EMPOWERMENT TECHNOLOGIES
Lesson 2.2: Kinds of Online Threats
There is no doubt that you need to be vigilant
online. As the World Wide Web evolved over the
years, many internet predators have been playing on
vulnerabilities to attack computers and retrieve
sensitive data from individuals. Half the time, we
aren’t even aware it is happening until it is too late.
Online threat is deemed any malicious act
that attempts to gain access to a computer network
without authorization or permission from the owners.
These are usually done by computer hackers who
uses the World Wide Web to facilitate cybercrime.
Web threats use multiple types of malwares and
fraud, all of which utilize HTTP or HTTPS protocols,
but may also employ other protocols and components,
such as links in email or Instant Messaging apps, or
any malware attachments on servers that access the
Web. They benefit cybercriminals by stealing
information for subsequent sale and help absorb
infected PCs into botnets. Web threats pose a broad
range of risks, including financial damages, identity
theft, loss of confidential information/data, theft of
network resources, damaged brand/personal
reputation, and erosion of consumer confidence in e-
commerce and online banking.
The following are the top kinds of online
threats that you should be aware of:
 Phishing happens when an email is sent from
an internet criminal disguised as an email
from a legitimate, trustworthy source. The
message is meant to lure you into revealing
sensitive or confidential information.
 Pharming happens when a hacker (or
“pharmer”) directs an internet user to a fake
website instead of a legitimate one. These
“spoofed” sites can capture a victim’s
confidential information, including usernames,
passwords, and credit card data, or install
malware on their computer. Pharmers usually
focus on websites in the financial sector,
including banks, online payment platforms, or
other e-commerce destinations.
 Internet Scam generally refers to someone
using internet services or software to defraud
or take advantage of victims, typically for
financial gain. Cybercriminals may contact
potential victims through personal or work
email accounts, social networking sites, dating
apps, or other methods in attempts to obtain
financial or other valuable personal
information. Online scams may come in
various forms such as lottery scam, charity
fraud scams, job offer scams, and online
dating scams to name a few.
 Internet robots are also known as spiders,
crawlers, and web bots. It is a software
application that is programmed to do certain
tasks. Bots are automated, which means they
run according to their instructions without a
human user. Some bots are useful, such as
search engine bots that index content for
search or customer service bots that help
users. Other bots are "bad" and are
programmed to break into user accounts,
scan the web for contact information for
sending spam, or perform other malicious
activities. If it's connected to the Internet, a bot
will have an associated IP address.
 Malware or malicious software, is any
program or file that is harmful to a computer
user. Here are the most common offenders in
the rogues’ gallery of malware:
 Adware (advertising supported
software) is unwanted software
designed to throw advertisements up
on your screen. Example, pop-up ads
and banner ads.
 Spyware is malware that secretly
observes the computer user’s
activities without permission and
reports it to the software’s author.
Example is a keylogger.
 Virus and Worms are malwares that
attach to another program and, when
executed—unintentionally by the user
—replicates itself by modifying other
computer programs and infecting them
with its own bits of code.
 Trojan, or Trojan horse, is one of the
most dangerous malware types. It
usually represents itself as something
useful in order to trick you. Once it’s
on your system, the attackers behind
the Trojan gain unauthorized access
 to the affected computer. From there,
Trojans can be used to steal financial  Spoofing happens when someone or
something pretends to be something else to
information or install threats like
gain our confidence, get access to our
viruses and ransomware. systems, steal data, steal money, or spread
 Ransomware is a form of malware malware.

that locks you out of your device

and/or encrypts your files, then forces
you to pay a ransom to get them back.
 Spams are unsolicited emails,
messages coming from recipients that are not
granted verifiable permission for the message
to be sent. Spam messages can be damaging
if you open or respond to it.
 Cyberstalking refers to the use of the internet
or other electronic device to harass or stalk
individuals or organizations.
 Cyberbullying refers to the act of tormenting,
harassing, or embarrassing another person
using the internet.
Lesson 3: Effective Internet Research
The Internet has made our lives easier
instant especially in terms of doing research. By browsing the
internet, we can access limitless topics. Web-based
catalogs are available in many libraries to assist
researchers in locating printed books, journals,
government documents and other materials. The
biggest obstacle facing all researchers on the internet
is how to effectively and efficiently access the vast
amount of information available (The Internet:
Research Tools, 2013).

