Advances in computer technology is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it affords us quick and easy access to numerous conveniences such as bank statements, favorite shopping centers, school and health records, and more. On the other hand, it can also grant the same access to those who aren’t supposed to get it. Although it’s a rare occurrence, hacking has become the biggest criminal nuisance in computer history.

Make no bones about it. There’s nothing innocent or cute about the hacker. Today’s hackers aren’t the pimply-faced teen rebels that you might be thinking of. Instead, this generation of hackers are grown individuals who are more than likely earning a living by stealing the identities of innocent, law abiding individuals and then selling those identities to others who want to slip by the system. And the only protection against these seedy people is prevention.

Computer security couldn’t be more important than it is today and that’s why we’ve taken the time to introduce it to you. You can reduce the probability of experiencing identity theft by making your computer as hacker-proof as possible. All that’s needed is a little software and a lot of common sense.

1. Install an anti-virus/anti-spyware program. Anti-virus/anti-spyware software will stop malicious code from downloading and installing onto your computer while you peruse the Internet. Known as viruses, worms, or spyware, this malicious code can destroy important files and render your computer good for only one thing: sending sensitive data back to the server of an identity thief.

2. Don’t store sensitive data on your computer in the first place. Should your computer get infected with a virus, worm, or piece of spyware, you can thwart the individuals responsible by not storing your personal information on your PC so that when and if your computer does send back data – it won’t be anything valuable. Hackers look for things like full names, social security numbers, phone numbers, home addresses, work-related information, and credit card numbers. If these things aren’t saved onto a computer, there’s nothing critical to worry about other than restoring your computer to a non-virus condition.

3. Don’t open files without scanning them with an anti-virus/anti-spyware program. In the past, the warning was to avoid opening files from people that you don’t know. Today it’s really not safe to open files from anyone (without scanning the files) because that’s how viruses get spread – through files – even by mistake. So even though your co-worker may have emailed a funny video, it’s no more safe to open than a video downloaded from a complete stranger. Be safe and scan each and every file you download from the Internet or receive through email regardless of where it came from.

4. Create a barrier between your computer and prying eyes. Anti-virus/anti-spyware programs are only effective after the effect. But you can prevent identity theft from occurring by installing a firewall. A firewall is software that checks all data entering and exiting a computer and it then blocks that which doesn’t meet specified security criteria (user-defined rules).

5. Don’t click on website links in spam messages. In an effort to obtain personal information, some spammers will send email that asks you to click on a link. The email messages are often disguised as important messages from well-known online establishments, and they often try to scare their readers into clicking links with threats of closing an account of some sort. Sometimes the links are harmless and attempt to con the reader into volunteering personal information (credit card number), but other times the links attempt to download harmful software onto a computer.

Your best protection against computer crimes is your own knowledge. Hopefully the suggestions above will prompt you into taking appropriate action and into protecting your computer with the suggested tools. In doing so, you’ll not only protect yourself, you’ll prevent the spread of these malicious activities and protect others at the same time.

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That’s right, you’ll receive the entire Online Security Toolkit, including the following manuals for just $9.99:

	Protect Yourself From Identity Theft Learn the 5 types of identity theft and how they can ruin your life. You’ll learn about the methods identity thieves use to steal your information and what to do if it happens to you. Most importantly, you’ll find out how to lock down your personal information so identity thieves won’t be able to target you.
	Secure Your Computer Against Online Threats Find out how spyware, adware and viruses can infect your computer, even if you’re careful. You’ll also find out how they can cause your personal information to be made available to hackers and identity thieves. But the critical thing you’ll learn is how to lock down your computer so these things can’t infect it (and how to do it for minimal cost, even free!)
	Protect Your Kids From Online Predators Kids are using the internet at younger ages all the time, and there are a lot of predators out there that know it. You’ll find out how to ensure your children are safe online, and how to make sure they don’t accidentally share more information than they should with someone they don’t know. Plus, you’ll learn how to monitor your kids activity without resorting to "spying" on them.
	Secure Your Inbox Against Spam Learn how spammers get your email address and what steps you can take to stop it from happening. Find out how to stop virtually ALL spam that’s coming into your inbox (even if you’re getting hundreds of junk messages a day). Plus, you’ll learn how to spot phishing emails and other scams that try to steal your personal information through email.

