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Showing posts with label internet security. Show all posts
Showing posts with label internet security. Show all posts

Thursday 3 July 2014

Beware of Phishing Email From Gmail

A few days ago, I receive an email from Gmail (update). Yes, it is including the bracket. For regular internet user, it is easy to identify any type of phishing. However this is the first time that I receive a phishing email. I usually get Facebook account phishing scam send to my inbox.

I fall victim to the Facebook phishing scam twice but it is not serious. At that time I was very busy and very success with my poker game. I am sure for everyone who likes to play poker will know about Zynga poker and how addictive the game was. It is not real money but some people will do anything to get the fake chips including using phishing technique.

The phishing email sent to my inbox



As you can see the phishing email above looks very convincing. I even clicked on the "view" hyperlink. It even brought me to the Google account login page that is of course a fake one. I open the email again today for this post but the page is already taken down by Google. That is such a relieve because I really hate if someone fall prey for those thieves.

What is phishing?

The act of sending an email to a user falsely claiming to be an established legitimate enterprise in an attempt to scam the user into surrendering private information that will be used for identity theft. Phishing email will direct the user to visit a website where they are asked to update personal information, such as a password, credit card, social security, or bank account numbers, that the legitimate organization already has. The website, however, is bogus and set up only to steal the information the user enters on the page. - Webopedia
 Final words from me, keep yourself safe on the internet. This cyber world maybe a gold mine for internet entrepreneurs but the danger are also real. No matter how convincing any email sent to you or anything inside your Facebook inbox, please keep away from it and delete the email immediately.

Tuesday 28 January 2014

Top 7 Myths About Blogging

If you ever came across some advertisements, blog posting or even a landing page selling blogging ebook, you might have been thinking is this guy is for real? Many thoughts will come across you because the way the person creates his promotional method is sometimes look like a get-rich-quick scheme.

Most of the time (maybe they don’t exist anymore), common sentence used are ‘all you need is a computer’, ‘no computer skills needed’ and ‘I earned xxx in just two days’. In common sense, this trick also will not help you sell. Even if you do, there will be enormous returned back.

Many people are desperate to look for other alternatives to find money. Money is the no1 motivator for an individual. It is not a wrong thing to do but the way you put your mind into it is wrong. It is like working the worst job you ever had just to put your meal on the table.

Here we are going to see some blogging myths that have been circulating around the internet. I’ve seen a few still exist. I don’t know the rest of them. Maybe they have been removed by Clickbank or banned. Most of the products are ebooks. 

Myth #1: All you need is a computer/no computer skills are needed

Basically, this is true. What you don’t know is, if you don’t know how to use the computer or some skills on the internet, you have to pay somebody to do it. The costs for all this html, marketing, seo and any other internet crap is not cheap buddy.

You really need computer skills. You don’t have to know all of it. A little bit of basic html is fine. This simple Blogger blog that I have also requires me to have some html skills to tweak and maintain. You can hire someone to do the hard part.

Myth #2: Bloggers sell male enhancement products

This is not totally untrue. Bloggers start their blog with the niche that they are expert in or want to be expert in to. It is a common thing that bloggers sell male enhancement products. Maybe that is the niche that they like so much.

What you really need to know is, bloggers have many niche or sub topics. They can technically sell anything they want. If all bloggers sell male enhancement products, I will not read another blog my entire life.

Myth #3: I made $xxxx for xx days

With great confidence, this IM guru brag about how much he/she can earn for a certain period. Usually the period is only for a few days. To gain that kind of money is not impossible, you heard right, NOT impossible. That takes a few simple tricks to do so. 

What the guru don’t tell you is it takes for example $4000 to make $5500. The $4000 is for ads purpose and to buy email lists. Be extra careful when you come across this type of ads. You might lose more money than earning them.

Myth #4: Get rich with blogging

I think everyone is aware about this is really a myth. By blogging it doesn’t mean that you are joining a get-rich-quick scheme. But, some people still thinks that way. Internet involves so many scams. When someone is not familiar with the internet world, when they think about internet, the first think that cross their mind is scam. 

It is true that many things that you read online are scam. Do some research about the product if you are interested to buy them. It is a good thing that these days you can find many product reviews are available online. Read a few reviews before intending to buy. I also use this method to shop online.

