Tag Archives: browser
Understanding Encryption
November 29th, 2009. Published under Fraud. No Comments.
Encryption takes data in its original (plaintext.) form and uses a mathematical algorithm (cipher) and an encryption key to transform it into an unreadable form (ciphertext). Decryption takes ciphertext and transforms it back into plaintext, which once again uses the cipher in conjunction with a key. What do you think of when you hear the word encryption ? Is it spies sending their superiors information in secret code? Perhaps you visualize windowless rooms in some secret government facility where pale, bespectacled code-breakers pour over ss of secret messages and try to decipher them? This might happen in the movies, but the code-breaker today is just as likely to be a 14-year-old script kiddy , and the secret facility his bedroom. He enjoys a slice of pizza and listens to his pirated music collection while he uses tools written by a real hacker to crack the encryption on your network. Encryption is an incredibly useful security tool. It can prevent crackers from sniffing information on your WLAN, it secures authentication of computers and users, and it can protect data on hard drives. However, not all encryption is created equal. Some methods are stronger than others, and even strong encryption can be undermined by poor implementation or improper use.
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Understanding Encryption
Protecting Your Computers With A Personal Firewall
November 28th, 2009. Published under Scams. No Comments.
A firewall protects your network from unauthorized trespassers. Many routers have firewall functions built in to check traffic leaving or entering the network, but you also should run a personal firewall on each client computer on your WLAN . Personal firewall software usually costs around $40 and it is often bundled with antivirus software. A personal firewall is an application that runs on your computer and protects it against unauthorized access. Like a hardware firewall, it’s configurable to allow or disallow different types of traffic to enter and leave your PC. Personal firewalls monitor ports, which are numbered software addresses that your computer uses for different networking tasks. For example, a Web server communicates through port 80, an e-mail server through port 25. Many of these ports aren’t needed by your PC, and a good personal firewall closes or blocks unused or unneeded ports to prevent an intruder from accessing your computer through one of them. A personal firewall also can monitor activity on your PC and alert you when an application attempts to reach the Internet or your WLAN. This is important because some worms and Trojan horse software attempt to use your computer to infect other computers, or to “phone home” to a cracker so that he can get into your computer. Personal firewalls are an effective way to protect individual computers on your WLAN. Read more on Firewalls .
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Protecting Your Computers With A Personal Firewall
The Tell-Tale Signs That Your Computer May Have Become Infected With A Virus
November 27th, 2009. Published under Fraud, Scams. No Comments.
These days most people use their computers on a fairly regular basis. I would even go as so far to say that most people may be on their computers for at least up to an hour a day. That figure would be people that are using the computer strictly for recreational purposes only. We would have to add to that figure if we included people who are using their computer for work and play. It has become the center of our entertainment and work place universe, so most people get to know their machines very intimately. When you use any kind of tool on a regular basis you start to get a feel when something is wrong with it. You may not be able to tell what is exactly wrong but you may have a gut feeling that things are not right. Viral Infection When it comes to using your computer there are signs that it may be infected by a virus without running a virus scanner. Lets go over a couple of those signs. Keep in mind that this is not a surefire list that will reveal a virus on your system. Some viruses are sneaky and do their best to make sure that you do not know that they are on your system. They want to be able to collect data or use your computer resources without you knowing about it. That is why it is still a good ideal to run an antivirus scanner on a regular basis, with or without signs of foul play. Others times some of these signs that I am about to mention may show up but there is no infection on the computer. There may be a program running that you do not know about or a problem with the hardware. Signs Of An Infection Either way the signs that we are going to discuss are just that, signs. They in no way mean that you definitely have a virus. It means that you should do a quick scan with an antivirus program because there is a possibility that you may have a bug in your system. The first sign that you may have a virus or other infection in your system is that you might have a lot of activity going on in your Internet connection. Your computer connects to the Internet and your home network a lot in the process of everyday computing. Most of the time it is connecting for things that you do not know about but they are of a legit purpose. It may connect to the ISP to update its status or it may be even talking to your router to pull information from it. So just because you are not actively browsing the web and you see the light become active does not mean something is automatically wrong. The time to be worried that something is wrong is if the Internet light that you have on your router is going crazy all day long. If there is a constant sending of data packets out your computer and your browser is not open, now it may be time to be concerned. Slow Responses Another sign that you may have an infection on your system is when at certain times your computer may slow to a crawl while you are using it. This is especially noticeable after you start up the computer and only have certain programs open and you are not actively using them. If there is nothing running on your computer, and yet it is still moving very slowly, then there may be a good chance that there is an infection somewhere on your computer. You can click cntrl-alt-del and call up the task manager to see if you can pinpoint the problem. If there is a task taking up a lot of the CPU time and you or Google do not recognize the name then it is definitely time to run an antivirus check. Pop Up Plague Another sign that is not so discreet is the emergence of pop ups on your system when you are not connected to the Internet. This is most likely the sign of malware that has been planted on your computer and not necessarily a virus. You will still want to run an antivirus check to make sure that there is no infection. After the antivirus scan, make sure that you run a spyware analysis program on your computer as well. I have shown you several signs that may indicate that you have a virus or other infection on your computer. If you are a frequent computer user then keeping a look out on any kind of abnormal computer behavior can be the first step in not becoming a victim of the bad guys.
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The Tell-Tale Signs That Your Computer May Have Become Infected With A Virus
How Can I Help My Elderly Friends And Relatives Protect Themselves On The Internet?
November 24th, 2009. Published under Fraud, Scams. No Comments.
For many of us, we have grown up in an age of computers and electronic devices all around us. So when the era of the internet came to pass, there was a leap of knowledge that was needed to adjust but the divide was not that great. For the elderly among us, they can remember a time before the digital age and some of the new technology can seem enticing but yet strange and alien at the same time. Most scams run on the internet today are perpetrated against the elderly. Hopefully I can give you some tips to protect your loved ones. Protecting Your Loved Ones Some people will make a joke and say if you want to protect people from the dangers of the Internet then get a Mac or Linux box and tell them not to use Windows. This is funny but not true especially these days. Macs are becoming more and more popular and everyday new exploits are being found that can be used against them. Exploits are becoming more common and big business on all systems so security is a top priority for all of them. The fact is that most people use a Windows version operating system so you will have to show them how to protect themselves on such machines. Email Security The first thing that you will want to tell them is to be skeptical when it comes to email. People believe that it takes a highly technical genius to scam people on the internet. This is simply not true. Most attacks on people, especially the elderly, are low tech email scams. They will either involve sending a link to a person to get their information through phishing or just a straight out direct scam to get the person to send them money. A lot of the elderly believe everything that they read in their emails and have to be told the many, many different ways that people can be scammed through them. Malicious Programs Another thing that they must be instructed on, is not to open any programs that are sent to them outside of their family or friends. Scammers will send friendly looking e-cards and other digital goodies through an email attachment. Most people would not think that an e-card with hearts and flowers on it would hold a digital ticking time bomb. Looks can be deceiving though. The elderly, just like everyone else, must be taught that attachments, no matter what they look like, can be dangerous. Safe Communications A new attack but one that is growing everyday is the use of the software program Skype to send links to a phishing site. There are a lot of elderly people that use Skype as a cheap and easy way to talk to and see videos of their loved ones. Their relatives might set it up for them so they can be confused as to who is sending a link to them. Skype has a lot of spammers now and the elderly must be warned that it has become just like their emails so they must remain vigilant. Hopefully I have gone over several ways that you can help protect the elderly in your life when they use a computer. It is a new world that they are in so maybe you can help them navigate it.
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How Can I Help My Elderly Friends And Relatives Protect Themselves On The Internet?
Using A Virtual Machine To Protect Your Computer
November 22nd, 2009. Published under Fraud, Scams. No Comments.
If you are a person who works with a computer on a daily basis then you will gather a lot of data on your computer that you are going to want to keep secure. The first level of protecting your data is to create back ups that will make sure that your data is available if anything goes wrong. Also, if your operating system supports it, you can create a kind of restore point for your data and installed programs on your computer. This will create an image that will bring your computer to its form on the date of the restore point that you set. Virtual Machine If you do not have time for that or a back up, a great way to protect your data when you are surfing the web or doing other dangerous activities is to use a virtual machine. A virtual machine is a program that you can set up on your computer that will allow you to use another operating system on top of the one that you are already using. It will give you the same rights and abilities that using the host operating system gives you. You can run programs and surf the web, all in an protected environment. There are ways for hackers to get around this security blanket but they are very complicated and not widely distributed. With software like this you can now run a Windows machine and if you feel an operation is not safe for that machine you can open up the VM and run it in Linux. VMWare The most popular virtual machine that is out there right now is called VMWare . This is the leader in the world of Virtual machines as of right now. They give you a very good free version of their software that you can run indefinitely. This is great when you already have a VM Image already set up. If you want to create your own virtual machine then you will have to use the paid version of the software. Alternatives Other companies that are in the same space include Microsoft and several open source versions that are available on Linux and Windows. The Microsoft version is called Virtual PC. They also give away a free version that will allow you to run other operating systems. There are several different variants of virtual machines on Linux. The most popular being Xen and Virtual box (which also runs on Windows). Also if you want to run a VM without a lot of hassle, there is a Linux distribution that is call Wubi. It is sort of a virtual machine but instead of being a program that runs an operating system, it is itself the operating system. You can install this on Windows just like any other program and when you open it up it will be running the Ubuntu distro of Linux. This is also a very reliable way to keep your data secure from any dangerous operations. I have given you several ways that you can keep your computer’s data secure from any unruly virus that might infect your computer. If you have important files and you need to go the extra mile past antivirus then running a virtual machine is a good way to go.
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Using A Virtual Machine To Protect Your Computer
Being Proactive About WLAN Security
November 21st, 2009. Published under Scams. No Comments.
Perhaps the most important defense is to be proactive in securing your WLAN . Don’t wait for threats to emerge before taking action. Now that you know the threats to your WLAN and some ways to deal with them, you can take what you know and put it to work. Each vendor maintains patches and updates on its Web site. You could go to every Web site and search for all the vulnerabilities that affect your devices. You may even find most of what you’re looking for after quite a while. The best place to start is the Security Focus Web site. Security Focus maintains an exhaustive list of vulnerabilities for hardware and software from every vendor. If it’s vulnerable, it’s listed on their site. Often vulnerabilities are listed on Security Focus even before the developers of an application or device know about the problem. In those rare cases when a company refuses to acknowledge an issue, this Web site may be the only place where you’ll find it listed. Make it a habit to check the site regularly for new threats. Many vendors will send you an email warning you of vulnerabilities if you took the time to register your product (and lets face it, most of us don’t). For the 90 percent of users that use a Microsoft operating system, the Windows Update feature will help you keep the operating system patched and save you from becoming a casualty when the next worm surfaces. Most cracker tools exploit holes that have not been patched. If you don’t maintain your systems, you are remaining vulnerable when you should be safe. Taking the time to patch software and update the firmware on devices will minimize your risk and reduce your headaches.
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Being Proactive About WLAN Security
Using Software To Recover Your Data
November 20th, 2009. Published under Fraud. No Comments.
Data recovery can be a really hard process if you don’t understand or know what it is that you are doing. When a person is having to perform data recovery that means that either their folder or file has become encrypted. After your file or folders are encrypted, it can cause damage to your computer and you must take certain steps to get the data back that was lost. There are lots of ways that you can recover data from your computer. Some people download freeware that walks them step by step on how to recover their data while others do it straight from their computer. If you decide to do it yourself you will find that the method of data recovery will vary depending on what kind of computer that you’re using. Mac, Windows Vista and Windows 7 are all a bit different when it comes to this process. That’s another reason why people decide to use a free program to recover their data. For beginners, the best way to go about getting your data back is using the free software program. Most of the programs require you to download the software. Before you begin, they usually ask for your email address. Once you provide them with your email address you can review the directions that they give. When you have problems, you can contact customer service and they will be there to help. That is another reason why downloading and using software to recover data is a really good thing when you are new. If you decide to do this by yourself, you won’t be able to have any help. In order to make sure that you have a really good program, do some research on it first before you decide to download the software and see what people are saying about it. After you have downloaded and finished the data recovery, make sure that you back things up. You can back them up with buying a flash drive or floppy disk. If you haven’t backed up your files and pictures, you should do it soon. Mistakes can happen at anytime and they are called mistakes because we didn’t plan on them happening. Another word of advice is to make sure that your computer is password protected and that you have your firewall on plus virus protection turned on too.