Lesson 3.1: Searching the Web

There are billions of information on the web and it is a challenge for us to truly find which information is reliable
and relevant. Here are some tips you may use to be able to look for relevant and reliable sources:
Search Engines are websites used for retrieval of data, files, or documents from data bases. Some search
engines we use today are:

Anatomy of a URL
A URL is one type of Uniform Resource Identifier (URI). It is a generic term for all types of names and
addresses that refer to objects on the world wide web. Knowing the URL endings will give you clues to who is
sponsoring the website and help evaluate the sources.
1. Protocol 4. Top-level Domain 7. Named anchor
2. Subdomain 5. Folders/ Paths
https://www.searchenginejournal.com/alternative-searchengines/271409/#close
3. Domain 6. Page

4 5 Popular
1 2 3 6 7
Domains
Top- level Domains Country code top level domains
 .edu – educational institution .ph – Philippines
.org – non-profit organization .eu – European Union
.gov – government site .uk – United Kingdom
.com – commercial site .au - Australia
.net - network
Search Skills and Tools
1. Boolean Logic – narrows, broadens, or eliminates search term.
a. Boolean “or” – this operator will find pages that include either of the search terms.
Ex. A or B

b. Boolean “and” – this operator will retrieve only pages containing both
terms
Ex. A and B

A B

c. Boolean “not” – this operator will find pages that do not include search term immediately
following it.
Ex. A not B

A B

2. Phrase Searching – is used to search for famous quotes, proper names, recommendations, etc. It
encloses the phrase in quotation marks.
Ex. “Jane Doe” “To be or not to be”

3. Plus (+) – indicates that the word after the sign is a required word must be found in search. Example:
+fire

4. Minus (–) sign – indicates to exclude a word from your search that is not required on the result.
Example: Jaguar speed –car

5. Ampersand (@) is used to find social tags. Example: @SteveJobs

6. Hashtag (#) is used to find popular hashtags. Example: #LawOfClassroom

7. Finding Documents – using the filetype refines the search for documents on the web.
o filetype:pdf
o filetype:doc
o filetype:xls

Ex. ICT in the Philippines pdf

8. Searching Site – the sites find webpage from a website.

Ex.: National Geographic information in Australia
Search: Australia site: NationalGeographic.com

Lesson 3.2: Evaluating Sites

 The web provides access to some excellent  Compare the value of the site’s
information and can also give access to those that information compared to other
are irrelevant and outdated. Here is some checklist similar sites.
that you can use to evaluate your website:  Do the links go to outside sites
1. Authority. It reveals that the person, rather than its own?
institution or agency responsible for a site  Does the site provide information
has the qualifications and knowledge to do with no relevant outside links?
so. Evaluating a web site for authority:
 Authorship: It should be clear who 4. Currency. It refers to: (1) how current the

developed the site. information presented is, and (2) how often

 Contact information should be the site is updated or maintained. It is

clearly provided: e-mail address, important to know when a site was created,

snail mail address, phone number, when it was last updated, and if all of the

and fax number. links are current. Evaluating a web site for

 Credentials: the author should state currency involves finding the date

qualifications, credentials, or information was:

personal background that gives  first written

them authority to present  placed on the web

information.  last revised

 Check to see if the site supported

5. Objectivity. Objective sites present
by an organization or a commercial
information with a minimum of bias.
body
Evaluating a web site for objectivity:
 Is the information presented with a particular
2. Purpose. The purpose of the information
bias?
presented in the site should be clear. Some
 Does the information try to sway the
sites are meant to inform, persuade, state
audience?
an opinion, entertain, or parody something
 Does site advertising conflict with the content?
or someone. Evaluating a web site for
 Is the site trying to explain, inform, persuade,
purpose:
or sell something?
 Does the content support the
purpose of the site? 6. Accuracy. It refers to the credibility of the
 Is the information geared to a website. Evaluating a web site for accuracy:
specific audience (students,  Reliability: Is the author affiliated with a
scholars, general reader)? known, respectable institution?
 Is the site organized and focused?  References: do statistics and other factual
 Are the outside links appropriate for information receive proper references as to

the site? their origin?

 Does the site evaluate the links?  Is the information comparable to other sites
on the same topic?
3. Coverage. This refers to how  Does the text follow basic rules of
comprehensive the website is in their grammar, spelling and composition?
discussion of certain topics. Evaluating a Is a bibliography or reference list
included?
web site for coverage:
 Does the site claim to be selective
or comprehensive?
 Are the topics explored in depth?