Myth #5: Blogs are used for internet marketing

It is not only for internet marketing or teaches you to blog and make money. Blogging is freestyle. You can blog about any niche topic that you want to. Basically, you can blog about anything. People get confused what blogs are usually for. 

It’s not their fault to get confused. This is because of the ‘misunderstanding’ that the blogging gurus taught them. People read blogs like Copyblogger, John Chow, Entrepreneurs-Journey, Problogger and so much more blogs that teaches them how to blog. Beginners sometimes think that they should do the same blog like what they are reading.

Myth #6: “I got this information from a blog”

Blogs can cover many topics such as funny, sad, touching, current news, entertainment and so much more. Not everything that you read is true. The blogger’s intention was only to attract readers and subscribers. They ‘cheat’ their readers for a good purpose and sometimes also for bad intentions. 

Good intentions means that the blogger want his/her content to go viral on the internet. Even big company like Google does this with their first 3D glasses video that they post on Youtube. Google want to see the public’s reaction on the video. Entertainment blog can post a few gossip articles. The story doesn’t have to be true because it is gossip.

Bad intentions mean that the blogger intentionally writes a negative story and post them on their blog. Their intention was to give a negative image to an individual, a product or a company. This is not a very good idea to begin with. You can face charges by the party involved in your blog content. 

Myth #7: Blogging is the only money-making tool on the internet

This is totally untrue. There are a lot of money-making methods that you can do on the internet. In my opinion, blogging is the best because you can have a long-term earning. But blogging is still not the only way to make money. Some people don’t have the skill to write but they are good at something else.

For example, if you have a shoe store by your place, you can sell those shoes through Ebay. You don’t have to have a blog to do this. But if you are very good in shoes, you can have a blog and write articles about shoes. Tell your visitors how good your knowledge with shoes. 

Another example is a gambler. Gambling is a habit just like smoking. It is hard to leave behind. If you are really a good poker player, you can register your name and your credit card at a known gambling site. You can earn through gambling from the internet.

Sunday 8 September 2013

Before You Say Internet Marketing Is Crap, Read This First

If you are reading this article, it mean that you are not new to internet marketing (IM). There are a lot of self-claimed IM guru out there. I know many people lose thousand and thousand of dollars trying to learn the art of IM. The beauty of IM is, you only do your business online. You don't have to meet even one person to make your business grow.

Some people lose their money for nothing. They buy products to make them rich online but in the end they are just losing more money. This kind of situation is what we all want to avoid. We don't want to buy products that don't work. But greed can overcome one's emotion and that is the beginning of failure.

If you are in this situation, you would probably says that IM is crap or whatsoever. You will feel that it is a scam or a get-rich-quick scheme or a pyramid scheme. Well, many of IM gurus promote this kind of stuff anyway. If you are still trying to make money and this is your fourth or fifth month blogging, you are in the right path. Just don't give up just yet.

For some people who says IM is a scam, continue reading this article. If you are talking about scam, I have tons of them. What even better is, they are licensed and known by the government. It is not actually scams, just like IM, they are businesses but its going nowhere.

In my country, Malaysia, there are a lot of opportunities given by the government or organizations for the people to do business and make the people become success in their life for the country. I will tell you two examples below:

1. Leech breeding
Leeches for breeding
This was popular around 2008 - 2010 if I am not mistaken. A few organizations offer leeches to breed to the public. You do not need license to breed leeches. As long as you have a large barrel or keg, you can breed them quite easily. If you have a small terrain, it is even better.


Why do you breed leeches?
There are saying that leeches are important for the medical field. Leeches can suck blood clots and cancer cells. Even the government encourage the public to breed leeches to increase one's income. At that time, companies selling leech for breed grows like mushrooms.

The Problem
What people doesn't know about leech breeding is, it is hard to breed. Leech feed on blood. To find a good source of blood, leech breeders give the leeches catfish. Catfish is not cheap and you have to give it to the leeches everyday or your leech would grow thin or die. The company who buys back adult leeches won't buy thin and small adult leeches.

Most of the leech breeders are part timers and they breed small amount of leeches at their backyard in a few barrels. This leeches often die from starvation or not enough food to take. With only a few leeches left, it is not enough to return the capital money. What even worse, no company is willing to buy back a few leeches.

