well be a scam.
Disconnect your computer from the Internet when you aren’t using it. You’re more likely to be found and hit by attackers or viruses scanning the network for available computers if your computer is always connected. Turning off computers or the modem will do the trick.
And finally… Back up all of your data. Now that we have so many precious and important files on our computers, backing up is even more crucial. I personally use a company that automatically backs up my files at the same time every day. You can also do it yourself onto a memory stick or CD. Whatever works best for you.
Staying safe when you’re out on the streets
The older I get, the more scared I seem to become of things like theft and danger on the street. Here are some of the best tips I’ve found on the subject:
Get your cash out of the cashpoint during daylight hours if you are going out in the evening.
Don’t keep all your valuables in one place. Keep some things in your bag, for example, then other things in pockets.
If someone tries to take something from you, it may just be better to let them take it rather than risk confrontation and injury.
Legally you are allowed to use reasonable force in self-defence. You are also allowed to protect yourself with something you are carrying anyway such as keys or a can of hairspray. You are not allowed to carry a proper weapon.
Be aware, however, that an attacker may take an object you are using in self-defence and use it against you. It is often better to shout loudly and run away!
If you’re walking alone or at night, walk so that you’re on the side of the oncoming traffic to avoid kerb crawlers.
Before you go out at night, make sure you know the phone number of a trustworthy taxi company.
It is more effective to shout “fire!” than “help!”. People are more likely to come to your assistance.
1 on 10 motorway accidents involve a collision with a vehicle on the hard shoulder. So if you do break down and need rescuing, it’s probably worth waiting on the grass verge instead of in your car if possible.
Don’t leave vehicle documents in your car. Registration documents, MOT and insurance certificates will help a thief to sell your vehicle.
Stay safe.
