How secure are you online?

Quiz Questions

• 1.
  What is your password?

  • A.
    "Password"
  • B.
    It’s a pet’s or family member’s name, and I use the same password for everything.
  • C.
    It’s a combination of letters, special characters, and numbers, and completely random.
  • D.
    It’s a passphrase that doesn’t make sense, but at least it’s easy to remember and hard to guess.
• 2.
  Do you have more than one copy of your important files, pictures, music, etc?

  • A.
    Yes. I have a couple of copies on the same computer.
  • B.
    No.
  • C.
    Yes, I have a copy on an external hard-drive (or some other separate device, but I don’t update them regularly.
  • D.
    Yes, I have multiple backups, and at least one is automated cloud storage.
• 3.
  Do you have antivirus and a firewall on your computer and all other devices connected to the internet?

  • A.
    I have those things on my computer, but not on my other devices.
  • B.
    No.
  • C.
    I don’t know what you just said.
  • D.
    Yes, on everything connected to the internet.
• 4.
  Do you open email attachments from people you don’t know?

  • A.
    No. I’m not looking for a virus!
  • B.
    Only if the sender is a business I recognize.
  • C.
    Only if it says I won something.
  • D.
    Yes, always
• 5.
  Do you open email attachments from people you DO know? 

  • A.
    Yes. 
  • B.
    Only if I am expecting something from that person.
• 6.
  You receive a promotional offer by email or phone. It sounds legitimate, and all you have to do is pay a fee and register with your personal information. What do you do?

  • A.
    If it sounds ok, I’ll go ahead and pay with credit card, bank account, or wire transfer and register with my personal information.
  • B.
    If it sounds ok, I will wire money or give them my credit card number.
  • C.
    If it sounds ok, I will give them my credit card number.
  • D.
    I go to the company’s website (or call them directly, using a number I looked up myself) to make sure I’m really talking to them before I disclose anything.
• 7.
  What is “phishing?”

  • A.
    Using a line, hook, and bait to catch fish.
  • B.
    I don’t know.
  • C.
    Emails that are made to look like a legitimate offer from a business, but are really people just trying to get your personal and financial information.
• 8.
  How many of your passwords are the same?

  • A.
    Just a couple.
  • B.
    None.
  • C.
    All of them.
  • D.
    Several.

Quiz Outcomes

• 1.
  You're locked down!

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  Security risk: low You know about major and minor security risks, and aren’t taking any chances. You keep all of your internet-connected devices safe (not just your computer), and have back-ups just in case. Your password game is strong, and you aren’t about to be tricked into giving away anything. Your mama didn’t raise no fool!
• 2.
  You're reasonably suspicious.

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  Security risk: medium You aren’t easy to fool, but could improve your prevention. You practice caution tempered with a reasonable amount of optimism. You know better than to click suspicious attachments, links, or downloads, but you could do better with your passwords. You also need to get a reliable, automated back-up system for your files, such as cloud storage.
• 3.
  You're reasonably trusting.

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  Security risk: moderate to high You know how your mother told you not to talk to strangers? You follow that advice, but don’t seem to be aware that even people you know or seemingly reputable companies could be the cover for a scam. Your passwords are alarmingly simple, you don’t have a backup for your important files. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and you need to get your preventive measures in place, stat.
• 4.
  Holy moly, someone take away your keyboard!

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  Security risk: very high You risk-taker you! How does your computer still work?? You are a hacker’s dream: you don’t have antivirus or a firewall, your passwords are really simple, “back-up” isn’t in your vocabulary, and you believe everyone on the internet is who they say they are. While your innocence is charming in person, you need some training about how to be safe online. A good way to do that is by playing the new internet safety game by Google (it’s fun, I promise): https://beinternetawesome.withgoogle.com/