That is not the worst part. The worst part is the companies who handles the leeches gone on by one until there are no party who wants to buy leeches anymore. You will eventually lose more than half of the money for the startup. No more leeches, what are you going to do with the large barrels? Its not cheap so I doubt that you would throw it away.

2. Planting Jatropha/Castor Oil Plant
I don't know how many of you who reads this article know what is a castor oil plant and how do it look like. Here, we call it jatropha or 'jarak' in the Malay language. This plant gain its popularity on 2010-2012.

Why Do You Plant It?
Castor oil plant are said to have special oil called biodiesel that can replace the current diesel but with environmental friendly aspects. To plant the castor oil plant, you need a large land for farming. You need a large quantity of these plant to create the biodiesel.
Castor Oil Plant

The Problem
There are many problem than profit in planting castor oil plant. The need of a piece of land, plant maintenance, time and energy, it is really not worth it. There are rarely an individual who are farming this plant because it requires a large sum of 'downpayment' to start the business. So, mostly the farmers are companies or individuals who have extra large cash.

Biodiesel is still on experiment and the market is not large enough to make profit. Only a few machine have tested the biodiesel and not all machine can use it. Most of the companies flows down the drain with a very fast pace. I even saw with my own eyes that the land used to farm the plant are left with only bushes and ghost building.

Conclusion
As for conclusion, scam can come with many faces if they want to. People always blame other people online for their failure. Some businesses are not meant to fail but lack of research makes people lost their money in something that is not certain.

The best recipe for failure is greed. I already write an article about greed and you can read it here. When a person stop being greedy and start a real business, with hard work, there is no way that they will fail.

Tuesday 13 August 2013

Remembering the SwissCash 'Scam'

Once upon a time there was a scam called SwissCash a.k.a Swiss Mutual Funds. There are a lot more websites like these before it was totally banned by the Malaysian government. I wanted to mentioned a few of them but SC is the biggest so lets stick to it.

SC guarantees the return on investment every month and the according to the following:

1 to 3 months - 10%
4 to 6 months - 15%
7 to 9 months - 20%
10 to 12 months - 25%
13 to 15 months - 30%

All these so-called scams are declared illegal and was banned on 2007. I was one of the investor during the time but luckily I don't lose a large chunk of money like big investors. The first and most popular investing site was of course the SC. Then many other small sites are following its footsteps and slowly gain popularity.

What makes me pissed off was the money that was invested was never returned by the Malaysian Securities Commision. Never mind myself but I really pity others that have invest thousands and thousands of Ringgit (converted to USD) to SC. It is not totally banned, only the website is banned from viewing.

After these few years, SC was still in the back of my mind. I was thinking is it really a scam? However, I never really did a thorough investigation but you can read it in Wikipedia. SC was declared illegal because it is a pyramid scheme and there are no proof that the company even existed.

SC is labelled as a scam and a fraud. During the time it was banned, you cannot even view the website and it never did. It was also claimed that thousands of people lose millions of USD because of this scam. Then, I was thinking, if it is a scam, why in the hell did they pay their investors every month like promised?!

If I am going to start a scam website, I will take everyone's money and poof!! like David Copperfield. I don't have to wait until everybody screams "its a scam!" It is not just SC. All the internet investment websites are paying. They did not take the money and they deliver on time. Where is the scam here?

But that is the past. Now we are in 2013! It is even better! These few months, this dude in my Facebook friend list came out with the same thing but with different approach. With experience that I have, I knew that what he promoted have the same agenda with SC. What's even better is, it is operated in Malaysia and it is licensed.

I won't share the website here for safety reasons. I don't want everybody to get excited again for something that is not certain. It's not the website that I fear, its the government policy. They can turn off the website anytime they want if it is a 'scam'.

I also wanted to see how far this investment would go. I know lots and lots of people here in Malaysia are greedy and lazy. All people want to earn money but they don't want to work. The type that wants to sit at home doing nothing and money comes from the sky. That is why Malaysian are easy prey for scams.

I have tried making email marketing here in Malaysia. I was promoting a few good products for small entrepreneurs. The products is about handling business, money, stocks and a few others. The product was really good and I was honest in helping them. I send the promotion via email to more than a thousand people.