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Using Software To Recover Your Data
Cyber Security: Why Is So Important?
November 19th, 2009. Published under Fraud, Scams. No Comments.
Do we actually need cyber security? I strongly believe that we do. Everybody has their own thoughts on cyber security, some of which are valid facts, and some of which are misconceptions. The Internet is a dynamic technology and you can never predict the changes that are constantly occurring. Furthermore, every change can lead to more dangerous threats that had not been previously imagined. That is why there have been number of incidents in the past where the Internet has been used as the medium for some serious crimes which are named as ‘Cyber Crimes’. If proper means are not used to tackle this problem then the rate of cyber crime will just continue to increase. Below are some of the reasons behind the need for cyber security – 1.) Who are hackers and what do they do? We all are aware of hackers . But do you actually know how they operate? A hacker could be anyone. He might be your business rival, your friend or any other person who is trying to hijack your computer’s resources. They somehow enter into your computer with the help of many malicious programs and scripts, all of which can be found on the internet or easily coded by someone with a little know how. Once he succeeds in hijacking your computer, then he can misuse your confidential information such as e-mail accounts, bank accounts, credit cards and any other useful information he finds stored on your system. 2.) Online fraud and identity theft. Cyber criminals follow a number of techniques in order to acquire e-mail Ids, credit card numbers, bank account numbers and passwords which are then misused by them. These kinds of scams are known as ‘ phishing ‘. These criminals cheat people by pretending to be spokespeople of big organisations or deceased millionaires and sending emails to their victims which will try to trick them into revealing confidential information. 3.) Cyber thefts are increasing daily. Conventional thefts can be compensated by insurance cover but once you lose your confidential data from your computer, no-one can help you. These kinds of incidents are not only restricted to individuals but huge companies and institutions are falling prey to cyber theft too. 4.) Computer viruses can really mess up your system. Viruses can not only slow your system down, they can make it crash too. There are number of ways in which viruses can enter your computer. One of them is through accessing insecure web sites and downloading infected files. Its not only household computers that can be infected as even big business can be affected too. For example, in 1999 the Melissa virus lead to the termination of many services in Microsoft and other huge companies. 5.) Spyware keeps tabs on your activity. Spyware is a form of malware that can enter your computer and install itself automatically. It is not only meant to spy on you but also steal information from your computer. The dangerous part is that people do not even realize its presence on their computers. Some reports suggest that about 92% of computers are infected by spyware and that users are unaware of it! 6.) Adware is annoying. The main purpose of adware is to pop up unwanted ads as you are surfing the Internet. This can quickly become extremely annoying and frustrating. Nowadays adware is often integrated with spyware in order to exploit your computer to great heights. These are just some of the different ways cyber criminals steal your resources and information. They are always a step ahead and the security industry is forever trying to keep up with their new plans and codes. Therefore, it is very necessary to protect your system for all the threats caused by cyber criminals. Wouldn’t you agree?
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Cyber Security: Why Is So Important?
Security – Windows 7 Vs Mac OSX
November 18th, 2009. Published under Fraud, Scams. No Comments.
Comparing the relative levels of security between two vastly different operating systems is, of course, a rather subjective matter. After the much hyped, and sometimes maligned, Windows Vista the spotlight has once again been placed over Microsoft who have recently released Windows 7 . This is hot on the heels of Apple’s latest operating system for the Mac, Snow Leopard. Nowadays security is one of the biggest concerns for any operating system. According to security experts Secunia, Mac OS X is much safer than the Windows operating system as they found only 9 security issues with Mac OS X compared to 29 issues with the Windows product. Does this paint a fair picture though? Everybody knows that the Windows operating system is installed on many more computers than Mac OSX and that makes it a big and lucrative target for malware authors. Therefore isn’t it just a case of scale that makes Windows appear to be less secure on first glance? Windows 7 is, in my opinion, a far better product (in terms of security) than its previous versions. A whole host of features, such as Biometric Framework, fingerprint scanners, BitLocker and others make Windows 7 an amazingly secured operating system. At the same time, the smaller market share of Apple Mac OS X, and the absence of third party programs, makes their operating system harder to hack (or less appealing at the very least). For this reason, systems powered with Mac OS X suffer less attacks than their Windows counterparts, making the Mac appear to be extremely secure. On the other hand, Windows 7 comes with dozens of security tools but its openness makes it’s monster security system look like an ordinary one. Recently Windows Vista post-Service Pack 2 has been named as the safest operating system on the planet. And it is quite obvious that Windows 7 will incorporate all the features of it’s successful predecessor. If you are not satisfied by the security parameters of Windows 7 then you can tweak it further by using third party firewalls, antivirus and other protection programs whereas such a feature is absent in Mac OS X. But, Windows Operating Systems are easily undone by hackers , so the story MIGHT remain the same with Windows 7. So this might compel you to use Mac OS X. Comparing the security levels of Windows 7 and Mac OS X is difficult as both have their benefits and weaknesses. Although operating systems have a major role to play in the security of your computer the ultimate responsibility lies with you, the user. Having a secured Internet connection and good surfing habits are probably a more important consideration than which operating system you use. Which is the most secured Operating System, Windows 7 or Mac OS X? That is a never ending debate and one that can get quite emotional, as evidenced by the comments last time I wrote on the topic of whether an Apple Mac was more secure than a Windows machine . What do you think?
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Security – Windows 7 Vs Mac OSX
How Do I Configure Windows 7’s Firewall?
November 17th, 2009. Published under Scams. No Comments.
Since the addition of a Firewall in Windows XP, Microsoft has been working to improve it with each new version of their operating systems. Windows 7 is expected to the best operating system designed by Microsoft so far. Windows 7 comes with a robust firewall included and this can be tweaked by the user according to their needs and computer resources.. Firewall plays a huge role in protecting your computer from external malicious programs. So until and unless you grant permission, external programs will not be able to use the resources of your computer. Like Windows Vista, the fundamental (basic) settings of the Windows 7 firewall can be configured from Control Panel. But unlike Windows Vista, Windows 7 allows you to tweak the advanced settings of it’s firewall directly from your Control Panel, instead of accessing empty MMC. Manually Configure Your Windows 7 Firewall Below is the procedure to manually configure the firewall Settings of Windows 7 – Step 1: Click on the START button and then click on the CONTROL PANEL option. Step 2: Now, in the Control Panel window, locate System and Security and then click on it. Step 3: Once you open the System and Security window from the Control Panel, you can see a direct link to Windows Firewall. Click on it. Step 4: Now, you will be able to access the Windows Firewall window. There, you can see number of options like Turn Windows Firewall on or off, Change notification settings, Restore defaults and Advanced settings on the left side of the panel. And on the right side of the panel you can alter the type of network associated with the firewall settings of your computer which are Home or Work (Private) networks and Public networks. And the Firewall will be ON / ACTIVE for both the networks, which is a default setting. Step 5: Now, you can see the Change Notification settings link on the left side of the panel. Click on it. You can use this option to Turn OFF the firewall settings of your operating system by simply clicking on Turn off Windows Firewall button. Step 6: If you are unhappy with any settings you have selected you can retrieve the default settings by clicking on the option labeled as Use recommended settings which can be located on the right side of the panel or by clicking on the Restore Default link on the left panel. You need to confirm your choice once you click on the Restore Default button. Step 7: You can also alter the Advanced Setting of the Local Computers by clicking on the Advanced Settings button visible on the left panel. Step 8: If you want to tweak the inbound rules, you can click on the link labeled as Inbound Rules on the left side of the panel. If you click on Disable Rule, it will disable the selected rule and if you click on Enable Rule, you can choose the actions you want from the list displayed in Actions Pane. Step 9: You can even keep an eye on the things like Logging settings, General Settings, Firewall State, Active Networks by clicking on the Monitoring option on the left side of the panel. I hope this guide has given you a basic idea of how to set up your firewall in Windows 7.
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How Do I Configure Windows 7’s Firewall?
What Is Disability Fraud?
November 15th, 2009. Published under Fraud, Scams. No Comments.
Its a sad thing to say but it seems that earning money illegally is becoming easy these days. One such method I’ve noticed, and it really upsets me, is disability fraud. Personally I think it is right that we, as a society, look after those who are unfortunate to be disabled. However, there are many individuals who feel that it is ok to play the system and claim benefits for disabilities they do not have . In both legal and medical terms disability does not mean that a person is physically handicapped. Just because a person is able to do all the things that a normal man can do it does not really imply that the person is not disabled. There are a number of medical conditions which are not physically visible but they are still termed as disabilities. Invisible Disabilities Such disabilities are known as “invisible disabilities”. This is the area in which criminals are taking advantage of the system and literally cashing in. Below are some of the common types of invisible disabilities – Chronic Dizziness: This kind of disability is related to an improper functioning of the inner ear. Such a problem would cause problems to a person whilst performing some of the basic tasks like walking, sleeping or working. Chronic Fatigue: If a person does not feel like working and always feels totally tired, then he might be suffering from Chronic Fatigue. This can have a very negative impact on the person’s daily life routine. Mental Illness: Some forms of this disability can make a person mentally so vulnerable that they find basic and common daily tasks very had to perform. Disabilities like agoraphobia, depression, lack of concentration and schizophrenia are categorized under mental illness. Chronic Pain: Some bone or physical injuries and back problems can lead to chronic pain. This kind of pain or disability might not be visible to everybody but people linked with the medical fraternity will easily detect such disability. Of course there are a great many people with invisible disabilities such as those above who are perfectly genuine and who are suffering. Unfortunately, however, there are also many people who fake such conditions for financial gain. Types Of Disability Fraud Below are some of most common types of disability fraud – Doing legitimate work despite claiming to be suffering from disability: It has been found that people suffering from various invisible disabilities are working in jobs they claim they cannot do while enjoying the benefits offered for the disabled. Pretending to be suffering from any kind of Injury: People do pretend to be suffering from some kinds of illness and even doctors can’t prove that wrong. So they intentionally pretend to be disabled, in order to enjoy the benefits offered to them by various agencies. Continuing to claim benefits even after recovering from disability: Not all disabilities are permanent and people are cured every day. Some, however, continue to claim benefits for many years afterwards regardless though. Tackling Disability Fraud Disability fraud is extremely hard to prove and prosecute. Many governments have already initiated various methods to tackle disability fraud but cynics, such as myself, wonder if they are doing enough, especially when recategorising such people as being merely unemployed could prove detrimental to their boasts of keeping jobless figures to a minimum. Doctors cannot always detect whether a claim of disability is genuine or not and the politically correct society we live in now means you really ought to be very careful about questioning whether benefits claimants are legitimate or not. Having said that, here in the UK we are encouraged to grass on our neighbours (another ploy designed to destroy society no doubt) but could you tell whether the disabled person living next door to you was faking it? Probably not. I don’t know what the answer is but I do know that we need to cut out disability fraud. I’m of the opinion that far too many people claim benefits for fake disabilities in order to avoid working and we really ought to get them off their lazy backsides and into work so that they can contribute to society, allowing us to divert the money saved to those who really need it.
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What Is Disability Fraud?
What Should I Do If My Website Has Been Hacked?
November 13th, 2009. Published under Scams. No Comments.
