14 The Hampton Roads Messenger Security Tips


FROM PAGE 1


your risk of downloading "apps" (applications)


that or cellular contain malware


by using well-known app stores, such as those established by your phone manufacturer


service


provider, or from the official Web site of the bank.


the latest fixes to software problems affecting


Also, to ensure that you have mobile


devices, opt for


automatic updates for your operating system and apps or manually download updates as soon as you receive notice that they are available. Some banks provide customers with anti-malware software that can be loaded on a smartphone. You can also purchase the software from a reputable vendor.


device


And, don't leave your mobile unattended.


In case your


device does get lost or stolen, use a password or other security feature to restrict access. You should enable the "time-out" or "auto-lock" feature on your mobile device to secure it when it's not used for a period of time. "Some phones have a remote feature that will allow you to erase all the personal information on your phone or disable it in the event that your phone is lost or stolen," said Jeff Kopchik, a Senior Policy Analyst with the FDIC.


3. Understand your Internet


safety features. When you are buying something online or filling out an application


that contains sensitive


personal information, you can have greater confidence in a Web site that encrypts or scrambles the information as it travels to and from your computer.


Volume 9 Number 12


Look for a padlock symbol on the page and a Web address that starts with "https://." The "s" stands for "secure."


4. Be careful where and how


you connect to the Internet. A public computer, such as at an Internet café or hotel business center, may not have up-to-date security software and could be infected with malware. Also, for online banking or shopping, avoid connecting your computer, tablet or smartphone to a wireless network at a public "hotspot" (such as a coffee shop, hotel or airport).


e-mails


5. Be suspicious of unsolicited and text


messages asking


you to click on a link or download an attachment. It's easy for fraudsters to copy corporate


logos into fake e-mails that can install malware on your computer.


unsolicited


"Your best bet is to ignore any request for immediate


action or personal information, no matter how genuine it looks," Benardo said. "If you decide to validate the request by contacting the party that it is supposedly from, use a phone number or e-mail address that you have used before or otherwise know to be correct. Don't rely on the one provided in the e-mail."


passwords and


6. Use "strong" IDs and keep


them secret.


Choose combinations of upper- and lower-case letters,


numbers and


symbols that are hard for a hacker to guess. Don't, for example, use your birthdate or address. Also don't use the same password for different accounts because a criminal who obtains one password can log in to other accounts. Finally, make sure to change your passwords on a regular basis.


7. Take precautions on social networking sites. Criminals can go there to gather details such as someone's date or place of birth, mother's maiden name or favorite pet and use that information


to


figure out and reset passwords. Fraudsters also may pretend


to


be your "friend" to persuade you to send money or divulge personal information. More tips on avoiding fraud on social media sites available


are from


the FBI and the Internet Crime Complaint Center.


Also visit


OnGuardOnline. gov for a variety of information from the federal government


on


how to be safe online. The site includes


new


videos from the Federal Trade Commission on what to do if


your is hacked


e-mail or


malware attacks your computer.


The U.S. Congress may soon be


following California’s lead in requiring states to provide data on the academic progress of all homeless and foster youth and provide additional resources to those students.


A bill amending the Elementary


and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) to include homeless and foster youth as two new subgroups of students has passed the U.S. Senate, and two similar bills are being considered by the House of Representatives. Under the current version of the ESEA, known as No Child Left Behind, student subgroups are based on race and ethnicity, English learner status and disability.


“Too many students in our classrooms are worried about where they will sleep that night, where their next meal will come from, or who they can turn to if they need help,” said Rep. Katherine Clark, D-Mass., who introduced a homeless and foster youth bill in the House with Rep. Tom Marino, R-Pa.


Rep. Danny K. Davis, D-Ill., has


introduced a similar bill in the House aimed primarily at foster youth that includes some provisions for homeless youth: the Education Stability for Foster Youth Act.


If Congress approves the changes,


it will be particularly significant for foster youth because states are not now required by federal law to follow their progress or provide additional support. Under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, states already have to report the test scores of homeless students and allow them to remain in the same school if they move during the school year.


But the bills being considered by Congress go further, such as requiring districts to create educational liaisons to coordinate services for homeless and foster youth. The bills also require districts to allow foster students – like homeless students – to stay at their school of origin if they move or change homes, including providing transportation from their new home to the school.


Eventually the House and Senate


will consider whether to support these changes in a conference committee that will try to reach a compromise on a new version of the ESEA. If a compromise is reached, the new bill would be sent to President Barack Obama. The last time the ESEA was reauthorized was in 2002. The law was originally slated to be reauthorized in 2007, but for the past eight years Congress has been unable to agree on how to change it.


In California, Control and school districts


already are expected to show how the needs of homeless and foster students are being addressed in districts’ Local


Accountability


Plans. An LCAP is a three-year plan that shows how districts plan to spend state funds to improve student achievement, with particular attention to high-needs students – foster and homeless youth, low-income students and English learners. The plans are updated annually with input from the community.


of the country California


has


“California is pushing the rest to do things that already


said Jesse Hahnel, executive director of the National


Center


embraced,” for Youth


Law. “School districts in most states have no policies or practices aimed at closing foster youth achievement gaps.”


Studies have shown that both homeless and foster students are at risk of dropping out of school. A recent study by researchers at the Center for Promise at Tufts University found that homeless students were 87 percent more likely to stop going to school. Being in foster care was also found to be a risk factor. A study of California foster youth by WestEd found that students in foster care had the highest dropout rate and the lowest graduation rate of all subgroups of students.


homeless


About 310,000 students are in


California. Homeless


students include those who are living in motels or shelters and doubling up with other families. An estimated 60,000 children in California are in foster care.


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Call the Hampton Roads Messenger at 757-575-1863


or government


August 2015


States May Soon Have to Report on Progress of Homeless, Foster Youth


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