Not a single item was sold! It is not surprising at first because I thought some of the products are a bit expensive. What really surprised me was the same amount of people dare to spend money on a marketing crap that was posted on the same forum. A blind person also can realize that the ads was a scam.

I want to advise to the people who reads this blog to listen to me. If you want to scam, no matter how stupid you are in scamming, try a Malaysian forum or any website full of Malaysian. Trust me, it is an easy target. One more thing, your ad must be something like this:

"Want to earn big money with small investment?! Email me at yousuck@dumbass.com. Just a small amount to earn big"

or

"Invest in real estate with our company to gain huge return! Live like in heaven in 7 days guaranteed!"

You will be surprised by how many people will email or call you to join you so-called investment. Correct me if I sound stupid but if there are such investment, would everyone will be millionaires? A simple logic is needed but no one cares. They are blinded by greed.

Conclusion
I am not trying to defend any scams that are gone or still available and I'm also not a fan of such investments but use some common sense. Why wouldn't the government wait for everyone to cash out their investment before shutting the website down? Give the people some time to cash out their money.

In my personal opinion, I think the government doesn't like the idea of moving too much Ringgit outside the country.  That is why the government rush things out to shut down the entire investment websites.

This should be a lesson to the Malaysian people. Greed makes them lost their money and maybe their everything. Look at the millionaires out there. Do you see them not working? They are also working even if it is a few hours a day.

Tuesday 16 April 2013

90% of pirated games are infected with Malware


If you've ever been tempted to download a ‘hack’ for your favorite game to accelerate your progress, or to download a pirated copy of the latest title through a torrent or file-sharing site, watch out !

Anti-virus company AVG has today warns that over 90% of hacked or cracked games downloaded via torrent or file-sharing sites are infected with malware or malicious code. It claimed that a lot of these hacks didn't just contain malware, but were simply malware programs in disguise.

"Even if we assume that just 0.1% of the gamer playing the top five titles go looking for a hack - a highly conservative estimate - that means 330,000 people are potentially at risk of falling victim to game hack malware," said AVG.

The prevalence of cracked games, key generators, patches, cheats and more indicates that this is a highly organised, crime based, initiative. "This could lead to the loss of any legitimate, paid-for gaming assets, as well as sensitive personal data such as bank details and email or social media passwords."

In a quick test, AVG’s researchers searched FileCrop for a Diablo 3 hack, one of the most popular ‘swords and sorcery’ games on the market. The FileCrop search result listed more than 40 hacks, all temptingly titled to encourage users looking for the greatest in-game rewards and benefits. For the biggest titles, such as World of Warcraft or Minecraft, a similar FileCrop search reveals hundreds of hacks.

At random, the team selected and downloaded a file called ‘Diablo 3 Item generator and gold hack.zip’. After downloading and unpacking the file, the team’s installed AVG Internet Security software immediately detected malicious code in the hack itself.

AVG suggests players only download official game patches and updates, and to use different account username and passwords for each of the accounts you use in games or online.

Friday 22 March 2013

INTERNET SECURITY


INTERNET SECURITY
TYPE OF BREACHS, ATTACKS AND INCIDENTS
            There are several types of internet security breach or attacks. Expert has identify 9 common type of internet security intrusion which consist of Probe, Scan, Account Compromise, Root Compromise, Packet Sniffer, Denial of Service, Exploitation of Trust, Malicious Code and Internet Infrastructure Attacks
1.      Probes
            A probe is characterized by unusual attempts to gain access to a system or to discover information about the system. One example is an attempt to log in to an unused account. Probing is the electronic equivalent of testing doorknobs to find an unlocked door for easy entry. Probes are sometimes followed by a more serious security event, but they are often the result of curiosity or confusion.
 


2.      Scan
            A scan is simply a large number of probes done using an automated tool. Scans can sometimes be the result of a misconfiguration or other error, but they are often a prelude to a more directed attack on systems that the intruder has found to be vulnerable.
 
