When In Doubt, Don’t Click the Link

Written by Saran on July 31, 2008

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.

Source

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: , , , , ,

Categories: IT Security Basics, Malware, Storage

Leave a Comment

Secure Your Wireless Networks with Authentication Codes

Written by Saran on July 30, 2008

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: , , ,

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

Leave a Comment