We are all aware of the various scams that are rampant over the web so don’t be surprised if you find them suddenly making their way to your mailbox. While it seems that being more aware of attachments and pictures in emails has been covered, email scammers are still on the go and they have made the whole process simpler. These days, they do it using simple links that are sent via email and one click alone can make a difference. A difference towards the worst that is.

URL direction to a certain site will always be dangerous. Especially if you find it suddenly stressed in your email, be cautious. For one thing, identify if you know the sender. If you don’t know them, don’t click on the links. Actually, if you don’t know the sender, then it would be best to delete the message and don’t bother reading it. For sure, you know to whom you have given your emails so you should know better.

They were all the rage last year, but image and file attachment spam is definitely out in 2008, as spammers abandon complex techniques for simpler URL-based methods.

Around 90 per cent of all spam messages are now URL based, according to a recent report from IBM’s Internet Security Systems (ISS) X-Force, Big Blue’s Internet threat research and development team.

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The best way to protect yourself from these scammers is to just be careful. Don’t click on links as if you are interested. Research a bit and look for scams. Or better yet, if you see bad English composition in the email coming from someone you don’t know, then consider it scam and spam.

Tags: email, links, scammers, spam, url, urls

Categories: IT Security Basics, Malware, Storage

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Today, we see a lot of places that have Internet access. And it is not about plugging up your laptop to cables. They are wireless. With that in mind all you need is a Bluetooth adapter that can detect these wireless networks. Normally you can surf away. But for some networks, there are codes that you have to input since not all air born Internet access is free for some places.

They would normally have a common username and password for people to use. Owing to the fact that they can make money from it or make it a privilege from patrons who avail of other services, wireless Internet is really more of an add-on. For others however, it is about security as well as routers in place can be susceptible to malicious files such as viruses which can be injected if some network administrators are not careful.

You really cannot blame such networks from employing such defensive security measures. At the rate that hackers and harmful files can be solicited over the web these days, safeguarding you equipment and files is a definite priority. Internet access through wireless technology is indeed a breakthrough but it also provides a threat for networks that are not careful on who can access them.

Hence, outside that of trying to control the number of devices accessing a network, it is a security measure to configure wireless networks and limit the ones who are given access. There is no telling what things may occur, and normally they are not favorable.

Tags: access, internet, security, Wireless

Categories: IT Security Basics, Network Security, Programming, Security Policies

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You just have to look at how Microsoft always announces certain patch releases for their software these days. Nothing is definite and safe just yet especially if you consider hackers and computer geeks trying to discover flaws in certain computer software such as an operating system. There will always be something discovered and the loophole can be entirely critical and dangerous.

Unlike in the latter 1990’s, today we rarely see patches being given since they have more or less covered the security threats ranging from viruses to malware today. There are still recommended patched needed. But surely, they are not as rampant and dangerous compare to before. And to make sure that you are using authentic software, they make use of software authenticity codes to know if you are using genuine software or not.

Microsoft can be commended for this but it still remains that there are still a lot of flaws as far as their software releases are concerned. But to make sure that customers do not experience these unfortunate mishaps, a continuous research and development for such threats has to be implemented. We can see these days that something will suddenly break out and if you are not protected, chances are you are missing a patch.

As much as possible, apply these patches. If you are in doubt, read on them or even ask for technical support. Security breaches in the IT world are common and to stay away from such a discomfort, it is best to be updated and make sure you are well-protected.

Tags: Malware, Microsoft, patches, security, viruses

Categories: IT Security Basics, Malware, Operating Systems

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If there is one thing to be learned from Mr. Terry Childs, a talented network engineer who was jailed due to computer tampering, you better be careful at who you choose to have administrative rights as far as network access and security is concerned. Apparently for some reason, Mr. Childs has refused to turn over the administrative passwords for the larger part of the San Francisco Department of Technology FiberWAN.

A petty issue with a run-in that he had with his agency had was said to be the cause of it all. But while that may sound off-topic, he has been tagged as becoming unstable and apparently this has lead to his being charged with four felony counts of computer tampering. The bail was set at $5 million dollars which most people including his lawyer said was crazy.

Let this be a lesson that the power of technology, once it goes to the wrong hands, may be entirely catastrophic. While technology breakthroughs are something to look up to, it remains that the people behind them have to be likewise trusted. Better yet, it would be best to have the technology guy and an authorized executive have access to make sure that nothing of this nature would occur as well.

Childs was said to be maniacal at the start so you have to wonder, why did you entrust the guy with the passwords and rights to the network security? Surely this was already a problem at the start and now that it has escalated towards paralyzing most of the operations only one man who is obviously psychologically disturbed holds the key to it. No wonder the bail was set at such a crazy amount of $5 Million!

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Tags: computer tampering, felony, FiberWAN, Network Security, San Francisco Department of Technology, terry childs

Categories: IT Security Basics, Network Security, News, Operating Systems, Real-World Issues, Security Policies

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