3.      Account Compromise
            An account compromise is the unauthorized use of a computer account by someone other than the account owner, without involving system-level or root-level privileges (privileges a system administrator or network manager has). An account compromise might expose the victim to serious data loss, data theft, or theft of services. The lack of root-level access means that the damage can usually be contained, but a user-level account is often an entry point for greater access to the system.
4.      Root Compromise
            A root compromise is similar to an account compromise, except that the account that has been compromised has special privileges on the system. The term root is derived from an account on UNIX systems that typically has unlimited, or "superuser", privileges. Intruders who succeed in a root compromise can do just about anything on the victim's system, including run their own programs, change how the system works, and hide traces of their intrusion.
5.      Packet Sniffer
            A packet sniffer is a program that captures data from information packets as they travel over the network. That data may include user names, passwords, and proprietary information that travel over the network in clear text. With perhaps hundreds or thousands of passwords captured by the sniffer, intruders can launch widespread attacks on systems. Installing a packet sniffer does not necessarily require privileged access. For most multi-user systems, however, the presence of a packet sniffer implies there has been a root compromise.
 
6.      Denial of Service
            The goal of denial-of-service attacks is not to gain unauthorized access to machines or data, but to prevent legitimate users of a service from using it. A denial-of-service attack can come in many forms. Attackers may "flood" a network with large volumes of data or deliberately consume a scarce or limited resource, such as process control blocks or pending network connections. They may also disrupt physical components of the network or manipulate data in transit, including encrypted data.
 
7.      Exploitation of Trust
            Computers on networks often have trust relationships with one another. For example, before executing some commands, the computer checks a set of files that specify which other computers on the network are permitted to use those commands. If attackers can forge their identity, appearing to be using the trusted computer, they may be able to gain unauthorized access to other computers.
 
8.      Malicious Code
            Malicious code is a general term for programs that, when executed, would cause undesired results on a system. Users of the system usually are not aware of the program until they discover the damage. Malicious code includes Trojan horses, viruses, and worms. Trojan horses and viruses are usually hidden in legitimate programs or files that attackers have altered to do more than what is expected. Worms are self-replicating programs that spread with no human intervention after they are started. Viruses are also self-replicating programs, but usually require some action on the part of the user to spread inadvertently to other programs or systems. These sorts of programs can lead to serious data loss, downtime, denial of service, and other types of security incidents.
 
9.      Internet Infrastructure Attacks
            These rare but serious attacks involve key components of the Internet infrastructure rather than specific systems on the Internet. Examples are network name servers, network access providers, and large archive sites on which many users depend. Widespread automated attacks can also threaten the infrastructure. Infrastructure attacks affect a large portion of the Internet and can seriously hinder the day-to-day operation of many sites.
 

 
 
INTERNET SECURITY
TYPE OF PREVENTIONS
            There are no such things as one technique can protect us from being attack; internet security required a combination of several technologies to minimize the potential of being breach. The technologies that can help us in preventing the attacker consist of One-Time Passwords technologies, Firewalls technologies and Monitoring Tools technologies.  
 
1.      One-Time Passwords technologies
            Intruders often install packet sniffers to capture passwords as they traverse networks during remote log-in processes. Therefore, all passwords should at least be encrypted as they traverse networks. A better solution is to use one-time passwords because there are times when a password is required to initiate a connection before confidentiality can be protected.
One common example occurs in remote dial-up connections. Remote users, such as those traveling on business, dial in to their organization's modem pool to access network and data resources. To identify and authenticate themselves to the dial-up server, they must enter a user ID and password. Because this initial exchange between the user and server may be monitored by intruders, it is essential that the passwords are not reusable. In other words, intruders should not be able to gain access by masquerading as a legitimate user using a password they have captured.
One-time password technologies address this problem. Remote users carry a device synchronized with software and hardware on the dial-up server. The device displays random passwords, each of which remains in effect for a limited time period (typically 60 seconds). These passwords are never repeated and are valid only for a specific user during the period that each is displayed. In addition, users are often limited to one successful use of any given password. One-time password technologies significantly reduce unauthorized entry at gateways requiring an initial password.
 