Over recent years, computers have become synonymous with viruses and viruses don’t show any signs of disappearing any time soon. In recent news, LiveScience.com reported that “Before the month is even done, April has set a record for virus e-mails.” In the past, we would be comfortable in telling new computer users not to worry about viruses and that catching a computer virus is rare. Today, that would be some of the worst advice we could give anyone. As reported in countless news reports, computer viruses are rampant and they’re extremely worrisome. This article will describe what viruses are and then point you in the direction of some rather unique protection and prevention.

In short, a computer virus is a software program designed to destroy or steal data. It attacks computers via distribution – often unknowingly – through email attachments, software downloads, and even some types of advanced web scripting. Viruses that destroy data are known as Trojan horses, viruses that explode their attacks are called bombs, and viruses that duplicate themselves are called worms. Some viruses are a combination of each, however they can be further identified according to where they’re located on a computer.

A virus originating from the boot sector of a computer is a boot-sector virus and this nasty devil does its dirty work the moment a computer is turned on. A virus that attaches itself to (infects) other programs is a file virus and activates the moment that an infected program starts. File viruses may also be referred to as parasitic viruses, however should a virus work from both the boot-sector and from an infected program, the virus is then known as a multipartite virus.

Why viruses exist remains a mystery, however we had privy access to the mind behind a virus programmer who explained his motivation behind his destructive inclinations. Apparently, this person had a deep grudge against a popular online service which shall remain unnamed. In this hacker’s mind, the online service failed to do a quality job in protecting children from online smut and as retaliation, he created and distributed a virus to as many file libraries of this service as he could. His intentions were to disable the computers of the online service’s users so much that they wouldn’t be able to connect for days. In his mind, the loss of connection meant loss of revenue for the online service.

Although the malicious code that this person generated may have worked for a small percentage of users, sufficed to say, the online service continued on and still exists today. Despite his motivation or intention, his efforts were null.

We wouldn’t be surprised to learn if other motivations behind spreading viruses were similar to this person’s, but that doesn’t justify the damage that viruses do. Innocent people become pawns for the evil plans of others who’ve convinced themselves they’re doing the “right” thing.

To protect a computer from getting a virus, or clean a virus from a computer system once infected requires the use of an antivirus utility. But may be something else we can do. Perhaps we could make an effort to educate the people who want put viruses into the public about ways to display dissatisfaction with a service or product that don’t involve harming innocent parties. In doing so, we just might reduce the number of virus news stories and protect our own investments at the same time.

The Internet is an amazing tool that people rely on more and more in several aspects of their lives. One of the fastest growing demographics of Internet users is children. Unfortunately, children are also one of the demographics most vulnerable to being taken advantage of online, making protecting children a chief concern of both parents and software developers. There are several keys to making sure children are protected when using the Internet.

The most important thing that can be done to help a child stay safe when using the Internet is to educate the child of the dangers that exist online. Children should know that while sites such as chat rooms seem like a lot of fun, that there could be dangerous people looking for pictures or personal information of children.

Social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook are becoming increasingly popular among teens, but users should take precautions such as setting profile pages to “private” to control who is authorized to view the child’s page. Personal information such as phone numbers and addresses should never be posted in a public place on the Internet.

One of the tools that parents often turn to in order to keep their children safe online is filtering software. This software is designed to examine web pages for content that might be offensive, inappropriate, or unsafe for children and to block the site from being accessed from a user’s computer. This software is effective and helpful, but should never be considered a replacement for supervision from parents.

There are often sites that somehow find loopholes in even the most effective filters, so parents should still monitor computer activity. One of the downsides to filtering software is that pages that are inoffensive may be blocked, hindering the user’s ability to access needed information from a harmless website. Filtering software should be password protected so that children can’t give themselves access to the entire Internet.