If you paid attention to yesterday’s post about website security then you should have already minimised the chances of having your own site hacked . But what if it has already happened? How Would I Know That My Site Has Been Hacked? You may have had your web site hacked if one or more of the following is true – The search engines now says you run an attack site You’ve noticed spam email being sent from your account When you search for your own site (yes, we all do it!) your antivirus program suggests it may be being used for phishing You now have some political statement or graffiti all over your pages Of course there may be other signs but the above are the main ones that I can think of. What now? Change Them There Passwords Do it. Do it now. Assuming you still have any kind of access to your website then you need to change all of your passwords – cPanel, email, admin passwords, etc. Remove Old Scripts Next, go through your hosting space and remove every old script installation that you find. Also, update or remove old plugins too because they are also at risk of being hacked. Check Your Error Logs By checking the Error Logs in cPanel you may be able to discover suspicious requests. Typically, a hacker will give themselves access to your website by adding code or files so look for such within your public_html folder. If you find any code or files then take a note of the details, such as date and time that the file was uploaded, the file name, folder it was in, etc and then inform your web host as they may then be able to offer some assistance. Of course it goes without saying that you should then also delete said codes or files. Minimising Risk Web sites are hacked all the time and all you can do is ensure that you have made it as hard a task as possible and then hope that the hacker moves on to an easier target. By keeping your files up-to-date and secure you will have increased the workload for a potential hacker . You then just need to cross your fingers and hope that encourages them to pass you by.
I’m Worried My Web Site Might Get Hacked – What Can I Do?
November 12th, 2009. Published under Fraud, Scams. No Comments.
If you run your own web site then security is something you really ought to be paying attention to. Hackers are targeting websites on a daily basis and for many different reasons. It used to be the case that hackers would merely look to plaster graffiti on your home page to bring attention to themselves (or some cause) but nowadays they also have far more sinister motives. Criminal hackers are now part of large and well organised cyber gangs who see the internet as a huge source of potential profits and they may see your website as a tool that can help them make money, either by stealing your personal information or that of your visitors. Often this can be through the use of Trojans and other types of malware. Here, then, are some tips on securing your website against such attacks – Always Remove Or Update Old Scripts You need to be aware that that old installations are vulnerable. If you run a blog on WordPress then you will know that the platform is regularly updated and that one of the main reasons for that is to patch security holes as and when they are discovered. So, if you have an old installation then you should either update it now or remove it completely if you aren’t using it. Otherwise, a competent hacker could be into your blog in a matter of seconds. Ensure Strong Password Security You should never use easy to guess passwords , or the same password more than once, anywhere on the internet. Think about it – if a hacker finds a password of yours then they may well try to use it everywhere in order to gain access not only to your web site but also to other sensitive areas such as your online banking account. In terms of website security, how would you feel if someone else had access to your cPanel or email account? Cloak Your Folders Another good tip is to keep a blank index.html file in all of the folders inside your public_html folder. This will make sure that the contents cannot easily be viewed on the internet. CPanel offers such a function – check out ‘Index Manager’. It is always a good idea to keep your files and folders as secret as possible. Password Protect Your Admin Folder You should always password protect the admin folder of any scripts you are using as this provides an extra layer of security. Such action is highly recommended and you can do this in cPanel by clicking the ‘Directory Protection’ link.
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I’m Worried My Web Site Might Get Hacked – What Can I Do?
Protecting Data With Encryption Or Lockout Software
November 11th, 2009. Published under Fraud, Scams. No Comments.
Most people have introduced encryption as a way to secure communications on your WLAN. You can also use encryption to secure at-rest data or data that is located on a hard drive or similar storage medium (CD, DVD, and tape). There are several software solutions available to encrypt your data, whether you choose to encrypt the entire contents of your hard drive or just specific folders. Note: An easy-to-use’ effective utility for encrypting your files and folders is File Warden , available for download from the utilities section of the PC Magazine Web site: www.pcmag.com One thing to consider before using encryption is that it takes a lot of CPU horsepower. If you encrypt your entire hard drive you may notice significant slowing when you use your computer. You might consider only encrypting the contents of a couple of folders and storing all sensitive files in those. Smaller devices like PDAs and smart phones lack the horsepower to use significant encryption. There is effective security software for locking a PDA after it’s turned off or after it spends a certain amount of time idle. This software locks all unauthorized persons out of the device and prevents wireless connections, synchronizing, or beaming of information. Whichever device you use, install either encryption or security software to lock down your data if your computer ever falls into the wrong hands. Always set up your device so that it asks for a password and use a security screen saver with a strong password to make it harder for criminals to get to your data.
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Protecting Data With Encryption Or Lockout Software
The Top Reasons For Hardware Failure And Data Loss
November 9th, 2009. Published under Fraud. No Comments.
Aside from impact damage and electrical spikes, there are sources of hardware failure that can arise from lack of maintenance or through improper maintenance. Different sources rank these threats differently, at some point touting each of them as the number-one threat or cause of hardware failure. I haven’t ranked them in any particular order, preferring that you consider each and protect yourself from all of them. Electrostatic discharge Electrostatic discharge (ESD) can destroy components within your computer. A common way for ESD damage to occur is when you open your computer case to install new hardware (drives, RAM, and so on). If you don’t properly ground yourself, any electrical charge that your body carries will jump from your fingers to conductors in the computer, such as chips. The same thing happens when you rub your feet on a carpet, generating an electrostatic charge. When you reach out to touch another person or a metal object, sparks fly. Unfortunately, when the sparks fly from your fingers to a computer component, you may destroy the component. You may not think there’s enough power to do any damage, but there is. A static discharge from your hand can be quite powerful at times – maybe even in the kilowatt range! The best way to prevent ESD from occurring is to use a grounding wrist strap or stand on a grounding mat if you have to open the computer’s case. You can also make sure that you are at “zero potential” by constantly touching a bare metal surface. Damage from ESD only occurs if you are working inside a computer or handling a component like a RAM chip or video board, not when you are touching the case. Dust Accumulation of dust can damage some components and cause your computer to overheat. It doesn’t take a thick layer; even a thin layer that you can barely see can raise the temperature in your computer a few percent. That small raise in temperature is enough to shorten the life of your components. Heavy dust buildup can also short out components and damage hard drives. Heat Overheating damages many computers. Excessive heat increases resistance in semiconductor materials, which in turn produces more heat. This heat buildup and increase in resistance causes logic circuits to behave erratically and ultimately fail to function. Heat can also destroy data on hard drives by causing the metallic layer to expand, potentially putting data tracks out of alignment. Repeated heating and cooling can compound the problem until the drive fails completely. It doesn’t take a lot of heat to do this, either. The CPU of your computer is especially susceptible to heat damage. Because of the number of circuits on the CPU, it generates a lot of heat. CPUs have a heat sink that helps radiate heat away from the CPU, and most computers have one or more fans that cool the CPU and other components. Bad Hard Disk Sectors Occasionally, sectors on a hard disk fail due to physical problems on the disk. These problems can result from dust infiltration, heat, or degradation over time. Your computer cannot write or read data from a sector that has failed, and any data already written to that sector is lost. Through proper maintenance, however, you can prevent hard disk damage and detect failing sectors before they fail completely.
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The Top Reasons For Hardware Failure And Data Loss
Backing Up Your Computer Data Online
November 7th, 2009. Published under Scams. No Comments.
Having your computer data backed up is vital these days. A lot of us store up really important information on our computers and would be at a total loss if that data were to become corrupt or otherwise inaccessible. Some people think that you can only backup your data with CD’s or Floppy discs but they are wrong. Online Backups Not only can you back up your data with CD’s but you can also backup all of your files online without ever using a CD. You will find that there are many websites that you can join that will allow you to log in whenever you want to store and retrieve your data. There are some sites that are free and other sites that you have to pay for. A lot of businesses are backing up their info online just because it’s more convenient. When you decide to back up your computer data online, make sure that you trust the website. Review the policies and see what people say about them. Email the company online before you make your decision as to whether you would like to go with them or not. Another reason why this might work for someone is when they don’t know how to back up the data themselves and need help. A lot of the websites online love helping and will answer any of the questions that you have. Don’t Forget Basic Security Procedures Though Never place data onto a third party website that is really personal or critical though because people do occasionally hack into websites online and could then get all of that information. This doesn’t happen a lot but you should still remember that there is a chance of that happening. The other downfall is if you don’t have another computer in the house, and if you don’t have anyway of getting online, you won’t be able to access your data. If you feel uncomfortable with backing up your data online, you can still back it up yourself with a USB drive or with CDs. With so many options available to the public right now, there isn’t really any excuse for people not to backup their data. No-one wants to think about their computer crashing but the thing is it can happen regardless of how protected your computer is.
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Backing Up Your Computer Data Online
Cyber Security For Families
November 5th, 2009. Published under Fraud, Scams. No Comments.
Hopefully you strive to keep your family safe and protected in every possible way. Sometimes there are risks on the Internet that are greater than those you may come across in the real world. For that reason you need to be vigilant and cautious at all times and that means becoming wise in the ways of cyber security. Cyber security not only allows your family to protect itself from the dangers involved on the Internet but also ensures that your computer is safe from your family. Just by altering the ways in which you use your computer you will enable yourself to stay safe and secure from online dangers. Kids are usually inquisitive and curious about all the things that they find new and interesting. So, as a parent, it is your responsibility to ensure that your kids are able to learn about new technology but at the same time you also need to take care of their safety. You need to balance things out for them by trying to keep your kids away from the things that you think might be misused whilst not blocking them from the Internet or computer completely. Your kids could be using the Internet to work on their homework or project or for playing online games which are all valuable pursuits in their own ways. However their lack of knowledge, or other peoples’ devious ways, could cause them to find themselves on malicious sites that could install malware on your computer, or porn sites which you simply wouldn’t want your children to view. Of course if that were to happen then your children might not tell you about the incident, fearing punishment and so you would have a hard job ensuring that it didn’t happen again. Malware and porn aren’t the only threats though – the Internet has become a huge platform for people who look to cheat and swindle others. There is a certain level of anonymity on the Internet still and this fact encourages cyber criminals to deceive people on the Internet in order to take as much money as possible from them. Even well educated adults fall prey to such online predators. Below are some of the ways which will help you to protect your family from cyber dangers – Stay With Your Kids While They Spend Time On The Internet Make sure that you stay with your children while they are using Internet. It might not be possible for all parents to get involved with their kids while they are on Internet because we all have busy lifestyles nowadays but you can certainly keep a casual eye on what they are doing at the very least. You can view their browsing history to check the web sites they have visited. You can also ensure that your kids do not get involved in activities such as sending emails to, and chatting with, strangers. Educate Your Children About Online Dangers It is necessary to educate your kids about all the risks and dangers involved with the Internet. Once they get to know such facts, they will be more vigilant and careful. Make them clear of the sites they should visit and the types of sites which are not meant for them. Do not frighten them but set limits to their Internet usage so that you can keep things under control. Create Separate User Accounts To Keep Your Data Safe Recent operating systems, such as Windows 7, allow you to create individual accounts for all the users of the computer onto which they are installed. You can opt to create separate accounts for your kids. This is one of the ways to keep your files and data protected from the mischievous activities of your children! If you do not prefer to create separate accounts then it is advisable not to use add-ons which are meant to remember passwords and other important information (which can be accidentally used) leading to serious loss. There is a wise saying that “Prevention is always better than cure.” So make sure that you use updated antivirus programs featuring utilities such as firewalls to ensure the safety of the data stored in your computer. You can use kid browsers which ensure the safety of your files while your kids are accessing Internet or you can edit the options of your default browser to ban the web sites which you feel would be harmful to your child. Here is how – Tools> Internet Options> Content> Click on ENABLE under Content Advisor. The powers that be have understood the need for cyber security and so they have come forward to offer their services to ensure your kids’ protection whilst they are using the Internet by blocking the sites that are not meant or suited for them. Open Communication Is Key If possible, set up your computer in a place where you can easily keep an eye on who is using it and what they are doing with it. This will surely make your children think before they do anything wrong on the computer. Having a flexible relationship with your family members is beneficial in all aspects of life – such a relationship will make your children come to you and tell about the things they have seen and done on the Internet. This kind of relationship not only enhances the cyber security of your family but also develops a strong bond amongst yourselves, helping you grow and stay safe and happy as a family.
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Cyber Security For Families
What Is A Trojan Horse And Why Should You Worry About It?
November 4th, 2009. Published under Fraud, Scams. No Comments.
