| |
| |
|
Security Information |
|
|
|
The Top Twelve Threats No Computer User Should Ignore
The internet is undoubtedly a fantastic resource for families and offers a rich vein of educational content. However, there are potential dangers - welcome to the seedy world of viruses, spam, trojans, pornography, spyware and other nasties. These are the Top Twelve Threats No Computer User Should Ignore. 1. Viruses - A computer program that copies itself. They often disrupt your computer system or damage your data. Viruses are usually received by email attachments so be careful opening anything from a dubious source. They can affect anyone, for example, the destructive Mydoom worm affected one out of three small and mid-sized businesses. 2. Spyware - Sends information about you and your computer to somebody else. Spyware may send the addresses of sites you have visited or worse still, transmit personal information. With today's concerns about identify theft this is a real worry. For example, CoolWebSearch may hijack web searches, home page, and other Internet Explorer settings. Spyware is normally received as part of shareware or freeware downloaded from the web. 3. IP Spoofing - A technique to gain unauthorized access to computers, whereby the intruder sends messages to a computer with an address indicating that the message is coming from a trusted host. 4. Trojans - An apparently legitimate computer program that is really intended to disrupt and damage computer activity by sending information, perhaps even passwords onto a third party without you knowing. As an example, recent emails entitled "Osama Bin Laden Captured" attempted to download the "Trj/Small.B." Trojan if the embedded URL was clicked. This trojan attempts to hijack the PC. 5. Spam - Unsolicited mail often promoting products of a dubious financial or sexual nature. Don't leave your email address on websites and internet bulletin boards as they are harvested by spammers. 6. Adware - puts advertisements on your screen. These take many forms including popups, popunders and advertisements that appear later, even if your browser is closed. Some are sent using the Windows Messenger service which allows a spammer to direct an advertisement straight to your computer by sequentially sending messages to IP addresses. Always irritating, they are also often of a pornographic nature. 7. Diallers - for those of us still with dial up modems, dialler programs redirect calls to a very expensive number. You won't know until you get the bill. 8. Hijackers - Hijackers take control of your web browser and may reset your home page, search bar and search pages. They can redirect you to undesirable sites or stop you going to particular sites. 9. Hackers - With so much personal data available online to anyone with a password you must be sure your password is secure. If you are using your mother's maiden name, your cat's name or your birthday then your password is at risk. Here are two tips for making a secure password. Method One - pick two random unrelated three letter words and two digits. Mix them up and what do you have? A secure password such as "red19cat" or "hotpin73". Method Two - pick a short sequence of words such as Now Is The Winter Of Our Discontent Made Glorious' and you have a password of "nitwoodmg". You could even change the I's and O's to digits. 10. Phishing - Emails purporting to come from reliable sources such as Paypal, Ebay or your bank. Often wanting you to verify your account details, they can look very realistic but are generally scams to harvest usernames and passwords. Always open a new browser winder and type the address there, rather than clicking on the link provided. 11. Hoaxes - Chain letters, scams, false alarms. At best they take up time and bandwidth but at worst vulnerable can be victims of fraud. Pass it on! 12. Stranger-danger - For those of us with children - do you know what they actually do when they are online? Are they working on homework tasks, downloading illegal music or pornography? Or are they chatting to strangers in chat rooms? You should consider blocking access to undesirable sites and logging their activity with a surveillance tool. Oh, and don't forget that where children are concerned, computers should always be kept in a family room and never in their bedroom. Three Step Action Plan There are three basic, essential steps that should be taken to ensure your PC is kept threat-free. Firstly , be sensible when opening attachments or following email instructions from apparently reputable sites. Secondly , make sure you are using the latest service pack of Windows as Microsoft is continually closing loopholes to tighten up security. Finally, there's a range of low cost tools such as firewalls, antivirus, spam blockers and spyware killers available. Like everything else they vary in quality and you tend to get what you pay for so always do your research first and perhaps try a free trial before getting your credit card out. The author, Kai Chandler, edits http://www.surfcontrols.com which specializes in providing reviews and recommendations of top-rated tools to help protect your online experience.
