Your computer is a prime target for cyber-thieves
Your home computer is now the prime target for cyber-thieves. According to the latest Internet Security Report from the Symantec Corporation (makers of Norton security products), 93 percent of all targeted attacks are now aimed at home machines.
"They're primarily looking for your log-ins to an online service," says Dave Cole, director of Symantec Security Response. It could be a log-in to a bank or financial institution, eBay, or MySpace.
"They are after anything of value," Cole says, "even if that value is just other people's contact information. They can turn around and sell that information as an e-mail list to spammers."
Of course, they'll also be happy to snag your credit card and bank account numbers. Social Security numbers are at the top of their list because they're worth the most money to the cyber-thief.
The best way to fight back is to make sure you have good security software and that you have your computer set to automatically download updates.
How they attack
There are two main ways cyber-thieves can get your personal information. They can sneak malicious software onto your computer. Or they can trick you into giving them the personal data they want.
For the bad guys on the Internet, trickery is growing in popularity. It's easy and despite years of warnings, it still works.
The Symantec Security Report shows phishing scams are on the rise.
"For that six month period we saw about 8.5 million phishing message a day. That's a 19 percent increase from the previous 6-month period," says Dave Cole.
The only way to fight back, he says, is to have what he calls "online street smarts." You need to ignore any e-mail that asks for your personal information - no matter how legitimate it looks, no matter how dire the message. Anyone who needs this personal information already has it.
If you feel the need to find out what's going on pick up the phone and call the company. Or go online, type in the web address yourself and contact the company's customer service. Don't use a phone number or link in the e-mail. It could take you to a fake phone line or site run by the bad guys.
Remember once you click send, you can't take that personal information back.
For More Information:
Read Herb's report: "Cyber-attacks more aggressive than ever"
How not to get hooked by the phishing scam
OnGuard Online
Read full Symantec report
Rating The Different PC Security Suites
"They're primarily looking for your log-ins to an online service," says Dave Cole, director of Symantec Security Response. It could be a log-in to a bank or financial institution, eBay, or MySpace.
"They are after anything of value," Cole says, "even if that value is just other people's contact information. They can turn around and sell that information as an e-mail list to spammers."
Of course, they'll also be happy to snag your credit card and bank account numbers. Social Security numbers are at the top of their list because they're worth the most money to the cyber-thief.
The best way to fight back is to make sure you have good security software and that you have your computer set to automatically download updates.
How they attack
There are two main ways cyber-thieves can get your personal information. They can sneak malicious software onto your computer. Or they can trick you into giving them the personal data they want.
For the bad guys on the Internet, trickery is growing in popularity. It's easy and despite years of warnings, it still works.
The Symantec Security Report shows phishing scams are on the rise.
"For that six month period we saw about 8.5 million phishing message a day. That's a 19 percent increase from the previous 6-month period," says Dave Cole.
The only way to fight back, he says, is to have what he calls "online street smarts." You need to ignore any e-mail that asks for your personal information - no matter how legitimate it looks, no matter how dire the message. Anyone who needs this personal information already has it.
If you feel the need to find out what's going on pick up the phone and call the company. Or go online, type in the web address yourself and contact the company's customer service. Don't use a phone number or link in the e-mail. It could take you to a fake phone line or site run by the bad guys.
Remember once you click send, you can't take that personal information back.
For More Information:
Read Herb's report: "Cyber-attacks more aggressive than ever"
How not to get hooked by the phishing scam
OnGuard Online
Read full Symantec report
Rating The Different PC Security Suites