The Internet in many ways is still like the wild wild west. Overall it is safe but there are bad guys lurking around every corner that will try to infect your computer and steal your information. Luckily most attacks can be easily thwarted by the right technology and common sense. To use common sense though, it helps to know the different ways that your computer can be attacked. One of these ways is through a technique known as a Trojan. I will explain what it is and how to avoid getting your computer infected by one – If you know your Greek mythology then you would know that the Greeks used a giant wooden horse to enter the gates of Troy to finally conquer them. Trojan Infection A Trojan infection on your computer uses a similar methodology. A Trojan on your computer masquerades around as a simple little innocent program that will not hurt a flea. It may look like the latest coldplay mp3 or might look like a word document that someone has sent to you. Trojans have also known to pretended to be real upgrades to different programs on your system, such as a Microsoft upgrade. That is why it pays to go directly to the vendors site and download the upgrades from there. The Trojan will look innocent until you double click it to try to run the program. It will then make its intentions know on your system. After the Trojan is run on your system, most of the time you will not even know that it is running. It will hum along in the background, very quietly, performing a function that you will not know anything about. Password Stealing Some of these functions maybe stealing your passwords , becoming a botnet that someone else is using, viewing your screen as you are working, and all kind of other nefarious stuff that you do not want to think about. Trojans are very bad news on your system, so you must be prepared to stop them from getting on your system. There are several ways that you can avoid getting a Trojan on your system. Most of the ways that you can avoid such a fate involves common sense on the user part. Also a little technology to go along with that common sense will go a long way to helping to achieve these goals. The first that you will want to do, as we discussed before, is to avoid downloading software updates from any web site other than the vendors own web site. Also when you download software make sure that it is from a trusted web site. If you have never been to the web site before do not download software from it or at the very least keep your guard up. Another step is to avoid accepting email attachments from unknown senders. This is one of the most prevalent ways of spreading Trojans to people. Always Back up! After you have used your common sense to avoid getting a Trojan on your system it will help to have a little back up. Back up usually includes having a good antivirus program running on your system. A good anti virus program will detect contamination as soon as it introduced onto your system. There are numerous different vendors that are out there for you to choose from so read up a little about them to see which one suits your needs. The prices and the packages will vary. Also once you have picked a good antivirus be sure to confirm that it is updated daily. An anti virus is no good if the person doe not keep it regularly updated. As you can see, a Trojan can be a very nasty to thing to have unleashed on your computer. Prevention through common sense and anti virus is the best way to avoid any trouble from them.
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What Is A Trojan Horse And Why Should You Worry About It?
How Do I Restore A File That I Accidentally Deleted?
November 4th, 2009. Published under Fraud. No Comments.
Recovering a file that you deleted from your flash drive can be really difficult if you don’t know how to do it nor have it saved anywhere else. This is another reason why it’s vital for you to back up all of your information and you should do it on a regular basis. There is a simple way that you can track your deleted files that a lot of people don’t know about. There are a lot of free programs that can restore any file on your computer. These programs don’t take up much space either. A recommended program is called REST2514. Its very easy to install on your computer. This program is designed to recover any file that was deleted on your computer. It guides you step by step on how to find that file and even lets you pick the drive that you want to search. This program allows you to restore any of the files by simply clicking on one and highlighting it when it comes up. You can find it on any search engine or you can look up restoration freeware programs. Whilst it’s very easy getting a file restored on your computer, it’s still recommended that you backup your information on a USB flash drive. You should update your flash drive once a week if you do a lot of work on your computer but if you forget, you now know how to restore a file so you won’t need to panic if it happens.
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How Do I Restore A File That I Accidentally Deleted?
Protecting Your Computer With Backups And Antivirus Programs Is Essential
October 30th, 2009. Published under Fraud, Scams. No Comments.
Backing up data is really important and not enough people do it. It’s really easy to back up your data. If you don’t back up your data, you could get into major trouble later. The reason why you must back things up is because it will help protect your data, including those pictures you love and all those mp3s you play. Backing Up Data Should Be A Habit Many people make the mistake of only backing up their data once. After they back it up, they think that they won’t need to do it ever again. You should at least back up your data once a week or more. Whenever you save a lot of pictures or files, back it up right away. It’s not very expensive to back up your data. All that is required is for you to get a USB drive, floppy disk, CD or DVD. After you have one of those items, put it in your computer and then you can drag and drop the files you wish to keep onto the media you have inserted. Saving your files on the computer is not the only way that you can back up data and protect it. There are a few other things that you can do in order to protect it so hopefully nothing won’t happen. Protect Your Data By Having An Antivirus Program Installed One thing that is very important is that you must have antivirus virus protection on your computer. If you don’t have money for a virus protection you will find that there are many who offer a free edition, such as the ones in my list of the best free antivirus solutions . If your antivirus program detects a virus it will show you how to remove it from your system. If you see that you are having problems and a virus scan does not help, try doing a SpyWare and MalWare scan. There are free programs for these too that work great and you should do a scan at least every other day. The other way you can protect your data is by having your files and documents password protected. If you have more then one person on your computer then it’s vital that you do this if you want to save your documents. Make sure that you choose an effective password that you can remember. Writing passwords down in a private notebook is one way to help you remember them. When you are having problems with your computer, don’t put off fixing it. Some people think that the problems might go away in time only to then find out the next day that their computer is ruined.
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Protecting Your Computer With Backups And Antivirus Programs Is Essential
So… You Think Santa Is A Hoax Do You?
October 29th, 2009. Published under Fraud. No Comments.
You think Santa Claus is a fake? You reckon Father Christmas is a fraud ? Bah. Humbug! What do you really know anyway? There are 3 main arguments that narrow-minded people use when they try to convince others that Santa Claus doesn’t really exist – There Is No Documented Evidence Of Father Christmas’ Existence Ok, so its true that there are no documents in existence, that we know of, that prove Santa Claus was a real person. So what? Does that make him a hoax? I’ve seen him and I know your kids have too. You haven’t – and I feel terribly sorry for you. What you need is faith and then perhaps you will believe in this amazing old guy with the white beard too. It Is Impossible For Santa To Deliver Presents To Every Child In The World In Just One Night So you think Father Christmas is a fraud because he cannot possibly deliver presents to every child in the world in just one night. Are you a fool? Think back to last Christmas and what happened – he delivered didn’t he, and on time, just like every year in the past. Thats a fact and cannot be ignored. Besides, he has many helpers anyway – pixies, reindeer, elves and UPS are all rumoured to be his associates. Parents Put Presents Under The Christmas Tree, Not Santa You should be ashamed of yourself if you peddle this vicious rumour – its one that can break kids’ hearts. Whats worse is the fact that you are suggesting that parents deliberately deceive their own children each and every year. Thats just far too shocking to even contemplate. Christmas Thought I hope I have given you something to think about today and helped dispel the notion that Santa is in some way a fraud. If you still believe that the guy with the white beard is one big hoax – because of the lack of evidence to prove he is real – then do me a favour… Answer me this : Do you love your parents? If so, prove it!
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So… You Think Santa Is A Hoax Do You?
Dancing Skeletons And Other Things That Go Bump At Halloween
October 28th, 2009. Published under Fraud, Scams. No Comments.
Malware is an ever-present concern to users of the internet. Or at least it should be. On any given day there are thousands of threats lurking all around the web, just waiting to get onto or into your computer. Special occasions and notable dates tend to bring more ghouls and goblins out of their closets though and Halloween is no exception. I don’t yet know what the biggest threats will be this year but here are some from the past that may be recycled again this Halloween – The Dancing Skeleton Do you think that dancing skeletons are cute or funny? They may be, but then again, it depends on where you get them from. An application that runs an image of a dancing skeleton may be appealing at first glance until you realise that it may just give you more than you bargained for. The application goes by many Halloween themed names but all have the same effect – installation of the Storm Trojan – which gives your computer free entrance to a botnet. Halloween Bargains That Can Leave You Feeling Like A Pumpkin Everyone likes a good deal and retailers don’t need much in the way of reasons to offer them right now. Halloween specials are available on more than just pumpkins but beware of deals that come via email. Identity thieves can spoof emails to appear as though they come from major brand leaders and all you have to do is click the link and pay by credit card in order to save huge amounts of $$$s. Of course you don’t need me to tell you that clicking links in emails and then handing out financial details is stupid. Do you? Halloween e-Cards Yeah, I know, whatever next huh? I only give out cards for birthdays and Christmas but some people give them out just because. If you get a Halloween e-card then make sure you know the sender and the e-card website before clicking on the link to view said card. Otherwise, well, you should know by now. Party On Dude Are you sociable? Wanna go to a Halloween party? Cool… just make sure its with friends and not the stranger who invited you via email – he doesn’t really like you, he just wants you to R.S.V.P. via the malicious link he put in that invite. If you survive all of those then you are halfway home, though you will still have to contend with the great Halloween scam ….
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Dancing Skeletons And Other Things That Go Bump At Halloween
The Tools You Need To Connect To Your PC Remotely And Securely
October 27th, 2009. Published under Fraud. No Comments.
One of the things that the Internet has made easier is the ability to work from home. There were private networks that allowed you to do this before but these were only available to the big time people at your company. The cost was simply too great for the company to allow just anyone that worked for them to have this ability. Time To Relax Work But with the advent of the Internet all you now have to do is just have a couple of different pieces of software to securely connect to your work computer from home. After that you are now working from your home office (aka the couch) . I will go over a few of the tools that you will need to allow you to work from home securely. Some you already have on your computer, others you will have to download. The first thing that you are going to want to do after you have decided that you want to work from a remote location, is to decide which software that you will need. The software that you choose will have to have a mixture of security features and ease of use. There are several solutions on the market that will allow you to set up what is called a VPN (virtual private network) . Go To My PC One of the most popular is a piece of software called Gotomypc . It is a VPN solution that has been heavily optimized to allow you to easily and swiftly create a VPN for your business needs. This software receives rave reviews from the tech press and is known as being fairly secure. Tight VNC A popular open source solution for a VPN connection is to use TightVNC . This software is free, provides encryption services, and is fairly well maintained by the people who own it. It is not as easy to use as gotomypc in my opinion but it is still a pretty good option. Windows Remote Desktop Last but not least is Windows very own software that is already installed in your system. This software is simply called Remote Desktop and it will allow you to connect to your computer the same as all of the others. It is not, perhaps, the most elegant solution but it gets the job done. Finish Off With A Strong Firewall Even though you may have a VPN going, you will still need to secure the rest of your network. Some people believe that if they have the VPN working on their network that it is all they need to keep the network secured. This is very wrong. You are still going to need a firewall to keep your network secured as well. You will need to have them work together , as that is how you maintain a secure connection. A strong encrypted VPN along with a good firewall will help keep your system as well as your data transmissions safe. I have walked you through several software solutions that you can use to securely connect to your computer or network remotely. I am sure that you will like the ability to work on your computer remotely when you give it a chance.
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The Tools You Need To Connect To Your PC Remotely And Securely
The South American Blush Spider – The New Florida Toilet Killer!
October 25th, 2009. Published under Fraud, Scams. No Comments.