 
2.      Firewalls technologies
            Intruders often attempt to gain access to networked systems by pretending to initiate connections from trusted hosts. They squash the emissions of the genuine host using a denial-of-service attack and then attempt to connect to a target system using the address of the genuine host. To counter these address-spoofing attacks and enforce limitations on authorized connections into the organization Is network, it is necessary to filter all incoming and outgoing network traffic.
A firewall is a collection of hardware and software designed to examine a stream of network traffic and service requests. Its purpose is to eliminate from the stream those packets or requests that fail to meet the security criteria established by the organization. A simple firewall may consist of a filtering router, configured to discard packets that arrive from unauthorized addresses or that represent attempts to connect to unauthorized service ports. More sophisticated implementations may include bastion hosts, on which proxy mechanisms operate on behalf of services. These mechanisms authenticate requests, verify their form and content, and relay approved service requests to the appropriate service hosts. Because firewalls are typically the first line of defence against intruders, their configuration must be carefully implemented and tested before connections are established between internal networks and the Internet.
 
 
3.      Monitoring Tools technologies
            Continuous monitoring of network activity is required if a site is to maintain confidence in the security of its network and data resources. Network monitors may be installed at strategic locations to collect and examine information continuously that may indicate suspicious activity. It is possible to have automatic notifications alert system administrators when the monitor detects anomalous readings, such as a burst of activity that may indicate a denial-of-service attempt. Such notifications may use a variety of channels, including electronic mail and mobile paging. Sophisticated systems capable of reacting to questionable network activity may be implemented to disconnect and block suspect connections, limit or disable affected services, isolate affected systems, and collect evidence for subsequent analysis.

Tools to scan, monitor, and eradicate viruses can identify and destroy malicious programs that may have inadvertently been transmitted onto host systems. The damage potential of viruses ranges from mere annoyance (e.g., an unexpected "Happy Holidays" jingle without further effect) to the obliteration of critical data resources. To ensure continued protection, the virus identification data on which such tools depend must be kept up to date. Most virus tool vendors provide subscription services or other distribution facilities to help customers keep up to date with the latest viral strains.
 
 
Article by
Heywood Jehia
2010175753
 
REFERENCES
Himma, K. E. (2007). Internet Security: Hacking, Counterhacking, And Society. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Rhee, M. Y. (2003). Internet Security: Cryptographic Principles, Algorithms and Protocols. New York: John Wiley & Sons.
Tim Speed, J. E. (2003). Internet Security: A Jumpstart for Systems Administrators and IT Managers. Maynard, MA: Digital Press.
William R. Cheswick, S. M. (2003). Firewalls and Internet Security: Repelling the Wily Hacker. Boston, MA: Addison-Wesley Professional.
 Comer, D. (2007). The Internet Book: Everything You Need to Know about Computer Networking and How the Internet Works. United State: Prentice Hall.
Gary B. Shelly, H. A. (2009). Discovering the Internet: Complete Concepts and Techniques. Stamford, Connecticut: Cengage Learning.
 

Internet Security - Set Your Boundaries Online


Every single day, we spend hours on the internet surfing about whatever interests us. Some people even leave their computer online 24/7 because they don’t want to miss the information that they require. Almost everything can be done just by surfing the net from your bunny slippers. The thinking of not going out is safer well, think again. Even by sitting in front of your computer also can make you a victim of criminal activity.

Remember that internet is a large network. A network that contains millions of computers connected together. Our computer is connected to the internet using fiber optic connection or wireless (WiFi). Each computer have a unique ‘identification number’ called Internet Protocol (IP) address. This IP enables you to connect to a certain computer. Using this connection, you can send emails, chat, view videos, shop and other stuff. IPs are provided by Internet Service Provider (ISP) such as AT&T, Axiata, AOL and Telekom.

One most popular crime on the internet is fraud in internet banking service. Criminals usually sends emails to you asking for your password and the next minute, just like Criss Angel, all your savings are gone in a blink of an eye. This is one example of crime using the internet. Do you see now how important is the internet security? As long as there is connection and data exchange, we are vulnerable to cybercrimes.

Types of online attacks:

1. Viruses/Trojans/Worms
These are common attacks that we see every day. Some of us can avoid it and some cannot. Viruses, trojans and worms are usually sent through emails and free applications or software downloaded from the internet. Even pirated software and computer games also received complain from users for carrying threats to the computer. Viruses, Trojans and worms are actually an application. It runs on its own when you open the infected files. Most of them are in stealth mode which means you cannot see when and what are the applications are doing. They can be detected if you run an antivirus program to scan your computer.

