View From the Balcony - Writers Block

View From the Balcony

Writers Block

2005-12-03

Computer Security - a Online Myth or a Need

Computer Security - an Online Myth or A Need

In checking your mail account, have you noticed the recent influx of
virus attacks? With subject headers like:

hi, ive a new mail address
Mail delivery failed
smtp mail failed
Paris Hilton & Nicole Richie
Account Information
Ihr passwort
Registration Confirmation
Your Password
You visit illegal websites
your IP was logged

There are more but these should help ring a bell. If you pay attention to
your computer security logs or it shows the infection cleaned, it should
show you this is the culprit - Win32.Sober.W!ZIP - a high risk Trojan.

If you own a web site, are trying to establish an online business, or
surf for the pleasure of your own personal needs, then you know how
many times your computer security system has cleansed the persistent
influx of some blackhat hacker trying to infest your computer with the
Sober.W Trojan.

Win32.Sober.W!ZIP is making the rounds via email warning you of
mail failure. For every one my computer security system catches and
cleans, for every one that I block for receiving in my email accounts, along
comes another one addressed to some fictional person attached to my
domain name.

You need to make sure you have a good anti-virus and firewall set up
on your computer. Do not rely on the Operating system program firewall
as sufficient protection, nor on the router firewall. They have distinctive
value related to the software use. In many cases, they can create conflict
with programs you normally run without error. The idea that these two
firewalls are sufficient protection is a myth you do not want to test. In
order to protect your online business, be sure to keep all security updated.

Phishers Pose as IRS Agents

While we are all busy becoming netsmart webmasters, we are all vunerable
to the tricks of much smarter blackhat hackers. Even our Governments
drop the ball.

"The Department of Labor says it is working to fix a programming glitch in
a government Web portal that makes it easier for phishers to trick people
into disclosing sensitive information.

"The GovBenefits.gov Web site is used by 16 federal agencies, including the
IRS, and is designed to help users determine their eligibility for
government-funded benefit and assistance programs. It is maintained by the
Department of Labor."

If you have reason to use the GovBenefits.gov domain, then no doubt you
have already received bogus redirected URLs to fraudulent Web sites. Do be
very careful in opening any mail that does not include the https:// URL.

Once you have opened an email such as this by accident or design, there are
a couple of things you need to do immediately. Do a 'clear all' - if using
FireFox - at the top under TOOLs, OPTIONS and PRIVACY, or if using IE,
then TOOLS, INTERNET OPTIONS, then clear cookies, temp files and History. Then close the browser right out.

I always do a reboot to make sure all this cleaning is gone from my pc
period. Then open the browser again, to enter the valid UID URL to
investigate any information the false mail was requesting. Once you
have confirmed this is NOT needed, then clear the browser again, following
the above steps and close it out.

Always be sure to properly log out of any account.

ALL browsers are designed to hold the history of your computer actions so
make very sure you clear the history as well in order that no sensitive
information can be linked to by this scum.

There is a better way. Simply do not open that email. Treat it as a fraud,
then do the above steps so you know your browser is clean and type in
YOUR secure link to the real site. NEVER access any protected site by
using the URL provided in these mailings.

OTHER RESOURCES:

http://www.how2-4newbies.com/
http://www.pcworld.com/

copyright © 2005 Fran Klasinski All rights Reserved

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