This week (12th to the 16th November) is Get Safe Online Week 2007 and Get Safe Online is sponsored by the government to offer independent, expert advice on how you can stay safe and secure when using the internet.
With online fraud and identity theft are on the rise, it is imperative that internet shoppers protect themselves from their PC upwards.
1. Use a firewall.
A firewall is a first line defense against hackers and virus attacks. It acts as a barrier between the public network and yourselves. Windows does have its own firewall (I would only recommend Windows XP and Vista, as the older versions of windows are now obsolete in security terms) Firewalls are not sufficient on their own to guarantee security, and should be regarded as only a part of your security considerations.
2. Install Anti Virus Software.
McAfee is a popular choice in the UK as it comes installed on most new computers. The subscriptions to commercial antivirus software can cost between £30 and £60 annually, depending on the level of service you require.
Anti virus software kept up to date will scan your computer and emails on a regular basis protecting and eliminating, spy ware, spam, viruses and identity theft.
Trend Micro offer a free ‘House call’ scan of your PC for viruses and the like as well as their paid for service.
3. Stop Spyware
Spyware are those annoying pop ups and sneaky downloads to your computer to track your activity. Spyware is used from tracking your activity from an advertising capacity (adware) to logging your key strokes to find out security information. Spyware is an internet pandemic, and you should scan for Spyware every time you switch on your computer, or if your computer seems a little slow. As Spyware can continuously transmit data on your activities, it can take up your processor usage and bandwidth.
Spyware doctor is a popular tool from PC Tools and costs £29.95. They do have an anti virus version also for around £39.95. Please note these are rough prices and are the price for 1 year only.
4. Stop Spam and Phishing Emails
Email delivery is a popular source of virus infection. Spam is usually from someone you do not know or with a title that is trying to sell you something. Phishing emails try to convince readers that they are a genuine site to gather your security details. There are many types of phishing emails, but as a rule, don’t open any suspicious mail. Making sure you have an email scanner with your mail box or anti-virus software is a must.
Remember, no one asks for a password or personal details in an email if they are from a reputable company as it is not secure.
5. Get the latest Window and software updates.
You need to keep your operating system up to date and healthy. Hackers like to continually find loop holes and bugs in popular software to exploit. Regular updates (which can be automated) are essential to protecting yourself from known problems. Software providers face a continuous battle against hackers and criminals so its best to subscribe to their updates and check their websites for any security issues.
6. Make regular backups
Protect from a data disaster by backing up your files and programs on a regular basis. If you have hardware failure or your hard drive is attacked by a virus you will have to re-install everything. Depending on the severity of the virus your data could be hard to retrieve.
7. Secure your wireless network
Wi-Fi networks need to be secured by to stop users freeloading on your internet connection and also hackers can ‘listen in’ to any transmitted data. Most Wi-fi networks come with encryption and a special code to limit the user. Ask your network provider if your Wi-Fi connection is secure and just for you.
8. Browse the internet safely.
Use either Firefox or Internet Explorer to browse the internet if you are using a PC. Mac users have Opera as their regular browser. Be sensible on the internet. If you are searching and browsing for ‘cracked’ and free software or music downloads you will be subject to viruses and other nasties. The sites are usually not reputable, kept up to date or have an ounce of care about the security of its users.
You need to make sure any internet shopping you do the websites checkout is secured and they have an appropriate privacy policy (they won’t sell on your details) You can check by looking for the padlock icon at the bottom of your browser and https:// as the address prefix as soon as you come to go through the checkout process. If you have any doubts in the security of a checkout then do not proceed. If the checkout asks for any information that is not essential to process your order, be wary. There are plenty of secure shopping sites and marketplaces out their like eBay.
Spoof emails and Marketplaces – The biggest threat!
eBay has been a victim of phishing emails since the conception of the idea I bet! With hundreds of new users flooding to eBay all the time, phishing emails have become a common occurrence. In my personal inbox I get at least 3 or 4 eBay phishing emails a day, which are getting ever more convincing.
eBay have worked hard to beat the ‘phishers’ by trying to educate its members. They even have a tutorial on how to spot a spoof emails and the eBay toolbar is a must for eBay users.
Symantec have been following the scam of Trojan.Bayrob – Buying a Fake Jeep
In order to attract potential victims the scammers first list cars for sale on various auction sites. These auctions are not scams per se, but they are “legit” auctions that are used solely to attract potential victims—whoever asks a question or bids on these auctions becomes a potential victim. Once these auctions have expired the scammers get to work emailing each potential victim. These emails explain that the winner of the original auction was unable to pay, so the car has been re-listed on the auction.
Once the email is opened the trojan is silently dropped and executed on the victims computer. The scammers do not pursue the victim until the trojan has confirmed a proper installation on the machine and is working properly. Once the location of the victim is confirmed, and they are too far away from the vehicle to visit, a second email is sent.
Not only does the Trojan show a fake auction, it is also able to show fake feedback for the alleged seller too. When viewed from the infected machine the feedback page for the auction user
The infected machine then mirrors the entire auction process from start to finish to complete the fake sale.
With ever growing sophisticated criminals behind such scams, users and business owners need to be extra vigilant. Always use the eBay portal to conduct your eBay trading.
Some eBay sellers do use legitimate third party checkouts for their eBay business. This should be mentioned on the listing or at eBay checkout if they want the buyer to have confidence. You can also ask eBay or do your own research before you pay. You should only checkout if the seller is using an approved third party eBay tool as listed in the Solutions Directory. You will usually see a small logo at the bottom of the listing if a seller is using such a tool.
This article was written with the help of ‘Get Safe Online’ in support of the ‘Get Safe Online Awareness Week’ if you need more detailed information you can visit their website.
