Secure+sites

=SECURE SITES =

=== A Secure Site is can be a site that uses the HTTPS protocol to ensure that your information cannot be stolen by a third party between the sender and the receiver. A secure web site uses encryption and authentication standards to protect the confidentiality of web transactions. Currently, the most commonly used protocol for web security is SSL, or Secure Sockets Layer. In addition to providing security for HTTP (web hypertext) transactions, SSL works with other TCP/IP standards such as IMAP mail and LDAP directory access. For a security standard such as SSL to work, your browser and the web server must both be configured to use it. ===

=== Secure sites have a major impact within classrooms involving students of all ages. K-12 school technical support teams and administrators should strive to filter sites that are used within school systems. Although upper grade levels require more student educational tactics in order to maintain the use of secure websites within schools, it is very important for teachers to understand what secure sites are and their importance within the school system. ===

=== Secure sites have a great impact in schools because they allow students to interect using web tools and such without disrupting the entire school systems network. Secure sites can also have a negative impact if educators and students do not understand them or use them properly. Students and teachers must be certain that they are using a secure site which mostly include sites ending in, .edu,.gov,.org,etc. Teachers and students must remember to be alert for fraud within unsecure sites, and also remember NEVER give personal information such as SS number, address, credit card info., unless you are 100% positive that the site is secure. Websites that are not secure can impact users in negative ways. ===

=== Identity theft, credit fraud, child kidnapping, and cyber bullying are all instances that could potentially occur if secure sites are not used and understood by teachers and students of all grade levels. SECURE SITES are very important to use at all times, not just within school boundaries but at home and other locations as well. ===



Integrating this topic into Daily Instruction:

=== As an elementary school teacher, I think that I would be able to use the same general information, but adapt it to which grade I would be presenting the information to. "The main idea of HTTPS is to create a secure channel over an insecure network. This ensures reasonable protection from eavesdroppers and man-in-the-middle attacks, provided that adequate cipher suites are used and that the server certificate is verified and trusted" (3) === === This type of site is used mainly for people who are planning on divulging information on the internet such as credit card numbers, social security numbers, contact information, or any other personal information that can be considered private. In an elementary school environment, I believe that it is important for students to know how useful the internet can be, but also how dangerous it can be. === === I’m not sure how relevant it would be to tell students grades 1-5 never to give away their social security number unless they were absolutely sure that it was to a secure site because they shouldn’t have access to their SS card at this point in their lives. I do however think that making them aware that their addresses and phone numbers are considered private information and shouldn’t be given away online is important. In elementary school, students are being introduced to typing and internet browsing. ===

=== These are vital skills to develop early, but students should know what sites are appropriate for them to be looking at. Chat rooms or social networking sites pose potential threats to the young or naïve. At this point, I think that preventing possible online harassment is the most realistic goal for teaching secure sites. This could be taught in a similar way as fire safety where a professional would come and discuss “web safety” and how to ensure that they are browsing responsibly. ===

5-8
=== I think it is pretty important to introduce the concept of secure sites to middle school students. I know they wont be giving out their SS number for anything and they don't have a credit card number to give out either, but they still need to understand how dangerous the internet can be. They should know that even giving out names, addresses, phone numbers, ages, and so on isn't very safe to use on the internet, especially on sites that they don't know are secure. I think we should explain to them that if they present this information, then it can be traced back to them, which can put them in a very unsafe situation. They should also know how to tell if a site is secure so that when they do get into high school, they have a pretty good idea about the subject so when the teachers go over it again, they will understand. ===

9-12
=== It is very important for high school students to know how to tell if a site is secure. One of the main reasons we should educate this grade level about this topic is that they are at the age where they can start to use credit cards. They are now going to want to buy clothes, games, electronics, etc... online, but it can be very dangerous using your credit card number online, especially if you don't know that the site is secure. I would integrate this into my classroom by first having a class discussion on what they think a secure site would look like and how you could tell that it is secure. Then I would take them to the computer lab, show them this website ===

[]. I would show them how many nodes can be found on the computer ("Each "node" represents a point at which any data you send might be recorded!") and then express to them how careful they need to be. I think it would be a good idea to then make each of the students search for a site that they are most likely going to use and check to see if it is a secure site. Then we would make a class list of these sites so that they can walk out with some websites that they know they can trust.
 * Additional Links:**

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===** HTTP Secure. (2010, October 11). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 18:34, October 11, 2010, from [] ** ===