Internet Security

Internet Security As the number of Internet users proliferates, then so do the risks. More and more transactions are being conducted online, often by people who are new to the Internet, who are unaware of the potential risks involved. These risks include viruses, spyware, phishing and scams. Viruses are programs created with malicious intentions. They infect data held on a computer and can often cause serious damage to a system. They are spread via email attachments or storage media such as CD-ROM’s or over a network. Using a recommended anti-virus software package can help to reduce the problem. Plus, being aware of the risks such as suspicious email attachments and installing patches on a regular basis can also help. Spyware is often bundled within a software application, for example, a free download on the Internet.

As the name says, it observes user interaction with the computer, and then interferes with this interaction, without the user’s consent. Installing anti-spyware software can help to block this. Phishing is a relatively recent phenomenon: it is a fraudulent act in which the intention is to trick the user into revealing sensitive information, such as their bank account details. This can take the form of what appears to be an email from an official source, such as a bank.

One way of dealing with this is to use an anti-phishing filter. Another is to raise awareness amongst users as to how to deal with this official looking messages, for example, contacting their bank to check the authenticity of the message. Scams are the fraudulent means by which users are tricked into sending money for goods or services which never materialise. For example, work from home schemes such as data entry or the setting up of a home business. A way of preventing this from happening is to not to pay any sort of fee in advance, or to check the authenticity of a website before releasing potentially sensitive information such as credit card details.