Many parents monitor children’s Internet activities by tracking where they have been online. Checking browser history and other files stored on computers as users surf from web page to web page is a good way to make sure your children are staying away from harmful or offensive sites. However, many children who use the Internet are smart enough to know how to cover their tracks, so relying on tracking the history of web sites visited is not enough in most cases. Several filtering programs send parents a weekly report of web sites visited and time spent online, a more accurate way to track a child’s Internet activity.

Setting house rules for computer and Internet use is another effective way to protect children who use the Internet. Some rules could include keeping the computer in a public room in the house, limiting the time and hours each day that the Internet can be used, and maintaining a list of approved websites for children to visit.

A parent’s responsibility is to use a combination of all of the above tools and ideas to make sure their children who use the Internet are protected.

One factor that is curbing the growth of identity theft that we have seen for so many years is that the word is finally out on how to protect yourself from having your identity stolen. Education has been the key to making it difficult for identity thieves to operate. The problem has not disappeared by any means, but criminals are finding it necessary to be more creative in order to get the information they seek.

There are several new scams that are important to understand.

Most people are familiar with phishing. Phishing is a technique used by identity thieves where they send consumers E-mails that appear to be from a legitimate source, such as a bank or credit card company. The E-mail will ask the consumer to verify some important pieces of information, such as account numbers, credit card numbers, or even social security numbers. When the e-mail is returned with the information that was requested, an identity thief has all he/she needs to start buying things and spending money in your name.

Phishing was much more effective in the early part of this decade when fewer people were aware of the scam, but twists have been added so that the phishing scam still works for criminals. A common twist is for the E-mail to warn consumers of phishing scams, remind them not to send sensitive information online, and instead ask the consumer to call a toll free number to verify important account information. The provided phone number is routed to the scam artist, who poses as your bank to take the information that is sought.

Another newer scam being used via the Internet is among people searching for employment at sites like monster.com or careerbuilder.com. A “perspective employer” will make contact with an individual who has posted a resume and ask the applicant to submit to a background check.

Job seekers thinking that the information is being requested by a legitimate source gladly provide a social security number and any other information that is requested. The lesson is to never trust anyone with your sensitive information unless you are 100% sure that it will be protected.

Spoofing is an attempt made by an identity thief to gain access to a secure website or secure information by posing as an authorized user. Spoofing is a tool the identity thieves have found some success in using. One example is creating a website that mirrors an existing website that users feel comfortable sharing information within.

There are several variations of spoofing, but the less remains the same. Internet users should refuse to enter sensitive information anywhere online where they are not 100% sure that the information is secure.

There are countless other scams used by identity thieves to gain access to information, but the basis for each idea is the same. Identity thieves get information from consumers by first earning their trust. Being aware of these scams will help people to avoid them and avoid the damage caused by identity theft.

If you’re concerned about identity theft over the internet (and everyone who uses the net should be!) you can download a free ebook by Todd Feinman called “Scared Safe: Life’s Little Identity Protection Handbook”.

It covers a lot of information that everyone who’s online should be aware of.

You can get more information and download the book from here:

Free e-book: “Scared Safe: Life’s Little Identity Theft Protection Handbook”

One of the most important things you can do if you connect to the Internet at all is to make sure that you have internet security in place. Internet security leads to prevention of several problems that can harm or even destroy your data. Some of the security issues for Internet users to be aware of include:

- Hackers: Hackers are users who work to find loopholes in Internet security systems and exploit those loopholes. Their intentions could be anything from a desire to copy confidential information to generally just trying to cause trouble. Regardless of a hacker’s purpose, Internet users are at risk and should ensure that they safeguard their computer and personal information.

- Viruses: Viruses are computer programs designed to infiltrate unsuspecting user computers, replicate themselves, spread to other computers, destroy data, and interfere with the operation of your computer. Viruses are most commonly spread through attachments in E-mails, instant messages, or other downloads.

