|
Protect yourself from cons
By:Mindy Baker
01/05/2006
"There is spyware out there called keyloggers," stated Martha Thompson of Northland Computer Systems. "It will log every keystroke a person makes, even down to if you used the shift key or not - passwords, account information, credit card numbers."
Anti-virus software does not necessarily protect a computer from spyware. Spyware works completely different from traditional viruses and, according to Thompson, slip in under the radar.
"If it's from a screen pop-up that tells you your computer is infected - don't do it. A lot of those free anti-spyware software actually make it worse," she stated.
The most important thing to do, according to Thompson, is to keep the computer clean of all viruses and spyware by running an anti-virus and anti-spyware program frequently.
"Especially after downloading anything from music, game or gambling sites," she stated.
She added that anytime a computer seems to have slowed down for no reason, it could mean a spyware program is working in the background.
"Spyware is no fun on our part," Thompson stated. "It muddies the water for us as technicians, and frustrates our customers. We want people to enjoy their computer.
Phishers are another major problem, having already hit several Kossuth County residents to the tune of thousands of dollars, according to Todd Holmes, county attorney.
'Phishing' are emails that try to look like they come from a bank or insurance company, eBay or PayPal. It's really a way to collect account and personal information with identity theft as the goal.
To protect from being caught by phishers, never reply to unsolicited emails requesting banking or personal information.
"An official business will never ask you for your information. They already have it, and people have to be careful, because everything looks so legitimate," stated Holmes.
To protect from phishers, never enter important data onto any form that is not SSL encrypted (SSL addresses begin with https://, not http://)
They also state that it is common for phishing emails to use original graphics from eBay, PayPal, CitiBank and other legitimate sources. Warnings and look are no criteria in determining if the email is legitimate.
"The most important thing I can emphasize is to be suspicious and cautious," stated Holmes.
|