MORE RESOURCES:
Security - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Delete Cookies: New-Age Diet or Common Sense Internet Security? No, this article isn't about some new, lose-20-pounds-in-a-week, certified-by-some-tan-Southern-California-doctor diet. It's about cookies on your computer - what they are, why they are there, and what to do about them. How Can Someone Get Private Information From My Computer? From the "Ask Booster" column in the June 17, 2005 issue of Booster's Auction News, a free ezine for online auction sellers and enthusiasts.Dear Booster,How can someone get private information from my computer?Thank you,Evan S. Website Security - Creating a Bulletproof Site in 5 Easy Steps When it comes to a secure website and passwords it is all in your hands to create a password that a hacker simply cannot crack. However, this will require that you be creative and use everything at your fingertips to create the strongest password possible for a secure web site. Blogs as Safe Haven for Cybercriminals? To blog or not to blog? Well, why not? Lots of people like either to write or to read blogs -- sometimes both. The much-quoted survey by the Pew Internet & American Life Project, says 27 percent read blogs. Identity Theft - Beware of Phishing Attacks! "Dear Bank of the West customer", the message begins. I've just received an e-mail message, purportedly from the security department at the Bank of the West. Free Antivirus Security Software: Download Now to Eliminate Spyware, Pop Up Ads, etc. Adware. Spyware. Are They Watching You Online? When surfing the Internet you probably take your anonymity for granted, most of us do.Tapping phones, listening to confidential conversations, reading others' e-mail messages seems like something that only happens in spy movies to "other" people. How Spyware Blaster Can Protect Your Computer From Harm By browsing a web page, you could infect your computer with spy ware, ad ware, dialers and hijackers. These, unwelcome guests, are some of the fastest growing threats on the Internet today. Is Your Email Private? Part 1 of 3 In a word, no - an email message has always been nothing more than a simple text message sent unencrypted to a recipient we choose. So all the email that we so blithely send all over the Internet everyday is neither private nor secure. 8 Surefire Ways to Spot an E-Mail Identity Theft Scam! The E-Mail Identity Theft Scam is running Rampant. These E-Mail Scam artists will go to great lengths to Get Your Bank Account information and Steal your Identity. Top Ten Spyware and Adware Threats Identified On December 8, 2004 Webroot, an award winning anti-spyware solution provider, released a press release identifying the ten most significant emerging spyware and adware threats. Most of these you probably haven't heard of and a few may surprise you. Spyware, What It Is, What It Does, And How To Stop It Spyware is software that runs on a personal computer without the knowledge or consent of the owner of that computer. The Spyware then collects personal information about the user or users of the infected computer. Why Malicious Programs Spread So Quickly? It seems that nowadays cybercriminals prefer cash to fun. That is why malicious programs of various kinds (viruses, worms, Trojan horses, etc. File Sharing - What You Need to Know! File sharing on p2p is soaring despite the music and movie industry efforts to curb the practice. Regardless of which side of the arguement you are on it is likely that sharing of copyright material will continue in one form or another for the foreseeable future. Protecting Your Home Both Inside and Out If you are a parent, you have probably wondered at one time or another, what more you can do to protect your children and yourself, not only physically but emotionally, mentally, spiritually etc. Today many parents and families are discouraged. Watching the Watchers: Detection and Removal of Spyware If spyware were a person and he set himself up in your house, you are likely going to do one of two things. You'll kick him out yourself or you'll call someone (such as the police) to do it for you. Information Security for E-businessmen: Just a Couple of Ideas If you constantly deal with bank or electronic accounts, it must be your worst nightmare--to wake up and learn that you are a bankrupt. Some crook stole your personal data and all the money you have been sweating blood for years has flown to somebody else's account. Fishing for Fortunes. Scam! Spelt phishing, but pronounced as above, this despicable act is an effort to batter your bankroll or commandeer your cash.To put it simply, you can get emails from account administrators, which strongly urge you to update details attached to that account. Keeping Worms Out of Your Network... No auntie Sookie, not earth worms, computer virus worms that can get to you computer and slowly dig deep into your files and eat them away. Put that eggnog down and I'll tell you some more about these new worms. Spyware Programs Are Out To Get You! The average computer is packed with hidden software that can secretly spy on online habits.The US net provider EarthLink said it uncovered an average of 28 spyware programs on each PC scanned during the first three months of the year.
|
|
home | site map Visit our other sites: GamesBlog | GamingDepot | GimmeaRide | GimmeNetwork | Golf Biz | HotorNotGame | I Want Computers | I Want Games | I Want Hosting | I Want Music | I Want Security | JokeBox | ScriptShock | Wantedfonts | Webalize |
| © 2006 |