Do you remember the hoax I wrote about 2 years ago? It was about a spider… If not, check this post out first – The Two-Striped Telamonia Dimidiata Spider – as you’ll then see the similarities between that and the email I recently received which claims similar goings on in a restroom in Florida – Don’t forget to look !!! This is really scary . . . According to an article by Dr. Beverly Clark, in the Journal of the United Medical Association (JUMA), the mystery behind a recent spate of deaths has been solved. If you haven’t already heard about it in the news, here is what happened. 3 women in Chicago, turned up at hospitals over a 5 day period, all with the same symptoms. Fever, chills, and vomiting, followed by muscular collapse, paralysis, and finally, death. There were no outward signs of trauma. Autopsy results showed toxicity in the blood. These women did not know each other, and seemed to have nothing in common. It was discovered, however, that they had all visited the same restaurant (Big Chappies, at Blare Airport), within days of their deaths. The health department descended on the restaurant, shutting it down. The food, water, and air conditioning were all inspected and tested, to no avail. The big break came when a waitress at the restaurant was rushed to the hospital with similar symptoms. She told doctors that she had been on vacation, and had only went to the restaurant to pick up her check. She did not eat or drink while she was there, but had used the restroom. That is when one toxicologist, remembering an article he had read, drove out to the restaurant, went into the restroom, and lifted the toilet seat. Under the seat, out of normal view, was small spider. The spider was captured and brought back to the lab, where it was determined to be the South American Blush Spider (arachnius gluteus), so named because of its reddened flesh color. This spider’s venom is extremely toxic, but can take several days to take effect. They live in cold, dark, damp climates, and toilet rims provide just the right atmosphere. Several days later a lawyer from Los Angeles showed up at a hospital emergency room. Before his death, he told the doctor, that he had been away on business, had taken a flight from New York, changing planes in Chicago, before returning home. He did not visit Big Chappies while there. He did, as did all of the other victims, have what was determined to be a puncture wound, on his right buttock. Investigators discovered that the flight he was on had originated in South America. The Civilian Aeronautics Board (CAB) ordered an immediate inspection of the toilets of all flights from South America, and discovered the Blush spider’s nests on 4 different planes! It is now beleived that these spiders can be anywhere in the country. So please, before you use a public toilet, lift the seat to check for spiders. It can save your life! And please pass this on to everyone you care about. If the story doesn’t sound fishy enough to tell you its a hoax then the request to pass it on to everyone you know should be a big hint. As I mentioned at the beginning, this storyline has been used in hoaxes before. This particular one about a spider in the toilet must be at least 10 years old, though the specifics, such as names of people and the locations involved, always seem to change each year. If you receive this email then there is no need to panic about any spiders at all – just delete it and don’t clog your friends’ inboxes up by sending it on.
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The South American Blush Spider – The New Florida Toilet Killer!
Crackers Commit Identity Theft Scams Via Rigged ATMs
October 24th, 2009. Published under Fraud, Scams. No Comments.
Recently crackers have turned to rigging independent ATM machines (those found in groceries, gas stations, restaurants, and other small establishments) to defraud customers. Usually, the owner of the establishment gets a small fee on every transaction as rent for having the machine in his or her store. Some crackers, as well as organized crime groups, have been modifying machines so that the machine scans the customer’s ATM card and stores the account data along with the personal identification number (PIN). The criminals then take that data, create forged ATM cards , and clean out the victim’s account. To date this has only occurred with independent ATMs, not bank-owned machines. Perhaps the most common type of fraud committed by crackers is identity theft. Crackers steal personal data, either by cracking computers or through scams, referred to as social engineering, designed to trick people into revealing personal data. A cracker may pose as an employee of an Internet service provider (such as AOL) and attempt to get your password. Other scams include setting up fake Internet storefronts to collect credit card data. When the crackers collect enough data, they steal the identity of the victims and get credit issued under the victims’ names. Always proceed with caution : Guard your Personal information both online and offline; never divulge it to anyone, least of all to strangers who e-mail you and claim to be from your bank, credit card company, or ISP. Vigilance can help protect you from crackers and script kiddies intent on defrauding you.
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Crackers Commit Identity Theft Scams Via Rigged ATMs
Taking Screen Shots Can Help With Data Recovery
October 21st, 2009. Published under Fraud, Scams. No Comments.
Losing your computer is something that no-one wants to happen. You have lots of valuable information on your computer, and maybe music and pictures too, that might not be stored anywhere else. Thats why you should always back up your files, programs and pictures. There are a lot of methods you can use to backup this valuable information. One of those is taking snapshots which is a great way to save aggravation when things go wrong. Whenever you have downloaded a new program get into the habit of taking a snapshot. You can download free programs such as Gimp, or you can purchase one like paint shop pro, that will allow you to take screen shots. When you take the screen shots, get a USB flash drive and store it up in your drive. Recording and taking screen shots of whatever you’re doing will help you no end when an error comes up on your computer. If you have never backed up any information before you should get at least two USB flash drives to ensure that you will be able to back up everything. If you have used up almost all of your spare storage space, you might even consider buying three of them. Always clean out your cookies everyday or every couple of days. It varies on every computer where you can clean out your cookies but they also have free cookie programs that perform a deep clean on your computer. Cleaning out your cookies is vital because it will help with making sure things don’t go wrong on your computer.
Securing Your Brand New Windows 7 System
October 21st, 2009. Published under Fraud, Scams. No Comments.
The age of Windows 7 is upon us as the new operating system from Microsoft will be released in the next few hours. As usual there will be the normal people who update as soon as the new system is available on shelves or is ready to legitimately be downloaded. There are also others who will update when they get a new computer over time. Windows 7 Security Whatever type of person you are, it will pay to know how to secure your new operating system from all of the dangers that the Internet can contain. With the releases of this new operating system a lot of the old exploits will be made null and void. But, as with any expansive piece of new software being released, new exploits will be found and taken advantage of. It will pay for you to be prepared in the long run. Securing Windows 7 is not too much different than securing Windows Vista or Windows XP. Again it will take a combination of the latest software and the (much needed) common sense on your part to keep your operating system secured. Antivirus The first thing that you will want to do is to make sure that you have the latest version of antivirus that you use on your computer. Microsoft has been working with all of the biggest vendors that provide antivirus solutions , so that they could keep their software updated for the new OS. Now might be a good time to think about switching to one of these vendors for a short time while the other companies race to catch up. You do not want to use an outdated and incomplete antivirus system on your new operating system. Firewall Microsoft has also upgraded the choices that you now have with their integrated firewall that comes built into the system. It is now easier than ever to allow certain pieces of software to talk to an outside network with your permission. The outbound and inbound network traffic analyzer has been much improved. The whole program has been made more flexible, which was a major complaint in the past. As I said with the antivirus if you use a third party firewall , then you might want to go with one of the major companies until the smaller companies have had a chance to catch up. Until they catch up the built-in Firewall that Windows 7 provides is a decent solution. Spyware Spyware will still end up being a problem with your new system, even though they have taken steps to try to eliminate the problem. Their solution to the problem, Windows Defender, has been upgraded and has been receiving major kudos this time around from the security community. For a short amount of time they will have the inside track as being one of the better spyware solutions until the others have caught up. One of the best in the business, Ad-Aware, I did not see on the list of companies that Microsoft has been working with. This will give them a temporary disadvantage but not much of one since beta copies of Windows 7 have been released all through the development cycle. So I hope this article gives you a good understanding on what’s available and how to secure your brand new Windows 7 system. Not too much has changed but the security has been raised to a new level.
Let Your Children Access The Net Safely With KidRocket
October 18th, 2009. Published under Scams. No Comments.
A couple of months ago I wrote about some child-safe browsers I came across. Here is one of them in more detail : KidRocket . Just as the name suggests, KidRocket is a computer application developed for Kids. KidRocket is actually a wonderful web browser which allows your kids to learn more about computers in an interactive manner. At the same time KidRocket keeps your desktop safe from those same jubilant, curious and sometimes naughty children! I would say that KidRocket is aimed at younger children, much as I concluded with Kido’z . The best thing about KidRocket is that its a standalone application. You do not have to install this application on your computer to make use of it. KidRocket is completely different from other conventional kid browsers. Instead of limiting access to the Internet, or filtering unauthorized content, KidRocket completely blocks the Internet and allows your children to use trusted web sites only. What exactly can this innovative kids Internet browser provide your kids with though? You cannot keep your kids in the dark about computers these days – they are here to stay and your children will have to use them as they get older. KidRocket allows you to completely lock your desktop and provides a completely different environment for your kids, where they can learn, play and have fun. Below are some of the amazing features of KidRocket – ART Here, your children can show their artistic ideas with different colors. Your child can either choose Doodle or StarBrite to put their decorated and colorful ideas onto the desktop. MATH This web browser is not all about fun though, it is in fact meant for learning too. By chosing the MATH option, your kids can brush up their fundamental mathematical concepts like addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. This feature provides questions to your kids in the form of flash cards, which makes it an intuitive and fun learning tool. EMAIL Your children can get used to using email here in a manner that is totally safe. Using KidRocket, your kids can send emails to their grandparents, friends and relatives. Your kids can even take prints of their emails. You also have the option of blocking this email feature if you should consider it to be an unsafe option. ADMIN Here you get to access the timer which can control how much access time your kids are allowed to have. Once the alloted amount of time is over the application is closed automatically. I would imagine that most parents would love this feature! LAUNCH Launch is perhaps the most interesting feature offered by KidRocket. This feature allows your kids to use some of the kid safe web sites which can both educate and interest them whilst guaranteeing their safety at the same time. You can just relax while your children browse, learn and play on the safest web sites present on the world wide web. With KidRocket installed on your computer, you can allow your kids to use a computer in the safest possible way. You don’t need to worry about the important files on your computer and you don’t need to be apprehensive about the web sites your kids are viewing. Get your computer equipped with KidRocket , and allow your kids learn and play on their computer in the safest possible environment.
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Let Your Children Access The Net Safely With KidRocket
Are Cell Phones Safe From Viruses And Other Malware?
October 16th, 2009. Published under Scams. No Comments.
Hah! Thats a bit like asking whether Apple Macs can get infected by malware . The only reason cell phones haven’t been hit by as many viruses as desktop PCs is because not many virus writers have started targeting them yet. In 2001, a mobile phone virus surfaced on Japan’s NTT DoCoMo I-mode service, took over basic functions of handsets, and caused them to dial 110, Japan’s equivalent of 911. Like many PC viruses, this virus spread via email. Hackers also are beginning to target cell phones and PDAs connected to networks with malicious code in an attempt to gain access to those networks. With the increase in cell phone usage, along with the growing popularity of wireless internet on such devices, this trend is only likely to increase. In early 2003, some cell phone users in the U.S. and Europe received malicious code embedded in what appeared to be a spam message. The message deleted the address books on the phones and disabled SMS. While malicious code and viruses are still extremely rare, they will become more common now that phones are becoming ubiquitous and feature-rich . Virus writers tend to target systems where they can do the most damage and get the most bangs for their buck. This is why more viruses attack Microsoft PCs than Apple’s Macintosh. Because Microsoft controls more than 90 percent of the market, it is a better target. Now that phones can download executable code, and a few brands are controlling a major portion of the market, we will begin to see more viruses targeting mobile phones.
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Are Cell Phones Safe From Viruses And Other Malware?
Getting Started With Data Protection – Using A USB Flash Drive For Backups
October 15th, 2009. Published under Fraud. No Comments.
One inexpensive purchase that you can make that will help you with backing up your data and avoiding losing everything is a flash card or a USB memory flash drive. Most people tend to go for flash drives. A great thing about getting a flash drive is that they can read and write data at a much greater speed, and they last longer, than a floppy disk. They also don’t suffer from scratches and other forms of damage in the way that CDs and DVDs do. Some people confuse USB Flash Drives with USB Hard Drives when they are not in fact the same thing. USB hard drives tend to be much larger in capacity and are suited to backing up entire systems or at least larger files. A flash drive is tends to have a lower capacity, at a lower cost of course, and is better suited to backing up smaller files, such as your photo albums. For instance, a 32 GB flash drive is relatively cheap these days and would probably be sufficient for storing all the pictures on your computer, and much more besides. Flash Drives Are Easy To Install It’s very easy to install a flash drive, though I would recommend learning a little about security first so that you can avoid transporting malware, such as the dreaded Conficker virus . Every modern computer has ports that are shaped like a rectangle – they tend to be small ports located on the top, back or front of your PC. Turn on your computer and insert the flash drive into one of these ports. It doesn’t matter which one you use. A menu should then appear on your screen confirming that the device you just plugged in is ready for use. From then on you should be able to use your flash drive like a regular drive – just drag and drop, or copy and paste, the files you wish to backup onto it.
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Getting Started With Data Protection – Using A USB Flash Drive For Backups
The Perfect Illustration Of What Koobface Can Do To Your Computer
October 10th, 2009. Published under Scams. No Comments.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/15708236@N07/2846915408/ If you wake up one morning to find your computer smiling back at you with a face like the one above then you’re well and truly screwed – you’ve been infected by the mischievous Koobface Virus !
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The Perfect Illustration Of What Koobface Can Do To Your Computer
How Do I Remove Conficker After It Disables My Antivirus?
October 9th, 2009. Published under Fraud. No Comments.
