|
|
|
Phishing With A Net
hen geeks gave us the guys really think about what
Internet and the means to they're saying?
use it, they also gave us
a new segment of vocabulary ... There is one instance, though,
where the geeks thought it
I've often thought it a shame through and got it right.
that a few of them didn't make 'Phishing' is a perfect
their way to a campus literature connotation for cyber-cons who
or marketing department and see troll for prey.
if a student of poetry or sizzle
could assist them in assigning The word's spelling distinguishes
names to their innovations. For this nefarious activity from a
example, did the manual cursor sporting endeavor, but it's still
operator have to be called a a game. The definition that's
'mouse?' been developed for it is "a
technique used to gain personal
Geeks have overtaken information for purposes of
sports-speakers when it comes to identity theft, using fraudulent
coining bad phrases. I've never e-mail messages that appear to
understood why basketball types come from legitimate businesses.
say a player 'kicks out' a ball These authentic-looking messages
to a teammate on the perimeter are designed to fool recipients
when his feet never touch it. into divulging personal data such
Worse yet, I've always wondered as account numbers and passwords,
if a gridiron football player credit card numbers and Social
would really want to dive on the Security numbers."
ball if the carrier truly
'coughed it up!' That bit of Another term that alludes to the
literal imagery is more revulsive emotive consequences of
than handling a mouse. Do these cyberobbery is the perjorative
sense of 'hacker.' That bit of --- in cyberspace or elsewhere
etymology seems to be a work in --- limits what can be
progress. The accepted definition investigated and prosecuted.
refers to "individuals who gain Thus, smart spoofers often keep
unauthorized access to computer their 'take' per scam campaign at
systems for the purpose of levels sufficiently low that the
stealing and corrupting data." cost of prosecuting them is not
However, the added qualifier is, viable. Then, they change their
"Hackers, themselves, maintain coordinates, plus their
that the proper term for such identities, and do it again.
individuals is cracker."
So, obviously, the most important
Being hacked or being cracked factor in cyber-diligence is
makes little difference to those self-precaution. Most steps are
on the receiving end. They just basic, as evidenced by the
know they've been had. checklist on the USA government's
Understandably, their first Federal Trade Commission website:
impulses are to get mad and want
to vent. My contention is that, "If you get an email or pop-up
most of the time, they're lashing message that asks for personal or
out in the wrong direction. After financial information, do not
all, crooks are crooks; that's reply. And don't click on the
their job and they're out there link in the message, either.
in numbers. That's not going to Legitimate companies don't ask
change anytime soon. for this information via email.
If you are concerned about your
These victims need to take a hard account, contact the organization
look at themselves. mentioned in the email using a
telephone number you know to be
The economics of law enforcement genuine, or open a new Internet
browser session and type in the
company's correct Web address "A firewall helps make you
yourself. In any case, don't cut invisible on the Internet and
and paste the link from the blocks all communications from
message into your Internet unauthorized sources. It's
browser — phishers can make especially important to run a
links look like they go to one firewall if you have a broadband
place, but that actually send you connection. Operating systems
to a different site. (like Windows or Linux) or
browsers (like Internet Explorer
"Use anti-virus software and a or Netscape) also may offer free
firewall, and keep them up to software 'patches' to close holes
date. Some phishing emails in the system that hackers or
contain software that can harm phishers could exploit.
your computer or track your
activities on the Internet "Don't email personal or
without your knowledge. financial information. Email is
not a secure method of
"Anti-virus software and a transmitting personal
firewall can protect you from information. If you initiate a
inadvertently accepting such transaction and want to provide
unwanted files. Anti-virus your personal or financial
software scans incoming information through an
communications for troublesome organization's website, look for
files. Look for anti-virus indicators that the site is
software that recognizes current secure, like a lock icon on the
viruses as well as older ones; browser's status bar or a URL for
that can effectively reverse the a website that begins 'https:'
damage; and that updates (the 's' stands for 'secure').
automatically. Unfortunately, no indicator is
foolproof; some phishers have "If you believe you've been
forged security icons. scammed, file your complaint at
ftc.gov, and then visit the FTC's
"Review credit card and bank Identity Theft website at
account statements as soon as you www.consumer.gov/idtheft. Victims
receive them to check for of phishing can become victims of
unauthorized charges. If your identity theft. While you can't
statement is late by more than a entirely control whether you will
couple of days, call your credit become a victim of identity
card company or bank to confirm theft, you can take some steps to
your billing address and account minimize your risk. If an
balances. identity thief is opening credit
accounts in your name, these new
"Be cautious about opening any accounts are likely to show up on
attachment or downloading any your credit report. You may catch
files from emails you receive, an incident early if you order a
regardless of who sent them. free copy of your credit report
These files can contain viruses periodically from any of the
or other software that can weaken three major credit bureaus."
your computer's security.
If you use e-currency or
"Forward spam that is phishing e-payment services, be aware that
for information to spam@uce.gov they are usually not liable for
and to the company, bank, or any of your losses if you've been
organization impersonated in the hacked or cracked due to
phishing email. Most identity-theft issues. All
organizations have information on reputable services have support
their websites about where to divisions that investigate any
report problems. complaints of spoofing --- for
example, Paypal asks you to mail
them at spoof@paypal.com if you
receive a suspicious message I note that the Longer Life site
using their name --- and if has two very good preventive
anyone is going to pursue, or at products as sponsors, Kaspersky
least keep on file, complaints of Labs and Identity Guard. They are
any amount, it will be them. first-class products and well
worth your while to consider.
Virtually all e-currency services
offer options of 'virtual' This stuff doesn't take long to
keyboards for logging in to research or to implement and you
accounts. They may be a bother, don't have to be a geek to do it.
but they are very effective at You don't even have to know their
adding a formidable obstacle for their terminology. Instead, when
cyber-invasion. Then, whether or you're done, you can confidently
not you took this step to access refer to a familiar term in both
your account, make sure you take sports and banking:
the time to actually log out of
your account, as opposed to Safe.
merely clicking away to your next
site.
About the Author:
J Square Humboldt is the featured columnist at Longer Life's website, which provides information designed to improve the quality of living. He's at http://longerlifegroup.com/cyberiter.html
Read more articles by: J Square Humboldt
Article Source: www.iSnare.com
|
|
