Securing Your Web Browser
If you were to accidentally click on a malicious link from a search engine or an email, would your browser (and computer) be vulnerable to an attack?
Your Internet browser is one of the most important piece of software installed on your computer. Unfortunately, it’s also likely to pose the greatest risk to your privacy and the security of your computer and personal data. A malicious link can instantly expose you to sophisticated identity theft, credential harvesting, or session hijacking (where cybercriminals bypass Multi-Factor Authentication by stealing your active login cookies).
What can you do?
There are some simple steps to ensuring that your Internet browser is as safe and secure as it can be. These instructions are intended to be self-serve, but do not hesitate to contact the ITS Support Center at support@colby.edu or ext. 4222 if you need assistance at any point.
1. Use a modern, supported Internet browser for daily Internet browsing, ITS currently recommends the use of Mozilla Firefox on all operating systems (Windows and Mac) because of its intelligent use of security.
2. Be aware of notifications that indicate that an update is available or browser restart to finish update. Some browsers will display of notification or a pop-up notification, indicating an update is available. Take time to click the button and complete steps to perform the update. 
3. Regularly audit your browser extensions. Do not assume that your computer will automatically download and install updates for browser extensions. Regularly check the status of your browser and its extensions to are current. Please see the following resources for further guidance:
4. Practice safe browsing and be suspicious of URLs and links forwarded to you from anyone. Always beware of unknown or unsolicited websites/URLs. Do not grant permission to or ‘accept’ anything unless you know that you asked for it. Heed browser warnings about suspicious pages, as they are often indicators of a website that will attempt to gain access to your computer’s data and succeed if your software is out-of-date. If you are not sure what to do when prompted with a warning, don’t continue, close the window or browser and contact the ITS Support Center at support@colby.edu or ext. 4222.
If you have questions about Internet browsers, extensions, plugins or computer security in general, please contact the ITS Support Center at support@colby.edu or ext. 4222.
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