- Spyware: Spyware is software that plants itself on your computer and collects personal information, usually for the purpose of targeting advertising. Adware is spyware that allows advertisements to pop up on your screen based on the information it has gathered from your hard drive. Not all spyware is harmful, but it generally ends up on your computer without your consent and users need to be aware of it, as it can disrupt your computer’s performance.

- Worms: A worm is a program that replicates itself and sends itself to other computers on your network, usually undetected. While a virus has to attach itself to an existing program, a worm does not–it can replicate and spread on its own. Worms can shut down computer function because of the bandwidth they use.

- Phishing Scams: Phishing is essentially tricking a computer user into giving away valuable personal information such as bank account numbers, social security numbers, and credit card numbers. In a phishing scam, the user may receive an E-mail that appears to be sent from their bank asking for the user to confirm personal information. The goal of a phishing scam is to use this information against the victim of the scan.

- Spam: Spamming is the act of sending messages to multiple users indiscriminately in an attempt to flood the Internet with advertising or other information. While spam itself will not likely harm your computer, it can be a nuisance and distraction from the web content you’re really looking for. It’s also easy to hide viruses in links provided through spam messages.

There are ways to protect yourself from the above internet security issues. First, make sure that your computer is equipped with anti-virus software to detect and eliminate security issues. Second, make passwords difficult to guess and change your passwords often. Third, install updates as they become available. Finally, be smart about your online activities. Refuse to click on links that are from unfamiliar or suspicious sources. These issues can be hard to detect, but the available security measures should take care of most issues.

There are more and more kids getting their own websites these days. Whether it’s for a blog, learning how to design websites or even for budding internet business moguls, it’s getting more and more common.

But if you’re thinking of registering a website for your kids, there are a couple of things you need to consider.

First, when you register a domain (”domain” in www.domain.com) you need to enter the contact information of the person registering it. This includes an address, full name, phone number and email address.

This information is publicly available to anyone who wants to look it up, so it’s important that you either use an office address, a post office box or some kind of privacy protection. Otherwise anyone can look up the full name and address of who owns the site. Whether it’s in your name or your child’s, they can be tracked down with that information if it’s your home address & phone number.

Most domain registrars offer privacy protection that will shield that information from being viewed publicly. Some charge a couple of dollars extra for the service while others include it automatically.

Second, if you’ve already registered a domain with personal information you can change it through your domain registrar. But you need to be aware that the historical information will always be available to anyone willing to pay to get it. It’s not expensive ($15-$30) to get this service, and there’s nothing you can do to block it.

Even if you add privacy protection now, the historical data is already stored.

I came across a website today that was being run by a 12 year old boy. He had put a lot of work into it, and was doing a great job of it. But on one of the pages he specifically said that his parents wouldn’t let him post his last name because of the risks that can come from the internet.

At the same time, the website was registered in his name with his home address, phone number and email address out there for anyone who knows how to find it.

All the effort his parents went to to protect him was out the window from the start.

You always, always need to remember that once information is “out there” on the internet, it’s next to impossible to get it back. Make sure you’re safe in the first place.

One of the chief concerns among Internet users is knowing that their privacy is safe and that the computers and personal information are secure from internet security threats. As more personal business is completed online, including shopping, travel planning, blogging, paying bills, web surfing, and sending E-mail and instant messages, Internet users are more and more likely to send confidential information online. Most Internet users enter their address, telephone number, bank account number, or credit card number as they participate in e-commerce without thinking twice. However, it’s essential to safeguard this information and make sure that confidential information stays out of the wrong hands.

Most Internet users assume that the information they search for online and the personal information they enter is private. There are several factors to be aware of when using the Internet that call internet privacy into question, including:

• Cookies: Cookies are a tool used to track a users web surfing. When a user visits a website, that site’s server receives the request for information, and sends the web content to the user’s computer. The user computer stores cookies on the hard drive without the knowledge or permission of the user. The information stored on cookies can be as simple as the name of a website, and as complex as credit card numbers to help automatically fill out forms later. Cookies have useful functions, such as helping web pages load faster, but it’s important to be aware that messages are sent between user computers and servers without the consent of the Internet user.
• Internet Service Providers: Because the only way to get online is through a provider of Internet service, everything you do online can potentially be logged by your ISP. Your provider should have information on how they protect your privacy.
• Data Logging: Many computers are set up to log all computer activity, which could risk a user’s privacy if the information got into the wrong hands through outside access to your computer.
• Spyware: Spyware enters a user computer without warning or permission to monitor activity and steer advertising and other web content toward the user. Spyware is more than a nuisance that hinders computer performance; it can gather and transmit potentially confidential information to third parties.