The Conficker virus differs from other viruses online because it is one of the few malicious worms that have already learned how to protect themselves from deletion. One of the first steps that all of the different variants of the virus take is to disable all anti-virus software and updates that you may have on your operating system. This ensures that the hole it entered through stays open so that it can continue to host and download files on your computer without any interference. Additionally, once you have the Conficker virus, it pays close attention to your browsing habits, disabling your entry to any websites such as Microsoft or anti-virus websites that could help you rid your system of it. So, if the virus itself prevents you from reaching any type of aid, how do you get rid of it once you have it? Well, there is no set way to remove the Conficker virus from your computer since there are different variants that attack in different manners but there are a few basic tips that may help you remove it on your own before it destroys your operating system. Many people have found a way around its limited browsing stipulations by having a friend email them an anti-virus download or the Conficker security patch. While you may no longer be able to access a downloadable removal service for the virus from your computer, you are still able to access software in your email, so this may be an effective way to attack the virus. You may also consider taking your computer to a computer repair technician if you are suspicious you have the Conficker virus because the longer you allow it to feed on your system the more irreparable the damage it is likely to cause. If all else fails, reformatting is always effective, but be careful when transferring files to an external storage space because variant B of the Conficker virus will ride along on your storage card to make sure it can re-infect your computer when you reload your files.
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How Do I Remove Conficker After It Disables My Antivirus?
Password And Security Best Practices
October 7th, 2009. Published under Fraud. No Comments.
Passwords are, perhaps, the second weakest link in computer security. ( YOU are the FIRST ) Improper use of passwords is worse than no password at all. If crackers can get a user’s password, they don’t have to worry about using exploits to get past security. Worst of all, you can make it easy for them by not following best practices for password selection and security. There are many ways for crackers to get passwords. Some are technical hacks that involve sniffing a network or cracking a password file. Others are as simple as guessing the password or tricking a user into giving it to them. Good management can thwart many attacks aimed at cracking passwords. The following best practices can help secure your passwords – 1. Don’t write down your passwords. You would be surprised to find out how many networks have been compromised because of passwords that were written down. If you must write your passwords down, either because they are difficult to remember or change frequently, make sure you keep the list in a very secure place. 2. Don’t use plain words for passwords. If it’s in the dictionary, it’s not a password. Crackers can use software that automatically tries every word in a dictionary file. If you use a plain word, such as horse, they can easily crack it. 3. Don’t use personal information as passwords. Crackers can easily guess the names of friends, kids, pets, and other personal information. That includes birth dates and phone numbers, too. 4. Consider using computer-generated passwords that consist of random strings of letters and numbers. These are harder to remember, but they are more secure. Randomly mix upper- and lowercase letters within your passwords. 5. Don’t reuse a password; select a new one for each account. If you use the same password across several accounts, they could all be compromised. 6. Never tell someone your password over the phone. Companies never contact their customers and ask for passwords over the phone. Crackers pose as tech support personnel from an ISP and obtain passwords from unwitting customers. 7. Change your passwords periodically, every few weeks or so. 8. Make passwords sufficiently long so that they will be difficult to crack. A minimum of six characters, preferably eight, should be a rule of thumb. Can you think of any more password tips ?
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Password And Security Best Practices
Securing Your WLAN With Encryption
October 6th, 2009. Published under Fraud. No Comments.
Encryption has been in use for a long time. The ancient Greeks and Romans used early encryption techniques to secure their communications, and governments and individuals have used encryption ever since. Many early types of encryption are still in use in some form today, including steganography, restrictive algorithms, and proprietary encryption schemes. These older encryption techniques often suffer from numerous design and implementation flaws, and, when companies integrate them into networking products, security ultimately suffers. Modern encryption techniques Modern encryption techniques utilizing computers and advanced mathematical science are far more secure than those that preceded them. They use unrestricted algorithms in conjunction with numeric keys to secure information. Because unrestricted algorithms are public, and have been tested and withstood scrutiny and attack by the world’s best cryptanalysts, they are more secure than the older restrictive algorithms. These techniques, even though they are not foolproof, have proven to be robust and reasonably secure. WEP Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) is the encryption standard developed for wireless networking. WEP encrypts data traveling between access points and computers on the network. It’s a nice name, but the technology hasn’t lived up to its promise. WEP suffers from a number of flaws that allow attackers to discover keys by analyzing network traffic. Attackers can then decrypt all data in real time and continue to compromise the network. WPA In order to improve security, the Wi-Fi Alliance developed a new standard known as Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA). WPA is much more secure than WEP, however, some older devices may not be upgradeable to WPA, and older mobile devices (Pocket PC and Palm) may not have enough processing power to take advantage of WPA. Although it is better, WPA is vulnerable to simple DoS attack. If an attacker sends two forged data packets to a WPA-enabled access point in under one second, he can trick WPA into thinking it’s under attack and force it to shut down for over a minute. This effectively locks all users out of the access point. If the attacker does this repeatedly, he can cause real headaches. All protocols are susceptible to DoS attacks in some form, so this is a trivial vulnerability. I say don’t worry about it; if your system allows you to do so, upgrade to WPA as soon as you can. If WPA is compatible with your network, then enable it. You can enable WPA (and WEP) using the configuration utility for your device or through its Web interface. If you can’t use WPA, then use WEP. Even if WEP can be broken, it takes some effort, and you can deter all but the most determined crackers. Faced with having to crack WEP or simply moving on to the next open WLAN, most crackers will just move along. VPN If you telecommute or work from home and need extra protection, use a virtual private network (VPN). A VPN acts as a “tunnel” to protect data traveling between your workplace and home (or laptop). Chances are good that your company already has one installed so all you need to do is contact your IT dept and (very nicely!) ask for a VPN client. This allows you to check and send e-mail and other data through an encrypted link with the company mail server. Dealing with Default Settings Failing to change the default settings on WLAN equipment can facilitate attacks and allow unskilled script kiddies to access your network with little effort. Each manufacturer has default settings for all the equipment they produce. These settings facilitate installing the equipment; unfortunately, many users never change them. They just take their router out of the box, hook it up, and start using it. Default settings are public knowledge to crackers, who post them all over the Internet. There are default settings for passwords, SSIDs, broadcast strength, and IP addresses. Failing to change any of these can leave your network vulnerable to attack.
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Securing Your WLAN With Encryption
Protecting Your Kids With Computer Parental Control
October 6th, 2009. Published under Fraud, Scams. No Comments.
Every day, millions and millions of children surf the web. Every time they surf the web, they are at risk of seeing extremely graphic and disturbing images – images even too much for many adults to see. These images often include hardcore pornography. Even though many parents feel that they have taught their children how to use the internet properly and carefully, this is often not enough. Once the children hit a certain age (usually their teenage years), they are at great risk of coming into contact with pornography , or even chatting with online predators. Many teenagers may even put photos of themselves online, making it much easier for predators to find them. The other problem with chatting is that teenagers can easily give out personal information in a matter of seconds, making them extremely vulnerable to online predators. TAKE STEPS THAT HELP Being aware of what your children are doing online is extremely important in order to eliminate some, or all of the above risks. You can take a few steps that will help, which include putting your computer in the living room, or even peaking over their shoulder once in a while. Make sure they notice you are peaking over their shoulder – this will make the chance of them visiting certain restricted sites a lot less. Even though it may not seem right morally, an act like this can save you and your children a lot of pain and trouble in the future. INSTALL A PORN BLOCKER PROGRAM Even after taking the above precautions, it is close to impossible to monitor every move your children are making online. It is quite a scary thought for many parents, but there is one method that has been proven effective for many years – porn blockers. Porn blockers do exactly as the name states – block porn. How do they do that? They filter through the web every day, building list of adult websites to block. Obviously, it is very difficult to block every single adult website, but programs like ContentPurity and other similar software blocks a good majority of the adult based websites. These programs also blocks websites with certain keywords, and you can even customize these keywords yourself most of the time. These days, almost every household consists at least computer, while many have up to two, three, or even four. With such access to computers and the internet, children are at very high risk for seeing content that is simply not meant for their age group. Thus, as a parent, it is important to take the right step and purchase or find a good free porn blocker program such to ensure that your children will not be at risk of watching videos, which are not meant for their age. Even though you may feel some sort of guilt monitoring your children’s online activities, it is something you must do as a parent. Their mind has not fully developed yet in that time of their life and much of the content on the web is just not meant for them to see.
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Protecting Your Kids With Computer Parental Control
What Is The Conficker Cabal?
October 5th, 2009. Published under Fraud. No Comments.
The Conficker Cabal was the nickname given to an ad hoc partnership, led by Microsoft, to fight the Conficker virus . Back in February Microsoft announced a partnership with various technology industry leaders and academia which was to implement a coordinated, global response to the Conficker worm. Together with security researchers, Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) and operators within the Domain Name System, Microsoft coordinated a response designed to disable domains targeted by Conficker. Shortly afterwards Microsoft also announced a $250,000 reward in return for information that would result in the arrest and conviction of those responsible for illegally launching the Conficker virus. The organisations partnering with Microsoft in this cabal, which has since been renamed due to the negative connotations of that name, include the following – ICANN NeuStar VeriSign CNNIC Afilias Public Internet Registry Global Domains International Inc. M1D Global AOL Symantec F-Secure ISC Arbor Networks Eight months on and there are still no arrests in connection to the Conficker menace.
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What Is The Conficker Cabal?
The Top 10 Free Online Antivirus Scanners Of 2009
October 5th, 2009. Published under Scams. No Comments.
Online virus scanners are a good means of detecting malware on your system and they can be employed if your regular security software is not working, i.e. because some infection is blocking it. They are not, however, a good substitute for actually having a good antivirus program installed locally on your computer. I’ve already compiled lists of what I believe to be the best 10 free antivirus and the top 10 paid antivirus programs of the year. Here is the final piece of the puzzle, the best of the online virus scanners – The Top 10 Free Online Virus Scanners Of 2009 #1 BITDEFENDER QUICKSCAN From the BitDefender site – Very fast scanning. Less than 60 seconds Runs online from any Internet connected PC Doesn’t slow down your PC Based on award wining BitDefender anti-malware technologies This particular scanner only detects viruses, it doesn’t remove them. You can find this virus scanner here : BitDefender Quickscan #2 F-SECURE ONLINE VIRUS SCANNER F-Secure’s free Online virus scanner can not only detect viruses and trojans but it can also remove them It can also take care of spyware too. This particular scanner works on Internet Explorer 6 or newer (with ActiveX and Javascript enabled) or, alternatively, on the Firefox 3 browser. You can find this virus scanner here : F-Secure Online Virus Scanner #3 FORTIGUARD CENTER ONLINE VIRUS SCANNER FortiGuard Center can only detect viruses and is not suitable for removing them. FortiGuard can be used to scan the files that are on your computer and you also have the option of submitting multiple files to their research labs for analysis. One point to note though is that you can only check one file at a time and there is a file size limit of 1MB. You can find this virus scanner here : FortiGuard Online Virus Scanner #4 JOTTI ONLINE MALWARE SCAN Jotti utilises results from several different scanners to inform you of any infections you may have on your system. This particular scan is good for detection purposes but cannot be used for removing malware. You can find this virus scanner here : Jotti Malware Scan #5 KASPERSKY FREE ONLINE VIRUS SCAN Kaspersky are a well known member of the antivirus market and they too offer a free online virus scanning tool. Again, this one is only good for detection and not removal but their scanner is much quicker and more efficient than some of the alternatives. You can set the Kaspersky online virus scanner to trawl through individual files, folders or even entire drives on your computer. You can find this virus scanner here : Kaspersky Free Online Virus Scan (temporarily unavailable at the time of writing) #6 PANDA ACTIVE SCAN Panda Active Scan is another free tool that you can use for detecting and eliminating viruses from your computer. Not only can it scan your files but it can scan you email too. It installs as an ActiveX control in your Web browser (Internet Explorer 4.0 or higher). This offering from Panda offers virus removal as well as detection abilities. You can find this virus scanner here : Panda Active Scan #7 TREND MICRO HOUSECALL Trend Micro’s Housecall is also capable of cleaning infected files. This virus scanner is able to detect and remove the most common viruses, though it may be less effective with Trojans and some of the other more obscure types of infection. You can find this virus scanner here : Trend Micro HouseCall #8 VIRSCAN FREE ONLINE SCAN The eighth offering in this list comes from VirSCAN.org who have a free online scanning service that can check uploaded files for a variety of security issues including viruses, spyware, trojans, backdoors and many other types of malware. There is a file size limit of 10MB but any type of file can be uploaded and checked. One thing to note, however, is that this scanner only offers detection of malware. You can find this virus scanner here : VirSCAN Free Online Scan #9 VIRUSTOTAL ONLINE SCANNING SERVICE You can upload single files to VirusTotal which will then quickly scan for viruses, worms, trojans and many other types of malware. With VirusTotal you have a 5MB limit on the files you can upload. Files that have been uploaded can then be scanned with a large number of well-known virus scanners and results from each are then displayed. Again, detection only with this one. You can find this virus scanner here : VirusTotal Online Scanning Service #10 WINDOWS LIVE ONECARE SAFETY SCANNER (now discontinued) Number ten in the list won’t be here for long as Windows Live OneCare Safety Scanner is making way for Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE). This scanner is good at detecting the more common viruses but only works in conjunction with Internet Explorer. Also, it is only able to detect viruses, it cannot remove them. You can find this virus scanner here : Windows Live OneCare Safety Scanner (now being being replaced by Microsoft Security Essentials)
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The Top 10 Free Online Antivirus Scanners Of 2009
How Do I Block Pop-Up Ads?