The motive of this kind of attack is to wreck your computer and all your files. They can modify, rewrite and even delete your files and other programs. Your computer system also can be infected. Infected system can make your computer shuts down on its own or restarts. The worst case is it can damage the whole system.

2. Hacking/Phishing/Identity Theft
These types of attacks are done by professionals. They have the knowledge and expertise in computer programming and they know what they are doing. Hackers enter your computer through active connection and take your personal files, passwords, bank transactions and so on. These are all for personal gain. Some hackers don’t have to enter your computer. All they have to do is send fraud emails to their victim and when their victim falls for it, they will give away their personal information and password through a fake form that looks really convincing. This is called phishing.

Image: Source

3. Malware/Spyware/Adware
These are almost as same as viruses and Trojans. They are software send to your computer through email, chat rooms and advertisements (usually pornography adverts). Malware also tends to destroy or interrupt your computer program and functions.

Spyware and adware mostly are sent by advertisers to increase traffic to their site. You will realize you are infected by spyware and adware when your browser sends you to a specific website that you don’t require or keep sending pop-up ads. Sometimes there will be unexpected toolbar appear at your browser that you never install.

Internet Protection Methods
1. Backup your system and files
The most evergreen techniques ever created are your backup files. It is a traditional safety measures but still proven effective. If your computer has been infected by viruses, worms, malware etc., you can format your computer. If you don’t know how to format, ask a computer technician to do it for you, which is if you have backup your file. You can restore the file later after your computer has been formatted. This will save you a lot of time to start from zero again.

I personally don’t encourage backup files not to mention if you get your backup from the infected computer. You will not know if the files that you saved in infected or not. However, backup files are best if you store your file in another device such as external hard disk.

2. Turn on your firewall
Some people know what firewall do and tends to turn it off if it’s blocking a website from displaying or prevent downloading. That is not a wise thing to do if you don’t know anything about the website. Even if you are dying to know the content of the website because its sound cool, you should just back away. You don’t want to be the next victim of scammers don’t you?

Firewall can control incoming and out coming data to from your computer. It provides a passage that all network traffic must pass through before coming or going out from the computer. As the name sounds, the ‘passage’ it provides must pass its security settings. This means not all information that you are looking for is given the permission to pass the firewall.

Firewall is free build-in software in the operating system or it can be hardware. This means that you only purchase it with an operating system cd. There are a few firewall software that you can buy separately. You can view your firewall settings in control panel and adjust the setting according to what you desire.

3. Buy Antivirus Software/Antispyware/Antimalware
Of course there are numerous amount and brands of antivirus software in the market. You can choose which one you like. Every antivirus has its own strength and weaknesses, so you should choose the one that you can certainly trust.  There are even free antivirus software like Panda Security, Microsoft Security Essentials and AVG antivirus.

Antivirus can detect almost all suspicious activity in your computer. If a new virus spreads around, the antivirus software will be updated to overcome the new infection. At this moment, antivirus is the best solution for most of the infection in your computer. Usually paid software is better than the free one. But of course you have to update your license every year to get their protection service.

4. Advance Internet Security Method
With the advance technology and rapidly changing hacker’s style, there are organizations that develop its own security measure for its personal use or for sell to the market. This is because there are organizations that store confidential data and very top secret like the data of the police, FBI and CIA. This advance technology is called biometric system.

Biometric is not new technologies. It existed long time ago but for its expensive price and expensive installment, many individual and organization think twice before they are willing to buy one. Examples of biometric are fingerprint scanners, eye scanners, voice recognition and face recognition system.

Conclusion
No matter how high-tech your computer protection is, there will be a way for hackers, viruses, spyware etc. to attack your computer. The best thing to do is to prevent intrusion before it’s too late. Use your common sense to avoid suspicious website or email. Watch out for bargains that are too good to be true. Protect also our love ones from internet attacks such as children. Most of the time internet attacks can be avoided but children that knew nothing will click anything they see on the internet. You can educate your children about internet security or use internet filters. Make sure you update your antivirus license every year and keep every security measures on your computer are working perfectly. 

Article by,
Albert Babok
2010975805

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