There are several reasons why other individuals, companies, or even computer programs would want to violate your Internet privacy. In some cases the goal is to target advertising tailored specifically for your interest. In others, people may be trying to steal your information for their personal gain. In today’s ago of information, information is power.

Protecting your computer and your personal information by changing passwords regularly, using effective anti-virus software, using only websites that have taken precautions to ensure your privacy, and screening your system regularly for potentially harmful activity is the only way to safeguard your Internet Privacy. The Internet is an amazing tool, but it can also be dangerous if users fail to take steps to protect themselves.

One of the most important parts of protecting your operating system and personal information is the proper use of internet security software. There are several options available and there are different types of protection that users should have in place for different types of computer usage. A user who spends time downloading music, movies, games, or software from Internet sites will probably need more sophisticated protection than a user who generally does nothing more than E-mail when online. Regardless, it’s good to know what options are available to protect your computer and your information.

One of the most important pieces of internet security software that all users should have is firewall protection. A firewall enables a user to make sure that only approved information can be sent between a home computer or a computer network and the Internet. The Firewall will not allow certain content from the Internet to reach the user’s computer. A personal firewall is used to protect stand-alone, individual computers that are connected to the Internet at all times, through DSL, cable, or some other high speed Internet service. A firewall’s job is to let the user know when information that is questionable is trying to reach the user’s computer.

Another important element of internet security is the use of reliable anti-virus software. One of the most discouraging things that can happen to a computer owner is to have their computer infected with a virus. A virus can be severe or mild, from a mild inconvenience to the complete destruction of your computer. Anti-virus software works in two separate ways. The first is through the use of signature files. When the software reports a virus, a signature file is created, the virus is inoculated, and the inoculation becomes available to identify and fight off that virus in other instances. The second way viruses are dealt with is called heuristics, a process where computers are scanned for programs behaving like viruses, the problem is isolated and the file is destroyed. This is probably the future of anti-virus software, but the process is imperfect at this point.

Most computer viruses are made to affect computers running the Windows operating system. Some users of other operating systems feel that anti-virus software is unnecessary, but the truth is that users of all types of computers and operating systems need to take measure the ensure internet security.

When purchasing anti-virus software, it’s important to use only software that can automatically receive updates. As more virus prevention becomes available, it’s important to make sure that your software stays up to date. Look for software that runs routine checks on your system to make sure no virus slips through the cracks. Finally, look for names that are widely known and respected, such as Norton/Symantec and McAfee, even if you have to pay a few extra dollars to use them. The cost of protecting your computer effectively is much less than the cost of trying to restore or replace lost information and equipment.

The Internet is an amazing tool that people rely on more and more in several aspects of their lives. One of the fastest growing demographics of Internet users is children. Unfortunately, children are also one of the demographics most vulnerable to being taken advantage of online, making protecting children a chief concern of both parents and software developers. There are several keys to making sure children are protected when using the Internet.

The most important thing that can be done to help a child stay safe when using the Internet is to educate the child of the dangers that exist online. Children should know that while sites such as chat rooms seem like a lot of fun, that there could be dangerous people looking for pictures or personal information of children. Social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook are becoming increasingly popular among teens, but users should take precautions such as setting profile pages to “private” to control who is authorized to view the child’s page. Personal information such as phone numbers and addresses should never be posted in a public place on the Internet.