October 3rd, 2009. Published under Fraud, Scams. No Comments.
It is certain that all of us come across popup windows once in a while we are surfing on the internet. It feels really annoying when something stupid interrupts your endeavor appearing from nowhere. These are called Pop-Up ads. The specialty of these ads is that you need to manually click on them to close each. Pop-up ads need to be avoided and blocked to all extents possible because many scammers try to invade in to your personal details like passwords, credit card details and bank account details using these pop-up ads. Thus, a pop-up blocker becomes inevitable and highly indispensable. WHAT IS A POP-UP BLOCKER? A pop-up blocker is a program that stops these unwanted ads to come up during your browsing. The pop-up blocker is installed in the web browser . Most browser packages have them pre-installed and those not having them can be upgraded by downloading a pop-up blocker of your choice from the free software sites. Pop-up blocker not only prevents these annoying ads to opening in a new window but even protects you from a possible identity theft and personal information theft. Pop-up blockers have additional features for the people who want to view the pop-up ads of particular sites. For this they need to enable the view pop-up ads for that particular site. Many types of pop-up blockers with unique features are available online. You can buy as per your needs. However, some of the most basic types of pop-up blockers are free and can be downloaded from any of the popular sites. An additional advantage of using pop-up blockers is that you can prevent your computer from becoming slow or being infected from malware , spyware or any virus. This prevents your pc from getting slow. Choose an effective pop-up blocker as soon as possible and get rid of unwanted content to make your browsing experience delightful.
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How Do I Block Pop-Up Ads?
What Every Parent Needs To Know About Registering A Website For Their Kids
October 1st, 2009. Published under Fraud, Scams. No Comments.
More and more children are getting their own websites these days, including my own for whom I have already registered their own names as dot coms. There are many reasons why kids are doing this – they want blogs to use as online diaries, they wish to learn how to design websites or they may even have a product or service that they are already looking to market. Whatever their motives, you as parents need to put some thought into registering whichever domain name they are going to use. REGISTERING A DOMAIN Registering a domain name is a quick and painless task that most people can accomplish with ease, though you should watch out for some common domain name scams . During the registration process you will be required to enter the contact information for the person who is making the purchase. The sort of information that you will have to enter includes your name, address, phone number and valid email address. What you may not realise is that this information is usually made public knowledge by default. Therefore, especially in this age of identity theft , you will want to mask your personally identifiable information as much as possible. I would recommend registering a domain name through an office address and using a post office box. You may also want to choose a free email service, such as gmail, instead of using your own personal email account. If you don’t do that then just about anyone can look up the full contact details of the person who owns that domain name. Another precaution you can employ to prevent this breach of you or your kid’s privacy is to employ some form of privacy protection. The majority of domain registrars these days offer such a service for free or a modest fee of a couple of dollars. If you use such a service then all the registration information will be shielded from public view. WHY YOU NEED TO GET IT RIGHT FIRST TIME If you have already registered a domain and included your personal information then it is possible to go back into your account to amend it. That, however, doesn’t make the previously entered data inaccessable – if someone wants to see the historical details then they can if they pay a small fee and there is nothing you can do to prevent that. Even if you add privacy protection at a later date the initial contact details that you entered will be stored. Remember that once information is published on the internet it is incredibly difficult to get it removed permanently. Therefore it is imperitive that you protect your data from the outset.
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What Every Parent Needs To Know About Registering A Website For Their Kids
The Top 5 Firefox Security Addons
September 30th, 2009. Published under Scams. No Comments.
Mozilla Firefox is, in my opinion, the best of the currently available web browsers. When it comes to speed, privacy and security, Mozilla Firefox has the best to offer. The best thing about this web browser is that it allows you to install additional add-ons according to your own requirements. You can easily find a number of add-ons which would enhance the performance of your Mozilla Firefox browser. Privacy and security has always been an issue, when it comes to surfing the internet. Mozilla Firefox has successfully helped us in this particular area but there are times but there may still be times when you are not completely satisfied with it’s performance. The best way to enhance the performance of Mozilla Firefox is to use add-ons. There are number of add-ons which can prove to be useful in tackling the problems related to privacy and security, below are my favourite 5 – BETTER PRIVACY When we use internet, we might come across some non deletable long-term cookies, which hamper the performance of your computer to a great extent. Such cookies can be used to track you on the internet, which could be very dangerous. Better Privacy allows you to know about such cookies, so that you can block them and protect your personal information from being traced. LSO (Local Shared Objects) attack your computer in the form of Flash plugins. These types of cookies are hard to trace and delete, but Better Privacy allows you to block them before they ever get onto your computer. Before your system becomes the shed for all such LSOs, you should install this add-on to your browser which ensures that your information will not be traced on to internet now. Download Link: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/6623 CLEAR PRIVATE DATA Every time you switch on your web browser to browse web sites, a number of cookies are saved into your system. There is a misconception that just by clearing the history we will be deleting all our previous data, but it is miserably wrong. We have to go into many folders and delete all the cookies stored, which is highly irritating. Clear Private Data is the add-on which clears all the private data from your computer on order to increase the safety level. Private data is a very sensitive thing, and one must make sure that we do not expose it. Clear Private Data works exceptionally well and gives you a little bit space to be careless as it can comprehensively protect your private date automatically, and this is the best part of this add-on. Download Link: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1280 SECURE LOGIN Secure Login is a plugin which enables you to manage all your passwords. It can be rather irritating to have to enter the user ID and password every time you want to log on to your e-mail accounts on your personal computer. You can use this add-on to save your user ID and passwords, so that you can simply log on to your accounts by using simple shortcuts. This feature is somewhat similar to that of Opera’s Wand login. It provides an easy way to save passwords and also enables you safely maintain multiple account details. You can also enable your login details to be protected from external JavaScript code. It also allows you to customise your keyboard shortcuts, in order to operate the add-on within your comfort zone. It also protects your data from phishing . Secure login is a wonderful add-on that would surely make your form filling work easier and much, much simpler. Download Link: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/4429 WEB OF TRUST – WOT WOT – Web of Trust – is one of the best add-ons for Mozilla Firefox. It warns you about all the websites that might be a threat to your computer. It helps you to avoid all the dangerous sites that would hamper the performance of your computer. WOT provides a front layer protection to you system. WOT keeps you safe from deadly browser exploits and unreliable online shops. WOT works as per the safety ratings given to over 21 million web sites and its algorithm enables the add-on to keep updated with all the latest ratings. You can customize the WOT add-on with respect to your requirements. WOT is an exceptional tool to provide a safer browsing experience to your family. Surf safer and add WOT to your Firefox now. Download Link: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/3456 VIRUS THREAT LEVEL VTL is basically an indicator, which indicates the threat level of a website. This add-on simply adds an indicator to the status bar of the browser. And whenever you open a site, it shows the content level of the dangerous programs like malware and viruses. So, whenever you can see the indicator showing the RED light, you can simply close that particular web site and protect your system from being attacked by unwanted programs. It is a wonderful little tool, which makes your browsing activities absolutely safe. VTL uses statistics from McAfee, Symantec and ESET products to come up with an appropriate threat level of any web sites. This makes it a reliable tool. So, before your computer actually gets attacked by any viral content, this indicator enables you to prevent it because “Prevention is always better than Cure.” Download Link: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/4548 These were some of the best add-ons for Mozilla Firefox which would surely minimise your security and privacy constraints on internet. Add these add-ons and make your internet browsing safer. Also, please let me know if you are aware of any other good security addpns for Firefox.
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The Top 5 Firefox Security Addons
Morro Is Here Today – Microsoft Ships Their Free MSE Antivirus
September 30th, 2009. Published under Scams. No Comments.
Yesterday saw Microsoft officially ship their free antivirus program – Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE). MSE has been in the pipeline for some time now – I first wrote about it back in June when the project was known as ‘ Morro ‘. This new antivirus program is targeted mainly at the home user, as well as home-based businesses, but may still find things tough vs. the competition, despite being free. Not only are the top brands well established in the paid antivirus market but there are also plenty of other free alternatives too. Microsoft Security Essentials is designed to run on desktop machines that run recent versions of Windows, such as XP (service pack 2 onwards), Vista and Windows 7, though the latter would appear to require Windows XP mode to be enabled. MSE is a replacement for Windows Live OneCare which was discontinued earlier in the summer. There are, of course, several alternatives available already which are also free – see this list of the best free antivirus of 2009 . If you do decide to give MSE a try then please remember that running more than one antivirus program on a system at the same time can be extremely problematic at times due to conflicts – always remove your old av product before installing a new one.
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Morro Is Here Today – Microsoft Ships Their Free MSE Antivirus
How Are Identity Theft Crimes Being Committed Today?
September 29th, 2009. Published under Fraud, Scams. No Comments.
A few years ago, when identity theft was a new crime, many people became victims via the simplest of schemes and ruses. Nowadays, however, web users are far more educated about the risks and so the identity thieves are having to find new ways of committing their crime. ID theft is still here for the long haul but those behind it have had to become far more inventive about how they trick their victims into revealing sensitive information. You need to a flashplayer enabled browser to view this YouTube video PHISHING & VISHING One of the more obvious forms of identity theft comes in the form of phishing which is something I hope you now know all about. (If you don’t then you can get detailed information here – Phishing – What Is It And How Can You Avoid It? ) To recap, phishing is a technique employed by identity thieves whereby they send emails to consumers that appear to be from a legitimate source, such as their bank or credit card company. Said email will then ask the consumer to verify some important pieces of information, such as their account number, credit card numbers, or even their social security numbers. Should you return the email, with the information that was requested, then an identity thief will have all they need to be able to start buying products and services in your name. Such a scheme was incredibly effective at first but has become less so with time as people have wisened up to it. A newer version of phishing, known as ‘ vishing ‘, doesn’t even require the victim to own a computer. Instead they will receive a phone call, spoofed so that it appears to have come from their bank, which will require an account authentication process. The hope here is that the victim will be foolish enough to tap or speak out their account number so that the thief can then steal it. PHARMING Pharming has also been around for some time now and tries to trick users into revealing information in much the same way that phishing and vishing attempts do. The main difference, however, is that pharming is not conducted via email or the telephone. Instead, pharming normally relies upon a computer being infected with a Trojan which then allows it to server up fake web pages which look identical to the genuine article. Imagine that you open up your bank’s web page and are confronted with something that looks exactly like what you are expecting to see – you could be tempted to enter your information there couldn’t you? The proliferance of pharming has led to consumers becoming more aware of it and search engines and browsers have begun offering tools which will flag up suspect pages. This has led identity thieves to come up with yet new cunning plans… EMPLOYMENT WEBSITES One of the newer versions of identity theft being committed today takes advantage of the current economic climate. With large numbers of people out of work, or looking to earn more than they currently are, employment websites are receiving unprecedented numbers of visitors. ID Thieves have taken advantage of this fact and will trawl such sites looking for potential victims. They will then pose as a ‘prospective employer’ when making contact with an individual who has posted a resume online. They will then ask the applicant to submit themselves to a background check. Job seekers will think that the information being requested is reasonable and that the requester is a legitimate recruiter. They will often gladly hand over all manner of information, including names, addresses, dates of birth and social security numbers. STAY SAFE The lesson here of course is to never trust anyone with your sensitive information unless you are 100% certain that they will keep it safe and secure. Whilst there are countless other scams used by identity thieves to gain access to information the basic premise remains the same -they extract information from people by gaining their trust. Remember that people, and organisations, online are not always who they say they are. Stay aware of these scams at all times and you may just avoid the headache of identity theft .