One of the tools that parents often turn to in order to keep their children safe online is filtering software. This software is designed to examine web pages for content that might be offensive, inappropriate, or unsafe for children and to block the site from being accessed from a user’s computer. This software is effective and helpful, but should never be considered a replacement for supervision from parents. There are often sites that somehow find loopholes in even the most effective filters, so parents should still monitor computer activity. One of the downsides to filtering software is that pages that are inoffensive may be blocked, hindering the user’s ability to access needed information from a harmless website. Filtering software should be password protected so that children can’t give themselves access to the entire Internet.

Many parents monitor children’s Internet activities by tracking where they have been online. Checking browser history and other files stored on computers as users surf from web page to web page is a good way to make sure your children are staying away from harmful or offensive sites. However, many children who use the Internet are smart enough to know how to cover their tracks, so relying on tracking the history of web sites visited is not enough in most cases. Several filtering programs send parents a weekly report of web sites visited and time spent online, a more accurate way to track a child’s Internet activity.

Setting house rules for computer and Internet use is another effective way to protect children who use the Internet. Some rules could include keeping the computer in a public room in the house, limiting the time and hours each day that the Internet can be used, and maintaining a list of approved websites for children to visit.

A parent’s responsibility is to use a combination of all of the above tools and ideas to make sure their children who use the Internet are protected.

In today’s world, internet security is almost an afterthought. Most new computers and many Internet Service Providers include anti-virus software and other security measures for all of their users. The world of Internet security continues to evolve however, with hackers devising ingenious new ways to break into systems that previously had been impenetrable. Internet security is in place to ensure that information is kept safe and protected from those who might try to access it without permission or intend to destroy it. To understand why security measures are so important, we must understand the history of the Internet and of internet security.

Today, over 1 billion people have Internet access worldwide. North America accounts for only 18% of worldwide Internet usage. But the Internet started off very small. Originally, the Internet was called the ARPANET, and was developed during the late 1960’s with a goal of having a functioning network regardless of attacks or failures to part of the network.  The ARPANET, first put in place for the U.S. Department of Defense, was designed to reroute information and traffic if there were problems in a different part of the system, so if a part of the system was attacked, the Internet would not shut down entirely.

Soon, the Internet began growing more and more quickly. Universities and other agencies became connected, as information flowed more freely than ever before. Originally, everyone on the Internet had access to all of the posted information and there was no security in place. Without understanding how big the Internet would become, there was no concern about protecting information.

The first widely known security breach occurred in 1986, when users internationally tried to access and copy information on the Internet through US government computers. Two years later, a programmer wrote code that created the first widely known “worm”, this called the Morris worm. Robert Morris, a student at Cornell University, created the worm, which entered a new user computer, began replicating itself inside that computer, and continued through the network. The worm was programmed to use as much of the processing power of the invaded computer as possible, rendering the computer useless. The worm caused 10% of the computers connected to the Internet in 1988 to crash and the need for internet security was born.

By 1989, the ARPANET was known as the Internet and connected over 100,000 computers worldwide. Hackers worked tirelessly to access privileged information. The amount of information on the Internet has grown rapidly over the past 30 years, and as more people have access to the Internet, there is more incentive for hackers than ever before. Personal information is valuable, and programs have been created to decipher encryptions, processes are in place to figure out usernames and passwords, and the Internet has become not only an amazing tool, but a tremendous liability when information is not protected.

As new methods are developed to access and tamper with information on the Internet, internet security is becoming more effective at thwarting attacks and attempts at access, a battle that is likely to rage on for years to come.

Internet security is important to businesses, governments, and individuals for a variety of reason. Most of these reasons, however, can all be related to one core threat – the loss of control.

Internet security is about protecting data, protecting equipment, and protecting yourself from the tedious and sometimes impossible task of trying to restore your computer to the way it was prior to the breach in security.

Whether the Internet user is the U.S. Department of defense or a teenager with a MySpace profile, Internet users have the desire to control and protect their personal and confidential information on the Internet.

There are a few key areas that Internet users need to protect and control:

Control of Access

Much of the information that is exchanged online is only intended for a few involved parties. If everything you ever typed was available for all to see, chances are that you wouldn’t be nearly as carefree with what you typed. Many Internet users have a false sense of security that their actions are anonymous online, but the truth is that a great deal of what occurs on the Internet leaves an electronic footprint.