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How Are Identity Theft Crimes Being Committed Today?
What Exactly Is A HYIP Scam?
September 28th, 2009. Published under Fraud, Scams. No Comments.
Firstly, for those of you who don’t already know, HYIP stands for High Yield Investment Program. HYIPs are one of the most common scams on the internet today, though they became a source of income for scammers well before the digital age. There are a huge number of people looking to make extra money, for many reasons, including becoming debt free or in the hopes of giving up their day job. A large proportion of those people have internet access and will come across some of the thousands of HYIPs that are circulating the net at any time. The allure of HYIPs is the promise of large returns on small investments, the type of investment a lot of potential internet investors may believe they can afford. With some HYIPs offering returns from 10% to even 50% per day on an investment of as little as $10, it is easy to see why some people get suckered into them, especially when it is known that some people do make the quoted returns. The downside of HYIPs, however, is that a larger number of people lose all their money. In order for the HYIP to pay out to some investors, they use the money invested by the newer members. In other words, a high yield investment program is nothing more than a Ponzi scheme. Whilst anyone getting in early could make a profit, the truth is that the only people consistently making money from HYIPs are those that start them. As no-one really knows how much money is circulating at any time it is impossible to predict when the HYIP will crash, as it surely will. Therefore, investing in one is not much different to flipping a coin – ‘HEADS’ I win : ‘TAILS’ you lose
Why You Need More Than Just Software To Secure Your PC
September 28th, 2009. Published under Fraud, Scams. No Comments.
Have you installed an antivirus program ? Good. Got an antispyware program ? Well done. Is your operating system fully patched ? Excellent! Your PC must now be totally secure, right? WRONG! If you have been online for any length of time then you should already be aware of the types of programs I mentioned above. If not, then you are a danger and a menace to yourself . On the other hand, if you do run the appropriate security programs then chances are that your computer is running fine and contains no malware. Pat yourself on the back for a job well done. Don’t be too pleased with yourself though because your PC is still not totally secure yet. WHY YOU NEED TO PHYSICALLY SECURE YOUR COMPUTER Some, perhaps most, of the threats to your PC come from across the internet but there is another type of danger too, a very human one. Its easy to forget that data theft can occur in person and theres also the issue of hardware being stolen too. How secure is your laptop? Do you leave it on the front seat of your car when you are out on the road? Do you lock it in the boot? Worse still, have you ever left your computer unattended in a public place, even for just a minute or two? What would happen if someone picked it up and ran? What personal or business information would you lose, how would you retrieve it and what damage could be caused with it? SECURING YOUR COMPUTER The first thing you should do is to engage your brain as commonsense often goes a long way. You should always secure your computer in an appropriate manner. For laptops that means never letting them out of your site, locking them away out of sight when not being used and keeping windows shut (and doors locked) when stopped at traffic lights. For desktop computers you can buy various cables and locks which can secure your machine to the desk. Of course it goes without saying that a determined thief would take your PC whatever you do but most are opportunists and the above tips will make your computer far less appealing to them than the next one they can see.
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Why You Need More Than Just Software To Secure Your PC
Revealing The Secret Identity Of The Single Biggest Threat To Your Online Security
September 27th, 2009. Published under Scams. No Comments.
Yes, thats right, its YOU !!! You could be forgiven for thinking that the biggest threats online come from spyware, viruses or phishing emails but you would be wrong nonetheless. The biggest security threat is in fact an uneducated user, someone who doesn’t even understand the threats to their online security. If there is any chance that I am describing YOU then do something about it now – read these 101 tips to keeping yourself secure , along with the rest of this site! (The easiest way to do that is by subscribing to daily updates via my RSS feed )
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Revealing The Secret Identity Of The Single Biggest Threat To Your Online Security
Conficker: The Most Advanced Virus Ever?
September 24th, 2009. Published under Fraud, Scams. No Comments.
There is a bit of an argument going on within the ranks of the Digirati. Everyone is trying to decide if the Conficker Worm is the most advanced virus ever created. Arguments can be made for other previously released viruses that have wreaked havoc on computer networks and caused billions of dollars in damage. Elegant Design Even the most experienced programmers agree that Conficker has a very elegant design and that nobody seems to be able figure out exactly how it works. Other experts state that they have never seen anything like it. However, there are some contenders as far as the speed of the virus and the monetary damage it causes are concerned. Vs. Nimda 2001 Released on 18 September, 2001, Nimda became the fastest spreading virus of the time and found its way into thousands of computers in 22 minutes. Nimda used an email propagation scheme that had a file attachment “README.EXE” and was the worst virus up to that date. Vs. SQL Slammer 2003 On 25 January, 2003, SQL Slammer reared its ugly head and began to slow down Internet traffic by causing denial of service attacks on host computers. The virus quickly spread to over 75,000 computers within 10 minutes and completely shut down the Internet in South Korea. Vs. Storm 2007 The Storm Worm was released on 19 January, 2007 and within 72 hours was held accountable for 8% of all malware infections worldwide. Storm also used an email propagation scheme with an email that had the title: “230 dead as storm batters Europe.” During those 72 hours there were 6 different attacks performed by the Storm Worm . Technologically Advanced? Is Conficker the most advanced virus ever? Most experts would say yes. However, the monetary damage done by Conficker has been pale in comparison to other previous malware attacks. Only time will tell whether Conficker is the most advanced virus or not…
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Conficker: The Most Advanced Virus Ever?
0800 0800 152 And The ‘BT Phone Scam’
September 23rd, 2009. Published under Scams. No Comments.
If you are a UK telephone user then the following email about a new scam is something you need to read. Of course the scam is not committed by BT themselves but rather by an African (so it seems) who claims to be a representative of that company – Subject: BT phone scam PLEASE PASS ON TO YOUR FRIENDS & FAMILY. The new telephone ’scam’ has arrived. “I received a call from a ‘representative’ of BT, informing me that he was disconnecting me because of an unpaid bill. He demanded payment immediately of £31.00 or it would be £118.00 to re-connect at a later date. The guy wasn’t even fazed when I told him I was with Virgin Media, allegedly VM have to pay BT a percentage for line rental! I asked the guy’s name – the very ‘English’ John Peacock with a very ‘African’ accent – & phone number – 0800 0800 152. Obviously the fellow realized I didn’t believe his story, so offered to demonstrate that he was from BT. I asked how & he told me to hang up & try phoning someone – he would disconnect my phone to prevent this. AND HE DID!! My phone was dead – no engaged tone, nothing – until he phoned me again. Very pleased with himself, he asked if that was enough proof that he was with BT. I asked how the payment was to be made & he said credit card, there & then. I said that I didn’t know how he’d done it, but I had absolutely no intention of paying him, I didn’t believe his name or that he worked for BT. He hung up. Did 1471 & phoned his fictitious 0800 number – not recognised. I phoned the police to let them know, I wasn’t the first! It’s only just started apparently but it is escalating. Their advice was to let as many people know by word of mouth of this scam. The fact that the phone does go off would probably convince some people it’s real, so please let as many friends & family be aware of this. This is good but not that clever. He gave the wrong number – it should have been 0800 800 152 which takes you through to BT Business. The cutting off of the line is very simple – he stays on the line with the mute button on and you can’t dial out – but he can hear you trying to (this is because the person who initiates a call is the one to terminate it). When you stop trying he cuts off and immediately calls back. You could almost be convinced! The sad thing is that it is so simple that it will certainly fool the elderly and vulnerable.” Unlike some email forwards this one is real and the police are aware of it. So if you get a call like the one detailed above be very wary. If you think you may actually have an outstanding bill then I would recommend hanging up, waiting 10 minutes in case someone really is messing around with your line, and then calling your telephone company using the number found on your latest bill.
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0800 0800 152 And The ‘BT Phone Scam’
Asian Teenage Hackers To Join MI5 To Fight Cyber Terrorism
September 23rd, 2009. Published under Fraud. No Comments.
According to a recent report in The Sunday Express , the British spy agency MI5 has begun recruiting teenagers to aid their fight against cyber terrorism which it claims is emanating from China, Russia, Pakistan and even Belmarsh maximum security prison!! MI5 is believed to have already hired around 50 hackers, most of whom are young Asians, to work in their newly formed top secret Cyber Operations Command, a function which has a close working relationship with the Pentagon. Each of the youngsters has had to sign the “Official Secrets Act” which means they cannot even tell their friends, girlfriends or parents what they are getting up to when they work in the Security Service building which is located next to The Thames in London. In a report to Lord West, the Security Minister, it was revealed that during this summer alone there were over 1,000 hits made on computers in Whitehall. Other key assets to have been targeted include power stations, air traffic control and the city of London. It is also believed that accountants, banks and other financial organisations have come under attack from Chinese state organisations . As with all security personnel, the teenagers are subject to high detail background checking of the same level used to vet other members of the intelligence community. According to Lord West, the new recruits are – “youngsters who use their talents to stop other hackers from closing down this country”.
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Asian Teenage Hackers To Join MI5 To Fight Cyber Terrorism
Japanese Rice Art Is No Hoax
September 22nd, 2009. Published under Scams. No Comments.
Sometimes I receive emails that sound like they should be hoaxes but arn’t. This one, about Japanese rice art, is one example of something that sounds too bizarre to be true. The pictures, however, are quite genuine – Subject: Rice Art Stunning crop art has sprung up across rice fields in Japan. But this is no alien creation – the designs have been cleverly planted. Farmers creating the huge displays use no ink or dye. Instead, different colours of rice plants have been precisely and strategically arranged and grown in the paddy fields. As summer progresses and the plants shoot up, the detailed artwork begins to emerge – My initial reaction when I saw those pictures was that they were either some sort of photoshop exercise or that someone had created the Japanese equivalent of crop circles , i.e. they were for no particular purpose other than to garner attention for the particular artist. The truth, however, is that they are actually quite genuine and an ancient art form, as reported by The Guardian . Quite stunning, don’t you think?
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Japanese Rice Art Is No Hoax
How Can I Avoid Vishing Scams?
September 22nd, 2009. Published under Fraud, Scams. No Comments.
How to avoid vishing scams If you don’t already know what vishing is then you need to read yesterday’s post – What Exactly Is Vishing ? Today I am looking at a few very simple ways of ensuring you don’t become a victim of this crime. Rule #1 can be applied to just about every scenario you may ever come across online – DO NOT REVEAL YOUR SENSITIVE INFORMATION TO ANYONE , INCLUDING BANK EMPLOYEES. Whether you are contacted via email, IM or phone you should never, ever, reveal sensitive information to someone you cannot completely trust. If you always keep that in mind then you will have improved your internet security immeasurably. The other rules are just as much common sense – Banks and other financial institutions never call and ask you for personal information. The call or message may say that your call is being recorded but this is just to scare people so that they do not call the authorities. Notice how the caller never calls you by name. That is because they have no idea what your name is! If your bank or credit card number asks for your account number then they must be false – they should already know such details. Just because they don’t ask for your CVV2 number don’t think they are legit – some people can still steal your money without that information. Some banks, especially the small ones, usually have the last 6 numbers of the card the same for all the cards. So thieves will ask only for the last 6 digits of your credit card number because they know the first ones. So don’t think that if they ask only for 6 digits they cannot steal your money. They can do this just with your PIN and the last 6 digits of your card. Remember the above and stay safe. Don’t get vished!