When it comes to personal or confidential information, controlling access is a top priority. Teenagers using social networking sites need to be able to restrict access to those that they know and trust. Military institutions need to restrict access to those with qualifying military clearance. There are several other examples of the importance of controlling access. Effective use of encryption software can help, as can making sure that sensitive information is password protected. Internet Security may not be perfect, but it can keep a lot of unwanted visitors away.

Control of Information

With identity theft becoming one of the fastest growing crimes, your personal information needs to be closely guarded. The Internet is a haven for criminals looking for information that could become useful to them.

Phishing scams, for instance, attempt to trick Internet users into revealing sensitive information under the assumption that it’s being sent to a legitimate source. Think about how often credit card numbers are sent electronically, or about how often banking transactions are handled online. Allowing this information into the wrong hands could have serious financial consequences.

Control of infrastructure

Several Internet security measures and software programs are designed to protect your computer and its operating ability. Risks such as denial of service (DOS) attacks, worms, and Trojan horses threaten to interfere with a computer’s operating system.

Many of these threats are designed to overload your computer with the processing of information, rendering the computer essentially useless. These threats also pave the way for other viruses to enter your computer in the future.

Taking steps to strengthen your Internet security measures will increase your chances of losing control of the important elements described above. Anti-Virus software, updates and patches that become available to install, and generally being smart about the information you share and attempt to view online will help keep you computer and your information out of trouble and running efficiently.

Check out this story:

Malware Stole Hannaford Data

Spyware and malware isn’t just a problem for the average home user – it can be a threat to large companies too. And they often have a lot more information at stake if their computers are breached.

It’s just another reminder that you always have to be vigilant, no matter what level you’re operating at.

One of the most important things you can do if you connect to the Internet at all is to make sure that you have internet security in place. Internet security leads to prevention of several problems that can harm or even destroy your data. Some of the security issues for Internet users to be aware of include:

Hackers: Hackers are users who work to find loopholes in Internet security systems and exploit those loopholes. Their intentions could be anything from a desire to copy confidential information to generally just trying to cause trouble. Regardless of a hacker’s purpose, Internet users are at risk and should ensure that they safeguard their computer and personal information.

• Viruses: Viruses are computer programs designed to infiltrate unsuspecting user computers, replicate themselves, spread to other computers, destroy data, and interfere with the operation of your computer. Viruses are most commonly spread through attachments in E-mails, instant messages, or other downloads.
• Spyware: Spyware is software that plants itself on your computer and collects personal information, usually for the purpose of targeting advertising. Adware is spyware that allows advertisements to pop up on your screen based on the information it has gathered from your hard drive. Not all spyware is harmful, but it generally ends up on your computer without your consent and users need to be aware of it, as it can disrupt your computer’s performance.
• Worms: A worm is a program that replicates itself and sends itself to other computers on your network, usually undetected. While a virus has to attach itself to an existing program, a worm does not–it can replicate and spread on its own. Worms can shut down computer function because of the bandwidth they use.
• Phishing Scams: Phishing is essentially tricking a computer user into giving away valuable personal information such as bank account numbers, social security numbers, and credit card numbers. In a phishing scam, the user may receive an E-mail that appears to be sent from their bank asking for the user to confirm personal information. The goal of a phishing scam is to use this information against the victim of the scan.
• Spam: Spamming is the act of sending messages to multiple users indiscriminately in an attempt to flood the Internet with advertising or other information. While spam itself will not likely harm your computer, it can be a nuisance and distraction from the web content you’re really looking for. It’s also easy to hide viruses in links provided through spam messages.

There are ways to protect yourself from the above internet security issues. First, make sure that your computer is equipped with anti-virus software to detect and eliminate security issues. Second, make passwords difficult to guess and change your passwords often. Third, install updates as they become available. Finally, be smart about your online activities. Refuse to click on links that are from unfamiliar or suspicious sources. These issues can be hard to detect, but the available security measures should take care of most issues.